AMC Networks Adds Matt Blank To Expanded Board

EXCLUSIVE: AMC Networks is developing Queen of the Jungle, a Latinx family drama created and executive produced by Michal Zebede (The Humbling, Party of Five) with Oscar-nominated Michael London (SMILF, Snowfall) executive producing via his Groundswell Productions banner.

Rock documentary Meet Me In The Bathroom grossed $85,683 in four locations for a per screen average of $21,421 in week one, a milestone for the indie distributor. Two of four screenings were one night only, sold-out events at The Fonda in LA and Webster Hall in NY (live performances by The Moldy Peaches, Adam Green, Wah Together)

AMC Networks followed the discouraging pattern of media and tech companies reporting advertising downturns in the third quarter.

EXCLUSIVE: After launching in Cannes, financier Ashland Hill Media Finance has come aboard to co-finance Rupert Sanders’ reboot of The Crow, starring Bill Skarsgård, FKA Twigs and Danny Houston. 

Total day audiences rose across the major news networks in October, as viewers started to focus more on the midterms.

EXCLUSIVE: Tony Award-winning director Anna D.Shapiro (August: Osage County), Oscar-nominated producer Leelai Demoz (On Tip-Toe), Tony-nominated actor/writer Ian Barford (Linda Vista) and entrepreneur Brad Keywell (Groupon, WNDR Museum) have teamed up to create multimedia venture Highwire Media, an artist-first production company that is developing and producing projects across film, theater, and television.

EXCLUSIVE: Lana Parrilla (Why Women Kill, Once Upon a Time) has joined the cast of Netflix’s The Lincoln Lawyer for Season 2 in a recurring role.

BreAnna Bell Pete Davidson’s comedy series “Bupkis” at Peacock has added six guest stars to its cast. Charlie Day, “Everybody Loves Raymond” alums Brad Garrett and Ray Romano, Simon Rex, Emmy Award-winner Kenan Thompson, and Chase Sui Wonders have been cast as guest stars in the new series. The casting serves as a reunion for Romano in multiple directions. The actor, who recently made his feature directorial debut with his latest film “Somewhere in Queens They’ll be joining previously announced cast members Davidson as well as Edie Falco, who will play Davidson’s mom and Joe Pesci, who will play Davidson’s grandfather.

EXCLUSIVE: Ron Perlman (Guillermo del Toro’s Pinocchio), Yolonda Ross (The Chi) and Daniel Diemer (The Midnight Club) will star opposite Liam Neeson in the mob thriller Thug, reteaming the Oscar nominee with Cold Pursuit director Hans Petter Moland.

While “Black Adam” is on the horizon, “Joker 2” is putting a cast together, and a sequel to “The Batman” is in the early development stages, there is still some mystery about where things will be going next for DC Films. A rather large update has been dropped today, giving us a small idea of what else could be coming, such as a mystery film from James Gunn (“The Suicide Squad,” “Peacemaker”) and a sequel to “Man of Steel,” with Henry Cavill reprising the Superman role.

Liza Foreman CANNES – REinvent International Sales has sold the refugee drama ‘Lost’ to AMC Networks for Spain and Portugal. The Scandi production-distribtion shingle is presenting the title to buyers at this week’s Mipcom TV market in Cannes. Created by Ulf Ryberg (“Headhunters,” “The Girl Who Kicked the Hornet’s Nest”), the drama thriller tells the story of a truck driver smuggling a group of Syrian refugees into Sweden in his truck. An upsetting phone call from his soon to be ex-wife, leaves the refugees struggling for air, when his mind wanders off them.

Tom DeLonge’s note thanking him for keeping Blink-182 “thriving”, after the band returned to its original line-up, making Skiba “truly happy”.The Alkaline Trio vocalist joined the band in 2015 as a replacement for DeLonge who left “to change the world for my kids”.

Matt Skiba has finally spoken out about the Blink-182 reunion that left him behind — and the personal letter Tom DeLonge sent him.

Tom DeLonge is expressing his thanks.

Elsa Keslassy International Correspondent Cinemed, the Mediterranean Cinema Film Festival, is partnering up with Lebanese film org Aflamuna / Beirut DC to launch a new co-production and co-financing initiative aimed at high-profile projects from the Arab world. The new program, which is also backed by France’s National Film Board and is part of the festival’s industry showcase Cinemed Meetings, will present seven projects involving 22 Arab countries, including Algeria, Egypt, Jordan, Liban, Palestine, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, United Arab Emirates and Syria, among others. All selected projects are currently in development and are being brought by filmmakers who have previously directed at least one short film.

Is there trouble brewing between Blink-182‘s Tom DeLonge and his longtime replacement Matt Skiba?

EJ Panaligan editor On the heels of a reunion tour announcement, original Blink-182 lead singer Tom DeLonge took a moment to publicly thank the band’s former singer Matt Skiba for his time as its frontman starting in 2015. Skiba assumed the role for the punk-rock band seven years ago following DeLonge’s second departure from Blink, which occurred due to creative differences and the artist opting to work on other non-music endeavors. “I sent this to Matt personally, but it’s important for the world to know that I honor him,” DeLonge’s caption read, noting that he first sent the kind words directly to Skiba. The post shares admiration for the Alkaline Trio frontman, who initially “filled in” for a handful of club shows and at the Musink festival in March 2015 before officially joining the band later in the year. Skiba performed shows with the band and recorded two studio albums, “California” and “Nine,” during DeLonge’s seven-year absence. DeLonge noted that the band would not still be around today if it wasn’t for Skiba’s ability to “jump in and save the day.”

Fans of Blink-182 were stunned this week when Tom DeLonge announced he was rejoining the band, with the original lineup to record a new album and hit the road for a world tour.