Today’s Relativity Bankruptcy News: Objections to Employee Retention Plan Resolved as Judge Seals Incentive Targets
At yesterday’s hearing, debtor attorney Craig Wolfe disclosed that discussion with the United States Trustee have led to a resolution of the concerns over the debtor’s plan to give key employees incentives so as to retain them through the bankruptcy process. The trustee had argued that there hasn’t been enough justification for the incentive plan under bankruptcy code, as well as other issues. (HESQ)
Comcast Unveils ‘Watchable’, Its Streamed Entertainment Service
Cable giant formally challenged Google’s YouTube, Facebook, and Verizon’s Go90 this morning as it announced the launch of the beta version of Watchable, its widely anticipated ad-supported streaming service. Videos at the start will be available via iOS, watchable.com and Comcast’s X1 set top boxes. They will include content from about 30 partners including AwesomenessTV, Buzzfeed, Fast Company, GoPro, Maker Studios, Mashable, NBCUniversal, and Refinery29. (DH)
A Very Heady Trio Of Actresses Are In Talks For a Movie About Queen Anne
Kate Winslet, Emma Stone and Olivia Colman are in talks to star in The Favourite, a period piece exploring the regent’s brief reign from 1702 to 1707. Colman is in discussions to wear the crown and Winslet to play Sarah, Duchess of Marlborough, a close confidante to the queen. Stone, meanwhile, would portray Sarah’s distant relative Abigail Masham, whose rags-to-riches story saw the poor commoner ending up with a position at court helping the Queen. (WAH)
AMC Wants To Give You Even More Zombies, Launches ‘Fear the Walking Dead: Flight 462′ Web Series
The 16-episode series follows a group of passengers aboard a commercial airplane during an early outbreak. Each short episode will explore the lives of those on the plane and how events transpire once an infected traveler is discovered on board. The premiere webisode will go live on AMC.com on October 4, and will subsequently air during two commercial breaks during the season six premiere of The Walking Dead a week later. (UR)
Evolution Media Capital Names Stuart Epstein Co-Managing Partner
EMC is the investment and advisory arm of Creative Artists Agency. In Epstein, CAA gets a veteran media executive who has held key roles at Morgan Stanley and NBCUniversal. He joins Evolution Media Capital’s Co-Managing Partners Rick Hess and Bob Stanley, and has been tasked with expanding the boutique firm’s advisory services and identifying investment opportunities. (VAR)
That Long-Awaited ‘Trainspotting’ Sequel Is Finally Shooting Next Summer, According To Danny Boyle
Director has been on the press tour for next month’s Steve Jobs and confirmed that all four stars of the original film, Ewan McGregor, Jonny Lee Miller, Robert Carlyle and Ewen Bremner, will return. The plan is to shoot the film over the summer and, ideally, have it in theaters before the end of next year. John Hodge has already written the script. (SF)
Sony Brings On ‘The Girl On the Train’ Writer To Adapt Hot Book ‘Maestra’
Erin Cressida Wilson will tackle the tome by author L.S. Hilton, which won’t actually be released in book stores until next year. Story is a conspiracy thriller set in the European art world, with feisty protagonist Judith Rashleigh discovering fraud at her London auction house and ending up fleeing for her life while she follows the dirty money. Only “her consummate ability to fake it among the rich and famous” can save her. It’s planned as the first in a series. (EMP)
Today In Remake News: John Hyams Hops Aboard To Direct ‘Maniac Cop’ Re-Do
Nicholas Winding Refn is producing the project, which will be a new take on the 1988 B-movie. Hayes is best known for directing Universal Soldier: Regeneration and Universal Soldier: Day Of Reckoning, which have found approval from fans of that franchise. Meanwhile, Ed Brubaker will be penning the script. No word yet on when production will begin. (TP)
Trailer Buzz: ‘The Revenant’
Twentieth Century Fox has released the first full-length trailer of director Alejandro Gonzalez Iñaríttu’s followup to his Oscar-winning Birdman. Leonardo DiCaprio and Tom Hardy star in the film, which is due in theaters for a limited release on Christmas Day, followed by a wide release on January 8th, 2016. (THR)
Online Film School: ‘How To Craft the Perfect Pitch For Your Web Series
Items like practicing your pitch and watching your budget are a must, but it gets much more involved than that. If you’re planning to put together a pitch for a web series of your own, it will be worth your while to check this out and get some proper advice. (IW)