Banijay and North Road Entertainment are keen on to Love Island producer ITV Studios, according to Reuters. The report suggests private equity-backed studio firms have also looked at the production and sales arm of ITV, which could fetch as much as £3BN ($3.7BN). Reuters cites sources who claim UK network ITV is willing to selling a portion of ITV Studios but is keen to keep control of the business, which has production assets in the UK, Europe, U.S. and Australasia and owns shows such as Love Island , I’m a Celebrity… Get Me Out of Here! and Life of Duty . Rumors ITV was open to some sort of sale first emerged in the FT in October last year, though sources within ITV have consistently played down the idea and it has at times appeared off the market. The news comes just a day after The North Road Company , which former Fox chief Peter Chernin launched last year, landed $150M from the Qatar Investment Authority “to support ongoing expansion. The … [Read more...] about Banijay and Peter Chernin’s North Road Eye ‘Love Island’ Maker ITV Studios – Report
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‘Frasier’: Toks Olagundoye Joins Paramount+ Sequel Series
EXCLUSIVE : The Frasier sequel series for Paramount+ has rounded out its series regular cast by adding Toks Olagundoye ( The Neighbors ). From writers Chris Harris and Joe Cristalli, the multi-camera comedy is executive produced by Kelsey Grammer who is reprising his signature character, psychiatrist-turned-radio host Frasier Crane. The sequel sees Frasier (Grammer) off to a different city with new challenges to face, new relationships to forge, and an old dream or two to finally fulfill. Olagundoye will play Olivia, head of the psych department at an Ivy League university. She projects confidence, warmth, and professionalism—in other words, the opposite of how completely unglued she feels on the inside. Olivia must contend daily with her colleague (and Frasier’s old college buddy) Alan (Nicholas Lyndhurst), who resents Olivia’s seniority over him. The two of them disagree on just about everything, but they both admire Frasier—and each hopes to use him to further their own … [Read more...] about ‘Frasier’: Toks Olagundoye Joins Paramount+ Sequel Series
Disney, Fox, NBCUniversal & Warner Bros. Formally On L.A. Olympics Bandwagon
As most of this year’s Oscars displayed, there are few things that Hollywood loves more than a big show. Now Disney , Fox, NBCUniversal and Warner Bros . are officially on board with what could be one of the biggest spectacles of the next decade: the 2024 Olympics in Los Angeles. With Disney boss Bob lger having joined the board as Vice-Chair of the Casey Wasserman-led effort for the City of Angels’ third Olympic Games back in June, the presence of the House of Mouse is no surprise. However, it was revealed today that LA 2024’s board now will include WB chief Kevin Tsujihara, NBCUniversal Film head honcho Jeff Shell and Fox princeling James Murdoch. Along with serving as consultants to the city’s bid process and engaging in undefined creative “partnerships,” all three studios also are putting their money were their execs are. Disney, Fox, NBCU and WB have come on as significant donors to attempt to bring the summer games to L.A. seven years from now. “We … [Read more...] about Disney, Fox, NBCUniversal & Warner Bros. Formally On L.A. Olympics Bandwagon
Nacelle Boards Maiden’s Feature Doc ‘Comedy Of War: Laughter In Ukraine’
EXCLUSIVE: Nacelle , the studio behind Down to Earth with Zac Efron and Grant, Kevin Hart’s Guide to Black History , has struck a deal to distribute a feature-length doc filmed during Russia’s invasion of Ukraine . The company has taken worldwide rights to Comedy of War: Laughter in Ukraine . The doc comes from filmmakers Christopher Walters and Krista Liney, who runs producer Maiden, and shows the brutal reality of the conflict through the lens of stand-up comedians touring in war-torn Ukraine. Nacelle plans to take the doc to film festivals before launching worldwide sales. The documentary follows four rising stars of Ukrainian stand-up comedy, each with a unique perspective on the war currently being waged in their homeland. Performing in converted bomb shelters, they laugh in spite of the war, not at it. The Russian invasion of Ukraine began almost a year ago and has left tens of thousands dead and millions displaced. Comedy of War ’s filmmakers say that, … [Read more...] about Nacelle Boards Maiden’s Feature Doc ‘Comedy Of War: Laughter In Ukraine’
Los Angeles Awarded 2028 Olympics In Deal With IOC; Paris Gets 2024 Games
The Olympics are coming to Los Angeles, but a bit later than initially aimed for. Originally bidding for a third summer games to come to the City of Angels in 2024, L.A. will now see the Olympic and Paralympic Games here in 2028, sources close to the situation confirm. In an agreement struck with the International Olympic Committee, the 2024 Games will be held in Paris, L.A.’s lone remaining rival in the bid for the Games. Mayor Eric Garcetti is expected to make the announcement official later today at a press conference. There has been nothing official from the Mayor’s office or the Casey Wasserman -led LA 2024 but City Council member Gil Cedillo did tweet out this morning that “hashtag goes from #LA2024 to #LA2028” as reports surfaced in the L.A. Times of the deal. With the awarding of the XXXIII Olympiad, it will be a century since Paris last hosted the games. The French capital had long made it clear that they preferred ’24 over ’28. Here in L.A., … [Read more...] about Los Angeles Awarded 2028 Olympics In Deal With IOC; Paris Gets 2024 Games
Vertigo Films Taps Scribes Behind Sundance Hit ‘Rye Lane’ For Original Rom-Com Road Movie ‘The Whole Hog’
EXCLUSIVE: Hot off the heels of their Sundance premiere of Rye Lane , writers Nathan Bryon and Tom Melia have teamed up with Vertigo Films for their next romantic comedy The Whole Hog . The project follows a newly broken up couple who are forced to temporarily reconcile their differences and travel the food festivals and markets of Britain together as they try and make a success of the food truck that they sunk their savings into before they split up. Bryon and Melia are currently preparing for the release of youthful Brit pic Rye Lane for Searchlight Pictures, which opened to rave reviews in Sundance last month. Deadline’s Anna Smith described the Raine Allen Miller-directed pic as a “delight” and a “sunny, irreverent take on life and love” The Whole Hog , which is produced by Vertigo’s Allan Niblo, will apply the same razor sharp and freewheeling insights into relationships as Rye Lane (which was also compared to Before Sunrise in Deadline’s … [Read more...] about Vertigo Films Taps Scribes Behind Sundance Hit ‘Rye Lane’ For Original Rom-Com Road Movie ‘The Whole Hog’
ACE Eddie Awards Nominations: ‘Everything Everywhere’, ‘Top Gun: Maverick’, ‘Woman King’, ‘Banshees of Inisherin’ & More
American Cinemas Editors has cut together the nominees for its 73rd annual ACE Eddie Awards , which will be handed out next month. See the list for all 14 categories below. Vying for the marquee prize of Best Edited Feature Film (Drama, Theatrical) prize are the editors behind All Quiet on the Western Front, Elvis, Tár, Top Gun: Maverick and The Woman King . The Comedy Theatrical race will be among The Banshees of Inisherin, Everything Everywhere All at Once, Glass Onion: A Knives Out Mystery, The Menu and Triangle of Sadness. Since the turn of the 21st century, the Eddie winner for theatrical drama has gone on to score the Academy Award for Best Editing 13 of 22 times — but none of the past three years. In 2022, King Richard took that ACE trophy , but Dune went home with the Oscar. Banshees of Inisherin, Elvis, Everything Everywhere, Tár and Maverick are up for the Editing statuette as the Oscars on March 12. RELATED: 2023 Awards Season Calendar … [Read more...] about ACE Eddie Awards Nominations: ‘Everything Everywhere’, ‘Top Gun: Maverick’, ‘Woman King’, ‘Banshees of Inisherin’ & More
‘Terrifier 2’ Outfit Coven Launches Sales On Horror ‘The Unseen’ With ‘Breaking Bad’ Star RJ Mitte, First Images Revealed — EFM
EXCLUSIVE : The Coven, international sales agent behind recent breakout horror Terrifier 2 , has acquired international sales rights to horror-thriller The Unseen , ahead of the EFM . RJ Mitte ( Breaking Bad ), Christian Stolte ( Chicago Fire ), and Jennifer A. Goodman ( Better Call Saul ), star in the film, which was also written and produced by Goodman under her banner Lakefront Pictures. In The Unseen , a law student (Mitte) finds himself losing his mind in a twisted web of murder and deceit brought on by a dark force from his past—an unstoppable supernatural fury hell-bent on achieving its horrific goal. Above and below are first look images. Lakefront co-founder Ryan Atkins also produced and oversaw post on the film, which was directed by Vincent Shade. RJ Mitte, Vincent Shade, Jordan Ancel, and Evan J. Cholfin also produce. Lakefront Pictures, whose principal Goodman is a neurodivergent filmmaker, previously produced TV pilot Conrad starring … [Read more...] about ‘Terrifier 2’ Outfit Coven Launches Sales On Horror ‘The Unseen’ With ‘Breaking Bad’ Star RJ Mitte, First Images Revealed — EFM
John Wells Teams With Ivo Van Hove On Music Conservatory Series ‘Doll’ In Works At Warner Bros. TV
EXCLUSIVE : John Wells has teamed with Tony-winning theater and opera director Ivo van Hove on Doll , a psychological thriller series set in the ruthless world of a modern music conservatory, which is in development at Warner Bros. Television. Van Hove’s artistic collaborator Jan Versweyveld is set to serve as production and lighting designer on the project, which marks the duo’s first foray into scripted television. Doll is written by Matthew-Lee Erlbach ( Tell Me Lies, Kings of America ) who was inspired by his experience training his own classical voice at one of the top music conservatories in the country and experiencing their cutthroat environment first-hand. Set in an elite NYC music conservatory, Doll follows Nora, a working-class soprano with a dark past, punk ambitions and an outsized voice who gets the role of a lifetime that threatens to destroy her life. Thrust into a world of sex, drugs, ambition and madness, Nora struggles to survive in the … [Read more...] about John Wells Teams With Ivo Van Hove On Music Conservatory Series ‘Doll’ In Works At Warner Bros. TV