SSN ORIGINALS
Exec Shuffle for 11/9/15: Activision Blizzard Studios Launches, comScore Partners with Spotify, RealD Acquired, Shifts at UTA
Another busy week in Hollywoodland, as companies are launched, partnerships established, and plenty of hirings and firings, coming and goings. Among them are a new acquisition for Google, a new financing operation for international sales company Double Dutch International, and a new head of movie production for Content Media. Click on the link to learn more. (SSN)
OTHER HEADLINES
Cross Creek Inks a Brand New Deal, Finds a Brand New Home At Sony
Production shingle behind such films as Black Mass, Rush, The Ides of March and Black Swan will now bring their award-winning slate of high-profile, commercial films to a new home at Sony Pictures’ motion picture group. The deal with Sony is a broad-ranging, multi-platform one, where in addition to distributing Cross Creek pictures on a worldwide basis, Sony and Cross Creek will have the opportunity to co-finance certain films, originating in either pipeline. (CS)
Is That Ariel Calling? Chloe Grace Moretz Signs Up For Disney’s Live Action ‘Little Mermaid’
It might have lost director Sofia Coppola, but Universal and Working Title are pushing ahead on development with their take on one of Hans Christian Andersen’s most famous fairy tales. And now the companies have a star. Moretz will play the young aquatic woman who dreams of a life among humans but makes a terrible deal to have her wish come true. It also now looks like Richard Curtis in talks to tackle script duty. (EMP)
Good News For ‘Blindspot’ Fans, as NBC Has Already Given the Show a Second Season
Just seven episodes into its initial season, the show has already impressed everyone important enough to get a big batch of new episodes next year. At this point, though, it’s not exactly clear how many episodes that will end up being. When the show was first ordered, it was only for 13 episodes. Since its debut, NBC has ordered 10 more. (CB)
Olivia Munn Is Going Back In Time With The CW For a 70s-Set Female Sportscaster Drama
Set in 1974, the drama revolves around a young journalist who gets hired by an ambitious New York news programming chief as a publicity stunt to be one of the first female on-air sports reporters. She then has to learn to navigate gender politics in front of and behind the camera at a time when women were literally not even allowed in the press box. Ted Humphrey will pen the script and executive produce the CBS Television Studios entry alongside Munn. (LF)
Adam And Naomi Scott Sell a Pair Of Comedy Projects, One To HBO, and One To NBC
HBO has bought Deep S.I.X. with Wet Hot American Summer scribe Anthony King attached to write. Show follows a rag-tag Homeland security team that no one believes in as they investigate paranormal threats that no one believes in. NBC has put in development Donuthead, a single-camera comedy set in the world of an anxiety-ridden 11-year old boy and his single mother. Series will be written by Irene Mecchi and Bridget Terry. (DH)
With Her TV Appetite Whetted By ‘Gotham’, Jada Pinkett Smith Is Making a Return With Her Own Show
ABC has ordered a put pilot for a legal drama called Murder Town, from the studio that produces Lifetime’s Unreal. Pickett Smith will play a woman who becomes Wilmington, Delaware’s first black district attorney. It’ll be written by Castle‘s Barry Schindel, who’ll also executive-produce along with Pinkett Smith and Miguel Melendez. (VUL)
Amazon Continues Its Foray Into the Feature Film World, Picks Up Nicholas Winding Refn’s ‘Neon Demon’
Amazon has been nipping at Netflix’s heels, first with Transparent, Spike Lee’s Chi-raq is on the way, and now it has picked up Refn’s new movie. Starring Elle Fanning, Jena Malone, Bella Heathcote, Desmond Harrington, Christina Hendricks, and Keanu Reeves, the Countess Bathory-inspired tale follows an aspiring model who becomes prey to other women who want what she has. (TP)
In Case You Were Wondering, ABC Family Has Released the Schedule For Its 25 Days Of Christmas
While the slate doesn’t begin until December 1st, ABC Family — soon to be rebranded as Freeform — has unveiled the full schedule, and it’s chock-full of stop-motion classics, holiday staples, forgotten failures, and a couple of puzzlers. (COL)
Trailer Buzz: ‘Better Call Saul’
AMC has released the first look at Season Two of the Emmy-nominated Breaking Bad prequel. Bob Odenkirk, Michael McKean and Jonathan Banks, and premieres in early 2016. (IW)