Moving university

Jordan Moblo has moved from Netflix to Universal Studio Group to oversee its IP charge. Moblo becomes EVP, Creative Acquisitions and IP Management at the NBCUniversal studio. He was previously Director of IP Scouting at the streamer. “Jordan has impeccable taste in identifying and securing intellectual property that can be brought to series,” said Pearlena Igbokwe, Chairman, USG. “We’re beyond pleased to have his expertise in sourcing and acquiring projects across the entire USG portfolio while building a team to acquire compelling content that aligns with and broadens our notable roster.” Moblo will be responsible for sourcing and acquiring content for Universal Television, UCP, Universal International Studios and Universal Television Alternative Studio. He will report directly to Universal Television President Erin Underhill, UCP and Universal International Studios President Beatrice Springborn and Universal Television Alternative Studio President Toby Gorman. … [Read more...] about Universal Studio Group Hires Netflix’s Jordan Moblo To Lead IP Division

EXCLUSIVE : Industry tech provider Deluxe has appointed former Netflix Korea exec Samantha Kim to the role of Managing Director, Business Development, APAC. Kim, who will be based in Seoul, will report to Chris Reynolds, Executive Vice President and General Manager of Worldwide Localization and Fulfillment. In her new role, she will oversee Deluxe’s efforts to implement growth in localization and mastering in Southeast Asia, notably Korea, Japan, Thailand, Philippines, Taiwan and Malaysia. The move comes amid a growth in traveling local-language production from the Asia-Pacific region. Kim arrives at Deluxe from Netflix where during a four-year stay she helped establish the streamer’s Korean team and helped drive strategy for the rollout of its Korean content. In addition to her tenure at Netflix, she had APAC roles across traditional media, cable production, localization and OTT, having worked at Discovery, Iyuno and Samsung. Deluxe’s Chief Strategy Officer, … [Read more...] about Deluxe Appoints Former Netflix Korea Exec Samantha Kim To APAC Role

This piece originally appeared as part of Rolling Stone ’s annual Hot List, in the July/August issue of the magazine. When John Lee was working at his first job — a magic store in the small Bay Area town of Castroville, California — there was a trick he’d always play. “It’s a classic move called the French Drop,” the 49-year-old filmmaker says, as he angles his laptop’s camera downward. He picks up a quarter, slides it into his other hand, and closes his palm; when he opens his fist, there’s no coin there. “‘Oh, look, it stayed in this hand, haha!’” The teenage Lee wouldn’t perform the gag for regular customers, however; he’d wait until professional magicians came into the shop and then do the antiquated Magic 101 move. The older men would wearily sigh, roll their eyes, and gesture toward the first hand… at which point Lee would open his fist and present their coins. “I loved it, because they would just seethe, ” he says, cracking up at the memory. “They thought they caught … [Read more...] about Pranks, Paranoia and Peter Pan: John Lee on Making ‘False Positive’

Riley Cote ’s journey to enlightenment began in earnest when a hulking man punched him in the face. Cote, now 40 and retired from professional hockey, remembers the moment with a dark laugh. He’d gotten into this particular bust-up one night during the 2009 season with one of the NHL ’s most vicious fighters, and took the worst of it, waking the next day with his left eye blackened shut. “What,” he asked himself, “am I doing?” He drove to the Philadelphia Flyers training facility and got into the shower. Feeling congested, he reached for a tissue. He didn’t realize he’d suffered a cracked sinus, so what happened next was physics. When he blew his nose, the air — rather than coming out of his nostrils — inflated his face. The pressure surged instantly behind his good eye and closed it tight. Team trainer Derek Settlemyre heard Cote scream. “His whole face had swollen up,” Settlemyre recalls. “We tell them, if they think they have a fracture, ‘Don’t blow your nose’ — and he … [Read more...] about How an NHL Enforcer Broke His Body — and Turned to Psychedelics to Heal His Brain

James Rado , who along with his friend and writing partner Gerome Ragni created Broadway ’s seminal Age of Aquarius musical Hair , died peacefully Tuesday evening of cardio respiratory arrest in New York City, surrounded by family. He was 90. His death was announced by his longtime friend, publicist Merle Frimark. Hollywood & Media Deaths In 2022: Photo Gallery Rado and Ragni, who died in 1991, wrote the book and lyrics to the landmark musical (full title: Hair – The American Tribal Love-Rock Musical ), with music composed by Galt MacDermot, who died in 2018. In addition to its hugely influential insertion of a ’60s counterculture sensibility into Broadway’s mainstream, the musical contributed a score of songs that would become radio hits (often in cover versions) and stage musical standards: “Aquarius,” “Let The Sunshine In,” “Hair,” “Ain’t Got No/I Got Life,”  “Good Morning Starshine,” “Easy To Be Hard,” among others. In addition to co-creating the … [Read more...] about James Rado Dies: ‘Hair’ Co-Creator & Star Of Broadway’s Groundbreaking Rock Musical Was 90

Sarah Elizabeth Mintz moved back to New York this month after a seven-year stint in Los Angeles while she was working out Good Girl Jane , her debut feature that just landed with a splash, winning Best Narrative Film at the Tribeca Festival as well as Best Actress for star Rain Spencer. In a conversation with Deadline, Mintz describes the long path and motivation behind the drama of teenage alienation and addiction inspired by her real-life freshman year in high school. “Substance abuse carries a lot of shame a lot of misconception,” she said. “What mattered was to shed some light on the isolation I felt. I know that had I seen that type of isolation on the screen, it would truly have affected me, made me feel less alone.” The film follows lonely L.A. teenager Jane (Spencer), struggling to fit in at a new school after being bullied in the old one and reeling from the fallout of her parents’ recent divorce. She falls in with a druggy crowd and is smitten with their … [Read more...] about ‘Good Girl Jane’ Director Sarah Elizabeth Mintz On Tribeca Festival Win, Teenage Alienation And Mentor Joachim Trier

EXCLUSIVE: The Coalition of Asian Pacifics in Entertainment ( CAPE ) and Franklin Leonard ’s The Black List are teaming up for the CAPE List , a curated list of the 12 most promising unmade film scripts centering on Asian Pacific characters and experiences. The partnership, which is a fitting announcement for Asian Pacific American Heritage Month, continues the fight for authentic representation and storytelling in film. The pairing between the two organization is an ideal match as CAPE has helped to launch writing careers with its New Writers Fellowship and the Black List has become a beacon for Hollywood executives’ favorite unproduced screenplays. The 12 scripts on The CAPE List represent a diverse array of stories – one for each month of the year in celebration of #AsianAllYear – that scratch the surface of the plethora of Asian Pacific Islander stories. CAPE looks to move the needle when it comes to studios making more films in which diversity is baked in … [Read more...] about The Black List Teams With Coalition Of Asian Pacifics In Entertainment For Inaugural CAPE List

SPOILER ALERT: This post contains details about the Season 1 finale of Disney +/ Lucasfilm ’s Obi-Wan Kenobi . The season finale of Disney+/Lucasfilm’s Obi-Wan Kenobi wrapped its six-episode arc at what was in its entirety 4 hours and 40 minutes since its debut May 27. You could essentially say that’s a very long Star Wars movie; 2017’s Star Wars: The Last Jedi being the longest at 2 hours and 32 minutes. Yes, hands down, this was a substantially improved series compared to The Book of Boba Fett, which had all its mojo stolen by The Mandalorian, living in that series’ shadow. And there were some intriguing elements occurring here in the franchise post 2005’s Star Wars: Episode III – Revenge of the Sith. But overall, was Obi-Wan Kenobi good enough? How did it elevate the Star Wars canon? Half of the time it wasn’t doing that, and half of the time it was. The early swashbuckling days of little Princess Leia Organa was quite charming, though … [Read more...] about ‘Obi-Wan Kenobi’ Cameo-Filled Season Finale Jostles With George Lucas Canon

5th Update Sunday AM FINAL writethru w/chart after Saturday 10:41PM : In the back and forth for No. 1 between Disney/ 20th Century Studios ’ The Call of the Wild and Paramount’s Sonic the Hedgehog , the blue critter is back on top. Paramount is reporting this morning a $26.3M 3-day (-55%) after a Saturday of $12.1M , +89% over Friday. That will bring Sonic to a 10-day gross of $106.6M . worldwide at $203.1M , Sonic is the clear global winner for the second weekend in a row with a deafening roar of $64.6M, powering over The Call of the Wild . In weekend 2 exits, Sonic remains a great 4 stars with general audiences, parents, and kids under 12. Sonic ‘s Saturday was higher than the feature adaptation of the Jack London novel, which is estimated to have made $10M yesterday, +24% over Friday, for a 3-day of $24.8M . Disney sees those exact numbers this morning as well, with an overall $40M global in 40 material markets, including … [Read more...] about ‘Hedgehog’ Bites Back At ‘Wild’ Dog As ‘Sonic’ Speeds To No. 1 With $26M+; $203M+ WW – Sunday AM Update

Write-thru at 8:30AM on PREVIOUS 7:46 AM post: The Zac Efron, Robert De Niro starring comedy Dirty Grandpa , which opened last night at 7 PM in about 2,00o theaters pulled in a respectable $660K. Good enough for the Lionsgate/Bill Block Media R-rated offering. This one’s comp is The Family which opened in September 2013 to a $14M three-day. Different genre, but starred De Niro, too, and the same is expected on this one — if, and this is a big If — the entire East Coast is not shut down by the monster storm. We are expecting mid-teens. Meanwhile, The 5th Wave , the Chloe Grace Moretz vehicle based on a YA novel, took in $475K from 2,297 locations in early shows this weekend, playing strongly to a teenage girl audience. This weekend is will be a fairly blah weekend and could get even dimmer as the East Coast braces for one of the worst storms of the season which will impact moviegoing. This is the time of year that the box office reporters and distribution executives … [Read more...] about Box Office Thursday Late Nights: ‘Dirty Grandpa’ Knocks In $660K, ‘The Fifth Wave’ Crashes In With $475K