Exec Shuffle for 3/7/16: Turner Enlists IBM’s Watson, YouTube Empowering Female Creators, Multiple Shifts at Endemol Shine Group
Sony TV is starting a new channel in the UK, Verizon and Hearst combine for a new “digital video initiative,” four women start up a new firm dedicated to providing support for the philanthropic strategies of individual, corporate and nonprofit clients, and lots more. Click on the link to read on. (SSN)
Sony and Marvel Get Cracking On Their ‘Spider-Man’ Reboot, Cast Zendaya In Key Role
A veteran of the Disney Channel with roles in shows like iCarly and Good Luck Charlie in addition to starring in her own series Shake It Up and K.C. Undercover, Spider-Man marks 19-year-old Zendaya’s first major feature film role. Apparently, her character’s name is Michelle, which is either a red herring or she’s playing a new character to the series and not one of Parker’s standard love interests Gwen Stacey or Mary Jane. (COL)
More Comic Book Movie News Comes In the Form Of J.K. Simmons Joining WB’s ‘Justice League’ Flick
Actor known to comic book movie fans as the guy who spent three movies yelling at Spider-Man, will get to yell at some DC characters for a change. He’s just been cast as Commissioner James Gordon in Justice League, which begins shooting this spring under director Zack Snyder for release in 2017. He joins Henry Cavill as Superman, Ben Affleck as Batman, Gal Gadot as Wonder Woman, and Jason Momoa as Aquaman. (SF)
Damien Chazelle’s ‘Whiplash’ Followup ‘La La Land’ Pushed To Awards Season
Lionsgate and Summit are pushing back the release of the film from July 15th to December, the heart of awards season. The modern-day musical, starring Ryan Gosling and Emma Stone, will open in select theaters December 2nd before expanding nationwide December 16th. Lionsgate also announced that Molly Smith’s Black Label Media has come aboard to co-finance the movie following their collaboration on Sicario. (THR)
Natalie Portman’s Feature Directorial Debut ‘A Tale Of Love And Darkness’ Acquired By Focus World
Focus Features’ multiplatform label has acquired U.S. rights to the movie, which premiered at Cannes last year. Focus World will open the movie in a platform theatrical release later this year in contention for the Oscars. The film is based on Amos Oz’s bestselling memoir about his childhood growing up against the backdrop of the latter days of Mandate Palestine and the creation of the state of Israel. (DH)
Months Before It Even Hits Theaters, ‘Assassin’s Creed’ Is Already Getting a Sequel
The adaptation of the blockbuster video game from New Regency isn’t set to bow until December, but the company is officially underway with plans for the sequel, Assassin’s Creed 2. With star Michael Fassbender on board, the stage is set for a new action-adventure franchise starring the two-time Academy Award nominee. (TB)
Blame Creative Differences, Yet Again: Joseph Gordon-Levitt Leaves ‘Sandman’
An unfortunate constant running through the efforts of filmmakers to adapt Neil Gaiman’s Sandman graphic novels has been a revolving door of writers, directors, producers and studios. The project is undergoing another switch, as the actor/director has left the version he was developing with New Line. The move followed Warners moving all the developing films adapted from DC’s Vertigo imprint from its main studio to New Line. (EMP)
‘The Office’ Grad Jenna Fischer to Star Opposite Matt LeBlanc in CBS Comedy
LeBlanc stars in the multicamera comedy pilot as a contractor who learns that raising his kids is more challenging than expected when his wife goes back to work. Fischer will play Andi, Adam’s (LeBlanc) wife who decides she wants to go back to her job as a medical lab technician, so Adam agrees to take over the parenting chores while she’s at work. (LF)
Because Of Course: Rob Thomas of Matchbox 20 to Guest-Star on Rob Thomas’s ‘iZombie’
The singer behind the popular rock band is finally joining forces with the TV showrunner behind Veronica Mars. Rob Thomas is set to guest-star on Rob Thomas’s new show. Fittingly Rob Thomas will play Rob Thomas — himself, not the other guy — on the CW show; he’ll be hired to write a jingle for the Max Rager sports drink, which he will then perform live alongside his band, Matchbox 20, because he is popular ’90s rock star Rob Thomas. (VUL)
Trailer Buzz: ‘Hardcore Henry’
STX Entertainment has released the new look at its highly anticipated new action flick, starring Shallot Copley, Danila Kozlovsky, Andrey Dementyev, Dasha Charusha, Sveta Ustinova and Haley Bennett. It premieres at SXSW Wednesday night and hits theaters April 8th. (IW)