AWARDS HEADLINES
Awards 2016: ‘Inside Out’s’ Oscar Lock in Question as 2016 Marks One of the Strongest, Varied Years in Animation in Recent History
Most years, when Pixar releases a movie, that film becomes a serious contender for the Animated Feature Oscar. Pixar didn’t have an entry last year, because it had to push The Good Dinosaur to 2015, but now that means the company has not one, but two thoroughbreds in this year’s race. Which is not to say they are the only two films with a realistic shot at taking home the trophy. Far from it. (SSN)
Awards 2016: What Will This Year’s Surprise Oscar Nomination Be? Here Are 10 Suspects
We look for them every year. The nominee who swoops in at the last minute and shows either the strength of a certain film that is nominated for Best Picture, or one that simply makes your jaws drop. This year, with so many races still wide open, here are a few possible spoilers who could do said last minute swooping. (AC)
Awards 2016: Palm Springs Film Fest: Directors of Oscar-Shortlisted Foreign Language Films to Participate in Panel
The PSIFF is hosting a gathering you won’t find anywhere else. The directors of all nine films that the Academy has chosen for its best foreign language film Oscar shortlist — five of which will soon become Oscar nominees — will take the stage at 6 p.m. next Wednesday, January 6th at the Palm Canyon Theatre for a 90-minute conversation about their films entitled, appropriately enough, “Oscar-Shortlisted Foreign Filmmakers in Conversation.” (TR)
OTHER HEADLINES
Exec Shuffle for 12/28/15: Les Moonves Expected to be CBS Chairman, Josh Elliott Leaving NBC Sports, Josh Berger Named Chair of British Film Institute
As we enter the final week of 2015, there are still deals being made, executives changing positions and the usual bit of hirings, firings and other agreements. Click on the link to get the full deal. (SSN)
Christopher Nolan Decides On His Next Film, Will Tell the Thrilling Tale Of ‘Dunkirk’
Nolan will direct the film from his own original screenplay as his next project. Insiders say the yet-to-be cast unknowns will lead the cast, but that Mark Rylance, Kenneth Branagh and Tom Hardy are in talks to join the ensemble. Nolan will also produce the film with his longtime producing partner and wife, Emma Thomas. The story is set during the legendary evacuation of the northern French city during WWII. (COL)
‘Doctor Strange’ Fans Looking For Info About Which Actors Are Playing Which Characters Get Some Big News Today
Benedict Cumberbatch is obviously playing the title role, with Chiwetel Ejiofor, Rachel McAdams, Mads Mikkelsen and Tilda Swinton all filling out the cast. It was already known that Swinton is playing a mystic called The Ancient One, and Ejiofor is playing an associate of The Ancient One known as Karl Mordo, but now comes word that McAdams will play a fellow surgeon who has a history with Dr. Strange, and Mikkelsen will play the movie’s main villain. (CS)
AT&T Settles Entertainment Studios’ Bias Suit With Deal To Carry Its Channels
Byron Allen’s company has a carriage deal with AT&T and DirecTV — a little more than a year after it joined in a $10 billion lawsuit that accused the distributors of carrying too few minority-owned services. The deal resolves a discrimination suit filed last December by Entertainment Studios and the National Association of African American Owned Media. (DH)
Today In Remake News: Kenneth Lonergan Takes On Four-Part TV Adaptation Of ‘Howard’s End’
The project is part of a new slate from BBC One. The original adaptation of E.M. Forster’s literary classic was previously brought to the screen in 1992 by James Ivory, which won three Oscars, including Best Actress for Emma Thompson. The rest of the slate also includes a new project from The Honorable Woman creator Hugo Blick. (TP)
Showtime Sets Early Online Premieres For ‘Billions,’ ‘Shameless’
The cable network will offer viewers early online access to the premieres of new drama Billions and Shameless starting Friday. The premium cabler will make both episodes available to non-Showtime subscribers on a range of platforms, including YouTube, Facebook, Hulu, Roku, PlayStation Vue, iTunes and its own Sho.com website, as well as cable VOD and the Showtime Anytime authenticated streaming service. (VAR)
Looking For Advice On How To “Break a Story”? Here’s ‘Master Of None’ Co-Creator Alan Yang To Help
The opening credits on most TV shows often come with a side order of lies. The main offender is the “written-by” credit. Barring some exceptions, what actually happens is an entire writers room full of interlocking personality types forms like a comedy Voltron to pitch and polish ideas until one or two writers have enough material to go off and write up a draft. It’s a process that’s known as breaking a story, and it is incredibly difficult to do. (FCC)