‘Grendel’ Live-Action Series Not Moving Forward at Netflix (Exclusive)

Liza Foreman “Artemis Fowl” writer Eoin Colfer’s first live action original project was amongst news announced during this year’s MipJunior Keynote from BBC Studios’ Kids & Family head Cecilia Persson. With over 25 million copies of the “Artemis Fowl” series sold, the author’s new project is being written in collaboration with screenwriter Viko Nikci.  The idea “combines a gripping high-stakes mystery with a fun gang of unlikely young heroes,” in this sci-fi series which combines action, comedy and multiple plot twists,” according to a BBC statement.   

“The Little Mermaid” is doing swimmingly on the journey to its live-action release.

Naman Ramachandran “Declaration” (“Ariyippu”) a festival hit film by acclaimed filmmaker Mahesh Narayanan and popular actor-producer Kunchacko Boban, has been snapped up by Netflix. The film bowed at Locarno and is playing at the BFI London Film Festival. This week it plays in the Busan International Film Festival’s A Window on Asian Cinema strand. The Malayalam-language film follows Hareesh (Boban) and Reshmi (Divya Prabha), an immigrant couple from Kerala working in a medical gloves factory near Delhi, and who aspire to go abroad for a better life. During the COVID-19 lockdowns, when an old video resurfaces among the factory workers, it opens up a Pandora’s box that threatens the couple’s jobs and marriage.

Chris Willman Senior Music Writer and Chief Music Critic If Kid Cudi is indeed retiring his rapper persona, as strongly indicated in recent interviews, Monday night might have served as an early farewell party of sorts.  At a special screening at the Netflix Tudum Theater in Hollywood, the star was all smiles as he answered questions and celebrated the release of “Entergalactic,” the new animated Netflix special that serves as a kind of filmic companion piece to Cudi’s new album of the same name.  “I’m just overwhelmed, you know?” Cudi, who created, starred in, and executive-produced the project, said immediately after the screening, sitting next to the film’s director, Fletcher Moules. “The past week has been really exciting to see the reviews, see the response. We’ve been working on this thing for three years, man.” 

Patrick Frater Asia Bureau Chief Japan’s Toei Animation and Korea’s CJ ENM unveiled a volley of new projects on Saturday flowing from their previously-established cooperation pact. The new shows include: a series that will be produced in both live action and animated formats; a live action series; and a third animation series. “The genesis of this co-operation was the notion that we should play to the strengths of Korean content and Japanese animation,” said Yi Jongmin, the CJ executive who heads the joint venture’s shared control unit. “That was before we factor in language barriers and cultural differences and suffered the disruptions of the COVID pandemic.”

“Three storylines, spanning thousands of years, intersect and reflect on hope, connection and the circle of life.”Jared Ian Goldman (“Ingrid Goes West,” “Russian Doll”) is producing. Day is the executive producer.

Justin Long has been cast as a series regular in Goosebumps, Disney+’s live-action series based on R.L. Stine’s bestselling books, Deadline has confirmed. The new version hails from Scholastic Entertainment, the media division of Scholastic, Neal H. Moritz, producer of the Goosebumps and Goosebumps 2 films, and Sony Pictures TV. 

Owen Gleiberman Chief Film Critic The movie format where a character beloved by kids becomes a CGI creature, who is then plugged into a live-action universe, is one of the most casually technically astonishing of all popcorn genres — and, as often as not, one of the most stunted. It almost doesn’t matter if the hero is Garfield or Stuart Little, Alvin and the Chipmunks or Sonic the Hedgehog: The way this genre has descended from the noisy bravura of “Who Framed Roger Rabbit,” the actors tend to be reduced to one-note stooges who get stuck in too many green-screen reaction shots, whereas the critter at the center — the animated star — is, almost inevitably, a preening chatterbox who wears out his welcome by pelting the live-action players, and the audience, with too many bad punchlines.

Brent Lang Executive Editor Academy Award nominees Andrea Berloff and John Gatins have formed a creative partnership with Netflix to write feature films for the streaming service. “From gripping dramas based on true stories to spectacle action adventure and comedies, Andrea Berloff and John Gatins have created stories that deeply connect with audiences across genres,” Kira Goldberg and Ori Marmur, Vice Presidents of Netflix Studio Film, said in a joint statement. “We’re thrilled to start this creative partnership with these two acclaimed and versatile writing talents.” Berloff is best known for co-writing the script to “Straight Outta Compton,” the hit film about NWA’s rise and dissolution. She earned an Academy Award nomination for her work. Her other credits include “World Trade Center,” a drama about 9/11 that was directed by Oliver Stone,” and “Blood Father,” a crime thriller that was directed by Jean-Francois Richet. For Netflix, she co-wrote the soon-to-be-released “The Mother,” which will star Jennifer Lopez.

EXCLUSIVE: Netflix has re-upped its overall deal with international bestselling author Harlan Coben. The original five-year, multimillion-dollar pact gave Netflix access to 14 Coben books to develop, in partnership with the author, into English-language and foreign-language series as well as films. The new deal, believed to be for four years, adds 12 more Coben titles including his signature 11-book Myron Bolitar series as well as 2021’s Win.

To say that we’ve seen quite a few series and films about World War II is a gross understatement. There have been plenty of attempts to tell stories about the war against Nazis.

 Anders Holm has signed on for a major recurring role in Apple TV+s upcoming live-action Godzilla and the Titans series based on Legendary’s Monsterverse franchise, from Legendary Television, Deadline has confirmed.

Joe Otterson TV Reporter Anders Holm has joined the cast of the live-action Godzilla and the Titans series at Apple in a recurring role, Variety has learned exclusively. Holm is the latest addition to the the series, joining previously announced cast members Anna Sawai, Ren Watabe, Kiersey Clemons, Joe Tippett, Elisa Lasowski, Kurt Russell, Wyatt Russell and Mari Yamamoto. Character details are being kept under wraps. The show hails from Legendary Television and is a part of the company’s growing Monsterverse franchise. Per the official description of the series, “Following the thunderous battle between Godzilla and the Titans that leveled San Francisco and the shocking new reality that monsters are real, the untitled series will explore one family’s journey to uncover its buried secrets and a legacy linking them to the secret organization known as Monarch.”

Matt Donnelly Senior Film Writer The tragic death — and subsequent sweeping justice movement — of U.S. Army soldier Vanessa Guillen is the center of a new documentary coming to Netflix later this fall. “I Am Vanessa Guillen,” from director Christy Wegener, will tell Guillen’s tragic but galvanizing tale, about a young woman who dreamed of a military career. In 2020, however, after telling her mother she was being sexually harassed on the Fort Hood army base, Guillen was murdered by a fellow soldier. Her story sparked an international movement of assault victims demanding action. The project follows her family’s fight for historic reform, a journey that takes them to the Oval Office.

Elsa Keslassy International Correspondent Magnolia Pictures has acquired U.S. rights to “Kompromat,” an action thriller film directed by Jerome Salle (“The Largo Winch” ), starring Gilles Lellouche (“The Stronghold”) and Joanna Kulig (“Cold War”). SND, the commercial arm of M6, is representing the film in international markets. Loosely based on a true story, “Kompromat” stars Lellouche as a French diplomat working in Siberia who is arrested overnight by the Russian authorities. Accused of sexually abusing his own daughter and imprisoned, he realizes he is a victim of a Kompromat. Someone is working with the FSB (Federal Security Service) to frame him. His only way out is to escape.

Brent Lang Executive Editor Riot Games has hired veteran executive Mandy Beckner as its global head of live action development, film and TV. She joins the developer and publisher after a stint as director of content for the original indie film group at Netflix. In her new role, Beckner will be in charge of developing live-action film and TV content for all of Riot’s “League of Legends”-related IP. Beckner will report to Brian Wright, Riot Games’ chief content officer. “Mandy is a dynamic executive with a successful track record that speaks to the kind of entertaining and engaging IP that Riot is known for,” Wright said in a statement. “We are thrilled to welcome her to the Riot family.”

BreAnna Bell “Grendel” is no longer happening at Netflix, Variety has confirmed. Based on Matt Wagner’s popular comic books, the series (which had an eight episode order) follows Hunter Rose, a fencer, writer and assassin who fights organized crime in New York to avenge the death of a lost love, until he ends up taking over the crime scene himself. It was originally picked up at Netflix in September 2021. Producers now have the option to auction the project elsewhere. No further information has been released. Abubakr Ali is set to play the show’s titular role. Ali is known for playing Sebastian ‘Bash’ Kamal-Stern in “Power Book II: Ghost.” His other credits include playing Raj Patel in “Katy Keene” and a leading role in “What If?,” the upcoming feature from Orion Pictures and Killer Films directed by Billy Porter.

Netflix will not be going forward with Grendel, a series based on the masked vigilante from Matt Wagner’s popular, award-winning Dark Horse comic book series, which had an eight-episode order. Abubakr Ali is set to star in the titular role. The series, written and executive produced by Resident Evil and Supernatural alum Andrew Dabb, comes out of Netflix’s first look deal with Dark Horse Entertainment.

reported that Keanu Reeves would return for a feature film sequel based on the “Constantine” movie from 2005, with Bad Robot also producing that film. The series “Constantine” was being developed by British novelist Guy Bolton, and the series was intended to tie into the “Justice League Dark” universe of characters. The other property, “Madame X,” would also have fit into “Justice League Dark” and was in the works from writer Angela Robinson.