BBC Studios Bolsters North America Team Following Record Growth With Janet Brown Hire & Tara Maitra Promotion

EXCLUSIVE: Cinedigm has acquired all North American rights to Belgian/French horror pic Deep Fear. From director Grégory Beghin (Losers Revolution), the survival thriller will have its U.S. premiere at Fantastic Fest next month and then debut on Cinedigm’s Bloody Disgusting-powered genre streaming platform Screambox on October 11.

EXCLUSIVE: BBC Studios is rolling out an initiative to prevent bullying and stop “inappropriate behaviour” to all of its productions.

Netflix has given a first look at Enola Holmes 2 – revealing its official launch date. The streaming platform shared snaps on Twitter this afternoon giving fans an insight into what they can expect from the sequel. Based on the books by Nancy Springer, the new movie follows the 2020 hit Enola Holmes.

Jim Goodwin has warned it could be after the World Cup before Aberdeen star Connor Barron is fit and back up to speed.

British YouTube star Joe Sugg is launching a production company backed by BBC Studios to develop entertainment and factual entertainment formats.

The Electric State, the new Netflix film from Joe and Anthony Russo.The ensemble cast also includes Marvel actor Chris Pratt, who worked with the directors on several Avengers films.Christopher Markus and Stephen McFeely, who wrote several of the Avengers films, are also on board for The Electric State.

EXCLUSIVE: Apple is solidifying the cast for Season 2 of its sports drama Swagger. Orlando Jones (Winning Time) and Shannon Brown (Setup) have joined as new series regulars, and Christina Jackson and Sean Anthony Baker, who recurred in Season 1, have been promoted to regulars.

EXCLUSIVE: BBC Studios Kids & Family has initiated a major restructure, unifying the team under one slate and budget and seeking creative, commercial and development bosses.

IFC Films is acquiring North American rights to Stephen Frears’ drama The Lost King, starring Sally Hawkins (The Shape of Water) and Steve Coogan (The Trip), ahead of its world premiere at the 47th Toronto Film Festival.

EXCLUSIVE: Prime Video has added Israeli dramas Kvodo and Just for Today to its service in the U.S.

Naman Ramachandran Blink49 Studios has boosted its business affairs division with the hires of two seasoned executives. Based in Los Angeles and reporting into CEO John Morayniss, Nicole Ungerman Levinsohn joins as senior VP, business and legal Affairs, responsible for the structuring, negotiation, documentation and management of Blink49 Studios’ agreements, including agreements to engage talent, acquire underlying rights, and license content.

One of the co-writers on the Chris Brown track ‘No Guidance’ has got himself dismissed from the song theft lawsuit filed in relation to the hit. Noah Shebib – aka 40 – was removed as a defendant on the litigation last week.Singer Braindon Cooper and producer Timothy Valentine sued Brown last year claiming that ‘No Guidance’ rips off their 2016 track ‘I Love Your Dress’.

EXCLUSIVE: Netflix has Dave Bautista circling to star in Unleashed, with TAG‘s Jeff Tomsic attached to direct a script by Blockers scribes Jim & Brian Kehoe.

EXCLUSIVE: North America is getting its latest free streaming service later this month. Mometu, which is marketing itself as a “hand curated” on-demand live streaming platform, will launch on August 19 and has secured free streaming rights to South Korean feature The Policeman’s Lineage.

BBC Studios To Receive Inaugural Mipcom Studio Of Distinction Award

Manori Ravindran International EditorBBC Studios will make its return to Cannes this fall, and will be honored at Mipcom with an inaugural Studio of Distinction Award.Created by Mipcom organizers RX France to mark “a landmark achievement by a global studio or platform,” the award will be presented to production-distribution powerhouse BBC Studios in the week that the BBC marks 100 years of public service broadcasting in the U.K. and in its 90th year of international broadcasting.Senior BBC Studios executives are set to give keynote addresses at both Mip Junior and Mipcom.On the opening day of Mipcom, Tom Fussell, in his first public address as CEO of BBC Studios, will take the stage to discuss the “rapid pace of change” at the studio, whose recent credits include “Frozen Planet II,” “Good Omens,” “Prehistoric Planet,” “Top Gear” and “Happy Valley 3.” He will also speak about the company’s next chapter.

Michael Schneider Variety Editor at LargeLongtime Done+Dusted partner Melanie Fletcher has been promoted to CEO of North America, recognizing her shift in recent years toward overseeing the growth of the production company’s business. Fletcher’s promotion comes as D+D prepares to produce the 74th Emmy Awards for NBC next month, as well as upcoming specials like ABC’s “Norman Lear: 100 Years of Music and Laughter” and “Beauty and The Beast: A 30th Celebration,” and “The Kennedy Center Honors” for CBS.In overseeing D+D’s U.S. business, she’ll focus on expanding the company’s output in original IP development, series, brands, live specials, gaming and experiences.

Aaron Paul and Bryan Cranston hang out with some mascots on the field ahead of a charity baseball game in Albuquerque, New Mexico over the weekend.

Bryan Cranston and Aaron Paul attend an unveiling of statues dedicated to their Breaking Bad characters Walter White and Jesse Pinkman at the Albuquerque Convention Center on Friday (July 29) in Albuquerque, New Mexico.