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Brian Walsh , the popular Australian TV and film executive credited with a key role in Neighbours ‘ global success, has died unexpectedly. He was 68. An outpouring of sadness has come from Australian media industry following the death of Walsh, who was mentor to stars such as Guy Pearce and helped launch the careers of Nicole Kidman and Kylie Minogue. Australian network Foxtel , where Walsh most recently worked, confirmed he passed away yesterday in Sydney. Pearce wrote on Twitter he was “utterly devastated” at the loss of his “long time friend and mentor,” while the Australian Academy of Cinema and Television Arts called him “one of Australia’s most distinguished television producers.” Many of industry figures in Australia and further afield took to Twitter to recognize the influence of the exec, who was a familiar face at events such as the LA Screenings and Mipcom. Walsh’s 28-year career began at Australian public service network the ABC before he feature … [Read more...] about Brian Walsh Dies: Popular Australian TV Exec Behind ‘Neighbours’ Success And Mentor To Guy Pearce Was 68

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

EXCLUSIVE : Good Deed Entertainment has acquired North American and UK rights to the indie drama Midday Black Midnight Blue , starring 2x Emmy winner Merritt Wever ( Godless ), slating it for a day-and-date release in June. The first feature from writer-directors Samantha Soule and Daniel Talbott, also starring Chris Stack (AMC’s Interview with the Vampire ) and Soule ( Godless ), follows Ian (Stack) as he grapples with his shifting memories of Liv (Soule), a woman he once loved. For Ian, it’s a chance run-in with Liv’s sister (Wever) that sparks a journey in which he has a chance to reconnect to the light and fight his way back to life. The film, which world premiered at last year’s Seattle Film Festival, is produced by Soule, Talbott and Stack, as well as Lovell Holder and Addie Johnson Talbott. Exec producers are Timothy Farrell, Conner Marx and Will Pullen. GDE’s EVP of Acquisitions Erik Donley negotiated Midday Black ‘s deal for the company, with … [Read more...] about Merritt Wever-Led ‘Midday Black Midnight Blue’ Acquired By Good Deed; Coral Peña, Nicole Byer Board ‘Thelma’; More – Film Briefs

EXCLUSIVE: Tyrese Gibson ( The Fast and Furious franchise) and Harvey Keitel ( Reservoir Dogs ) have signed on to star in the action thriller The Wrecker . The pic is currently shooting in Las Vegas, Nevada. Filmmaker Art Camacho is directing from an original screenplay by Niko Foster, who also stars in the pic. The film’s plot follows a dishonorably discharged ex-marine named Tony, now turned car mechanic, whose life takes an unexpected turn when his reckless brother makes a bad decision gaining the unwanted attention of a notorious crime boss. Foster produces for Chasing Butterflies Pictures alongside Al Bravo for Al Bravo Films. Additional producers include Colin Bates, Eduard Osipov, Michael Pizzimenti, and Hemdee Kiwanuka. Stuart Alson, Nicole Holland, and Elias Axume, Premiere Entertainment CEO, serve as executive producers. Jiarui Guo and Michelle Wang Deppe co-produce. Camacho recently directed the action film Ruthless , starring Dermot Mulroney … [Read more...] about Tyrese Gibson And Harvey Keitel To Star In Action Thriller ‘The Wrecker’

A four-part docuseries, Ed Sheeran : The Sum of It All, will spotlight how an unlikely child with a stutter rose to fame and how his chart-topping hits were born. From Emmy-winning producers Fulwell 73 Productions ( Elton John Live: Farewell from Dodger Stadium, Adele: One Night Only, the Grammy Awards) and Disney Branded Television , the series is set for a global debut May 3 on Disney+. In Ed Sheeran: The Sum of It All , billed as a definitive view into Sheeran’s private life, he shares thoughts about how this difficult time has influenced him and his new music. Here’s the trailer: Sheeran’s upcoming sixth studio album, “ – ” (pronounced “Subtract”), is set to be released May 5 through Atlantic in the U.S., Atlantic/Asylum Records in the UK, and Atlantic/Warner Music in the rest of world, with the lead single “Eyes Closed” arriving March 24. “I’ve always been very guarded in my personal and private life; the only documentary I’ve ever made has been one … [Read more...] about ‘Ed Sheeran: The Sum Of It All’ Docuseries Coming To Disney+; Premiere Date & Trailer Unveiled

DreamWorks Animation has unveiled its newest animated feature, Ruby Gillman, Teenage Kraken , set for wide release via Universal on June 30th, and the roster of major names behind it. Lana Condor (Netflix’s To All the Boys franchise) will play the title role, with Oscar nom Toni Collette ( Knives Out ), Oscar winner Jane Fonda ( 80 for Brady ), Emmy winner Colman Domingo ( Euphoria ), Emmy winner Annie Murphy ( Schitt’s Creek ), Sam Richardson ( Veep ), Blue Chapman ( Council Of Dads ) and Jaboukie Young-White ( C’mon C’mon ) among the others set to star. The film directed by Oscar nom Kirk De Micco ( Vivo ), with Faryn Pearl ( The Croods: A New Age ) as co-director, is an action-comedy about a shy teenager who discovers that she’s part of a legendary royal lineage of mythical sea krakens and that her destiny, in the depths of the oceans, is bigger than she ever dreamed. Sweet, awkward 16-year-old Ruby Gillman (Condor) is desperate … [Read more...] about New DreamWorks Film ‘Ruby Gillman, Teenage Kraken’ Casts Lana Condor, Toni Collette, Jane Fonda, Colman Domingo, Annie Murphy & More

Hundreds of WGA East members who work for Hearst Magazines Media are planning to stage a walkout Thursday to demand a fair contract. The half-day action is scheduled to begin at 1 p.m. ET and will last the remainder of the day. “ WGA East members at Hearst have been bargaining a first contract for over two years and their last scheduled day of negotiations is March 28,” the guild said. “With only one bargaining session left, the Hearst Union is taking collective action with a unit-wide walkout in their fight for a fair first contract.” Rallies in support of the walkout will be held at four locations: outside the Hearst Tower in Manhattan; at the Hearst offices in Easton, PA; at the Hearst offices in Ann Arbor, MI; and the Hearst offices in Birmingham, AL. The guild represents some 500 of the publishing giant’s editorial, video, design and photo staff at more than 25 brands including Esquire, Cosmopolitan, Harper’s Bazaar, Town & Country, Good Housekeeping, … [Read more...] about WGA East Sets Walkout At Hearst Magazines For Thursday; Hundreds Sign Petition

BAFTA has pulled the curtain back on its Television Awards nominations, and This Is Going To Hurt and The Responder are leading the chase for a famous bronze mask. The BBC dramas each have six nominations across the BAFTA Television Awards and BAFTA Television Craft Awards, including Leading Actor for Ben Whishaw and Martin Freeman. Whishaw plays junior doctor Adam Kay in This Is Going To Hurt , which was co-produced by AMC. Freeman features as an urgent response police officer in The Responder . This Is Going To Hurt is nominated for Mini Series, while The Responder will compete in the Drama Series race. Adam Kay and Tony Schumacher will both do battle in the Writer: Drama category at the BAFTA Television Craft Awards. The BBC has a total of 81 nominations, putting it comfortably ahead of its nearest rival Channel 4, which has 33 nominations. Netflix scooped 24 nominations, while Apple TV+ was behind with 15. Bad Sisters and Slow Horses both … [Read more...] about BAFTA TV Awards Nominations: ‘This Is Going To Hurt’ & ‘The Responder’ Lead Chase For Prizes

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

EXCLUSIVE : Hot on the heels of their historic Oscars sweep with Everything Everywhere All at Once and The Whale , A24 has set the cast for Y2K , a dial-up disaster comedy to be directed for the studio by SNL alum Kyle Mooney . Jaeden Martell ( It ), West Side Story breakout Rachel Zegler and Julian Dennison ( Deadpool 2 ) lead a stacked ensemble that also includes Lachlan Watson ( Chilling Adventures of Sabrina ), Mason Gooding ( Scream VI ), 5x Billboard Music Award-winner The Kid Laroi, Tim Heidecker ( Us ), Eduardo Franco ( Stranger Things ), Miles Robbins ( Blockers ), Alicia Silverstone ( The Killing of a Sacred Deer ), Fred Hechinger ( Fear Street Trilogy ) and Daniel Zolghadri ( Funny Pages ). In the film penned by Evan Winter , which is set on New Year’s Eve 1999, two high school nobodies (Martell, Dennison) decide to crash the last big party before the new millennium. When the clock strikes midnight, the night … [Read more...] about A24 Sets Disaster Comedy ‘Y2K’, To Be Directed By ‘SNL’ Alum Kyle Mooney; Jaeden Martell, Rachel Zegler, Julian Dennison & More To Star