AWARDS HEADLINES
With the Announcement Of Any Major Award Nominations, There Are Always Surprises and Snubs, and the SAG Nods Are No Different
The absence of names like Matt Damon, Will Smith, Jennifer Lawrence, Michael Keaton, Sylvester Stallone and Benicio Del Toro should have everyone confused, while the inclusion of others, like Sarah Silverman, are also fodder for further discussion. (IC)
In What Should Be a Surprise To Exactly No One, ‘Mad Max: Fury Road’ Wins Australian Oscars
Chalk up another win for the brilliant action film. George Miller’s franchise reboot had been picking up critics prizes in the past few weeks and can now add an Australian Oscar to the mantle. The AACTA Awards, Oz’s equivalent to the Oscars, were held tonight in Sydney where Miller took Best Director and Best Film. (AL)
OTHER HEADLINES
Film & TV Deals For 12/9/15: CAA Buys Peloton Ent., WWE and Codeblack Films Team Up, DreamWorks Animation Signs Deal With DHX Media
As we start to wind down toward the end of the year, fewer and fewer deals are being made. That doesn’t mean the wheels have stopped entirely, of course, but the numbers are certainly less than what we are used to. Either way, it’s interesting stuff, so head on over to SSN Insider for the full skinny. (SSN)
Rep Moves for 12/9/15: Maroon 5, Adam Levine & Girl Power Toy Company GoldieBlox Snagged by WME
A very light week in the representation moving business, with just a handful of moves, most of which were perpetrated by WME. Click on the link to get all the details. (SSN)
Hollywood Reporter Releases Its 2015 List Of Women In Entertainment Power 100
There are 22 new entries (28 if you count each of the Kardashians and Jenners — and yes, that includes Caitlyn), each offering a snapshot of the direction of the industry now. The various categories include Power Squad, The Chiefs, The Film Forces, The Industry Stewards, The Makers, The TV Set, The Stars, The Reps and The Dealmakers. (HRB)
It’s Taken a While, but NBCUniversal Finally Has a Launch Date and a Comedy Slate For Its Seeso Comedy Channel
The channel will launch January 7th with previously announced The UCB Show, Dave and Ethan: Lovemakers, Sammy J & Randy in Ricketts Lane, Before the Morning After and The Cyanide & Happiness Show as well as comedy specials from Rory Scovel and Matt Besser. The first episodes are free, with new eps being made available to subscribers each week starting January 13th. Other series and specials will be rolled out throughout the coming year. (VAR)
It Looks Like Christopher McQuarrie Isn’t the Only Major ‘Rogue Nation’ Player Returning For ‘Mission: Impossible 6’
After much speculation, Rebecca Ferguson is going to reprise her role as Ilsa Faust in the upcoming sixth installment in the popular action franchise, making her the first female lead in the series to return. Tom Cruise is on board to produce and play Ethan Hunt, with Rogue Nation writer-director McQuarrie filling the same role on the next film, the first time a series director is coming back for seconds. The film will shoot this year and hit theaters in 2017. (CS)
Marvel Is Bringing Back ‘Ant-Man’s Uncredited Writers To Work On the Sequel, This Time For Credit
Aside from bringing back Peyton Reed to direct Ant-Man and The Wasp, the studio announced that Andrew Barrer & Gabriel Ferrari will team up with star Paul Rudd and Adam McKay to pen script for the sequel. While Rudd and McKay were officially credited on Ant-Man, Barrer and Ferrari did six months of uncredited rewrite work on the movie while it was in production. (COL)
Dwayne Johnson Snags Will Gluck To Helm His Next, Still-Untitled Action Comedy
The Annie director will take the reins of the project. Not much has been released about the film in terms of plot specifics, though it is known that Dave Callaham’s script will attempt to strike a buddy action comedy tone reminiscent of 48 Hours and Midnight Run. New Line is behind the film, which reunites Johnson with San Andreas producer Beau Flynn. (EMP)
Showtime Wants At Least One More Year Of Both ‘Homeland’ and ‘The Affair’
The Emmy-winning Homeland, which righted the ship creatively in Season 4 after a lackluster third season, has been a solid ratings performer, drawing a 2.4 million viewers in Live+3 for its most recent episode. The next season will be its sixth. Meanwhile, the divisive The Affair has has softer numbers, most recently logging a 1.4 million viewers. Still, both shows have edged the other original series on premium cable in the fourth quarter. (DH)