SSN ORIGINALS
The ‘Karski & The Lords of Humanity’ Doc Shows That One Person’s Fight for Good Really Can Change the World
Slawomir Grunberg is an independent filmmaker who has been solely devoted to documentaries for the past 30 years. He’s won an Emmy Award and two of the documentaries that he was a Director of Photography on have been nominated for Academy Awards. His new film, Karski & The Lords Of Humanity, is a shining example of the power of the documentary feature. (SSN)
TV Development for 11/17/15: ‘Snowpiercer’ Series in the Works, Ed Helms Producing Series for FX and ABC, Netflix to Explore ‘Frontier’
A new series for The Office’s Angela Kinsley, Doug Ellin returns to the tube with a new project, as does Jason Momoa. Among other big names coming involved this week are Laura Dern, H. Jon Benjamin, Michael Showalter, and two projects from How I Met Your Mother creators Carter Bays and Craig Thomas. Click on the link for all the details. (SSN)
OTHER HEADLINES
Sony Looks To Hook Matthew McConaughey For Its Massive ‘Dark Tower’ Adaptation
Nikolaj Arcel is writing and directing the first movie in what will be a multi-film series that will be complemented with a TV show. McConaughey has reportedly been offered both Roland the gunslinger, and Padick (aka The Man In Black), and the actor is apparently more keen on the latter. Nothing is set, but talks are reportedly ongoing. (TP)
Today In Remake News: the ‘Tomb Raider’ Re-Do Now Has Itself a Director, and a New Writer, Too
Norwegian thriller director Roar Uthaug will take the director’s chair for Tomb Raider, making the video game adaptation his first English-language feature. His latest film, The Wave, just opened in Norway this past August and will make its way to American shores in 2016. Though previous screenwriters Evan Daugherty, Marti Noxon and Mark Fergus and Hawk Ostby have all worked on drafts, Geneva Robertson-Dworet is in negotiations to do another pass. (CB)
HBO Inks a New, Three-Year Deal With Nic Pizzolato, but Season Three Of ‘True Detective’ Is No Sure Thing
Under the new pact, a number of new projects from Pizzolatto are being considered. The deal paves the way for a go-ahead decision for another season of True Detective, but that’s no sure thing. HBO has been looking to make a change in the way the show is run, given the critical response to the second season, and has presented Pizzolatto with a number of options. In all scenarios, he would remain an exec producer. (VAR)
Broad Green Inks First-Look Deal With Bob Cooper and Richard Saperstein’s New Shingle
Fledgling indue studio has signed a first-look deal with Storyscape Entertainment, the just-launched production company from the veteran producers. The duo will develop and produce movies for the studio with the deal covering physical and financial production resources. The pact also comes on the heels of a similar partnership with producer Matt Alvarez and gives the company a steady pipeline of content from proven producers. (THR)
Good News For Iceman Fans, as Val Kilmer Confirms He Will Return For ‘Top Gun 2’
The sequel has been gestating for years, but the project hit a snag a few years ago when director Tony Scott died, but when Jerry Bruckheimer struck a new deal at Paramount, Top Gun 2 was part of the deal. Last year, Justin Marks was hired to write the script, and now Kilmer has taken to his Facebook page to announce that he has been offered the chance to reprise his famous role, opposite star Tom Cruise, who is also returning. (SF)
Richard Linklater’s Long-Awaited ‘Everybody Wants Some’ Finally Has Its Premiere Date
Linklater’s “spiritual sequel” to Dazed and Confused will open the 23rd South By Southwest Film Festival, on Friday, March 11th, 2016. The film, which focuses on a group of college baseball players as they navigate their way through the freedoms and responsibilities of unsupervised adulthood, features an ensemble cast of Will Brittain, Zoey Deutch, Ryan Anthony Guzman, Tyler Hoechlin, Blake Jenner, Glen Powell and Wyatt Russell. (IW)
Taylor Kitchs Joins the Already Impressive Cast For Xavier Dolan’s English Language Debut
Jessica Chastain, Kathy Bates, Susan Sarandon and Kit Harington are already part of the cast for The Death And Life Of John F. Donovan, with Harrington in the title role. Story involves a Hollywood star’s career being destroyed when people start making assumptions about his correspondence with an 11-year-old actor. Chastain plays the editor of a gossip rag. Kitsch’s role hasn’t yet been revealed, but is being described as “unique.” (EMP)
Trailer Buzz: ‘A Very Murray Christmas’
Netflix has released the first look at its upcoming Christmas special, starring Bill Murray. Written by Sofia Coppola, Mitch Glazer and Murray and directed by Coppola, the star-studded cast also includes George Clooney, Paul Shaffer, Amy Poehler, Julie White, Dimitri Dimitrov, Michael Cera, Chris Rock, David Johansen, Maya Rudolph, Jason Schwartzman, Jenny Lewis, Phoenix, Frederic Moulin, Rashida Jones, Miley Cyrus, and more. It premieres December 4th. (CS)