Suspension Becomes Permanent, as Thomas Gibson Fired From ‘Criminal Minds’ Following on-Set Altercation
Yesterday, the actor was suspended for an undisclosed number of episodes following an on-set altercation in which he allegedly kicked a man identified as series executive producer Virgil Williams. Now, Gibson is no longer a part of the Criminal Minds team: In a statement released today, ABC Studios and CBS Television Studios announced Gibson’s firing from the show. (VUL)
UTA Asks Court For Green Light to Poach More CAA Agents
Agency’s raid of CAA agents isn’t over, and now, UTA has fired a very public warning shot by asking the court for the green light to go after senior talent agents at CAA. The agencies have been trading escalating blows in court since May 2015, when a handful of CAA comedy agents defected to UTA in what has been labeled the “lawless midnight raid.” Now an amended cross-complaint makes it clear there’s more drama brewing between the agencies outside the courtroom. (HESQ)
Michelle MacLaren to Direct Film Adaptation of ‘The Nightingale’
Emmy-winning director is making her big-screen directorial debut with TriStar’s upcoming adaptation of Kristin Hannah’s bestselling 2015 novel. Story centers on “two sisters coming of age in France on the eve of World War II, and their struggle to survive and resist the German occupation of France. It was inspired by the story of a Belgian woman, Andrée de Jongh, who helped downed Allied pilots to escape Nazi territory.” (WAH)
‘Bad Boys 3’ Gets a New Title and a New Release Date
Film is now being titled Bad Boys For Life and the release date has been pushed back. Originally scheduled for June 2nd, 2017, the movie has now been dated for January 12th, 2018. The date change is apparently because Will Smith and Martin Lawrence can’t shoot the film until January 2017. (TP)
Add Rapper To Kevin Hart’s Resume, as He Will Release Rap Album as Alter Ego Chocolate Droppa
Marvin Gaye. Stevie Wonder. Rick James. Kevin Hart? The comedian has signed a deal with Motown Records to record as his rapping alter ego, Chocolate Droppa. No further information regarding the project, such as who Hart might be collaborating with, was released. (TW)
Showtime Orders Comedy Pilots Starring Jay Pharaoh, Taran Killam and Frankie Shaw
The network has cast Pharoah in the lead for White Famous, a half-hour comedy EP’d by Jamie Foxx and Tom Kapinos, a half-hour comedy entitled Mating, executive produced by Jason Katims, and written and executive produced by Stu Zicherman, with Killam cast in the lead, and a new comedy pilot based on Frankie Shaw’s Sundance Film Festival Jury Award-winning short film SMILF. She will star, write, produce and direct the semi-autobiographical pilot. (CS)
CBS Nabs Family Comedy From Carter Bays, Craig Thomas & Chris Distefano With Big Commitment
In a competitive bidding situation with ABC, CBS has landed a comedy about an Italian-Puerto Rican family from How I Met Your Mother creators Carter Bays & Craig Thomas, comedian Chris Distefano and Sony TV. The untitled multi-camera/hybrid was inspired by the comedy of Distefano, an Italian American from Brooklyn and a new dad who married a Puerto Rican woman. (DH)
Netflix and Amazon Continue To Redefine What It Means To Be a Studio (Studio Series)
While we’re handicapped by a lack of certain information, there is one thing that is abundantly clear: just as they have in TV, Amazon and Netflix have very quickly become major players in the film world, and their stature is only going to improve. In fact, with the release of Joshy this coming weekend, Hulu is now poised to join them. In other words, it’s a brave new world out there. Change isn’t coming, it’s already arrived. (TB)
Trailer Buzz, Part One: ‘Allied’
Paramount Pictures has released the first look at the upcoming World War II film, starring Brad Pitt and Marion Cotillard. Directed by Robert Zemeckis, the film opens November 23rd. (IW)
Trailer Buzz, Part Two: ‘Rogue One’
Disney and Lucasfilm have dropped the newest look at the highly anticipated new chapter in the Star Wars story. Starring Felicity Jones, Diego Luna, Mads Mikkelsen, Forest Whitaker, Jiang Wen, Donnie Yen, Alan Tudyk, Riz Ahmed, Ben Mendelsohn, Genevieve O’Reilly and the voice of James Earl Jones, Rogue One: A Star Wars Story opens December 16th. (COL)