TV Development for 4/19/16: Netflix Orders ‘Captive’ From Doug Liman, Kate Hudson & Mel Gibson to Star in ‘The Barbary Coast’
Also on this week’s docket, Hulu’s teen mutant freak project, a bizarre new show from Community’s Dan Harmon, Spike TV’s take on Stephen King’s The Mist and a limited series based on the friendship between Truman Capote and Babe Paley. As usual, there’s plenty more, so click the link to read on. (SSN)
Netflix Considers Offline Viewing: It’s All About Conquering the World
Company is considering to let its subscribers download content for offline viewing, suggested CEO Reed Hastings during the company’s Q1 2016 earnings call yesterday. That’s great news for anyone looking to watch Netflix in mid-flight — but in reality, offline viewing is all about Netflix’s global ambitions. (VAR)
The 2016 Eisner Nominations Are Out — Did Your Comic Book Make the List?
Of note is the relative absence of DC titles in the various nominations. While its imprints Vertigo and DC Digital each received a lone nomination for a book project, the main DCU line is only represented through individual creators who had done some DC work in the past year. As a whole, Fantagraphics earned the most nominations with 12, followed by BOOM! Studios at eight and IDW Publishing with seven. (NR)
NBCU’s Seeso Coming to Amazon’s Subscription Video Hub
NBCUniversal’s comedy streaming service is coming to the online giant’s subscription video bundle. Later this spring, Amazon Prime members will be able to add a subscription to Seeso directly through Amazon Video for $3.99 a month. The e-commerce giant began offering subscriptions to outside streaming services from Showtime, Starz and others late last year. (HRT)
Former Universal & Relativity Exec Michael Joe Joins STX Entertainment As COO
Joe will be rejoining Adam Fogelson, who is chairman of the STX Entertainment Motion Picture Group. The two worked together when Fogelson was Universal chairman and Joe was EVP at the studio. Joe’s relationship with STX actually started two years ago when STX closed a financing deal with New York-based investment firm Seer Capital, where he oversaw media and entertainment investments. (DH)
If You’re Looking For a Movie About the Origin Of MTV, and You Want James Ponsoldt To Write and Direct, Today Is Your Lucky Day
The Spectacular Now and The End of the Tour director has signed on to write, direct and produce an adaptation of Rob Tannenbaum and Craig Marks’ book I Want My MTV: The Uncensored Story of the Music Video Revolution for A24, which has optioned its rights. Story chronicles the founding and first 10 years of the network, a golden era in both music and television where MTV became the emblem of a new generation. (TW)
Jon Favreau Is Back At Marvel, Will Executive Produce and Have a Hand In Steering ‘Avengers: Infinity War’
The director of the first two Iron Man movies, actor in Iron Man 3, and EP of both The Avengers and Avengers: Age of Ultron, filmmaker has just announced he’ll be back as executive producer on Avengers: Infinity War, due out in two parts on May 4th, 2018 and May 3rd, 2019. (SF)
Marvel’s ‘Iron Fist’ Casts a Sinister Pair Of Twins To Play the Iron Fist’s Adversaries
Finn Jones is in place as Danny Rand/Iron Fist, while Jessica Henwick and David Wenham are also in the cast, and now Jessica Stroup and Tom Pelphrey have signed up to play Joy and Ward Meachum, completing the series’ central line-up. The Meachums run Rand Enterprises, having built it up from practically nothing into a global concern. But when Rand returns to claim his birthright, the future of their hard-won achievement is thrown into question. (EMP)
The Rise Of the Female Villain
Injustice towards women is everywhere in Hollywood. From the bounty of sexist character introductions in screenplays to inexplicable pay gaps between actresses and their often lesser known male counterparts, you can’t avoid it. But the thing is, there’s one area in which the industry appears to be evolving. There’s one place where the fairer sex is slowly but surely starting to get more of its due: as movie villains. (TB)
Trailer Buzz: ‘Warcraft’
Universal Pictures has released the latest look at the upcoming video game adaptation, from director Duncan Jones. The fantasy adventure film will hit theaters June 10th. (TP)