TNT is looking to a British drama series – The Lazarus Project – to plug its scripted gap as Kathleen Finch maintains that the cable network remains in the scripted business.
22.09.2022 - 20:31 / deadline.com
EXCLUSIVE: Amy Jephta, who directed South Africa’s most recent International Film Oscar entry, Barakat, will be showrunning the drama series Hanover Street from EPs Lesley-Ann Brandt (Lucifer, Spartacus), Adrian Cunningham, and Revelations Entertainment’s Lori McCreary and Morgan Freeman.
Hanover Street follows the joyful and heartbreaking journey of two sisters in Cape Town’s District Six during South Africa’s Apartheid years. The vibrant neighborhood was home to 60k residents of all ethnicities and creeds, along with a thriving LGBTQ+ population. In 1966 the government designated it a “Whites-only” area. By 1982 the entire population had been forcibly removed, with families torn apart and the neighborhood destroyed. Hanover Street will reflect upon the correlation between the racial reconciliation that has taken place in South Africa and the important conversations happening in America today.
It’s been 30 years since Freeman and McCreary teamed on their first feature film, Bopha! —the story of a black South African police officer enforcing apartheid, and his son, who was part of the resistance movement. Bopha! which starred Danny Glover, Alfre Woodard and Malcolm McDowell, repped Freeman’s directorial debut and McCreary’s first outing as producer. Later, the two would produce Clint Eastwood’s Invictus, the story of Nelson Mandela and the Rugby World Cup, starring Matt Damon, and Freeman as Mandela.
Brandt, who will star and produce, is coming off a hugely successful six-year run on Netflix’s Lucifer.
“Based on a real community, our story is told through the loving relationship of two sisters and we are delighted to have found a showrunner who can guide our series and explore all the nuances of this story. That we both have
TNT is looking to a British drama series – The Lazarus Project – to plug its scripted gap as Kathleen Finch maintains that the cable network remains in the scripted business.
EJ Panaligan editor Prime Video released the official teaser for upcoming series “Riches,” the streamer’s family drama about the privileged Richards family. The high-stakes series is written and created by Abby Ajayi and stars Deborah Ayorinde, Hugh Quarshie, Sarah Niles, Adeyinka Akinrinade, Ola Orebiyi, Nneka Okoye and Emmanuel Imani. Here’s the logline: When Stephen Richards, played by Quarshie, passes suddenly, the family’s world comes crashing down and threatens the viability of the family business. His different sets of children, with conflicting ideals and goals, collide in an attempt for unilateral control of the business.
Elsa Keslassy International Correspondent France tv distribution has boarded “Sweetheart” (“Chouchou”), an eight-part drama series produced by well-known Quebec-based company Passez Go. Written by Simon Boulerice, the drama show revolves around Chanelle, a 38-year-old teacher who is happily married with two children. Her life unravels after she meets Sandrick, a 17-year-old teenager who has just been transferred to her class, and falls under his charm. Chanelle tries to help Sandrick as he struggles at home with his dysfunctional mother, but their relationship turns into an illicit and passionate affair that leaves no one unscathed. The series is directed by Félix Tétreault and Marie-Claude Blouin (“Le Chalet”).
EXCLUSIVE: Fox’s reality supremo Rob Wade has been elevated to CEO of Fox Entertainment.
Christian Bale is confirming that he did intervene during some drama that went down on the American Hustle set.
German powerhouse Constantin Film and Frank Spotnitz’s Big Light Productions have teamed to make a high-end drama series about the events surrounding the Nuremberg Trials.
EXCLUSIVE: Ireland’s Lighthouse Studios is developing its first original series, Savage Town.
EXCLUSIVE: Netflix’s Director of Local Language Originals for the CEE, Anna Nagler, has outlined the streamer’s ambitions in region, as its biggest drama series from the region, High Water, launches globally today.
EXCLUSIVE: Sidekick no more. CBS is going for a fresh take on Arthur Conan Doyle’s classic mystery franchise with Watson, from Aaron Kaplan’s Kapital Entertainment and CBS Studios. The medical drama with detective elements, in development at the broadcast network, is written by Craig Sweeny, who spent five years on CBS’ Sherlock Holmes/Dr. Watson procedural Elementary, most of them as executive producer.
The Simpsons producer Al Jean has said he wishes John Lennon could have featured as a cameo on the series.The longtime writer and executive producer recently reflected on “dream” cameos after telling the PA news agency (per Bloomberg) that it was too late to cast Boris Johnson.“He definitely was a character right for satire but we had our own issues in America,” Jean said of former prime minister Boris Johnson following his resignation.Discussing other celebrities who have featured on the beloved animated show, Jean says it “astounds” him in terms of how many famous faces agree, while he named Lennon as one of the few that didn’t end up starring. “Many of the ones that I’d say would be a dream are never going to be on, like John Lennon or Neil Armstrong,” he said.
Joe Otterson TV Reporter NBC is developing a drama series inspired by the Narratively article ““The First Family of Counterfeit Hunting” by Amy Ridout. Per the official logline, “Two brothers reunite after a long estrangement and are pulled into a special investigation surrounding closed FBI cases. Known as “Knockoffs,” these cases have been manipulated or outright fabricated to pin the crime on someone innocent and protect the real criminal who’s still out there.” Cameron Litvack is writing and executive producing. Justin Lin, Andrew Schneider, and Salvador Gatdula of Perfect Storm Entertainment will also executive produce along with Noah Rosenberg for Narratively. Universal Television will produce, with Perfect Storm currently under an overall deal at the studio.
EXCLUSIVE: Austin Hébert (Unbelievable), Jonah Wharton (The Rookie) and Hannah Love Lanier (A Black Lady’s Sketch Show) are the latest cast additions to Taylor Sheridan’s CIA drama series Lioness at Paramount+. They join previously announced series regulars Zoe Saldaña, Laysla De Oliveira, Dave Annable, LaMonica Garrett and James Jordan.
Elsa Keslassy International Correspondent Iceland’s leading production company Sagafilm Nordic has teamed with Swiss banner C-FILMS on “Codeword: Rubicon,” an espionage thriller series inspired by the infamous CIA operation involving the firm Crypto AG. Created by Hungarian director-writer Balazs Juszt(“I Love You, Too”), the eight-episode series has been commissioned by broadcaster Swiss Television (SRF). The show chronicles the story of how Crypto AG, a Swiss family-owned company manufacturing code-making machines founded in 1952 by a Swedish mathematician was secretly owned and operated by the CIA in partnership West German Intelligence services. From decades, the Swiss company sold equipment to more than 120 countries, including Iran and nuclear rivals India and Pakistan, and even the Vatican, according to the Washington Post. The role of the U.S. and West German intelligence was revealed by the Crypto Leaks.
After two years of holding in-person but stripped down editions of the festival, South Korea’s Busan International Film Festival (BIFF, October 5-14) is back in full force this year with a packed line-up of screenings, red carpets, parties, awards and industry events.
Vivienne Kelly Australian streaming service Stan and production and content studio Lionsgate have commissioned a new original drama series “Prosper.” “Prosper” will be produced by Lingo Pictures and benefits from major production investment from Screen Australia, with additional assistance from the New South Wales government via Screen NSW and the Made in NSW Fund. The series is part of the ongoing television development partnership for Stan Originals to deliver worldwide content for Lionsgate. It will be set in the inner sanctum of a family bound together by unfathomable wealth and unchecked power as they build an evangelical megachurch hell-bent on global domination, Stan said.Matt Cameron (“Jack Irish”), Liz Doran (“Please Like Me”), Louise Fox (“Broadchurch”) and Belinda Chayko (“Stateless”) are writers on the project. Jason Stephens (“Lambs of God”) and Helen Bowden (“The Secret She Keeps”) are producers for Lingo Pictures, alongside Andrew Walker (“Rosehaven”). Cailah Scobie and Amanda Duthie will executive produce for Stan.
Anna Marie de la Fuente In its continued bid to create more premium content for the Latin American market under its Onza Americas banner, Madrid-based Onza Entertainment – behind such hit series as “The Department of Time” and a collaborator on Dopamine’s historical drama “Hernan” – is developing political drama series “Sattva.” Created by Spanish actor Ruben Sanz (“El Dragon”) and written by Int’l Emmy-nominated Luis Gamboa (“Promesas de Campaña”), the series is conceived as a transatlantic production between Mexico and Spain. Onza is presenting “Saatva” at Iberseries & Platino Industria’s new Co-Production & Financing Forum on Sept. 28.
Jesse Collins has been named showrunner and executive producer of the 80th Golden Globe Awards, the Hollywood Foreign Press Association, dick clark productions and NBC announced Tuesday. “We are thrilled to have Jesse produce the historic 80th Golden Globes. His record of success puts him among the premier producers of live television events and we are looking forward to his ideas for capturing the excitement of the ‘Party of the Year’ in Beverly Hills,” Helen Hoehne, president of the HFPA, said in a statement.Dionne Harmon, the president of Jesse Collins Entertainment, is also an executive producer.
Emmy-winning producer Jesse Collins has been tapped as showrunner and executive producer of the 80th Golden Globe Awards, the Hollywood Foreign Press Association, dick clark productions and NBC announced Tuesday. Jesse Collins Entertainment president Dionne Harmon also will serve as an executive producer of the show that will air live coast-to-coast from the Beverly Hilton on Tuesday, January 10 at 8 PM ET/5 PM PT on NBC and Peacock.
Damian Terriquez (All Rise) and Kaleb Horn (Hardy Boys) have been cast in key recurring roles opposite Miss Benny and Kim Cattrall in Netflix drama series Glamorous, from Jordon Nardino (Star Trek: Discovery) and Damon Wayans Jr.
EXCLUSIVE: The Port Authority of New York and New Jersey is set to be the latest center of crime fighting.