Maya Rudolph, Natasha Lyonne’s Animal Pictures Sets Apple TV First-Look Deal

Emma Watson joined a star-studded crowd at the Schiaparelli show during Paris Fashion Week!

Rashida Jones and Will McCormack are getting into business with Lionsgate TV. The prolific duo have signed a first-look producing deal with the studio via their Le Train Train Productions under which they will produce scripted programming for multiple platforms.

Selome Hailu Rashida Jones and Will McCormack’s production company Le Train Train has entered a first look deal with the Lionsgate Television Group, where Jones and McCormack will produce scripted projects across platforms. The first project in development under the deal is “Lovesick,” based on the UK series of the same name.“Lovesick” was a romantic comedy series that ran for one season on Channel 4 before moving to Netflix for Seasons 2 and 3.

Joe Otterson TV ReporterThe “Fallout” TV series adaptation at Amazon has added Kyle MacLachlan, Xelia Mendes-Jones, and Aaron Moten to its cast as series regulars, Variety has learned exclusively.The trio join previously announced cast members Ella Purnell and Walton Goggins in the series version of the popular video game franchise. As with past casting announcements, exact details on who the new additions will be playing are being kept under wraps.Like the video games on which it is based, the “Fallout” series is set in a world where the future envisioned by Americans in the late 1940s explodes upon itself through a nuclear war in 2077.MacLachlan is an iconic actor of the big and small screen, known for his work with David Lynch in projects like “Twin Peaks” (both the original and the Showtime revival), “Dune,” and “Blue Velvet.” On TV, he is also known for playing the mayor of Portland in the comedy series “Portlandia” and recently appeared in the Peacock limited series “Joe vs.

Todd Spangler NY Digital EditorA24, the indie studio behind TV shows and movies like “Euphoria,” “Minari,” “Moonlight” and “Lady Bird,” signed a first-look deal with Pushkin Industries, Malcolm Gladwell and Jacob Weisberg’s audio production company.Under the new deal, A24 has the right of first refusal to develop film and TV projects based on Pushkin’s intellectual property. The companies are already in development on “a few” projects including a documentary series based on Gladwell’s “The Bomber Mafia,” to be directed by filmmaker Morgan Neville.Pushkin Industries CEO Weisberg and president Gladwell will executive produce projects developed through the A24 pact.Pushkin Industries, founded in 2018, has produced several podcasts that have broken into the top 10 on Apple’s Top Podcasts chart, including Gladwell’s “Revisionist History,” as well as “Against the Rules,” “The Happiness Lab,” “Broken Record,” “Cautionary Tales,” “The Last Archive,” “Deep Cover,” “Lost Hills” and “A Slight Change of Plans.” Pushkin’s audiobooks include Pulitzer Prize-winning “The Netanyahus” by Joshua Cohen and Gladwell’s “Miracle and Wonder: Conversations with Paul Simon.” In “The Bomber Mafia: A Dream, a Temptation, and the Longest Night of the Second World War,” Gladwell uses original interviews and archival footage tell the stories of a Dutch genius and his homemade computer, a band of brothers in central Alabama, a British psychopath and pyromaniacal chemists at Harvard.In the years leading up to World War II, most military strategists saw the airplane as an afterthought.

Joe Otterson TV ReporterThe Netflix action-comedy series “Obliterated” from the creators of “Cobra Kai” has found its first two cast members, Variety has learned.Nick Zano and Shelley Henig are set to star in the series, which was picked up at Netflix in May after having originally been ordered to series at TBS.The show tells the story of an elite special forces team who thwarts a deadly threat to Las Vegas. After their celebratory party, filled with booze, drugs and sex, the team discovers that a bomb they deactivated was a fake.

Apple TV+ has inked a multi-year first-look deal with Animal Pictures, the production company from Maya Rudolph, Natasha Lyonne and Danielle Renfrew Behrens.The deal gives Apple TV+ the first-look on series and digital features developed and produced by the company.The news comes not long after the debut of Rudolph’s new workplace comedy series “Loot” on the streamer. “Loot” follows Rudolph’s Molly Novak, “a billionaire who has a dream life, complete with private jets, a sprawling mansion and a gigayacht — anything her heart desires. But when her husband of 20 years betrays her, she spirals publicly, becoming fuel for tabloid fodder,” per a logline from the streamer.

Animal Pictures, the production company founded by Maya Rudolph and Natasha Lyonne, has signed a first-look deal with Apple TV+.

Peaky Blinders and Cobra producer Joe Donaldson has set an indie, Magic Hour Television, and signed a first-look deal with All3Media International and All3Media-owned drama house New Pictures. Donaldson will develop a slate, funded by All3 and its international arm, and partner with New Pictures co-founder and CEO Willow Grylls to produce scripted TV.

Naman Ramachandran Joe Donaldson, producer of “Peaky Blinders” and “Cobra,” has launched new production company Magic Hour Television and signed a first look deal with All3Media and New Pictures.Donaldson will develop a slate, funded by All3Media and All3Media International, and partner with New Pictures co-founder and CEO Willow Grylls, to produce new scripted television content. He will also serve as executive producer for New Pictures on the upcoming third series ‘Cobra: Rebellion’ for Sky Max, which is due to start filming later this year.Magic Hour is set up to produce human stories about life in Britain and beyond, tapping into U.K.

Joe Otterson TV ReporterJosh Richards has entered into a first-look deal with Amazon, Variety has learned exclusively.Under the terms of the deal, he will act as a brand ambassador for the streamer and will develop custom social media for its content, including the NFL’s “Thursday Night Football.” The pro football league signed an 11-year deal with Amazon in 2021 for the rights to the Thursday night games, with this fall’s season being the first under the deal.“We are extremely excited to welcome Josh and his incredible team into the Amazon Studios and Prime Video fold,” said Lee Stimmel, head of influencer marketing for Amazon’s Prime Video. “Josh has an amazing track record of creating engaging content that resonates with his millions of fans.

John Hopewell Chief International CorrespondentFurther expanding its already robust talent roster in Spain, Latin America and the U.S. Latino market, VIS, Paramount’s international studio, has signed an exclusive first-look deal with Madrid and Los Angeles-based Morena Films to develop and produce films and series for the company’s portfolio.The titles will have a strong focus on Latin America, Spain, and U.S.

win an Emmy for lead actor in a drama series. He also just won his second Tony Award for Best Musical as a producer on “A Strange Loop.”Gugenheim recently finished producing Porter’s feature directorial debut “Anything’s Possible” for Orion/MGM.In a statement of his own, Gugenheim said: “While ‘Pose’ was an incredible show that had a deep impact on strengthening my understanding of the importance of telling underrepresented stories and created a clear opening to approach Billy to direct ‘Anything’s Possible,’ it was working on set with Billy and watching him direct the cast and crew that left me with the most profound experience.

Selome Hailu Billy Porter has signed a first look deal with FX Productions to develop new content through his production company Incognegro with his producing partner D.J. Gugenheim.The deal is a continuation of Porter’s with FX, as he starred as Prayerful “Pray” Tell in all three seasons of the network’s hit drama “Pose.” in 2019, the role won him the Emmy Award for lead drama actor, and he was nominated again in 2020 and 2021.Along with “Pose,” Porter is best known for originating the role of Lola in “Kinky Boots” on Broadway.

Audible has entered into a first-look deal with President Barack Obama and Michelle Obama’s media company, Higher Ground.“At Higher Ground, we have always sought to lift up voices that deserve to be heard — and Audible is invested in realizing that vision alongside us. I’m looking forward to partnering with them to tell stories that not only entertain but also inspire,” the former President said in a statement Tuesday.“We are so proud of the stories we have been able to tell at Higher Ground, and there’s no one we’d rather write our next chapter with than Audible.

Todd Spangler NY Digital EditorPresident Barack Obama and Michelle Obama are going into business with Audible, the Amazon-owned audio storytelling platform.Audible set an exclusive, multiyear and global first-look production deal with Higher Ground, the Obamas’ media company, covering multiple audio projects. The slate of Higher Ground’s shows for Audible “will reflect the companies’ shared mission to tell meaningful and entertaining stories that elevate diverse voices and experiences,” according to the announcement.

Todd Spangler NY Digital EditorDNEG, a U.K.-based visual effects and animation house whose customers include Netflix and major Hollywood film studios, has called off plans to go public amid the broad global slump in financial markets.In January, DNEG had announced plans to merge with Sports Ventures Acquisition Corp., a special purpose acquisition company (SPAC), in a deal valuing the company at $1.7 billion. The duo had previously expected that to close in the first half of 2022.On Thursday, the companies announced the termination of the agreement as a result of “current unfavorable SPAC market conditions” and other factors.

Warner Bros. Television Group adds to its growing roster of talent by signing a new first-look deal with writer/producer Bill Prady and Chris Sanagustin’s Pine Tree Entertainment. Under the terms of the deal, Pine Tree Entertainment will develop new scripted programming — including dramas, multi- and single-camera comedies, genre series, and more — for all platforms, including HBO Max, external streaming services, cable, and broadcast networks.