Danny Glover and Joslyn Barnes’ Louverture Films Expands Into Television, Appoints New Partners (EXCLUSIVE)

Elsa Keslassy International CorrespondentOne of Scandinavia’s leading film distributors, Scanbox Entertainment is changing ownership with a new board including CEO Thor Sigurjonsson. The company was bought back from Scanbox Chairman Joni Sighvatsson. New owners include COO Kim William Beich, commercial director Torben Thorup Jorgensen, and producer Chris Briggs.

An Edinburgh support worker has launched a local history campaign chronicling West Lothian’s local history in a short video format.

Selome Hailu CBS has given a pilot order to “East New York,” a drama series written by William Finkelstein and Mike Flynn.The series follows Regina Haywood, the newly promoted police captain of East New York, an impoverished, working class neighborhood at the eastern edge of Brooklyn. She leads a diverse group of officers and detectives, some of whom are reluctant to deploy her creative methods of serving and protecting during the midst of social upheaval and the early seeds of gentrification.Finkelstein is best known for his writing and producing work on a number of police and legal dramas.

CBS has had a busy week of picking up drama pilots.

Clayton Davis The Academy of Motion Pictures Arts and Sciences has announced a new date for their annual Governors Awards to honor Danny Glover, Samuel L. Jackson, Elaine May and Liv Ullman.

Brian Steinberg Senior TV EditorMSNBC’s “Morning Joe” will soon become a mid-morning affair when the cable-news outlet expands it to four hours starting April 4.MSNBC plans to air the program from its usual starting point at 6 a.m. until 10 a.m. now, pre-empting a 9 o’clock hour that had previously been earmarked for more traditional news coverage.

Everything’s fine! Kristen Bell, William Jackson Harper, Ted Danson and more brought a little laughter to the afterlife on NBC’s The Good Place.

Gene Maddaus Senior Media WriterThe Church of Scientology has argued that a California appeals court made a mistake when it granted members a “sweeping and unbounded” right to leave the church.The California Court of Appeal ruled on Jan. 20 that church members cannot be bound to a perpetual agreement to resolve disputes before a religious arbitration panel after the members have left the faith.The case arises from allegations against Danny Masterson, a church member and a star of “That ’70s Show” who faces a criminal trial on rape charges later this year.

It’s all about fitness and wellness for Lindsay Lohan these days.

Chris Willman Music WriterKenneth Wannberg, composer and Emmy-winning music editor who worked on nearly half of all John Williams’ films dating back to the late 1960s, died Jan. 27 at his home in Florence, Oregon.

Jodie Sweetin, former Bachelor Colton Underwood and “Real Housewives of New York City”‘s Eboni K. Williams are testing their limits.

NEW YORK -- MSNBC announced Thursday that business journalist Stephanie Ruhle will replace Brian Williams on the nightly newscast “The 11th Hour,” and that “Morning Joe” will expand to four hours.Ruhle, who will continue as a senior business analyst across other NBC News programs, had been host of the 9 a.m. Eastern hour on the news network.In a memo to staff, MSNBC President Rashida Jones said Ruhle will bring her “business acumen, hard-hitting interview style and original reporting” to the 11 p.m.

Naman Ramachandran Prince William, the Duke of Cambridge, who also serves as the president of the British Academy of Film and Television Arts (BAFTA), has thrown his weight behind a range of new schemes to support up-and-coming talent.During the Duke’s visit to the recently redeveloped BAFTA headquarters at 195 Piccadilly in London on Thursday, the organization unveiled plans for the Prince William BAFTA Bursary fund, aimed at talented individuals who, due to financial reasons, would otherwise not be able to pursue careers in the screen industries.This year, Elevate, BAFTA’s year-long industry support and activity program, will open to scripted and non-scripted producers working in film and television who are disabled, from minority ethnic backgrounds and from low-socioeconomic backgrounds. In addition, BAFTA also revealed Connect, a new discounted tier of membership for emerging and mid-level professionals who will be able to access BAFTA’s membership benefits at an earlier career stage.The schemes are developed based on BAFTA’s ongoing research with industry practitioners from under-represented groups on the barriers to progression in the screen industries.During his visit, the Duke met with BAFTA career development grant recipients and played a game created by Young Game Designers competition finalist, Harry Petch.

EXCLUSIVE: Killing Eve and A Discovery Of Witches star Edward Bluemel, Dune actress Sharon Duncan-Brewster and newcomer Eddie Karanja (After Ever After) have joined Sterling K. Brown, Iola Evans and Ernest Kingsley Jr as series regulars in Hulu drama series Washington Black, we can reveal.

If you grew up in the New York tri-state area, chances are you’re familiar with Yolanda Vega!