Movie News

There’s another plus in town – Epix is being rebranded as MGM+. The cable network and streaming service is getting a new name and identity as well as a handful of new titles, as part of a relaunch set for January 2023. MGM+ joins the likes of Disney+, Discovery+, Paramount+, ESPN+ and BET+ with the use of the symbol. It comes five years after the vaunted Hollywood studio completed its acquisition of Viacom and Lionsgate’s stake in the business, giving it full control of the network, and five months after Amazon completed its own acquisition of MGM. As part of the rebrand, the network, which will continue to be available in the U.S. on Prime Video, cable, telco, satellite, has handed out a number of greenlights. Hotel Cocaine , which comes from Narcos ’ Chris Brancato, has been handed an eight-episode order and Julian Fellowes’ British period drama Belgravia has been given a follow-up series. Hotel Cocaine, which was revealed in development in … [Read more...] about Epix To Rebrand As MGM+ & Orders Crime Thriller ‘Hotel Cocaine’ & Julian Fellowes’ ‘Belgravia’ Sequel

Allan Haldeman , whose 18-year career at UTA has traced a familiar arc from mailroom to partner, has been named the head of the company’s New York office. The exec rose to become co-head of UTA’s literary department and will now also work to unlock more opportunities in New York, where the company set up shop in 2011 with just a handful of agents. A press release about the promotion described the company’s New York outpost as a “fast-growing office critical to UTA’s business and future global potential.” A little more than a decade after the company started operating in New York, it now has a workforce of 350 in New York across all major business categories, including film, television, theatre, publishing, music, marketing, news, fashion and more. One milestone came in 2014 when the company acquired N.S. Bienstock, a deal that gave UTA a formidable client list in TV news across broadcast and cable TV. More recently, UTA last December bought MediaLink , a strategic advisory … [Read more...] about UTA Names 18-Year Company Vet Allan Haldeman Head Of Its NY Office

EXCLUSIVE: Sean Penn , star of Milk and Gaslit , and Lost ‘s Matthew Fox are set as leads of an Australian satirical comedy series for streaming service Stan . The pair will star in C*A*U*G*H*T , a six-part series from Kick Gurry ( Edge of Tomorrow ) that takes aim at fame and stardom. Joining them are series creator Gurry, Bella Heathcote ( Bloom ), Bryan Brown ( Bloom ) and Erik Thomson ( Black Snow ), Ben O’Toole ( Hacksaw Ridge ), Lincoln Younes ( After the Verdict ), Alexander England ( Black Snow ), Mel Jarnson ( Mortal Kombat ), Fayssal Bazzi ( Stateless ), Dorian Nkono ( The Twelve ) and Rebecca Breeds ( Clarice ). Stan plans to launch the series, which is currently in production, in 2023. It is producing in association with Fremantle , which also has international distribution rights and has struck an exclusive UK deal with ITV’s upcoming streaming service, ITVX . Satirical comedy C*A*U*G*H*T follows four … [Read more...] about Sean Penn & Matthew Fox Cast In Australian Comedy Series ‘C*A*U*G*H*T’ For Streamer Stan, ITVX Takes UK Rights From Fremantle

CBS Evening News anchor Norah O’Donnell will again lead the broadcast from Florida on Wednesday, as networks dispatch personnel to the Sunshine State to cover Hurricane Ian . NBC Nightly News anchor Lester Holt also will anchor from the state this evening. ABC’s World News Tonight anchor David Muir will be in New York, but those plans could change. All of the networks have dispatched correspondents and meteorologists on the ground. Anchoring from Tampa on Tuesday, O’Donnell told viewers, “Florida is a state on the edge tonight, as it prepares for what could be the biggest storm in years.” The approaching hurricane, expected to make landfall later on Wednesday, has scrambled schedules. Networks had thought that much of Wednesday’s coverage would be devoted to the next January 6th Committee hearing, but that was postponed on Tuesday because of the focus on the storm. On CNN on Wednesday, anchor John Berman, in a rather tranquil Tampa, warned of hours and … [Read more...] about Network Anchors Head To Florida To Cover Hurricane Ian

Fighting With My Family and The Night Manager producer Ink Factory has promoted Michele Wolkoff to Creative Director out of LA, leading teams in London, Mumbai and Seoul. Wolkoff takes over from Katherine Butler, who stepped down over the summer, while Ian Spence has been promoted to Head of Finance and Operations. Wolkoff has been Head of Film and TV, LA, at Simon and Stephen Cornwell’s company since 2020, while she used to head up Development for Stephen Garrett’s Character 7 outfit. “Michele’s curatorial flair and drive to champion projects is a fantastic asset to the company, and we’re thrilled to have her stepping up as Creative Director,” said Stephen Cornwell. The Ink Factory ’s current slate includes The Plotters , a Korean language television series adaptation of Un-su Kim’s critically acclaimed novel of the same name, with Soo Hugh attached to create and executive produce; a series based on the debut novel of Ghanian-American author Yasmin Angoe – … [Read more...] about ‘The Night Manager’ Producer Ink Factory Promotes Michele Wolkoff To Creative Director

Showtime is unveiling the trailer for The Lincoln Project , the upcoming docuseries that looks at the effort by GOP strategists to stop Donald Trump . Directed by Fisher Stevens and Karim Amer, the project “goes behind the scenes of the meteoric rise and sudden rift” of the group, according to a rep for the project. The project shows the groups audacious efforts to defeat Trump, drawing his attention when he was in the White House, but it also features its members as they grapple with a sexual harassment scandal and internal breaks over its finances. “Here’s the key: There’s nothing noble about us. But we’re useful,” Lincoln Project member Stuart Stevens says at one point in the trailer. The Super PAC was formed in late 2019 by Stevens, George Conway, John Weaver, Rick Wilson, Jennifer Horn, Ron Steslow, Reed Galen and Mike Madrid. In January, 2021, The New York Times published a story in which 21 men accused Weaver of sending in appropriate messages. Weaver … [Read more...] about ‘The Lincoln Project’ Trailer: Showtime Docuseries Looks ‘Meteoric Rise And Sudden Rift’ Of Anti-Donald Trump Effort — Watch

EXCLUSIVE : Oscar nominee Maria Bakalova ( Borat 2 ) has been set to star with Daryl Wein ( Something From Tiffany’s ), Jack Farthing ( Poldark ), and Abigail Cowen ( Fate: The Winx ) in under-the-radar drama-thriller Electra , which has begun production in Italy. Hala Matar is making her feature directorial debut on the project, which will follow a journalist who travels to Rome to interview a famous musician, only for the trip to end in deceit, betrayal, and murder. Wein will play Dylan, the journalist. Cowen is Lucy, the journalist’s photographer and partner. Jack Farthing plays Milo, the musician, and Bakalova will be Francesca, a performance artist and Milo’s girlfriend. Pic is written by Wein, Matar and Paul Sado; produced by Wein, Matar, Tomasso Bertani (Ring Film), Luca Cottafavi (Ring Film), Jordan Beckerman (Yale Entertainment), and Jordan Yale Levine (Yale Entertainment); and executive-produced by Elsa Ramo and Tiffany Boyle. CAA Media … [Read more...] about ‘Borat’ Breakout Maria Bakalova To Star In Thriller ‘Electra’; Filming Underway In Italy For Director Hala Matar

EXCLUSIVE : Season 19 of ABC’s Grey’s Anatomy will be introducing a new group of surgical interns, and we will get to know them — and their families. Marla Gibbs ( The Jeffersons ) has been cast in a multi-episode guest arc as Joyce Ward, grandmother of one of the new residents, Simone Griffith (Alexis Floyd), who lives in Seattle. Gibbs’ character will be introduced in Episode 1902 and will also appear in 1903. (Floyd’s character was originally announced as Simone Griffin. The last name has been changed to Griffith.) Simone is described as a funny, whip smart, high achiever with a complicated family dynamic who grew up in Seattle, but never wanted to work at Grey Sloan because of a painful personal history with the hospital. Gibbs’ Joyce will likely shed light on both Simone’s family dynamic and history with Grey Sloan. Grey’s Anatomy is adding five new cast members this season — Harry Shum Jr., Adelaide Kane, Floyd, Niko Terho, and Midori Francis — all … [Read more...] about ‘Grey’s Anatomy’ Adds Marla Gibbs For Season 19 Arc

Starz is to rebrand as Lionsgate + in 35 countries along with rebranding its logo, but will remain Starz in the U.S. and Canada. Ahead of a swanky showcase in London tonight, Starz CEO Jeffrey Hirsch unveiled the news, which will happen officially tomorrow. He added: “Operating under Lionsgate+ internationally brings a distinct and differentiated identity in an increasingly crowded international marketplace and builds on the brand equity in the Lionsgate name that our extensive research has proven is strong around the world. Even with the separation of STARZ and the Lionsgate studio business, the Lionsgate brand will continue to be valuable to the ongoing success of our international platform.” The pair of businesses are currently going through a separation and a number of media entities are rumored to be interested in acquiring Starz including the likes of Canal+ and Roku, with a sale expected before the end of this year. “Our commitment to deliver bold, curated … [Read more...] about Starz To Rebrand As Lionsgate+ Outside U.S. And Canada

International format sales veteran Siobhan Crawford , who helped bring The Mole to Netflix, is launching a distribution business ahead of Mipcom. She has teamed with Free Kings , the Belgian production house behind the local version of Bake Off , to create the UK-based Glow Media , which will debut at the Cannes confab next month. Crawford left her post as Head of Sales and Acquisitions at Belgian distributor Primitives in April this year, as Deadline reported at the time, after brokering an agreement to bring back clandestine reality format The Mole on Netflix. The show launched on the streamer this month. Glow will focus on unscripted distribution, with a focusing on “illuminating good original content, at any stage, and connect markets.” It plans to build a catalogue of original and third-party titles, and Crawford will be on the ground dealmaking in Cannes. “No path to market looks the same for formats,” said Crawford, who has worked in … [Read more...] about Formats Veteran Siobhan Crawford Launches Distributor Glow Media With ‘Bake Off Belgium’ Producer Free Kings