A+E Studios Sets First-Look Deal With Foster Driver, Zoë Kent of Driver+Kent Media

CBS has set its first-ever crossover between NCIS and its spinoffs NCIS: Los Angeles and NCIS: Hawai’i for January 2023, Deadline has confirmed.

If it couldn't get much worse for Stephen Reid considering he's turned to murder to keep his money troubles a secret, he now looks set to suffer more setbacks in Coronation Street. Todd Boyce, who plays the troublesome character, has been pictured filming as Stephen heads for more honest ways of making money.

EJ Panaligan editor Apple announced the premiere date and shared a first look (pictured above) of “Echo 3,” the 10-episode action-thriller from Mark Boal and starring Luke Evans and Michiel Huisman, alongside Jessica Ann Collins. The show will premiere with the first three episodes on Wednesday, November 23, followed by one new episode weekly every Friday through January 13, 2023. The action series, filmed in Colombia with English and Spanish dialogue, follows Amber Chesborough (Collins), a young scientist who is the emotional heart of a small American family. When she goes missing along the Colombia-Venezuela border, her brother, Bambi (Evans), and her husband, Prince (Huisman) – two men with deep military experience and complicated pasts – struggle to find her against the backdrop of a secret war.

“Echo 3,” the action thriller series from “Hurt Locker” producer Mark Boal, and starring Luke Evans, Michiel Huisman and Jessica Ann Collins, will premiere this November on Apple TV+.The upcoming Apple TV+ drama will debut with three episodes on Wednesday, Nov. 23, with new episodes dropping every Friday through Jan.

EXCLUSIVE: Jeff Frost, who recently left his post as President of Sony Pictures Television Studios, has set up a production company, Bristol Circle Entertainment, and has signed a first-look TV production deal with the indie studio. Under the pact, Frost is executive producing the high-profile new series from Breaking Bad creator and Better Call Saul co-creator Vince Gilligan, starring Rhea Seehorn, which just landed at Apple TV+ with a big, two-season straight-to-series order.

National Geographic has closed a first-look deal with Chris Hemsworth and producer Ben Grayson’s newly formed Wild State, a multi-platform production company that develops scripted and unscripted content.

Marsai Martin, the sports fantasy film follows Callie A. Coleman (Martin), who discovers that she can magically control her father’s (Omari Hardwick) performance as a running back for the Atlanta Falcons. Along with Martin and Hardwick, the film stars Kelly Rowland, Rome Flynn, Elijah Richardson, Hanani Taylor, Abigail Killmeier, Tyla Harris and Isac Ivan. “Fantasy Football” is produced in partnership with The SpringHill Company and Genius Entertainment. Based on an original screenplay by Richard T. Jones, Jeremy Loethen and Tim Olgetree, the film is directed by Anton Cropper and written by Zoe Marshall, Dan Gurewitch and David Young. LeBron James, Spencer Beighley, Jamal Henderson, Marsai Martin, Joshua Martin and Timothy Bourne produce, while Maverick Carter and Jamila Jordan-Theus serve as executive producers.

Todd Spangler NY Digital Editor True-crime podcaster John Allen — better known to fans as MrBallen — is bringing his show exclusively to Amazon Music. Starting Nov. 1, Amazon Music will be the exclusive home to all new and existing episodes of the “MrBallen Podcast: Strange, Dark and Mysterious Stories.” Amazon Music also inked a first-look deal with Ballen Studios, the content company Allen recently formed, for all new content spanning film, TV, games, consumer packaged goods, audio content and more. “The Strange, Dark and Mysterious community is the only reason I have the platform that I do today,” MrBallen, who has more than 9 million follows on social media, said in a statement. “I will always be dedicated to bringing them the best, and continually raising the bar with the art of storytelling. Working with Amazon Music allows us to do just that… We’re just getting started.”

Leo Barraclough International Features Editor Filming for the fourth season of the Sky Original series “Das Boot” wrapped in Malta last week, and the first look images have been released. NBCUniversal Global Distribution is handling international sales of the series, which is produced by Bavaria Fiction, on behalf of Sky Studios. In Season 4, which is coming to Sky’s premium channel Sky Atlantic and streaming service NOW next year, the brutal submarine war in the Mediterranean Sea comes to a head, while intrigues and secrets spread through Berlin. Resistance to the Nazis grows within the Kriegsmarine’s own ranks. After a shared tragedy, the siblings Klaus (Rick Okon) and Hannie Hoffmann (Rosalie Thomass) find their way back to each other. Both fight for their cause. Klaus has returned to the German Reich from Portugal. As a submarine commander he travels to Naples on a secret mission to change the course of the war. Hannie wants to help the many orphans who have become victims of the war and uncovers infamous machinations of the Nazi Reich.

Amazon Studios has closed a three-year first look film deal with Joby Harold and Tory Tunnell’s Safehouse Pictures.

Michael London, the Snowfall exec producer who runs Groundswell Productions, has cemented his relationship with Lionsgate.

Is Chloé Zhao headed to the small screen? It looks that way, as the “Eternals” director has signed a multi-year first-look TV deal with Searchlight Television. The deal reunites Zhao and Searchlight after their super-successful “Nomadland,” which won Best Picture, Best Director, and Best Actress at 93rd Academy Awards.   READ MORE: Patton Oswalt Seemingly Confirms ‘Eternals 2’ In The Works With Chloe Zhao Returning To Direct The deal is Zhao’s first foray into television, quite a departure from her recent work in the MCU with “Eternals.” But Searchlight Television is a good spot for Zhao to spread her TV wings.

Joe Otterson TV Reporter Chloé Zhao has entered into a multi-year first look TV deal with Searchlight Television, Variety has learned. Under the terms of the deal, Zhao will develop and produce scripted content for Searchlight TV across all platforms. It represents a homecoming for Zhao, with Searchlight having produced her Academy Award and Golden Globe-winning feature film “Nomadland.” “Chloe is a visionary filmmaker and, since the moment we finished ‘Nomadland,’ we have looked to find new ways to collaborate again,” said Searchlight presidents Matthew Greenfield and David Greenbaum. “We are inspired by the breadth of Chloe’s storytelling passions and are beyond happy to be able to link arms and expand the opportunities to support personal, powerful, and enduring stories.”

Multiple Oscar winner Chloé Zhao is making her foray into television with a first-look deal at Searchlight Television for exclusive series development. This marks a reunion for Zhao and Searchlight, the studio behind her Oscar-winning film Nomadland. The pact comes on the heels of Searchlight Television’s first production, The Dropout, winning an Emmy Award for Best Actress for Amanda Seyfried, and earning an additional 5 nominations.

Foster Driver and Zoë Kent, through their production company Driver+Kent Media, have entered into a first look deal at A+E Studios.Under the pact, which was announced by Tana Jamieson, executive vice president, Creative Affairs at A+E Studios, Driver+Kent Media will develop and produce projects for sale on all global and domestic television platforms and services.Driver+Kent already have “Dead Eleven,” based on the book by Jimmy Juliano, and “Summerset,” created by George Northy, set up at the studio.“Foster and Zoë come to the table with an eye for stories that are relevant, speak to a global audience and showcase the complexities of the world we live in,” Jamieson said in a statement.  “Their eclectic film and television backgrounds combined with their passion for vibrant and inclusive storytelling make them ideal partners for us at A+E Studios. We’re excited to be in business with Driver+Kent Media and look forward to what’s ahead.”“We are thrilled to be deepening our relationship with the amazing team at A+E Studios through our new first look deal,” Driver and Kent said in a joint statement.

A+E Studios has entered into a first-look deal with Foster Driver and Zoë Kent through their production company Driver+Kent Media. Under the pact, Driver+Kent Media will develop and produce projects for A+E Studios for sale on all global and domestic television platforms and services.

Director Kevin Bray is cementing his relationship with FX.

BreAnna Bell Kevin Bray has inked a first-look deal with FX productions, the production company announced on Thursday. As part of the agreement, Bray will be developing new content for FX. The deal further expands Bray’s relationship with FX. Bray directed the first three episodes of FX’s “The Patient” as well as several episodes of “The Americans” and “Snowfall.” In partnership with Color Force, Bray will also executive produce and direct on “The Sterling Affairs,” FX’s limited series about the downfall of Los Angeles Clippers’ owner Donald Sterling starring Laurence Fishburne, Ed O’Neill and Jacki Weaver. “We’ve been fortunate to work with Kevin on some of FX’s most acclaimed series and he’s a gifted artist with the skills to create series of his own,” said Nick Grad, FX’s president of original programming. “Kevin’s a wildly accomplished director and producer whose latest work on The Patient is among his best and will be on display in The Sterling Affairs and the projects he develops in the future for FX.”

EXCLUSIVE: Joy Gorman Wettels is launching her own production venture and has struck a deal with Fifth Season.