International Insider: WGA Strike Goes Global; Rough Ride For Brit Broadcasters; Off To Seriencamp

BBC Unveils Trio Of Animation Series As It Steps Up Search For British ‘Simpsons’

Angelique Jackson Jodie Turner-Smith, star of “Queen & Slim” and the upcoming “Star Wars” series “The Acolyte,” is plugging into the grid. The British star is latest addition to the cast of Disney’s “Tron: Ares,” joining Jared Leto, Evan Peters and “Past Lives” star Greta Lee. Joachim Rønning (“Maleficent: Mistress of Evil”) will direct the third “Tron” installment from a script by Jesse Wigutow and Jack Thorne. Leto will play Ares, the manifestation of a program that becomes sentient and crosses over into the human world, with Lee as a video game programmer and tech company CEO who aims to protect her world-changing technology. Additional plot details, including specifics of Turner-Smith’s role, are being kept under wraps. Production on the film is set for August (an actors strike notwithstanding).

Welcome back, Insiders. Jesse Whittock with you this week to look back on the last seven days in international film and TV. Here we go. Also, sign up for the Insider newsletter here.

Ryan Reynolds’ love affair with Wales is getting stronger.

Naman Ramachandran Lila Rawlings, head of creative: film and TV at “Roma” filmmaker Alfonso Cuaron’s U.K.-based outfit Esperanto Filmoj, is joining British independent production company Motive Pictures as an executive producer. Rawlings’ remit at Motive will encompass both TV and film projects as the company scales its team in the wake of its first wave of productions, including the Ruth Wilson drama “The Woman in the Wall” for BBC and Showtime. At Esperanto, Rawlings oversaw a slate of projects with Sarah Solemani, Jack Thorne and Charlize Theron and served as executive producer on “The Shepherd,” one in a series of films financed by Disney, directed by Iain Softley and starring John Travolta. Previously, Rawlings was executive producer at Left Bank Pictures where she was responsible for several projects, including “Sitting in Limbo,” a BAFTA- winning drama for BBC One and “Electric Dreams” for Amazon, Sony TV and Channel 4.

Editor’s note: Part 2 of two-part series about the writers strike crossing the 50-day mark.

On the Friday after Tom Wambsgans became the new puppet CEO of the Waystar-Royco media empire, the actor who has spent the past five years essaying the character’s ups, downs, and withering one-liners is propping up the bar of a small boutique hotel in London’s Chelsea. Matthew Macfadyen is nursing a lime tonic and contemplating a rest after several months of hard work on Succession’s blockbusting fourth season. In some other world, one imagines his fictional alter-ego is already discovering the poison in the chalice of the job he has spent a lifetime coveting. Macfadyen, instead, is content simply to think ahead to a quiet family dinner, and to reflect on the adventure of his past half decade.

Manori Ravindran Executive Editor of International The next season of “Bad Sisters” is slowly taking shape, even amid a writers strike. Creator Sharon Horgan confirmed that she’s currently writing Season 2 of the hit Apple TV+ series “Bad Sisters,” which will continue the story of the Garvey sisters after they successfully got rid of their toxic brother-in-law Jean-Paul (played by a deliciously evil Claes Bang). Horgan, who was speaking at the Banff World Media Festival, is likely able to continue working on the U.K.-filmed show — which she writes alongside Brett Baer and Dave Finkel — because she has a local contract in place with Apple TV+ for “Bad Sisters” rather than a WGA-governed deal. Under the current rules, U.K. writers can continue working on existing projects (under the jurisdiction of non-WGA contracts) with “struck” companies such as Apple, but can’t take on new work.

Naman Ramachandran The first look images from Lenny Henry’s “Three Little Birds,” executive produced by “It’s a Sin” creator Russell T Davies, have been unveiled. The series stars Rochelle Neil (“The Nevers”), Yazmin Belo (“What Just Happened”) and Saffron Coomber (“Tracey Beaker Returns”). Designed as a celebration of immigration, community and the strength of Black womanhood, the series is inspired by the stories of Henry’s mother. Set in 1957, it follows sisters Leah (Neil) and Chantrelle (Coomber) and their virtuous, bible-loving acquaintance, Hosanna (Belo), as they board a cruise ship from Jamaica bound for a new life in Britain. Once they reach they discover that life is not smooth sailing but are determined to succeed and overcome the many obstacles of integration and build a new life in Britain.

Black Mirror returns with five new episodes this month.Created by Charlie Brooker, the dystopian anthology series has taken a dark satirical swipe at various technologies over the years, from dating apps, surveillance to virtual reality.As per a synopsis, the show’s sixth season is described as “the most unpredictable, unclassifiable and unexpected yet”. Cast members include Aaron Paul, Ben Barnes, Annie Murphy, Clara Rugaard, Danny Ramirez, Josh Hartnett, Kate Mara and Michael Cera.The show’s fifth season was released in June 2019, which featured three episodes.

EXCLUSIVE: “We are today… WGA!” was the cry outside Cologne Cathedral yesterday evening in Germany, where around 50 protestors held a rally in solidarity with their WGA counterparts in the U.S.

British big-hitters Russell T. Davies, Jack Thorne and Dennis Kelly are preparing to stand with writers around the world today in support of striking scribes on a global day of solidarity and action.

Dianne Buswell, Black Eyed Peas rapper apl. de. Ap, TV star Dani Dyer and The Inbetweeners actor James Buckley are among a new batch of celebrities in the latest series of Celebrity MasterChef, it has been announced.

Doctor Who has yet another new recruit.

Russell T. Davies addressed the U.S. writers strike for the first time at the London Screenwriters Everywhere protest this afternoon.

writers strike that is being branded “Screenwriters Everywhere,” with events planned in major cities including Paris and London. The Writers Guild of America has enlisted members from the International Affiliation of Writers Guilds, Federation of Screenwriters in Europe and UNI Global Union to demonstrate global support for the union’s strike against Hollywood’s largest producers. The unprecedented rallying behind the WGA is especially relevant during this strike given the globalization of content, and the fast-growing international outposts of many “struck” companies, such as Netflix and Prime Video.

The Flash showrunner Eric Wallace will be telling fellow American writers “we are not in this alone” when he returns home from London later.

Film and television writers from around the world will be picketing and rallying Wednesday in support of the Writers Guild strike, which is now in its 39th day.

A familiar character will be returning to Doctor Who. Bonnie Langford will once again reprise her legendary role as Melanie Bush, joining Ncuti Gatwa who plays the Fifteenth Doctor in the new series, the BBC revealed today.

Norman Lear showed solidarity to the striking writers Tuesday by posting a sympathetic message on his Instagram page.