Audiobook stephen king

EXCLUSIVE : Howard Swartz , who has overseen hundreds of hours of Shark Week programming, is exiting Warner Bros Discovery to take up a new role at Banijay Americas -owned Stephen David Entertainment . Swartz, who was SVP of Documentaries and Specials for WBD’s Factual Networks and Streaming, becomes EVP Development at the company known for series including Men Who Built America and American Playboy. He will oversee development of SDE’s documentary, nonfiction series and specials and report to founder and CEO Stephen David. In addition to Shark Week, Swartz also worked on WBD’s natural history slate including Serengeti as well as the Donald Trump documentary Unprecedented, Viagra: The Little Blue Pill That Changed the World , and anthology strand Undiscovered . Prior to his latest stint at Discovery, Swartz was EVP Production and Development at British production company Arrow Media. Before that he was VP Production and Development at Discovery … [Read more...] about Shark Week Chief Howard Swartz Leaves Warner Bros Discovery To Join Stephen David Entertainment

Sandy Smith Stephen Smith -- the 19-year-old who was friends with Alex Murdaugh 's son Buster and died 8 years ago -- was not killed in an accidental hit-and-run ... officials now say it was a homicide, and the change of heart has a link to the recent Murdaugh murder case. The 19-year-old was found dead in the middle of a South Carolina road nearly 9 years ago.  At the time authorities called it a fatal hit-and-run, despite glaring evidence it was foul play. Among the evidence -- there were no car parts found at the scene, and Stephen's body had no injuries below the torso. The South Carolina Law Enforcement Division (SLED) announced they're reopening the case and investigating it as a homicide ... this based on new info they say they've gathered from the Murdaugh double murder case that just wrapped 2 weeks ago. Unclear what exactly they've found or who it implicates ... but there's been widespread suspicion Alex Murdaugh's surviving son, … [Read more...] about Murdaugh-Linked Teen Stephen Smith’s Death Now Investigated as Homicide

EXCLUSIVE : Michelle Dockery is set to star in Destry Allyn Spielberg ’s directorial debut, Please Don’t Feed the Children. The elevated genre feature film will begin production late April in New Mexico. Scripted by Paul Bertino, the psychological thriller is produced by Jason Dubin and his Perry Street Films, Josh Kesselman and Michael Hagerty. In Please Don’t Feed the Children, after a viral outbreak ravaged the country’s adult population, a group of orphans heads south in search of a new life, only to find themselves at the mercy of a deranged woman harboring a dangerous secret. Spielberg, daughter of The Fabelmans helmer, will do this film before the one on which she originally expected to make her feature debut, Four Assassins (and a Funeral) . The latter, a Kingsman- meets- Knives Out meets- Succession -style script by Ryan Hooper that made the 2021 Black List , will percolate a bit longer but is still in the works from Basil Iwanyk & Erica … [Read more...] about Destry Allyn Spielberg’s Directing Debut Will Be ‘Please Don’t Feed The Children’; ‘Downton Abbey’s Michelle Dockery Starring

Paramount+ is well ahead of its target to greenlight 150 non-U.S. originals by 2025 but international boss Marco Nobili wishes the streamer could have rolled out quicker. Addressing Series Mania this afternoon, Nobili said “if I could have accelerated our rollout then I would have” when questioned on how he would have done things differently over the past two years. “But you have to balance these things out,” he countered. “Sometimes staggering a launch proves to be the right recipe. If you show audiences the window you can get straight out the gate but could compromise on show quality.” Nobili added: “We could maybe have done an even faster rollout but looking back it was a challenge and we are proud of how it has worked out.” Paramount+ is now live in dozens of territories around the world and is well ahead of its target to greenlight 150 originals by 2025, Nobili revealed. He said half of streaming’s forecasted 8% growth over the next five years will come from … [Read more...] about Paramount+ International Rollout Could Have Been Speedier But Marco Nobili “Proud”

This morning’s Tony Award nominations favored the familiar, with Mean Girls and SpongeBob SquarePants leading the field with 12 nods apiece. The American debut of Harry Potter and the Cursed Child paced new plays with 10 nominations, and the revival of Angels in America had a strong showing with 11 nominations, most in Tony history for a play. (See the full list below.) Other shows posting impressive tallies included The Band’s Visit , with 11 nominations going to the original musical based on a 2007 Israeli film. An acclaimed revival of Rodgers & Hammerstein’s Carousel also scored 11 nominations, including one for Renée Fleming, who is better known for her career as one of the opera world’s most venerable stars. Lincoln Center’s posh reboot of My Fair Lady garnered 10 nominations, and the Denzel Washington-starring revival of Eugene O’Neill’s The Iceman Cometh received eight. Frozen , the latest Disney adaptation to head to Broadway , joining The … [Read more...] about Tony Award Nominations: ‘Mean Girls,’ ‘SpongeBob’ And ‘Harry Potter’ Lead New Crop; ‘Angels,’ ‘Carousel’ Top Revivals

EXCLUSIVE : Boston Celtics shooting guard Jaylen Brown has signed with M88 for management, becoming the first athlete to join the company’s roster of artists and cultural leaders. M88 will now look to create and develop opportunities for Brown in both the entertainment and strategic partnership spaces. The No. 3 pick overall in the 2016 NBA Draft, Brown joined the Celtics at just 19 after negotiating his own contract. The two-time All-Star in 2019 became the youngest member of the National Basketball Players Association’s executive committee, joining as Vice President and being reelected this year. Brown aided, as VP, in the creation of THINK450, which helps NBA players gain control of their name and likeness. He’s also has proven a community builder as the host of a rookie event put on during the NBA summer league in an effort to build connection among players. Brown dedicates himself off the court to social justice, with a particular focus on changing inequity … [Read more...] about M88 Sets Boston Celtics’ Jaylen Brown As First Athlete Client

After the launch of its first original content in 2022, Disney+ France is expanding, revealing a slate of new productions Wednesday at the Series Mania festival in Lille. The announcement was made by Pauline Dauvin, Disney’s VP Programming, Original Productions and Acquisitions. The projects include a mix of film and TV productions. The first is a new original series titled Les enfants sont roism (The Children Are Kings) , adapted from Delphine Le Vigan’s novel of the same name. The series is currently in pre-production and is expected to shoot later this year. Two original French films are also set to debut on the streamer this year. The first, Une Zone à Défendre , is billed as a “moving and intense melodrama” and stars Lyna Khoudri ( The French Dispatch ) and François Civil ( The Stronghold ). The pic is currently scheduled for a summer release. The second feature is Antigang: La Relève , an action film starring Alban Lenoir, Jean Reno and Sofia Essaïdi. … [Read more...] about Disney+ France Announces Slate Of Projects At Series Mania

Devo , the rock band best known for 1980 hit “Whip It,” is getting the documentary treatment. The project marks the first authorized documentary about the band, which featured the classic lineup of Mark and Bob Mothersbaugh, Gerald and Bob Casales and Alan Myers. Chris Smith, who directed Netflix’s Fyre , about the troubled Fyre Festival, and Tiger King, will helm the doc. Devo comes from BMG, Fremantle Documentaries, and Warner Music Entertainment with Vice Studios and Library Films producing in association with Mutato Entertainment. The doc, which is currently in production, tells the story of the band that formed in Akron, Ohio in 1973, in the wake of the Kent State massacre. It will feature a mix of archival footage and interviews from other characters in their orbit. Producers include  Danny Gabai for Vice Studios and Anita Greenspan and Chris Holmes for Mutato Entertainment, exec produers are William Kennedy, Stuart Souter, and Kathy Rivkin Daum for BMG, … [Read more...] about Devo Documentary In The Works

Extremely devastating news: MGM and United Artists Releasing distribution boss Erik Lomis died suddenly Wednesday at his home in Santa Monica, we have learned from sources. No details were provided in regards to his death. He was 64. Lomis was a towering figure behind many filmmakers’ hits including those from Quentin Tarantino, Paul Thomas Anderson, Adam McKay, Sylvester Stallone, Ryan Coogler, David O. Russell, Lee Daniels and Tom Hooper to name a few, and most recently Michael B. Jordan with Creed III . In the wake of Amazon’s purchase of MGM, Lomis, who made the jump, becoming an entrusted consigliere to Amazon Studios head Jennifer Salke as the streamer looks to capitalize on more big-screen hits. Lomis gave Amazon a big taste of the box office with its first theatrical hit Creed III, which opened to more than $100 million worldwide and is currently grossing to $225M-plus at the global box office. It was Lomis’ bold decision to move Creed III out of … [Read more...] about Erik Lomis Dies: Veteran MGM Distribution Chief Was 64

I suspect we’ll be seeing more than one silly and misleading “frozen out” reference in coverage of this year’s Tony Awards nominations – starting with that one – but the absence of Frozen in the leading actress categories (Patti Murin and Caissie Levy), and director (Michael Grandage) from the 2018 nominations roster has gotta be a sting for Disney, even with major consolations like nods for Best musical, book and original score. Though critical praise for Frozen was hardly unanimous, I’d have thought Levy’s performance of “Let It Go” would have provided safe passage. Same for Murin’s charming, barely-leaves-the-stage performance as the underdog Princess Anna, and I’d have nominated either over…But let’s not get ahead of ourselves. Here’s a closer, first-reaction look at some of the categories. Just my opinions, of course, and I might very well be fine-tuning and re-thinking right up until the trophies are handed out June 10. Best Performance by an Actor in a … [Read more...] about Tonys 2018: Snubs, Surprises & Analysis From ‘Harry Potter’ Magic To “Let It Go”