Jenny Lumet, Alex Kurtzman Launch New Production Company at CBS Studios Focused on BIPOC Stories

Joe Otterson TV ReporterRichard T. Jones is launching an independent production company dubbed Prophecy Pictures Entertainment, Variety has learned exclusively.Jones is starting the company with producing partners Jeremy Loethen and Kristy Horiuchi.

Joe Otterson TV ReporterViewers have watched over 166 billion minutes of CBS programming through the first seven weeks of the 2021-2022 broadcast season, according to Nielsen total day most current data.That number covers all dayparts, with approximately 59 billion of those minutes coming from CBS primetime entertainment programming. CBS sports programming, namely the NFL on CBS, accounts for 45 billion.

Joe Otterson TV ReporterThe single-cam comedy “Ghosts” is far from dead at CBS, with CBS Entertainment president Kelly Kahl high on the show’s potential given its rating success.“Every few years, you’re lucky enough to watch a show grow week by week and watch the word of mouth grow and watch the delayed viewing grow,” Kahl said in an interview with Variety. “I think ‘Ghosts’ is on its way to being the breakout comedy of the year.

EXCLUSIVE: Story Syndicate, the New York-based film and television production company founded by Oscar- and Emmy-winning filmmaking couple Dan Cogan and Liz Garbus, has added four executives to its growing ranks.

Jamie Lang Longtime colleagues and college friends Gabriel Govela (“Dark Rain”), Irma Deschamps (“Champs”) and Juan Carlos Montes have reunited to launch TresTresTres Films, a young, fresh independent production house based out of Mexico City.The trio are currently participating in the Sanfic Industria Morbido Lab for feature genre projects with Govela’s hardcore horror project “Zarzal.” It’s one of six projects pitching to prospective investors, co-producers, sales agents and festival and

Joe Otterson TV Reporter“Wu-Tang: An American Saga” has been renewed for Season 3 at Hulu, which will also be the show’s last.The news comes just over one week after the finale of Season 2 of the show, which is based on the true story of the pioneering rap group.

As the investigation into the death of Halyna Hutchins on the set of the movie "Rust" continues, clear discrepancies are emerging among crew members and producers like Alec Baldwin regarding the incident as well as conditions on set prior.  Baldwin, who was holding the gun that somehow fired a live round that resulted in the death of Hutchins and wounded director Joel Souza, hasn’t said much about the shooting.

Dwayne Johnson spoke out about the tragic “Rust” shooting during Wednesday’s “Red Notice” premiere in Los Angeles.

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Joe Otterson TV ReporterIsabel Sandoval has been tapped to direct an episode of the upcoming FX drama series “Under the Banner of Heaven,” Variety has learned exclusively.Sandoval is currently in Calgary filming her episode.

Amid the hoopla of ex-girlfriend Kourtney Kardashian’s engagement, Scott Disick left a comment under her most recent Instagram post. The TV personality, 38, commented on a photo of their 9-year-old daughter Penelope’s iconic Cher Horowitz Halloween costume, shared by Kourtney, 42, on November 2. Under the photo of Penelope in a blonde wig and Cher’s signature yellow plaid skirt and blazer, Scott referenced the film and character, popularized by Alicia Silverstone.

EXCLUSIVE: Eight-time Oscar nominee Bradley Cooper is launching a new production banner with Weston Middleton, Deadline has learned. At the same time, the duo are set to produce Hyperion based on the four-volume series of Dan Simmons novels, a project which Cooper has had long in the works. Hyperion now moves over from SyFy Channel to Warner Bros. motion pictures with Oscar winner Graham King still attached to produce under his GK Films.

Joe Otterson TV ReporterLila Byock has signed a two-year overall deal with ABC Signature, Variety has learned exclusively.Byock spent five years on the editorial staff of The New Yorker magazine.

Writing partners Jenny Lumet and Alex Kurtzman have teamed up to establish 25 Stories, a new label at CBS Studios, where both are under big overall deals. Led by longtime NBC current executive Bruce Evans, who will serve as EVP, the venture is aimed at amplifying diverse voices and creating sustainable career paths for people of color, from staff writer to showrunner.

Joe Otterson TV ReporterGeorge Lopez and his daughter Mayan Lopez are set to star in a multi-cam comedy that has been picked up to pilot at NBC.The series, titled “Lopez vs. Lopez,” originally received a put pilot order at the broadcaster in June.

The New Mexico set of the indie Western Rust, where cinematographer Halyna Hutchins was shot and killed Thursday by a prop gun “discharged” by star Alec Baldwin, had been having a myriad of issues, including problems related to safety, before the accident, according to multiple sources with direct knowledge of the situation. That included at least one previous incident involving a misfiring of a weapon that was used days before in a scene.