EXCLUSIVE: Adult Material star Siena Kelly has boarded BBC Three witch drama Domino Day , as the show’s EP Laurence Bowen spotlights his indie Dancing Ledge ’s work with new writers. Domino Day, which comes from first-time writer and Dancing Ledge Writer in Residence (WIR) Lauren Sequeira, is an irreverent drama about modern dating in which the protagonist uses dating apps to hunt, rather than find love. Kelly, who was BAFTA nominated for her role in Channel 4’s Adult Material, will play Domino, a powerful young witch who is haunted by her need to feed on the energy of others, a hunger that only grows, despite her attempt to start her life over in Manchester. She is desperately seeking a community who can help her understand her feelings but, unbeknownst to her, she is being tracked by a coven of witches. Kelly is joined by up-and-comers Babirye Bukilwa ( We Hunt Together ), Poppy Lee Friar ( In My Skin ), Alisha Bailey ( Call the Midwife ), Molly … [Read more...] about BBC Three Witch Drama ‘Domino Day’ Sets Cast
Hit em with the flex
Buster Murdaugh Named by Stephen Smith’s Mom as Murder Suspect in FBI Letter
Stephen Smith 's mom fired off a letter to the FBI about the mishandling of her son's death investigation, saying he was murdered for being gay and naming Buster Murdaugh as a possible suspect. Sandy Smith sent the 4-page letter to the Federal Bureau of Investigation in 2016, hoping the agency would take over the case from local South Carolina authorities, whom she believed had covered up critical evidence in the case. As you know, Stephen was found dead in the middle of a country road in Hampton County near the Murdaugh family estate on July 8, 2015. Investigators initially thought Stephen's death was a "homicide" because there were no signs he'd been struck by a vehicle. Cops then inexplicably changed their minds and determined that it was a hit-and-run accident. Document Launch Doc In the letter , obtained by FITSNews, Sandy wrote Stephen's older brother, Christopher , was told by a classmate that Buster Murdaugh allegedly killed Stephen with … [Read more...] about Buster Murdaugh Named by Stephen Smith’s Mom as Murder Suspect in FBI Letter
A24 Sets Disaster Comedy ‘Y2K’, To Be Directed By ‘SNL’ Alum Kyle Mooney; Jaeden Martell, Rachel Zegler, Julian Dennison & More To Star
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
Mary J. Blige Books Two More Lifetime Original Movies Inspired By Her Music
EXCLUSIVE: Mary J. Blige is back at Lifetime to executive produce two new original movies inspired by her biggest hits — Mary J. Blige’s Real Love and Mary J. Blige’s Strength of a Woman . The flicks will premiere on back-to-back Saturdays, beginning June 10 at 8 p.m. The movies are headlined by Ajiona Alexus ( Empire , 13 Reasons Why ) and Da’Vinchi ( BMF, All American ) with Princess Davis, Austin Anozie, Shiraine Haas and Garfield Wilson rounding out the casts. Blige serves as an executive producer on both original films through her own production banner, Blue Butterfly with Ashaunna K. Ayars and Q. Nicole Jackson as co-producers. Mary J. Blige’s Real Love follows 18-year-old Kendra (Alexus) as she sets off on her own for the first time at an HBCU in North Carolina. Attending on a scholarship, Kendra is determined to focus on school while balancing work study and keeping things professional with Ben (Da’Vinchi), her photo class partner. Despite … [Read more...] about Mary J. Blige Books Two More Lifetime Original Movies Inspired By Her Music
Picturestart & Picture Perfect Federation Set JC Lee To Direct ‘Bad Genius’; Unveil Key Cast & Int’l Deals
Picturestart and Picture Perfect Federation have set JC Lee to direct the English-language remake of Thai hit Bad Genius and also announced key cast members as well as a raft of international presales. Lee also takes co-writing credits for the English-language screenplay with Julius Onah, who was previously announced as the director. The pair previously collaborated on the Sundance 2019 title Luce , adapted from Lee’s original play of the same name. Up-and-coming talents Callina Liang, star of ITVX teen drama Tell Me Everything , and Jabari Banks (Bel-Air) will star with veteran UK actor Benedict Wong ( Doctor Stranger In The Multiverse Of Madness ). The English remake is billed as a high-stakes, high-octane thriller about a diverse group of young people who team up to fight the system of injustice and inequity and take down the rigged academic institutions around them. It is produced by Erik Feig and Jessica Switch at Picturestart with Patrick … [Read more...] about Picturestart & Picture Perfect Federation Set JC Lee To Direct ‘Bad Genius’; Unveil Key Cast & Int’l Deals
“I’d Make Kate Winslet A National Treasure”: HBO’s Casey Bloys Talks ‘The Palace’, Upcoming Slate & International Plans – Series Mania
Casey Bloys wants Kate Winslet to be venerated in the States. During a closing keynote session here in Lille, France at Series Mania, HBO and HBO Max Chairman and CEO Bloys told delegates he had recently visited London, where Winslet is filming the Stephen Frears, Will Tracy and Frank Rich series The Palace (WT). “If the U.S. could make her a national treasure I would like to do that,” he said, to laughs and applause in the room. “I think she’s great and the dailies I’ve seen of the show are fantastic.” In February, HBO released a first look of Mare of Easttown star Winslet in The Palace , which tells the story of one year within the walls of the palace of an authoritarian regime as it begins to unravel. Cast also includes Matthias Schoenaerts, Guillaume Gallienne, Andrea Riseborough, Martha Plimpton and Hugh Grant. RELATED: Deadline’s Full Coverage Of Series Mania 2023 Bloys delved deep into his slate, pointing to new seasons of House of the … [Read more...] about “I’d Make Kate Winslet A National Treasure”: HBO’s Casey Bloys Talks ‘The Palace’, Upcoming Slate & International Plans – Series Mania
William Levy-Led Vix Series ‘Montecristo’ Sets Premiere Date; Drops Official Trailer
EXCLUSIVE: The ViX original series Montecristo starring William Levy is set to premiere on April 14, with the release of all 6 episodes to hit the streamer. Watch the first official trailer above. Based on the literary classic The Count of Monte Cristo by Alexandre Dumas, the series tells the story of Alejandro Montecristo (Levy), an enigmatic figure who bursts into the public eye and raises concerns amongst the world’s elite because the origin of his fortune and his past are unknown. Montecristo is the founder and CEO of a new technology company that has incited the envy and interest of many, among those is Fernando Alvarez Mondego – a businessman connected to the Spanish aristocracy who wants to acquire the Montecristo startup. What Fernando doesn’t know is that Montecristo is someone he knew decades ago and the reason for his emergence is fueled purely by revenge. “I have always loved this story and wanted to tell it,” Levy tells Deadline exclusively of … [Read more...] about William Levy-Led Vix Series ‘Montecristo’ Sets Premiere Date; Drops Official Trailer
‘A Good Person’ Filmmaker Zach Braff Inks With Range Media Partners
EXCLUSIVE : Actor-filmmaker Zach Braff has signed with Range Media Partners ahead of the MGM theatrical release of his newest directorial effort A Good Person , starring Florence Pugh and Morgan Freeman. The film hitting screens this Friday, March 24th, which Braff also wrote and produced, tells the story of Allison (Pugh), whose life falls apart after her involvement in a fatal accident. In the following years, it is the unlikely relationship she forms with her would-be father-in-law (Freeman) that helps her inevitably live a life worth living. Braff landed Emmy and DGA Award nominations for his directing on Ted Lasso Season 1 and also recently reteamed with that series’ co-creator Bill Lawrence as a director on his Apple series Shrinking , with Jason Segel and Harrison Ford, which has been renewed for a second season . He kicked off his career behind the camera with 2004’s Garden State — a drama that had him starring opposite Natalie Portman which … [Read more...] about ‘A Good Person’ Filmmaker Zach Braff Inks With Range Media Partners
‘Missing Richard Simmons’ Creator Dan Taberski Strikes Multi-Show Deal With Pineapple Street Studios, Plots Four New Podcasts
EXCLUSIVE : Dan Taberski , the man behind podcasts including Missing Richard Simmons and 9/12 , has struck a multi-show deal with Audacy’s Pineapple Street Studios . The move will see Taberski create four new podcasts for the studio, which is behind many of his previous hits. It comes as the podcasting world begins to evolve with an increasing number of talent deals, ala the television and film world. Campside Media, the company behind the Chameleon franchise, struck a trio of first-look deals with Believe Her creator Justine van der Leun, Sam Mullins, who is behind Wild Boys and Dr. Dante , and Sean Flynn, the man behing The Bering , earlier this year. Taberski previously created Andrew WK-hosted series Destroy Build Destroy for Cartoon Network and was a producer on The Daily Show with Jon Stewart before moving into audio. He started working with Pineapple in 2017 on six-part series Missing Richard Simmons , which became a breakout hit with … [Read more...] about ‘Missing Richard Simmons’ Creator Dan Taberski Strikes Multi-Show Deal With Pineapple Street Studios, Plots Four New Podcasts
Martin Wiley Dies: Veteran Film Producer & Executive Was 65
Martin Wiley , a veteran producer and executive whose credits include Acts of Violence, Never Talk to Strangers and Under Siege 2: Dark Territory, died March 20, his son Cameron told Deadline. He was 65. A USC alum who got his post-graduate degree from UCLA, Wiley served as a creative executive in charge of development on films produced at Warner Bros., Sony, Lionsgate and other studios and the supervising producer and/or unit production manager for more than a dozen theatrical features. Wiley began his career in the late 1980s, serving as a producer or co-producer on films including Mutator, Diving In and Little Sister. His first executive producing credit came on the Steven Seagal action sequel Under Siege 2: Dark Territory (1995), and he was a producer on the Antonio Banderas-Rebecca DeMornay thriller Never Talk to Strangers the same year. Other feature credits as producer include Chill Factor, Tamara, Madison , Drive Thru, The Plague, Woodstock or Bust … [Read more...] about Martin Wiley Dies: Veteran Film Producer & Executive Was 65