M. Night Shyamalan Signs Multiyear First-Look Deal With Warner Bros.

BreAnna Bell On the heels of his successful series “The Best Man: The Final Chapters” on Peacock, Malcolm D. Lee has extended his first-look deal with Universal Television. As part of the deal, he will continue to write, develop and produce new projects via his Blackmaled Productions banner for a variety of platforms. “Malcolm is an incredibly gifted writer, director and producer with an impressive ability to tell entertaining, nuanced stories that shatter records along the way,” said Erin Underhill, president of Universal Television. “We’re overjoyed at the success of ‘The Best Man: The Final Chapters,’ and we look forward to partnering with Malcolm on many more exciting and memorable projects.”

Nick Vivarelli International Correspondent Middle East satellite and streaming platform OSN Group has extended its relationship with Warner Bros. Discovery forging a new multi-year licensing deal under which it will become the exclusive home for HBO content in the region. In addition to HBO shows, such as “Succession,” the renewed agreement has been expanded to cover additional content and channel offerings from Warner Bros. giving OSN premium access to recent blockbuster movie hits such as “The Batman,” “Dune,” “The Matrix Resurrections,” and “The Suicide Squad.” The deal was announced in Dubai with “Succession” star Brian Cox on hand.

Japanese streamer U-Next has renewed its content deal with Warner Bros Discovery, under which it will continue to be the SVOD streaming home of HBO programming in Japan. 

Fulwell 73, the company behind The Late Late Show with James Corden, is staying in business with CBS Studios.

BreAnna Bell Following the success of their years-long partnership that spawned seven original films including Natalie Morales’ “Plan B” and “Crush,” Hulu Originals has renewed its first look deal with comedy production company American High. Jason Zaro (“Brigsby Bear”) will serve as co-producer across the new slate of films for Hulu. The renewed partnership comes on the heels of the successful release of “It’s a Wonderful Binge” in November 2022, which starred Kaitlin Olson, Danny Trejo, Nick Swardson, Tim Meadows. The movie serves as a sequel to the first Hulu original comedy under the American High banner, “The Binge,” which featured Vince Vaughn, Skyler Gisondo, Eduardo Franco, Dexter Darden.

Amazon Studios head Jennifer Salke feels about Warner Bros. making competing projects based on J.R.R. Tolkien’s “The Lord of the Rings.” Salke, who has held the top content job at Amazon since 2018, walked a Monday red carpet for the premiere of Michael B. Jordan’s “Creed III” where she spoke with Variety about last week’s news that Warner Bros. had secured film rights to some of Tolkien’s books. One of Salke’s defining moves at Amazon was to secure television rights to the same literary works, which she achieved at great expense. The first season of Amazon’s “The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power” premiered in 2022 with a big global marketing push and critical acclaim — as well as a reported budget north of $450 million for the first batch of episodes. Previously, Warner Bros. pushed out two massively successful film franchises with auteur Peter Jackson beginning in 2001. Those films grossed over $5 billion at the worldwide box office and brought home a best picture Oscar for one of the entries.

As both the WGA and DGA head into talks for contract negotiations with the AMPTP, producers at last night’s PGA awards had a wait-and-see attitude.

Seven months after landing the highly coveted top jobs at Warner Bros. Motion Picture studios, Co-Chairpersons Michael De Luca and Pamela Abdy were bestowed with the PGA Milestone award tonight and paid respect for their mega industry mentors, remembered emotionally their cinematic NYC and New Jersey youths, and gave a huge shoutout to their new boss, Warner Discovery CEO David Zaslav.

yet more Tolkien movies are on the way from their New Line Cinema.“For all the scope and detail lovingly packed into the two trilogies, the vast, complex and dazzling universe dreamed up by J.R.R. Tolkien remains largely unexplored on film,” said Warner Bros. Pictures Group co-chairs Michael De Luca and Pam Abdy.The extended versions of the six “Lord of the Rings” and “Hobbit” films add up to about 20 hours total, which seems pretty well explored to me.On paper, the move is logical.

The Wrap.“But for all the scope and detail lovingly packed into the two trilogies, the vast, complex and dazzling universe dreamed up by J.R.R. Tolkien remains largely unexplored on film. The opportunity to invite fans deeper into the cinematic world of Middle-earth is an honor, and we are excited to partner with Middle-Earth Enterprises and Embracer on this adventure.”The cost of the deal made between Warner Bros., New Line Cinema and Embracer Group — the current rights holders to Tolkien’s novels — has yet to be released.

The Producers Guild of America (PGA) has revealed the presenters lineup for the 34th Annual Producers Guild Awards, to be held on Saturday, February 25, at The Beverly Hilton in Los Angeles.

Matt Donnelly Senior Film Writer Warner Bros. Pictures is revamping the “Lord of the Rings” film franchise. On a Thursday earnings call, Warner Bros. Discovery CEO David Zaslav announced that newly-installed studio leaders Mike De Luca and Pam Abdy have brokered a deal to make “multiple” films based on the beloved J. R. R. Tolkien series. The films will be developed through WB label New Line Cinema. The first series of films, helmed by Peter Jackson, grossed nearly $3 billion worldwide. Embracer Group AB made the deal with he studio for adaptations of “Lord of the Rings” and “The Hobbit.”

EXCLUSIVE: Gunpowder & Sky, the company founded by former MTV chief Van Toffler and former Endemol exec Floris Bauer, is formalizing its relationship with Audible.

EXCLUSIVE: The New York Post is looking to get into the TV game with a first-look unscripted deal with producer Asylum Entertainment Group.

BBC Studios is gearing up for next week’s Showcase event by signing a global first-look deal with former Warner Bros. Australia TV boss Shaun Murphy.

Believe it or not, M. Night Shyamalan had his seventh #1 opening weekend at the box office with “Knock At The Cabin” earlier this month.

Angelique Jackson M. Night Shyamalan has inked a new multi-year, first-look deal with Warner Bros. Pictures, with the Oscar-nominated filmmaker switching his allegiance from Universal. The announcement was made Thursday by Warner Bros. Pictures Group co-chairs and CEOs Michael De Luca and Pam Abdy. News of the pact comes as the director celebrates his latest release “Knock at the Cabin,” which marks his seventh No. 1 opening at the box office — he has a No. 1 film in each of the last four decades — and further contributes to his more than $3 billion haul at the global box office, beginning with his breakout hit, “The Sixth Sense.” “Where I write and direct is my home,” Shyamalan said in a statement announcing the new deal. “Disney and Universal, where I’ve made most of my films, will always be home and family to me. Warner Bros. has a storied history of cinema. Through its recent experiences, the company has rediscovered its love and appreciation for filmmakers, and the impact of the theatrical experience. We all win when movies succeed in theaters. I believe David Zaslav, Michael De Luca, and Pam Abdy have dedicated themselves to unique filmmakers, and to filling theaters all around the world for years to come.”

EXCLUSIVE: Warner Bros Pictures Group has inked a multi-year first-look directing and producing agreement with two-time Oscar-nominated filmmaker M. Night Shyamalan, whose movies have grossed $3.3 billion at the box office.

Akiva Goldsman and his Weed Road production banner have signed a multi-year first look deal with Warner Bros. Discovery, according to an insider with knowledge.Weed Road had previously had their film and television at MGM, and rejoin Warner Bros.

EXCLUSIVE: Akiva Goldsman is returning his Weed Road to Warner Bros, in a multi-year first look deal.