Amazon MGM Studios Lands Benjamin Percy’s ‘American Criminal,’ Gavin O’Connor Eyed to Direct (EXCLUSIVE)

Leo Barraclough International Features Editor Deckert Distribution CEO Liselot Verbrugge is to launch a new company as the German sales agency prepares to wind down its operations in 2024, with founder Heino Deckert moving fully to production. Verbrugge is attending IDFA documentary festival this week, where the Sundance awarded film “Against the Tide,” one of the agency’s bestsellers this year, is playing in the Best of Fest section. Amsterdam-based Verbrugge joined Deckert at the start of 2019 as head of sales and acquisition, starting with the roll out of double Academy Award nominated “Honeyland.” She took over the reins of the company as CEO two years ago.

Jeremy Allen White is stepping out for the day.

EXCLUSIVE: Big shift in the film distribution sphere here today as Searchlight’s longtime Head of Distribution Frank Rodriguez is heading to Amazon MGM Studios as their new General Sales Manager.

Swedish director Ruben Östlund has been announced as a guest of honor at the 15th edition of France’s Les Arcs Film Festival, in the role of its Talent Village Ambassador.

Brent Lang Executive Editor Archstone Entertainment has acquired worldwide sales rights to “Don Q,” a comedic tribute to mafia movies that stars Armand Assante, no stranger to the genre from his work in HBO’s “Gotti” and “American Gangster.” It was written and directed by Claudio Bellante. Sales for the film kicked off this week at AFM. The film follows Assante’s character, who thinks of himself as a Don Corleone but is really more of a Don Quixote.

Kendall Jenner is stepping out for coffee.

Leo Barraclough International Features Editor “Diabolik – Who Are You,” which has its market premiere this week at AFM, following its world premiere at the Rome Film Festival, is the third in a series of adaptations of an Italian comic-book franchise. The books, written by sisters Angela and Luciana Giussani, have sold more than 150 million copies. Kino Lorber has picked up U.S.

EXCLUSIVE: Amazon MGM Studios has snapped up rights to Rebecca Yarros‘ fantasy book series The Empyrean, and is moving to develop its first title, Fourth Wing, for TV alongside Michael B. Jordan’s Outlier Society.

Brent Lang Executive Editor David Robert Mitchell and Maika Monroe are reuniting on “They Follow,” a sequel to the 2014 cult horror hit, “It Follows.” Neon, the Oscar-winning studio behind “Parasite,” will co-produce the movie and release it domestically. The studio will introduce it to international buyers at this year’s American Film Market. Principal photography will commence in 2024.

Rebecca Rubin Film and Media Reporter Amazon MGM Studios, the renamed joint venture of Amazon Studios and MGM, has acquired rights to James Ponti’s popular children’s book series “City Spies” and is developing a film based on the first novel. The idea is for the initial installment to launch a global franchise, described by the company as a “four-quadrant action-adventure that will delight audiences of all ages and as a universe-building property for the studio.” The story follows a 12-year-old coding prodigy, who is recruited by an eccentric MI6 agent to join the City Spies, a team of kids from around the world who feel unnoticed in their own lives.

Joe Otterson TV Reporter A series version of the iconic horror film “Poltergeist” is currently in early development at Amazon MGM Studios, Variety has learned exclusively. No writer is currently attached to the project. Darryl Frank and Justin Falvey will executive produce on behalf of Amblin Television.

Once (or even twice) apparently isn’t enough when it comes to Stieg Larsson‘s “Millennium” trilogy. Variety reports that Amazon MGM Studios has a new series adaptation of Larsson’s nordic noir book series in the works; moviegoers may better know them for “The Girl With The Dragon Tattoo,” which David Fincher did his own take of back in 2011 as part of his lean, mean, airport paperback adaptation phase that also included 2014’s “Gone Girl.” READ MORE: David Fincher Is Proud Of ‘Dragon Tattoo’ But Admits The Film Is “A Swing & A Miss” Amazon/MGM first announced their new adaptation was in development in May 2020, but without a showrunner attached.

The headless horseman of Sleepy Hollow haunts the American imagination each autumn. New York City native Washington Irving breathed life into the galloping ghost in 1819, when he penned "The Legend of Sleepy Hollow," one of his tales of life among Dutch settlers along the Hudson River. It stands 203 years later as one of the most famous ghost stories in world history — remade in many versions and retold in scores of languages.

The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo is being made into a TV series.

Joe Otterson TV Reporter “The Girl With the Dragon Tattoo” series currently in the works at Amazon MGM Studios has found its showrunner. Variety has learned exclusively that Veena Sud will head up the series, which will be set in the world of the so-called Millennium novels originally written by Stieg Larsson. Variety previously reported that the series was in development in May 2020, though no showrunner was attached at that time.

Popular burger brand Five Guys has brought a new American-style diner to Bolton. The 15th north west restaurant for the chain, it's opened next door to TGI Fridays at the Middlebrook Retail and Leisure Park close to the Bolton Wanderers' stadium.

Brent Lang Executive Editor FilmNation Entertainment has acquired worldwide rights to Sean Baker’s new romantic dramedy film “Anora.” Following the acquisition, FilmNation sold rights internationally to Le Pacte in France, Lev in Israel, Kismet in Australia and New Zealand and Focus Features and Universal Pictures International in the rest of the world, excluding North America. The film was written and directed by Baker, who is best known for directing “Tangerine” and “The Florida Project.” It shot on location at the beginning of the year in Brooklyn and stars Mikey Madison, who appeared as Manson Family follower Susan “Sadie” Atkins in “Once Upon a Time in Hollywood.” Plot details are being kept under wraps.

Marta Balaga DR Sales has been racking up sales for Danish drama series “Prisoner.” Starring Sofie Gråbøl, David Dencik, Youssef Wayne Hvidtfeldt and Charlotte Fich, it has been picked up by BBC (UK and Ireland), Canal+ Group’s channel Polar+ (France), MHz Networks (U.S.), SBS (Australia), NPO (Netherlands) and BeTV (French-speaking Belgium). Revolving around four desperate prison guards, forced to deal with everything from rampant drug trade to their personal problems and imminent closure of the prison, the show was created by Kim Fupz Aakeson.

EXCLUSIVE: After circling rights for weeks to the buzzy Vanity Fair article “True Crime, True Faith: The Serial Killer and the Texas Mom Who Stopped Him,” Amazon MGM Studios has locked them down, Deadline understands.

Amazon MGM Studios is adapting Marisa Meltzer’s New York Times bestselling book Glossy, an expose on the success of beauty brand Glossier and its founder Emily Weiss, for television. The project is in early development; a search for a showrunner is underway, Deadline hears.