‘Creepshow’ Producer Cartel Pictures’ Distribution Arm Cartel Studios International Unveils Debut Mip TV Slate

EXCLUSIVE: Elle Johnson (Bosch) has been tapped to write, executive produce and serve as showrunner on A Soldier’s Story, a limited series adaptation of the award-winning A Soldier’s Play, which has been in development at Sony Pictures Television with the play’s Tony winner David Alan Grier attached to star and executive produce.

Elsa Keslassy International CorrespondentHot off the success of “No Man’s Land,” Israel’s Spiro Films and France’s Haut et Court TV are re-teaming on “Armageddon,” a sprawling thriller miniseries looking at Christian extremists operating in the Holy Land.The show is being created by David Ackerman, who previously worked in national security in Israel and went on to pen the film “Blank Bullet” inspired by the story of Yitzhak Rabin’s assassination, and “Jerusalem,” a gritty geopolitical thriller drama which competed at last year’s Series Mania.Ackerman is currently writing the script for “Armageddon,” which weaves several characters, including a Christian American priest who travels with a few disciples to the Kibbutz Megiddo. Appearing friendly and charitable, the group starts forging bonds within the small community, including a mother and a son, while pursuing their secret agenda: find the Antichrist who will provoke a war that will fulfil their biblical prophecy – the second coming of the Christ.

94th annual Academy Awards isn't sharing many secrets about the upcoming ceremony, but they know one thing for certain: "Beyoncé gon' Beyoncé.«That was producer Will Packer's response to a question about the iconic performer's recently announced performance of her Best Original Song nominee, „Be Alive“ from during Thursday's press conference about the upcoming Oscars. Packer took the stage alongside producer Shayla Cowan, director Glenn Weiss, musical director Adam Blackstone, production designer David Korins, and two of the three hosts of this year's ceremony, Regina Hall and Wanda Sykes.

Matt Donnelly Senior Film WriterEric B. Fleischman’s Defiant Studios has landed film slate financing from SOLIS Studios and Maurice Fadida’s Kodiak Pictures, Variety has learned.Defiant, behind genre titles like “The Knocking” (pictured above during production) and “Offseason,” will make multiple features under the partnership, with the first to shoot this summer.This is the first significant move by SOLIS, the film division of the media and tech collective led by former “One Tree Hill” star Brett Claywell and Brendan de Kauwe.

Emilio Mayorga Award-winning French documentary distributor Java Films has grabbed world rights to Anna Giralt’s “Robin Bank,” a doc competition entry at this year’s Malaga festival.Produced by Jorge Caballero at Catalan-Colombian Gusano Films, Germany’s Indie Film and Catalan pubcaster TVC, in partnership with Arte France – La Lucarne, “Robin Bank” tells the story of Catalan activist Enric Durán who, between 2005 and 2008, managed to take out €500,000 ($550,000) in loans from 39 different banks which he never reimbursed, instead using the money to fund social projects.Imprisoned for two months, Durán was released on bail, and while he awaited trial, fled the country, declaring himself a fugitive. The film received warm a welcome from audiences at its recent world premiere at Thessaloniki Documentary Film Festival.‘‘ ‘Robin Bank’ is a unique story that really speaks to our times.

Manori Ravindran International Editor“Dexter” and “The Blacklist” producer Daniel Cerone has boarded the U.K. adaptation of Japanese crime drama format “Connected,” Variety can reveal.The veteran producer is overseeing the U.K.

Nick Vivarelli International Correspondent“Game of Thrones” producer Frank Doelger, after executive producing “The Swarm” through his Berlin-based Intaglio Films, now has two new high-end shows for the international pipeline in the pipeline: “Concordia” and “Doing Good.”During a panel at the Series Mania TV festival Doelger described “Concordia” as “a series about a 21st century community which uses cutting edge AI technology to see if it can create a fairer, safer, society.” Twenty years after this community has been a huge success, “countries around the world are approaching the founders of this social engineering experiment to found similar communities in their countries,” he added.And, “as they research the twenty-year history of this community, they discover that this instance of utopia has provided safe homes for immigrants and thousands of refugees seeking a better life. But they also discover the dark secret that led to its founding.” Doelger — whose Intaglio is a joint venture between German outfits Beta Cinema and ZDF Enterprises — said  “Concordia” will start shooting in September.

Michael Schneider Variety Editor at LargeThe Chippendales appear to be making a comeback — on the screen, at least. Hulu is developing the eight-episode “Immigrant,” following the story of Chippendales founder Somen “Steve” Banerjee, while Dev Patel and Ben Stiller have been attached to a project about the 80s-era male revue, from producer David Permut, for several years.But beating them both to the punch is A&E’s latest documentary series, the four-part “Secrets of the Chippendales Murders,” which launched March 14. The series continues this Monday with a hefty contribution from longtime Hollywood publicist Jay Schwartz, who in his 20s served as an associate producer at the Chippendales nightclub.

EXCLUSIVE: Primetime Emmy nominee Kate Mara and The Green Knight filmmaker David Lowery have boarded Shawn Bannon’s feature documentary, The Smell of Money, which centers around Elsie Herring and her North Carolina community as they square off with the multibillion-dollar pork industry, which has been spraying animal waste on their homes and land for decades.

While there was “Sopranos” and Martin Scorsese’s “Boardwalk Empire” before it, and David Fincher’s participation in “House Of Cards” that paved the way for the streaming age, it’s hard to argue that the show that launched the current era of streaming Peak TV with auteur directors involved was anything other than HBO’s “True Detective,” directed by Cary Fukunaga.

It’s not I’m a Celebrity … Get Me Out of Here — but it sure is close. CBS on Wednesday debuted Beyond the Edge, a new reality show from Renegade (Naked and Afraid) that drops nine celebrities into the jungles of Panama to compete in challenges while earning cash for their charities (and personal pocketbooks).

Paramount+ has unveiled the first five shows from its UK unscripted slate, including feature docs on paranormal hauntings in the UK and U.S., rise of big tech and the lost MH370 flight.

Speakers Unveiled For Mip TV & Series Mania

“Saturday Night Live” boss Lorne Michaels for a new comedy series, “Bupkis.”The comedian and Kim Kardashian’s boyfriend will star as a fictionalized version of himself in the series based on his life, Deadline reported. Davidson is co-writing the show with his long-time collaborator Dave Sirus and Judah Miller.While negations are still being discussed, Michaels’ Broadway Video and Universal Television company is producing the project.The outlet described “Bupkis” as a “raw, unflinching, fictionalized version of Pete Davidson’s real life.

Sky Studios, the original programming arm of broadcaster Sky in Europe, has bolstered its UK Drama Commissioning team with a pair of hires.

Justin Morgan Independent film sales and distribution firm Outsider Pictures has acquired the international sales rights to Peruvian director V. Checa’s neo-noir film “Tiempos Futuros” (“The Shape of Things to Come”) and will lead sales to potential buyers at this March’s Málaga Film Festival.Playing Zonazine, which focuses on bolder plays by up-and-coming cineastes, “Tiempos Futuros” serves as Checa’s debut feature film.

Pete Davidson will be starring in his own TV series, playing… Pete Davidson.

EXCLUSIVE: Longtime Saturday Night Live cast member Pete Davidson is headlining his own comedy series inspired by his life, I have learned. Davidson is poised to play the lead in the project, tentatively titled Bupkis, which he is co-writing with his long-time friend and collaborator Dave Sirus as well as Judah Miller (Crashing). Deals are still being finalized for the series, which hails from SNL honcho Lorne Michaels’s Broadway Video and Universal Television where the company is under a deal.

EXCLUSIVE: Audio Up, the podcast studio behind series from the likes of Anthony Anderson and James Ellroy, is ramping up its moves into TV and film.

Naman Ramachandran Newly formed Los Angeles and London-based distribution company Cartel Studios International is making its MipTV debut with a slate of 18 titles spanning mystery dramas, thrillers and romantic comedies. The outfit, led by Gary Marenzi, Giovanni Pedde and Stephen Tague, was launched in 2021 by prolific genre producer Cartel Pictures whose credits include “Creepshow” and “Unborn.” Highlights of the MipTV slate include “Deadly Infidelity” (A&E Lifetime), “Dangerous Snow Day” (Lifetime Movie Network), “Deadly Girls Night Out” (Lifetime Movie Network), “Cheating for your Life” (A&E Lifetime), “Crushed” (Tubi) and “Romeo & Juliet Killers” (Tubi).