Fear the walking dead

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

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

Brooklyn Nine-Nine alum Terry Crews has been tapped as the lead and also will executive produce JumpStart , CBS ’ multi-camera comedy pilot based on Robb Armstrong’s long-running comic strip. Wayne Conley ( The Best Man) penned the TV adaptation for the project from Aaron Kaplan’s Kapital Entertainment, Wendi Trilling’s TrillTV and CBS Studios. Phill Lewis will direct and executive produce the pilot, replacing Kelly Park due to changes in the production schedule; Park is directing NBC’s comedy pilot Non-Evil Twin instead. Based on the popular comic strip that debuted in 1989, JumpStart is set in Philadelphia and follows Joseph L. Cobb (Crews), a cop, his wife Marcy, a nurse, and Joe’s partner Crunchy. Crews’ Joe Cobb is a devoted husband, son, father and Philadelphia police officer. He is also a proud Black man and often feels pressured to be flawless in each of his roles, especially in light of controversies surrounding cops. He is a charming and exuberant role … [Read more...] about Terry Crews To Headline ‘JumpStart’ CBS Comedy Pilot Based On Comic Strip

EXCLUSIVE : Acrophobia sufferers look away now, the makers of vertigo thriller Fall are plotting a sequel after the film became an unexpected hit on Netflix internationally. British producer Tea Shop Productions and director Scott Mann are discussing ideas for a second movie, which will look to unsettle audiences with another terrifying tale set at a great height. Fall premiered last August and stars Grace Caroline Currey ( Shazam! Fury of the Gods ) and Virginia Gardner ( Gaslit ) as friends who scale and get stuck up a 2,000-foot radio tower in the desert. The indie thriller grossed close to $22M after being made on a $5M budget and has enjoyed word-of-mouth success on streaming services including Netflix, where it has scored top-10 rankings in four territories. It is available on Starz in the U.S. Fall has been Netflix’s second most-watched movie in the UK for two consecutive weeks, with only Idris Elba’s Luther: The Fallen Sun performing … [Read more...] about ‘Fall’ Sequel In The Works After Vertigo-Inducing Thriller Becomes Surprise Netflix Hit

EXCLUSIVE : Aditya Sood has been promoted to President of Lord Miller — the production company of Academy Award-winning filmmakers Phil Lord and Chris Miller ( Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse ) — with Dan Shear joining as EVP and head of Television. These strategic moves are described as a natural evolution for Lord Miller, which has continued to expand in both film and television over the past several years — recently seeing Universal release their Elizabeth Banks -directed comedy Cocaine Bear , with four other projects coming up for release this year. Regarded as having a strong eye for standout original material, Sood has been with Lord Miller as President of Film since 2019, and will now expand his oversight to include all aspects of the company including television, adding to his existing responsibilities for overseeing their film efforts. Shear comes to Lord Miller from Peacock , where he served as EVP of Comedy Development, and will now be … [Read more...] about Lord Miller Ups Aditya Sood To President, Names Dan Shear EVP Of TV

There’s a reason they call him The Darkling. Ben Barnes ‘ General Kirigan is on a downward spiral in Season 2 of Netflix ‘s Shadow and Bone as he seeks to expand The Fold and reign over Ravka. While in Season 1, the then-leader of Ravka’s Grisha army was a respected and charismatic Shadow Summoner, Kirigan has done away with the facade for Season 2. After surviving a Volcra attack that led everyone to believe he’d died, Kirigan has returned — very much alive and with a literal shadow army at his disposal that he’s using to stoke enough fear in the remainder of the Grisha army that they will help him defeat Alina Starkov (Jessie Mei Li), who has set out to find the supposedly mythical creatures that can amplify her powers enough to destroy The Fold. “[Kirigan] was always on the wrong side. He’s always the villain. But in this season, it’s unleashed a little bit and he doesn’t have an army to rely on. He doesn’t have these masks of charm to rely on,” Barnes told … [Read more...] about Ben Barnes Breaks Down General Kirigan’s Dark Spiral In Season 2 of ‘Shadow And Bone’

Neo-nazis tend to be a noisy bunch, and it takes an extraordinary and confident work of art to drown out their loud, ugly racket. Parade , opening tonight on Broadway at the Bernard B. Jacobs Theatre, is that work of art. With a serendipitous advertising slogan – “This Is Not Over Yet” – borrowed from one of the most powerful songs from a lovely score, the revival of 1998’s Parade arrives just when it’s needed most, providing an eloquent smackdown response to the rise in antisemitism made all too clear by the hate group protesting outside the show’s first preview (they haven’t been back). With a cast as fine as it is large, led by Ben Platt and Micaela Diamond – two of the best singers currently on Broadway – Parade , set in 1913 Georgia, scores its topical points with all the artistry and theatrical know-how to meet and exceed its noble intensions. Parade is as commanding as any musical revival to hit Broadway in years. Directed by Michael Arden, … [Read more...] about ‘Parade’ Broadway Review: Ben Platt & Micaela Diamond Lead Exceptional March Through History

Blac Chyna was arrested for drug possession after cops found 2 ecstasy pills in her purse ... TMZ has learned. Law enforcement tells us, after Chyna was busted Friday at Austin International Airport for being drunk and disorderly, cops searched her purse and found 2 small white pills with gold glittered flecks in a sunglasses case. The pills had imprints on both sides, which is a telltale sign of ecstasy. Cops field tested the drug and it came back as MDMA -- commonly known as ecstasy. As for Chyna's conduct at the airport, according to the police report obtained by TMZ, she became "verbally aggressive to a bartender ... who then would not serve her the amount of alcohol she wanted." The report says Chyna became "passively resistive," letting her body become dead weight and refusing to walk. Chyna told the bartender she had taken Xanax. At some point after her arrest a cop asked her if she had been drinking and she said, "Of course," and then she began to cry. … [Read more...] about Blac Chyna: Ecstasy Got Her Busted for Drugs

TMZ.com The attorney for the family of the 19-year-old who was found dead years ago near Alex Murdaugh 's home is telling us exactly why he won't accept the simple hit-and-run theory surrounding his death -- he believes it's cold-blooded murder. Attorney Ronnie Richter joined us on "TMZ Live" Tuesday, making it clear Stephen Smith 's mother is determined to get justice for her son, and the first step is exhuming Stephen's body for clues. Ronnie ticked off a number of facts that clearly point to murder -- Stephen's body from the torso down had no injuries, there were no car parts found at the scene, his shoes were still on, he supposedly walked 3 miles in the dark without ever using his cell phone ... and there's a lot more. Sandy Smith As for looking into any possible Murdaugh connection, Ronnie isn't jumping to any conclusions the disgraced lawyer's family was involved ... although he's keenly aware the case was reopened as authorities were … [Read more...] about Stephen Smith’s Family Lawyer Says It Was Clearly Murder, and Autopsy Will Prove It

UPDATE 1:55 PM PT -- Wood tells TMZ it appears Davionne had some sort of mental breakdown and shot his grandparents, though they're still working to determine if there was an additional motive. He says someone at the psych ward alerted detectives to his whereabouts. A sickening story out of St. Louis as a local man -- who goes by the rap name Woozy The Goat -- has been accused of killing his own grandparents. Lincoln Co. Prosecuting Attorney Mike Wood tells us Davionne McRoberts walked into a psych ward covered in blood earlier this week ... he's been tied to the murders of his grandparents Donald and Kathy McRoberts , who were found dead in their home. Wood told the St. Louis Post-Dispatch McRoberts is currently being held in the mental hospital under police watch. There aren't many details yet on the specifics of the murders, but local law enforcement was reportedly looking for Davionne Tuesday night before he essentially … [Read more...] about St. Louis Rapper Woozy the Goat Accused of Murdering Grandparents, Now In Psych Ward