The Adam Wingard-directed Death Note movie hits Netflix on Friday. The adaptation of the hit Japanese franchise based on a manga by Tsugumi Ohba and Takeshi Obata that began its run in 2003 stars Nat Wolff, Margaret Qualley, Keith Stanfield and Willem Dafoe. The story has been relocated from Japan to Seattle and the project faced the almost obligatory "whitewashing" criticism when the casting was announced. Netflix though will likely be more concerned whether Death Note is a hit with its subscribers or suffers the fate of other unsuccessful manga/anime adaptations such as Ghost in the Shell and Dragon Ball. Early critical reaction has largely not been favorable. Here are five things to know about the manga re-imagining: 1. What is a "Death Note"? A Death Note is a notebook owned by a "shinigami" (Japanese death god) that causes anyone whose name is written in it– and a picture of their face to avoid mistaken identity - to die. The lifespan of the human victim is added to that of … [Read more...] about ‘Death Note’: 5 Things to Know About the Netflix Adaptation and the Original Manga
INTERNATIONAL
China Box Office: ‘Valerian’ Catches Slight Break With $10M Friday Win
Sony's 'Baby Driver' opened head-to-head with Luc Besson's troubled space epic, scoring a distant second-place finish with about $4.5 million. Luc Besson's beleaguered Valerian and the City of a Thousand Planets appears to be getting a slight reprieve in China. The troubled space opera is set to finish its opening Friday at around $10 million, according to early estimates from Chinese ticketing service Weying. That puts it on track for a respectable $30M-plus opening weekend — substantially stronger than Lucy's $20 million debut in 2014, which was Besson's last China outing. But it also looks to be one of the weaker wins of 2017 for a non-Chinese title — better than fellow international disappointments Alien: Covenant ($28.2 million) and Ghost in the Shell ($21.4 million), but behind nearly all major Hollywood releases in China this year. Friday marked the first day in over a month that international movies could be found in local multiplexes, as Beijing … [Read more...] about China Box Office: ‘Valerian’ Catches Slight Break With $10M Friday Win
‘Fleabag’ Renewed for Season 2
Amazon and the BBC have renewed the half-hour series Fleabag for a second season. Creator Phoebe Waller-Bridge will return as writer and star in the show's second season, which is expected to premiere on Amazon Prime Video and BBC Three, the British broadcaster's non-linear digital platform, in 2019. The first season of Fleabag premiered on the BBC first before debuting on Amazon in September 2016. Speaking at a special session at the Edinburgh TV Festival – in the same city where Fleabag began as a one-woman theater production – Waller-Bridge said that it had taken a long time to decide to return to her character, a dry-witted, angry, cash-strapped, grief-riddled and porn-watching young woman. "But then I was on a bus and had an idea!" she told the audience. "I asked myself if Fleabag has more to say and frankly she hasn't shut up since," Waller-Bridge added in a statement sent out by Amazon. "Series two will be a whole new adventure and I'm beyond thrilled to be coming … [Read more...] about ‘Fleabag’ Renewed for Season 2
Oscars: Turkey Selects ‘Ayla: The Daughter of War’ for Foreign-Language Category
A debut, by Can Ulkay, the film is set in 1950 during the Korean war and tells the story of a Turkish soldier and a young orphaned girl. Turkey has selected Can Ulkay's debut feature Ayla: The Daughter of War as its candidate in the race for best foreign-language film in the Oscars. Set during the Korean war in 1950, the film tells the story of a Turkish soldier, Sgt. Suleyman (Cetin Tekindor) who comes across an abandoned five-year old girl on a freezing cold night. The terrified, barely alive child melts Suleyman's heart who risks his own life to smuggle her back to his army base and out of harm's way. With no common language, Suleyman names her Ayla, a reference to the moon that lit the ravaged landscape on the night her found her. The two soon become inseparable, bringing joy and laughter into the Turkish military base in the midst of war. When the war comes to an end, the sergeant is forced to give up Ayla to an orphanage, but vows they will be reunited one day. The … [Read more...] about Oscars: Turkey Selects ‘Ayla: The Daughter of War’ for Foreign-Language Category
Roy Price Says Amazon Will Do More Straight-to-Series Orders
The vp of Amazon Studios says 'Game of Thrones' is for TV what 'Jaws' was for movies and calls sports rights a "good opportunity." Amazon will order more shows straight-to-series as the pilot system it has been using slows down the process, Roy Price, vp of Amazon Studios, told the Edinburgh TV Festival on Friday. "It’s been helpful," he said about the pilot system. "It’s always helpful to get feedback," including from asking customers. But he said that "pilots are going to have to play probably less of a role going forward," explaining: "The reality is they sort of slow you down." Instead of the 12-18 months process to get a show on air, it takes two years with a pilot. "The reality of the marketplace is it is competitive, and often you have to go to series," Price said. So from a timing and competitive perspective, "I think there will be fewer [pilots] than before," he concluded. Asked about the peak TV debate, Price said: "I don't find that the world is running … [Read more...] about Roy Price Says Amazon Will Do More Straight-to-Series Orders
Edinburgh TV Fest: Comedy Central’s Kent Alterman on Making “Responsible” Donald Trump Shows
'The President Show' was funny because "it's really tapping into not only what's happening but it's implications," said the comedy boss, speaking at the industry gathering. Comedy Central president Kent Alterman was the final "game changer" on the second day of the Edinburgh TV Festival. Unsurprisingly, the not insignificant matter of the White House's current resident – and the role of comedy in dealing with him – was a frequently referred to topic of conversation in the talk, hosted by U.K. comedian Jimmy Carr. Alterman revealed that, over the past year, the network had been inundated with pitches relating to the president. "So many shows came to us and we said no to everyone, except one," he said. And that series, The President Show, in which Anthony Atamanuik stars as Trump, Alterman said was "incredibly responsible." "Anthony's not just doing a caricature of Trump, he's doing a really deep psychological impersonation," he said. "And he's so wicked smart. He … [Read more...] about Edinburgh TV Fest: Comedy Central’s Kent Alterman on Making “Responsible” Donald Trump Shows
Viacom to Launch Paramount+ SVOD Service in Scandinavia
The service, available via select pay TV providers, will offer the first pay TV window for new Paramount movies, classic films and popular shows from MTV and Comedy Central. Viacom's Viacom International Media Networks unit said Friday that it would in October launch a subscription video-on-demand streaming service in Scandinavia. Dubbed Paramount+, it will offer the first pay TV window for Paramount Pictures’ new movie releases, classic films and more than 800 episodes of popular programs from Viacom-owned networks MTV and Comedy Central. The service marks the first time Viacom aggregates first-window film and TV content for an SVOD service it packages. The move comes as, under the leadership of CEO Bob Bakish, Viacom has been focusing on aligning its film and networks businesses. The use of the Paramount name for the service is a sign of the company's trust in the strength of that brand as Viacom is only a corporate, rather than a consumer, brand. The company is also … [Read more...] about Viacom to Launch Paramount+ SVOD Service in Scandinavia
Starz Programming Chief: Lionsgate Sees Company as “a Content Pump”
Carmi Zlotnik talks to 'The White Queen' showrunner Emma Frost at the Edinburgh TV festival about wanting to own more content and expanding Starz's original output. Lionsgate-owned premium TV firm Starz has been focusing on owning more of its original content since the studio acquired it and is planning to further expand its slate of original programming in the coming years, president of programming Carmi Zlotnik told the Edinburgh TV Festival on Thursday. "There is even more of an emphasis on ownership," even though the company will continue to do co-productions, he said. "That is going to be a continuing push. We want to have distribution rights, we want to have control fo as many shows as possible." After all, "one of the things that Lionsgate looks for Starz to do is be a content pump into their distribution business," Zlotnik explained. "We want to own content. The basic idea behind the content businesses is to produce something once and to sell it many … [Read more...] about Starz Programming Chief: Lionsgate Sees Company as “a Content Pump”
Toronto: Lady Gaga to Perform as Netflix Doc ‘Gaga: Five Foot Two’ Bows
The pop star will help kick off TIFF after her Joanne world tour has a two-night stand in the Canadian city. Lady Gaga will perform at the 2017 Toronto Film Festival on the first Friday night as the Netflix documentary Gaga: Five Foot Two has a world premiere. The pop icon's post-screening performance on Sept. 8 will follow Gaga's Joanne world tour having a two-night stand at Toronto's Air Canada Centre on Sept. 6 to 7, just as TIFF gets underway. Gaga's latest concert tour kicked off in Vancouver on August. 1. Gaga: Five Foot Two, directed by Emmy-nominated filmmaker Chris Moukarbel, offers behind-the-scenes access as Gaga, also known as Stefani Joanne Germanotta, meets with close friends and family, records and releases her 2016 album Joanne and deals with personal struggles. TIFF organizers also announced Thursday that the festival would offer a first look at footage for Chinese director Chen Kaige's Legend of the Demon Cat, set during the Tang Dynasty. Kaige, best known for his … [Read more...] about Toronto: Lady Gaga to Perform as Netflix Doc ‘Gaga: Five Foot Two’ Bows
Nat Geo Global CEO on Working With the Murdochs and Competing With Selena Gomez
Courteney Monroe discusses her network's original content push but tells attendees at the Edinburgh TV festival Nat Geo will never go all 'Game of Thrones' and jump the dragon. National Geographic Global Networks CEO Courteney Monroe on Thursday touted her team's original content push and the importance of top creatives in bringing shows with global appeal to the network. Speaking at the Edinburgh Television Festival, she also discussed working with the Murdoch family since 21st Century Fox increased its stake in the National Geographic brand. Asked if the Murdochs and National Geographic weren't strange bedfellows, Monroe said "we get that question a lot," and the answer was no. Fox and the company have been partners for 20 years, and Fox increased its investment because of its "belief in the power of this brand," she added. "The Murdochs are lovers of this brand. This is why they have increased their investment." She added: "Under no circumstances has a … [Read more...] about Nat Geo Global CEO on Working With the Murdochs and Competing With Selena Gomez
BBC Orders New Doc from ‘Amy’ Director, Series from Writer of ‘Philomena’
'Amy' helmer Asif Kapadia will examine the racially-charged murder of Stephen Lawrence in a new doc, while 'Philomena' scribe Jeff Pope will pen a series on the impact of British serial killer Stephen Port. The BBC used the second day of the Edinburgh TV Festival to unveil a trio of new dramas, alongside a documentary from some of the U.K.’s most celebrated filmmakers, for its flagship BBC One channel. On the non-scripted side, Oscar-winning Amy director Asif Kapadia and his producer partner James Gay-Rees will do a three-part documentary for the BBC on the 1993 racially motivated murder of Stephen Lawrence, one of the most famous criminal cases in 20th century Britain. Lawrence, a British black man, was attacked and killed by a group of white men while waiting for a bus. Five suspects were arrested but not convicted. Subsequent inquiries, and a change in Britain's double jeopardy law, allowed the re-trial of two of the suspects, who were found guilty of murder. The documentary … [Read more...] about BBC Orders New Doc from ‘Amy’ Director, Series from Writer of ‘Philomena’
Oscars: Germany Selects ‘In the Fade’ for Foreign Language Category
Diane Kruger won the best actress prize in Cannes for the film, in which she plays a German woman whose Kurdish husband is killed in a neo-Nazi terrorist attack. Germany has picked Fatih Akin's terrorist drama In the Fade to represent the country in the 2018 Oscars in the foreign language category. Diane Kruger made her German-language acting debut in the film, playing a German woman whose Kurdish husband and child are killed in an xenophobic terrorist attack. She picked up the best actress award in Cannes for her performance. The story was inspired by real-life neo-Nazi attacks on ethnic Turks and other minorities living in Germany. Akin is an established figure on the German arthouse scene —his hard-hitting drama Head-On won the Berlin Film Festival's Golden Bear in 2004 —but this is the first time he will represent Germany in the Oscar race. Germany has been nominated 19 times in the past in the best foreign language category —most recently for Maren Ade's Toni … [Read more...] about Oscars: Germany Selects ‘In the Fade’ for Foreign Language Category
Film Fans Win Shareholder Battle at Germany’s Constantin
The German mini-major, producers of the 'Resident Evil' franchise, voted to replace its entire supervisory board in a long-running struggle over the company's future direction. The film geeks have beaten the jocks at Germany's Constantin Medien. Two factions, each representing sizable shares in the company, have been struggling for more than a year over the company's long-term strategy. One group, lead by executive Dieter Hahn, wanted to the group to spin off its film business —Constantin is one of Europe's leading producers, with local-language hits such as Fack Ju Goethe and Look Who's Back as well as international titles including the Resident Evil franchise—to focus on its smaller, but more profitable, sports business. Constantin owns Sport 1, a German ESPN-style TV channel, and TEAM, the Swiss-based group that handles the marketing rights for the UEFA Champions League, a European club soccer tournament. The other faction, lead by Bernhard Burgener, a former Constantin … [Read more...] about Film Fans Win Shareholder Battle at Germany’s Constantin
U.K. TV News Legend Warns That Facebook’s Approach to Fake News Is “Vast Threat to Democracy”
Jon Snow attacked the social media giant's "lack of activity" in the keynote MacTaggart lecture at the Edinburgh TV Festival. U.K. TV news legend Jon Snow on Wednesday challenged Facebook about its role in the rise of fake news. In the annual MacTaggart speech at the Edinburgh Television Festival, the ITN journalist and longest-running host of Channel 4 News, which he has presented since 1989, said the social media giant's lack of strong action could become a threat to democracy. "Many news organizations including my own, have asked too few questions about the apparent miracle of Facebook’s reach," Snow said in his speech, entitled "The Worst and Best of Times." "For us at Channel 4 News, it has been invaluable in helping us to deliver our remit – to reach young viewers, to innovate and to get attention for some of the world’s most important stories. But the other side of the issue – the dark, cancerous side – Facebook enabled the story: … [Read more...] about U.K. TV News Legend Warns That Facebook’s Approach to Fake News Is “Vast Threat to Democracy”
CNN International Chief Says Trump Is “Good for Business”
“I think being called out for fake news out by Trump isn’t necessarily the end of the world," said Tony Maddox, speaking at the Edinburgh TV Festival. As Donald Trump lashed out once more at the media on Twitter on Wednesday, the head of CNN International said that the president’s repeated attacks hadn’t done any lasting damaged. “If you look at the groups that Trump has primarily targeted: CNN, The New York Times, The Washington Post, Saturday Night Live, Stephen Colbert … every single one of those has seen a quite remarkable growth in their viewing figures, in their sales figures," said Tony Maddox, speaking at the Edinburgh TV Festival at a special panel discussing the issues around supposed fake news. “I think being called out for fake news by Trump isn’t necessarily the end of the world, in fact the evidence would suggest, as far as media organizations are concerned, it’s not something to worry about,” he … [Read more...] about CNN International Chief Says Trump Is “Good for Business”
Russian Director Put Under House Arrest in Fraud Case
Kirill Serebrennikov is suspected of alleged embezzlement of state funds in a high-profile case that many consider absurd. Prominent Russian film and theater director Kirill Serebrennikov was put under house arrest on Wednesday after spending a night in jail. A Moscow court ignored offers from leading cultural figures -- including director and actor Fedor Bondarchuk, actors Chulpan Khamatova and Konstantin Khabensky and singer Filip Kirkorov -- to put up bail money for Serebrennikov. Serebrennikov was detained on Tuesday on suspicion of a role in the embezzlement of 68 million rubles ($1.2 million) in government funds allocated for the theater company Sedmaya Studia, which he used to head. Many in Russia believe that the case involving Serebrennikov is absurd, and some 350 protestors gathered on Wednesday outside the Moscow courthouse where his case was being heard, including directors Alexei Popogrebsky and Boris Khlebnikov. "This is a Kafkaesque situation," Popogrebsky told The … [Read more...] about Russian Director Put Under House Arrest in Fraud Case
Mark Gordon Says Netflix Deal Will Help Shonda Rhimes “Broaden Her Horizons”
The prolific producer was speaking as a gamechanger at the Edinburgh TV Festival. Just weeks after news broke that Shonda Rhimes would be making the leap to Netflix from ABC, her former producer as she first rose to stardom as showrunner on Grey’s Anatomy praised her decision to move away from ABC Studios. “I think the Netflix opportunity will give her a chance to broaden her horizons,” said Mark Gordon, speaking at the Edinburgh TV Festival as one of the event’s "gamechangers." “She won’t have to do 22 to 24 episodes anymore. It’s brutal and was killing her,” added the prolific TV and film exec, who has titles including Murder on the Orient Express, Molly’s Game and The Nutcracker and the Four Realms on a bustling upcoming slate. “I think we’re going to see some amazing work come out of her on Netflix.” Gordon cited Rhimes again while discussing his own break away from ABC in 2015 to form the Mark … [Read more...] about Mark Gordon Says Netflix Deal Will Help Shonda Rhimes “Broaden Her Horizons”
Snapchat Content Chief Expects First Scripted Fare This Year, Says “Mobile Is Not a TV Killer”
"We want to be friends of media," says Nick Bell at the Edinburgh Television Festival as he outlines the company's mobile-first TV strategy. Snapchat owner Snap has been looking to reinvent and complement TV for mobile-focused millennials, with vp of content Nick Bell leading the charge. The executive on Wednesday outlined and discussed the company's mobile-first TV strategy on the first day of the Edinburgh TV Festival, saying the company doesn't expect to do away with traditional television and would start doing scripted fare by year's end. "Mobile is not a TV killer," he said. In fact, mobile is the most complementary thing to TV yet as "there is no better place to watch a great show than on the glowing box on the wall," while watching long-form content on a mobile device is not a great experience, he argued. "We want to be friends of media," he said. Snap's focus is on "joining the dots" between TV and mobile, the executive added. Optimizing known properties from content … [Read more...] about Snapchat Content Chief Expects First Scripted Fare This Year, Says “Mobile Is Not a TV Killer”
HBO, Sky Take Stakes in ‘Night Of’ Producer Bad Wolf
The investment is part of the networks' co-production deal aimed at financing big-budget drama. HBO and British pay-TV giant Sky have announced they will each take a minority stake in British production company Bad Wolf, the group behind hit series The Night Of. Glenn Whitehead from HBO and Gary Davey from Sky will take seats on the board of Bad Wolf, founded in 2015 by BBC veterans Jane Tranter and Julie Gardner. Len Blavatnik’s Access Entertainment took a 24.9 percent stake in the company earlier this year. The deal is part of the recently announced co-production deal between HBO and Sky, aimed at funding large scale TV dramas for the international market. Chernobyl, a five-part miniseries about the infamous nuclear disaster, starring The Crown's Jared Harris, will be the first project under the new agreement. Bad Wolf co-produced The Night Of for HBO. The crime drama, starring Riz Ahmed and John Turturro has received Golden Globe, BAFTA and Emmy nominations. Bad Wolf, … [Read more...] about HBO, Sky Take Stakes in ‘Night Of’ Producer Bad Wolf
‘Guardians of the Galaxy’ Actress Elizabeth Debicki to Play Virginia Woolf in ‘Vita & Virginia’
Isabella Rossellini also joins the cast of the period drama, which will star Gemma Arterton as Woolf's lover, Vita Sackville-West. Guardians of the Galaxy and The Night Manager actress Elizabeth Debicki will play the writer Virginia Woolf in Vita & Virginia, the upcoming period drama based on the love letters between Woolf and 1920s socialite Vita Sackville-West. Gemma Arterton is attached to play Vita in the drama, the sophomore feature from British director Chanya Button (Burn, Burn, Burn). Italian actress Isabella Rossellini has also joined the cast of the film, which is set to begin principle photography in Ireland in September. Rupert Penry-Jones and Peter Ferdinando co-star. The film is an adaptation of the award-winning play by actress and writer Eileen Atkins. Atkins and Button co-wrote the script to Vita & Virginia, which tells the true story of socialite Vita (Arterton) and literary icon Virginia (Debicki) who cross paths in 1920s London. Vita decides to make … [Read more...] about ‘Guardians of the Galaxy’ Actress Elizabeth Debicki to Play Virginia Woolf in ‘Vita & Virginia’
