National Geographic has handed a series order to the adaptation of Tom Wolfe's bestselling nonfiction book The Right Stuff from Leonardo DiCaprio's Appian Way. Production on the scripted series will begin this fall on the series, which tells the story of the early days of the U.S. space program. Appian Way Productions…

EXCLUSIVE: Paramount Pictures has optioned the screen rights to Blitzed, based on the provocative Norman Ohler non-fiction book that uncovers an untold aspect of what fueled the Nazi war machine during World War II, as seen through the eyes of Adolf Hitler's personal physician—Dr. Theodor Morell. Morell’s position…

EXCLUSIVE: Another classic 1980s sitcom is eyeing a comeback. I hear a reboot of The Facts of Life is in early stages at Sony Pictures TV, with Appian Way, the company run by Leonardo DiCaprio and Jennifer Davisson, in negotiations to produce  the project alongside Jessica Biel via her Iron Ocean Films. The potential…

History has given the green light to Grant, a six-part docuseries based on Pulitzer Prize-winning author Ron Chernow's bestselling biography of Ulysses S. Grant. It will be produced by Leonardo DiCaprio's Appian Way Productions and RadicalMedia in association with Lionsgate Television. The TV deal comes on the heels…

UPDATE: Paramount just emerged from an intense two-studio bidding battle to win a seven-figure auction for the rights to Walter Isaacson’s book Leonardo da Vinci, which will be crafted as a star vehicle for Leonardo DiCaprio to play the painter/scientist. He and Jennifer Davisson will produce through their Appian Way…

EXCLUSIVE: Paramount Pictures has acquired the Stephan Talty book The Black Hand for Leonardo DiCaprio to star in. The movie will be produced through The Gotham Group and DiCaprio’s Appian Way production banner. They are in the process of hiring a writer to adapt the book. Talty’s book follows Joe Petrosino, a…

EXCLUSIVE: Paramount Pictures and Appian Way are negotiating to acquire screen rights to the Beth Macy book Truevine: Two Brothers, A Kidnapping, And A Mother’s Quest; A True Story Of The Jim Crow South. Appian Way’s DiCaprio and Jennifer Davisson will produce and the book will be developed as a potential star vehicle…

EXCLUSIVE: The rise of daily fantasy sports via sites like FanDuel and DraftKings has captivated millions of sports fans — and several states’ attorneys general — and now the saga is being developed as a major studio film. TriStar Pictures just optioned movie rights for an upcoming book described as “The Big Short in…

Paramount, led by CEO Brad Grey, has sealed a three-year first-look production deal with Leonardo DiCaprio’s Appian Way. This comes after DiCaprio won Best Actor for The Revenant, and at a time when Appian Way is teamed with Paramount on what could be DiCaprio’s next major project. That is The Devil In The White City…

The popular children's picture book series Pete the Cat is heading to TV. Alcon Entertainment has acquired the rights to the books from illustrator James Dean to develop them as an animated TV series. The project was brought to Alcon by Appian Way. Jeff “Swampy” Marsh, co-creator and executive producer of the hit…

Paramount Pictures and Appian Way’s Leonardo DiCaprio and Jennifer Davisson have acquired a four-page proposal for a book by Jack Ewing that will detail the Volkswagen's Clean Diesel scandal that led to the resignation of Volkswagen Group CEO Martin Winterkorn and shook up the global automobile market. The book will…

EXCLUSIVE: A new book from author Simon Toyne, The Searcher, has just been optioned for television by eOne and Leonardo DiCaprio’s Appian Way Productions. The deal marks the first project between the two companies. The book, which debuts October 6 from Harper Collins, is a high-concept thriller written by the same…