Amazon Freevee has announced that it will stream Casa Grande , a bilingual limited series that examines the everyday realities and conflicts between California’s migrant workforce and the landowners who reap the profits. Created by Lauren Swickard ( A California Christmas ) and Ali Afshar, Casa Grande follows the intertwining lives of various families in the farmlands of Northern California and is described as an “upstairs/downstairs story transposed from turn-of-the century English countryside to rural America.” It stars John Pyper-Ferguson ( The 100, Suits) , Christina Moore ( That ‘70s Show, 90210 ), Madison Lawlor ( Juniper ), Karen Bethzabe ( Babylon) , Javier Bolaños ( All American ), Raquel Dominguez ( Chicago Med ), James Marsters ( Buffy The Vampire Slayer ), Kate Mansi ( Days of Our Lives ), Daniel Edward Mora ( Coco ), Loren Escandon ( The Baxters ), and Ali Afshar ( He’s Just Not That Into You ). All five one-hour episodes of the … [Read more...] about ‘Casa Grande’ Limited Series To Stream On Amazon Freevee
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Michael Chiklis To Star In ‘Hotel Cocaine’ MGM+ Series
EXCLUSIVE: Emmy winner Michael Chiklis is set to star alongside Danny Pino in Hotel Cocaine , MGM+ ’s upcoming crime thriller from creator Chris Brancato. RELATED: 2023 MGM+ Pilots & Series Orders Hotel Cocaine is the story of Roman Compte (Pino), a Cuban expatriate who fought against Fidel Castro in the Bay of Pigs invasion and re-made his life in Miami. He is general manager of the Mutiny Hotel, the glamorous epicenter of the Miami cocaine scene of late ‘70s and early ‘80s. The Mutiny Hotel was Casablanca on cocaine, a glitzy nightclub, restaurant and hotel frequented by Florida businessmen and politicians, international narcos, CIA and FBI agents, models, sports stars and musicians. Chiklis will play Agent Zulio who will stop at nothing to shut down the drug trade, even if it means using innocent civilians to accomplish his ends. Brancato serves as executive producer and showrunner. Guillermo Navarro will direct the pilot episode and executive … [Read more...] about Michael Chiklis To Star In ‘Hotel Cocaine’ MGM+ Series
WME Signs ‘Yellowjackets’ EP Karyn Kusama
EXCLUSIVE: Emmy-winning writer/director/producer Karyn Kusama has signed with WME . Kusama currently serves as executive producer on Showtime’s Yellowjackets . The show garnered seven Emmy nominations in 2022, including Outstanding Drama Series and Outstanding Directing for a Drama Series for Kusama’s direction of the pilot episode. Kusama previously helmed the Golden Globe-nominated film Destroyer starring Nicole Kidman that was written by her frequent collaborators, Phil Hay and Matt Manfredi. The trio’s banner, Familystyle Film, is currently under a first-look deal with MRC. Her feature credits include indie thriller The Invitation , as well as Jennifer’s Body , Aeon Flux , and her Cannes and Sundance-award winning debut, Girlfight. On the TV side, Kusama has directed episodes for such series as Billions, The Man in the High Castle , Dead Ringers, The Outsider , and The Mysterious Benedict Society, for which she won a Children’s and Family … [Read more...] about WME Signs ‘Yellowjackets’ EP Karyn Kusama
Sci-Fi Thriller ‘Levels’ Begins Filming In Canada With Cara Gee & Peter Mooney Leading Cast
EXCLUSIVE : Production is underway in Canada on sci fi-thriller Levels , starring Cara Gee ( The Expanse ), Peter Mooney ( Burden of Truth ), Aaron Abrams ( Hannibal ), and David Hewlett ( Nightmare Alley ). Set in the near future, the film follows Ash — the love of Joe’s life — who is shockingly murdered before his eyes. As his world unravels, he comes to learn that nothing is as it seems. Levels will mark Adam Stern’s first feature after making two shorts and working in VFX for more than two decades (presiding over Artifex Studios) with credits including series Continuum and Almost Human . Producers are Stern of Orbital Mechanics, Tony Wosk of Middle Child Films and Kyle Bornais of Farpoint Films. AMP International has come aboard for sales and has pre-sold the film in multiple territories including Germany (Capelight) and Middle East (Front Row). Levels is the first foray for Orbital Mechanics, the new production company from Stern who directs … [Read more...] about Sci-Fi Thriller ‘Levels’ Begins Filming In Canada With Cara Gee & Peter Mooney Leading Cast
‘Dope Girls’: BBC Lines Up Bad Wolf Drama About Female Crime Boss In Soho’s Criminal Underworld
EXCLUSIVE: The BBC is delving into the history of Soho’s criminal underworld for its next big-budget drama series. Dope Girls will be a six-part series from His Dark Materials producer Bad Wolf for BBC One. Our sources say the BBC sees Dope Girls as a spiritual successor to Peaky Blinders , and Bad Wolf is understood to be in early stage discussions with U.S. co-production partners and global streaming services. Polly Stenham ( The Face , The Neon Demon ) and Alex Warren ( Eleanor ) are writing Dope Girls , which is inspired by Marek Kohn’s non-fiction book Dope Girls: The Birth of the British Drug Underground . Full plot details haven’t been revealed but we understand it follows the birth of the nightclub scene in London’s Soho. The series will mix elements of the fact-based research of Kohn’s book with fictional characters and storylines, exploring all aspects of the criminal world of Soho in the early 20th Century. We hear it’s partly based … [Read more...] about ‘Dope Girls’: BBC Lines Up Bad Wolf Drama About Female Crime Boss In Soho’s Criminal Underworld
WGA Negotiations Impasse: Why Options & Exclusivity Issue Is So Important To Writers
Issues faced by TV writers again are the sticking point in the WGA negotiations with the studios. In 2007, when the impasse led to a writers strike, it was residuals from series distributed online. This time around, it is the restrictive contracts for writers working in cable and on digital platforms. Under pattern bargaining, the deal between the WGA and AMPTP was expected to be similar to the recent DGA agreement with the studios with two writer-specific issues brought to the table by WGA — parity between cable and broadcast pay and the notion of exclusively and options. One of the two seem to have been resolved. “Every aspect of our contract has been negotiated and agreed upon with two exceptions — options and exclusivity — which remain points of contention between us,” negotiating committee co-chairs Chip Johannessen and Billy Ray wrote to their constituency last night . What are options and exclusivity, why are they so important to writers and what do writers seek to … [Read more...] about WGA Negotiations Impasse: Why Options & Exclusivity Issue Is So Important To Writers
WGA Ratifies New Film & TV Contract
Ratification of the new three-year WGA film and TV contract has been overwhelmingly — almost unanimously — approved by members of the WGA East and West, bringing to a close Hollywood’s most contentious contract struggle in a decade. Of the 3,647 valid votes cast there were 3,617 “yes” votes (99.2%) and 30 “no” votes (.8%). There were 9,441 eligible voters. The term of the agreement is from May 2, 2017 through May 1, 2020 . “Our success in these negotiations was due to a highly engaged and dedicated membership, working in tandem with a tireless and informed Negotiating Committee and an extraordinary Guild staff. We achieved new and significant gains that will help today’s writers even as they benefit the next generation,” said WGAW President Howard A. Rodman and WGAE President Michael Winship. “Our thanks go out to all of those who contributed to the process and to the thousands of our fellow writers who participated in the strike authorization and ratification votes.” … [Read more...] about WGA Ratifies New Film & TV Contract
Studios Snubbed WGA’s Contract Proposal To Boost Women & Minority Writers
EXCLUSIVE: The WGA made no major gains in its new film and TV contract regarding diversity, which the guild has been pushing for years. “There was a proposal related to diversity on the table,” an industry source said, “but the guild did not get it.” The union did, however, receive additional funding for its training program for episodic TV writers, which is geared toward improving the lot of women and minority writers. Under the new deal, CBS, ABC and NBC will now be kicking in a total of $250,000 a year for the program in each of the three years of the contract – up from $200,000 a year under the previous contract. The new 69-page memorandum of agreement can be seen here , in full, for the first time. Membership ratification of the new pact began today and will conclude May 24. In its 2016 report, the WGA West found that women made up only 29% of the TV writers; that female film writers earned only 68 cents for every dollar earned by their white male … [Read more...] about Studios Snubbed WGA’s Contract Proposal To Boost Women & Minority Writers
Ruby Rose: Total DJ Diva!!!
TMZ.com Ruby Rose has a hit TV show, 3 movies in the works, but it hasn't stopped her from making a killing as a DJ. We're told Ruby pocketed $30k for her Thursday night set at Heat Ultra Lounge in the OC ... plus she got another $5k for luxury incidentals, including 2 large SUVs -- either Escalades or a BMW 7 series ... no older than 2014. Ruby gets a suite and 3 additional rooms for her posse at a 5-star hotel. Dressing room perks include sushi, fresh fruit, raw veggies, almonds and popcorn. - 3 bottles of hand sanitizer We're told it took a promoter an entire day to track down the Balance Travel Water because it's so hard to find. … [Read more...] about Ruby Rose: Total DJ Diva!!!
Cillian Murphy To Star In & Produce ‘Small Things Like These’ Backed By Ben Affleck & Matt Damon’s Artists Equity
EXCLUSIVE: Oppenheimer, A Quiet Place Part II and Peaky Blinders star Cillian Murphy is embarking on his next project with the feature adaptation of Claire Keegan’s acclaimed novel Small Things Like These . Murphy will star in and produce the film that’s been greenlighted by Ben Affleck and Matt Damon ’s Artists Equity , which will finance the project. Principal photography is underway in Ireland. Ciarán Hinds and Emily Watson are also starring in the drama whose source material has been likened to a Dickens tale. The story takes place over Christmas in 1985, when devoted father Bill Furlong (Murphy) discovers the startling secrets being kept by the convent in his town, and some shocking truths about his own life as well. The project reunites director Tim Mielants and Murphy, who previously worked together on the BAFTA-winning Peaky Blinders . Enda Walsh, a longtime collaborator of Murphy’s, wrote the script. Murphy and producer Alan Moloney … [Read more...] about Cillian Murphy To Star In & Produce ‘Small Things Like These’ Backed By Ben Affleck & Matt Damon’s Artists Equity