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‘Lucifer’, ‘Rosewood’ Renewed For Season 2 By Fox, Who’s Still On the Bubble There?

Lucifer

Fox has given second season pickups to freshman dramas Lucifer and Rosewood. The two join horror comedy anthology Scream Queens as the three first-year Fox series to secure renewals so far. Still in contention and very much on the bubble are freshman comedies Grandfathered, starring John Stamos, and The Grinder, Rob Lowe, with likely one of them making it to Season 2. Not expected to continue are the other freshmen Fox series, dramas Second Chance and Minority Report and… Read

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Jessica McNamee Plays Margaret Court In ‘Battle Of The Sexes’

Jessica McNamee

EXCLUSIVE: Fox Searchlight is mounting its Billie Jean King-Bobby Riggs tennis match pic Battle of the Sexes, and they have found their Margaret Court. Playing the statuesque Australian tennis star will be Jessica McNamee, an up and coming Aussie actress who is one of the leads in Warner Bros CHiPs film, and starred on the Denis Leary USA sitcom Sirens. Jonathan Dayton and Valerie Faris are directing the film based on a Simon Beaufoy script, and Emma Stone is playing King… Read

Film

O Henry! Can STX Find Audience For Disruptive 1st-Person POV Action Film?

Hardcore Henry Movie

In the mayhem that defines Hardcore Henry is a scene where Henry is about to force a captured enemy into spilling details about the evil plot at the center of the film. Out of nowhere, a sniper’s bullet ends the conversation, spraying the enemy’s blood and brains all over the scene. It is designed so that each audience member feels like they themselves are going to spend hours cleaning off all that blood and gore. Directed by a first time Russian writer-director named Ilya… Read

TV

‘The West Wing’ & ‘Rescue Me’ Among Reunions Set At ATX Television Festival

ATX Television Festival

There will be quite a bit of nostalgia at the upcoming ATX Television Festival with several reunions planned including The West Wing, Rescue Me, and previously announced Ugly Betty, among others. The fest, which runs June 9-12 in Austin, TX, will mark the 10th anniversary of The West Wing finale with "The West Wing Administration" panel, featuring creator/executive producer Aaron Sorkin and director/executive producer Thomas Schlamme. Cast members committed so far include… Read

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Peter Bart: Short Of Cloning, How Can Bob Iger Find Ideal Replacement For Himself?

Bob Iger

My wife and I were shopping in Beverly Hills not long ago when we noticed Bob Iger emerging from a Starbucks, coffee in hand. He dispensed the customary hugs and chatted briefly. With a cordial smile, the Disney chief confided that he enjoyed the ritual of launching new cruise ships more than opening theme parks – especially one as complex as Disney's $5.5 billion Shanghai adventure. That was one iteration of Bob Iger: the cool, seemingly relaxed man about town. Then… Read

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Cinematographer Roger Deakins & James Ellis Deakins Sign With UTA

Roger Deakins

Acclaimed cinematographer Roger Deakins and his partner James Ellis Deakins just signed with UTA. They are in pre-production on the Blade Runner sequel that Denis Villenueve is directing with Harrison Ford, Ryan Gosling, Robin Wright and Dave Bautista starring and Ridley Scott producing for Warner Bros, Alcon and Scott Free. The DP duo had been at ICM Partners. Roger Deakins has been nominated for Oscars 13 times and his frequent collaborations with top directors include… Read

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Mary Steenburgen, Paul Reiser & Others Join Lake Bell’s Comedy ‘What’s the Point?’

Mary Steenburgen Paul Reiser

EXCLUSIVE: Lake Bell has lined up a nice ensemble cast for her new feature comedy What's the Point? (And Other Fair Questions About Marriage). Mary Steenburgen, Paul Reiser, Amber Heard are joining Ed Helms and Bell in the movie, which looks at the concept that marriage should be a seven-year contract with an option to renew. Dolly Wells (45 Years), Wyatt Cenac (The Daily Show) and Chace Crawford (Olsky) also have joined the cast of the pic, which is going before the… Read

TV

Freeform Orders ‘Marvel’s Cloak And Dagger’ Series, Joanna Coles Pilot

cloak-dagger-marvel

Disney is expanding its Marvel TV universe to Freeform with Marvel's Cloak and Dagger, a straight-to-series live-action drama based on the Marvel characters, which is aimed at young adults. Freeform, which is holding its upfront today, also has given a pilot order to Issues, a scripted series inspired by the life of Joanna Coles, editor in chief of Cosmopolitan. Marvel's Cloak and Dagger follows the interracial romance between Tandy Bowen and Tyrone Johnson, two teenagers… Read

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Tracy Morgan In Talks To Star With Ed Helms In Dito Montiel’s ‘The Clapper’

Tracy Morgan carousel

EXCLUSIVE: Tracy Morgan is in talks to star opposite Ed Helms and Amanda Seyfried in writer/director Dito Montiel’s new comedy The Clapper. The project would reunite Morgan with filmmaker Montiel who cast him in 2011 cop drama The Son of No One. Adapted from Montiel’s own book of the same name, The Clapper is about a professional clapper for infomercials who gets plucked by a late night talk show host to be on his TV show. That notoriety then ends up costing him… Read

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‘Fast 8’ Revs Deal With ‘Mad Max: Fury Road’ Heroine Charlize Theron

Charlize Theron Fast 8

EXCLUSIVE: Universal Pictures has closed Charlize Theron to star in Fast 8, which director F. Gary Gray and producer Neal Moritz move into production next month for release on April 14, 2017. Theron, who’s coming off a memorable action turn in Mad Max: Fury Road, will play a new character in the blockbuster franchise. She’ll join returning stars Vin Diesel, Dwayne Johnson, Jason Statham, Michelle Rodriguez, Tyrese Gibson and the rest of the gang. Chris Morgan wrote the… Read

Awards

Peabody Awards: New Rules Set For 2016

peabody awards logo

Changes are afoot for the 75th Peabody Awards. For the first time in its history, the Peabody Awards will select 60 finalists, who will be announced April 12. From those finalists, a group of winners – The Peabody 30 -will ultimately by chosen. The Peabody 30 will be revealed in a succession of announcements by category, beginning April 19. "There are now more than 400 scripted prime-time television shows, new locations for documentary television, a flood of podcasts… Read

TV

Universal Cable Productions Sets First Pitch Fest For Storytellers

UCP Logo 3

Do you have an amazing idea for the next big TV show? We know you do, and now you have someone who will listen. Universal Cable Productions has set its first pitch fest on April 28 for storytellers who have ideas for a scripted television show but don't have access to development executives. "We're taking a fresh approach as we mine for new talent and incubate ideas," said Dawn Olmstead, EVP Development at UCP. "It's a great opportunity to engage with novice storytellers… Read