Dan Macdermott Latest Celebrity News & Gossip

Shares in AMC Networks dropped sharply in early trading Friday following a shaky fourth-quarter earnings report and a conference call with Wall Street analysts.

Joe Otterson TV Reporter “The Walking Dead: Daryl Dixon” is off to the races in the ratings. Per AMC, the premiere of the spinoff series centered on Norman Reedus’ fan favorite character is officially the biggest premiere in the history of streamer AMC+ with three weeks of streaming data available. That puts its ahead of fellow “Walking Dead” spinoff “The Walking Dead: Dead City” starring Lauren Cohan and Jeffrey Dean Morgan as Maggie and Negan, which claimed the biggest premiere honor back in June.

Joe Otterson TV Reporter “Dark Winds” has been renewed for Season 3 at AMC, Variety has learned. The news comes after the second season wrapped up on AMC and AMC+ on Sept. 3.

Todd Spangler NY Digital Editor In a cross-streamer promotion, Max subscribers will get a sampler platter of AMC+ programming in September and October — for no extra charge. Starting Sept. 1 and available through Oct.

While “The Walking Dead” may have come to an end after 11 seasons, the zombie-apocalypse drama has spawned plenty of spin-offs set within the show’s ever-expanding universe, with more on the way.

Joe Otterson TV Reporter “The Walking Dead” spinoffs “Dead City” and “Daryl Dixon” have both been renewed for second seasons at AMC. The announcement was made at San Diego Comic-Con on Friday. For “Dead City,” the renewal comes ahead of the first season finale on July 23. Lauren Cohan and Jeffrey Dean Morgan star in the series as Maggie and Negan respectively. “The Walking Dead: Daryl Dixon,” which stars Norman Reedus, is due to debut in September. “This next chapter in the ‘Walking Dead’ Universe continues to thrive with a terrific inaugural season for ‘Dead City’ and highly anticipated new journey for fan-favorite character Daryl Dixon coming in September,” said Dan McDermott, president of entertainment and AMC Studios for AMC Networks. “We can’t wait to bring ‘Dead City’ fans back to the epicenter of Manhattan for more zip-lining action with Maggie and Negan. And, ahead of its debut, we’re thrilled to double down on Daryl as we bring the apocalypse to France, transforming Notre Dame, Pont du Gard and other iconic locales into an apocalyptic landscape unlike anything we’ve seen before.”

AMC is keeping the zombie apocalypse alive.

AMC Networks had made it official that Scott Shooman as been upped to Head of its Film Group which encompasses IFC Films, RLJE Films and the Shudder streaming service.  

Rebecca Rubin Film and Media Reporter Scott Shooman has been named head of film at AMC Networks, a portfolio that encompasses IFC Films, RLJE Films and the streaming service Shudder. In his new role, he will lead acquisitions, theatrical film distribution, production and development for the three brands. He will also oversee IFC Center, an arthouse movie theater in New York City. He reports to Dan McDermott, president of entertainment and AMC Studios for AMC Networks. “Movies are an important focal point for our company, and we are thrilled to have Scott leading our efforts across our three distinctive, successful and well-established film brands — IFC Films, RLJE Films and Shudder,” McDermott said. “He has extensive background in the industry, but also a fresh eye and a filmmaker-first approach that aligns perfectly with our strong history of elevating independent and thought-provoking storytelling.”

Selome Hailu “The Walking Dead: Dead City” had the biggest premiere of any season of television on AMC+ since the service launched in 2020. The previous record-holder was predecessor series “The Walking Dead.” The iconic zombie drama had its 11th and final season released in three stretches, with the final set of eight episodes achieving the biggest debut on Oct. 2, 2022. These data points are reported by AMC based on one week of streaming data for each respective premiere. “The Walking Dead: Dead City” also made waves on linear TV, where the first episode brought in 2 million viewers accounting for three days of measurement. That includes the AMC cable channel as well as a simulcast across BBCA, IFC and SundanceTV, as well as two encore screenings on AMC. Of those 2 million, 768,000 fell into the adults age 25-54 range, with 573,000 in the adults 18-49 range, per Live+3 data.

Joe Otterson TV Reporter Emma Miller and Carrie Gillogly, the co-heads of scripted at AMC, have both departed the basic cabler for new roles at Netflix. Miller has already joined the streaming giant as director of overall deals and series for U.S. and Canada. Gillogly is expected to soon begin at Netflix as director of drama series for U.S. and Canada. Miller reports to Nne Ebong, while Gillogly will report to Jinny Howe. “Emma and Carrie are talented executives, great friends, and trusted colleagues who made meaningful contributions to our original programming group for many years,” and AMC spokesperson said in a statement. “We are their biggest fans and are rooting for them as they move on to pursue new opportunities.”

Emma Miller, SVP, Scripted Development & Programming for AMC Networks, has joined Netflix as Director, Overall Deals, Series (U.S. and Canada) reporting into Nne Ebong, VP, Overall Deals, Series. Carrie Gillogly, SVP Scripted Programming for AMC Networks, also is leaving the company to join Netflix as Director, Drama Series, (U.S. and Canada) reporting into Jinny Howe, VP, Drama Series.

Joe Otterson TV Reporter AMC is developing a third series set in what they have dubbed the Anne Rice Immortal Universe, with the new show set to focus on the Talamasca. Per the official description from AMC, the series “is set in the world of the Talamasca, a secretive organization featured in a number of Rice’s iconic novels that is devoted to studying the supernatural world and keeping mortals safe from its darkest elements.” John Lee Hancock will serve as writer and showrunner. His past credits include co-writing the films “The Blind Side” and “The Alamo” and directing films like “The Highwaymen” and “The Founder.” The announcement was made by Dan McDermott, president of entertainment and AMC Studios for AMC Networks, during the AMC Networks upfront presentation in New York on Tuesday.

The Anne Rice Cinematic Universe is potentially getting bigger.

The Walking Dead, Fear The Walking Dead is now about to enter its eighth season on the air.However, the AMC show, which can be watched in the UK on Amazon Prime Video, is also set to bow out for good after this season, following on from the conclusion of The Walking Dead back in November.Season eight of Fear The Walking Dead will pick up immediately from the events of the season seven finale, where “Morgan (Lennie James) and Madison’s (Kim Dickens) hopes to rescue Mo from PADRE did not go as planned”.“Now, Morgan, Madison and the others they brought to the island are living under PADRE’s cynical rule,” a synopsis adds. “With our characters demoralised and dejected, the task of reigniting belief in a better world rests with the person Morgan and Madison set out to rescue in the first place — Morgan’s daughter, Mo.”Yes, season eight will mark the final instalment of Fear The Walking Dead.

renewed for a second season in August 2020.“We were immediately drawn to the unique premise of Soulmates as it explores love and relationships from several touchpoints in a way that naturally feeds the zeitgeist, prompting conversations around human connection, relationships and happiness,” Dan McDermott, president of original programming for AMC Networks’ Entertainment Group and co-president of AMC Studios, said at the time of the renewal. “These are stories and themes that resonate and feel almost timely given today’s climate in which so many of us feel disconnected or are coping with shifting relationship dynamics.

departure of former CEO Christina Spade in November after just three months in the role. That same month, interim executive chairman James Dolan announced a “large-scale layoff” affecting roughly 20% of its staff and “cuts to every operating area.”Additionally, AMC pulled the plug on Season 2 of “61st Street” starring Courtney B.

Zombie updates from AMC Networks. Fear the Walking Dead’s eighth and final season will roll out in two six-episode parts, the first of which begins May 14 at 9 ET/PT on AMC and AMC+ and return for its final six episodes later this year.

After AMC Networks axed a swathe of new content including Demascus, Invitation to a Bonfire and second seasons of Pantheon, Moonhaven and 61st Street, Dan McDermott addressed the challenges facing the television business.

Michael Schneider Variety Editor at Large Yes, there’s still a Fall TV season, and yes, it’s now well under way. Broadcast TV got a little pep in its step last year thanks to two freshman sitcom phenoms: ABC’s “Abbott Elementary” and CBS’ “Ghosts.” When asked to tout their new wares, several network execs instead opted to shine more spotlight on returning shows they hope to keep buzzing as sophomore sensations. It’s time for Variety’s annual fall check-in with network heads across broadcast, cable and streaming — although how to do that proves tricky these days. Many execs’ gigs transcend platforms, after all — like Disney’s Craig Erwich, who serves as entertainment president for both ABC and Hulu, or the NBCUniversal duo of Susan Rovner and Frances Berwick, whose domain stretches across programming for broadcast, network and streaming.

Jacob Anderson and Sam Reid have a handshake at the photo call for their new AMC+ series, Interview With The Vampire, held at IFC Center in New York City on Tuesday (September 27).

AMC Networks studio and entertainment chief Dan McDermott said the company’s modest scale, multiplatform distribution and talent relationships have enabled it to compete against an array of deeper-pocketed rivals.

AMC Networks already likes the looks of where those bloodsuckers are headed: It has renewed Anne Rice’s Interview with the Vampire for a second season, ahead of the new series’ debut on AMC and AMC+ on October 2.

Variety‘s Entertainment and Technology Summit presented by City National Bank, which took place in West Hollywood on Thursday, entertainment industry executives and visionaries came together to discuss the growth of technology and how it’s affecting TV, film, gaming, music, digital media and consumer brands.  Leaders from brands such as Disney, Universal Television, Mattel, NBA, Twitch, Paramount, Taco Bell and many others took part in panels that highlighted the different ways in which new technology is being implemented in their fields of work. Read on below to see what the entertainment industry’s leading figures had to say about the evolving intersection of entertainment and technology.

The Walking Dead spin-off Dead City was revealed.The actor, who plays Negan in the AMC series, is set to reprise his role in the spin-off alongside Lauren Cohan’s Maggie. The show was announced in March 2022, originally titled Isle Of The Dead, before the main show’s final set of episodes in October this year.The early announcement met some confusion as it revealed Negan and Maggie would both survive beyond the main show.

Drama Series, Outstanding Lead Actor in a Drama Series for Bob Odenkirk, Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Drama Series for Rhea Seehorn and additional nominations in sound, music and writing categories.“There has been so much said about this final season of ‘Better Call Saul,’ so many accolades directed at this extraordinary piece of television – from viewers, critics and everyone else who knows what an accomplishment it is to deliver entertainment at this level. I just want to cap this final season by saying thank you.

The series finale of Better Call Saul last week was the most-watched episode of the season with an audience of 2.7 million on AMC, according to Nielsen Live+3 ratings. The episode also averaged 1.1 million in the adults 25-54 demographic.

Jennifer Maas TV Business Writer“Better Call Saul” said goodbye last Monday and brought a big crowd to AMC Networks’ streamer AMC+ as its farewell gift.Per AMC, first-day viewing on AMC+ of the final episode of the Bob Odenkirk-led series was more than four times as big as the Season 6 premiere, which aired April 18. The final season of “Better Call Saul” is the No.

New Jersey.  Filming for the series began in July of 2022. While on set Cohan was spotted holding an orange flare gun and sported a burgundy leather jacket and black hand gloves.

Tatiana Maslany is going back in time for her new series.The star will headline  a 1930s psychological thriller based on the novel by Adrienne Celt, for AMC Networks, it was announced Wednesday. Maslany will also serve as an executive producer on the series, which is being eyed for 2023.