Lionsgate Extends First-Look Deal With Emmy Winner Ben Karlin

EXCLUSIVE: MVD Entertainment Group has acquired worldwide rights to the autobiographical coming-of-age comedy 5-25-77, from writer-director Patrick Read Johnson (Spaced Invaders), slating it for release in North American theaters this fall, with an unveiling on digital and VOD to follow.

K.J. Yossman “The Repair Shop’s” Jay Blades has struck a first look deal with BBC Studios via his production company Hungry Jay Media.Hungry Jay is a joint venture between Blades and production company Hunrgy Bear (“Michael McIntyre’s The Wheel”), which was founded in November 2020 by Dan Baldwin and Juliet Denison Gay.The 1-year deal will mean BBC Studios has first dibs on Hungry Jay’s factual entertainment slate.

Angelique Jackson Prolific producer Debra Martin Chase has re-upped her multi-year first-look deal with Universal Television.The news comes as the two parties celebrate continued success for “The Equalizer,” starring Queen Latifah, which was renewed for a third and fourth season earlier this month.“I’m thrilled that this partnership with Debra continues to thrive to this day,” stated Universal Television president Erin Underhill. “It has been phenomenal to work with Debra and her team on ‘The Equalizer.’ She is a true inspiration, pioneer and friend.”With the extension, Chase will develop and produce new projects for network, cable and streaming services under her Martin Chase Productions banner.

Chip ’N Dale: Rescue Rangers debuted on Disney+ yesterday (May 20), and with it came a remix of the titular series’ classic theme song, courtesy of Post Malone.Malone keeps intact much of the original version’s lyrics and core melody, but spins it through his signature trap-influenced pop style.It marks his third time contributing to a Hollywood soundtrack – in 2017, he linked up with Watt for the xXx: Return Of Xander Cage inclusion ‘Burning Man’, and in 2019, had his ‘Hollywood’s Bleeding’ cut ‘Sunflower’ (a collab with Swae Lee) featured prominently in Spider-Man: Into The Spider-Verse. Malone also had a cameo role in the latter film.Have a look at the lyric video for Post Malone’s Chip ’N Dale: Rescue Rangers theme song below, then check out the original:Directed by Akiva Schaffer of The Lonely Island, Chip ’N Dale: Rescue Rangers stars John Mulaney and Andy Samberg (who is also Schaffer’s bandmate in TLI) as the titular chipmunk duo.

Deadline TV critic Dominic Patten and Awards Columnist Pete Hammond take on the status of a major staple of broadcast tv, talk shows, and their status as this year’s Emmy race gears up. It is all in our latest edition of the Deadline Podcast series, TV Talk. We argue that maybe it is time for some new blood in the winners circle.

If you must reboot an over 30-year-old Disney Channel cartoon like “ Chip ‘n Dale: Rescue Rangers,” you could do much worse than looking to “Who Framed Roger Rabbit” for inspiration. But it is a high bar and though “Chip ‘n Dale” might not reach the heights of that Robert Zemeckis film, it is still a pleasant surprise stuffed to the brim with pop culture references that children of the “Chip ‘n Dale” era may enjoy.Now, wait, you may be thinking: Aren’t children of the “Chip ‘n Dale” era in their 30s and 40s at this point? And was “Chip ‘n Dale” even that beloved enough to warrant a reboot? The answers are yes and no, but the minds behind this movie know that and aren’t pretending otherwise.

Universal Pictures has entered into a first-look production deal with “The Notebook” author Nicholas Sparks to bring three of his more recent novels to the big screen, starting with last year’s runaway hit “The Wish.” Sparks and Anonymous Content will partner to produce three feature films for Universal, each one based on one of his most recent books, though only a film based on “The Wish” was announced on Tuesday. Zack Hayden will produce “The Wish” on behalf of Anonymous Content with oversight by Anonymous Content CEO Dawn Olmstead and CCO David Levine, alongside Theresa Park, Sparks’ longtime literary agent and collaborator, and Universal Pictures’ Vice President of Production Development, Lexi Barta.

#1 New York Times bestselling author Nicholas Sparks (The Notebook) has entered into a first-look production agreement with Universal Pictures, which will see him produce three features for the studio alongside Anonymous Content.

Manori Ravindran International Editor“Snowpiercer” producer Tomorrow Studios has struck a first-look deal with Frank Spotnitz’s London-based production company Big Light Prods.Under the deal, Tomorrow Studios will tap into Big Light’s network of established and emerging writers and its pursuit of IP for projects to produce together under one development slate.Big Light Prods. specializes in returning and limited dramas for the global market.

Peacock has given a straight-to-series order for an untitled project from Jason Woliner, described by the streamer as “mind-bending.”The series will mesh “fact and fiction to tell a bizarre and incredible tale,” per Peacock. It is said to be in the style of the director’s work on “Borat Subsequent Moviefilm.”“It’s a project that director Jason Woliner has been shooting for over a decade and a story that continues to pile on jaw-dropping new twists,” Peacock said in a release.Executive producers on the project are Woliner, Seth Rogen, Evan Goldberg, James Weaver, Loreli Alanis (Point Grey Pictures), Megan Ellison (Annapurna), Michael Sagol and Bert Hamelinck (Caviar).

Selome Hailu Peacock has given a straight-to-series order to Jason Woliner for an untitled project in the style of his work on “Borat Subsequent Moviefilm.”While plot details remain under wraps, the project is described as “mix[ing] fact and fiction to tell a bizarre and incredible tale.” Woliner, who directs and executive produces the project, has been shooting it for over a decade.Executive producers also include Seth Rogen, Evan Goldberg, James Weaver and Loreli Alanis for Point Grey Pictures; Megan Ellison for Annapurna; and Michael Sagol and Bert Hamelinck for Caviar. Tyler Ben-Amotz also produces for Caviar.

Jason Woliner, director of Borat Subsequent Moviefilm, has scored a straight-to-series order for a mystery project in the vein of the Sacha Baron Cohen film from Peacock.

EXCLUSIVE: Kat Coiro (Marry Me) has been tapped to direct the first two episodes of The Spiderwick Chronicles, Disney+’s live-action series adaptation of the beloved fantasy books. She also will executive produce.

EXCLUSIVE: Luke Macfarlane (Brothers & Sisters), Tre Hale (Love and Monsters), Carla Gallo (Neighbors) and Andrew Lopez (Blockers) round out the ensemble cast of Apple’s Platonic, joining Rose Byrne and Seth Rogen in the comedy series from Nick Stoller, Francesca Delbanco and Sony TV.

Stephen Colbert, who returned to “The Late Show” this week after recovering from COVID, had a bone to pick with the virus during his opening monologue Wednesday night.After tackling the Republican response to the leak of the Supreme Court majority opinion draft set to overturn Roe v. Wade and retract abortion rights across the U.S., Colbert turned to the recent increase in COVID cases across several states.“Over in pandemic land, COVID-19 cases and hospitalizations are rising again in the United States.

Elisabeth Murdoch, Stacey Snider and Jane Featherstone’s indie studio Sister has entered a first-look deal with the new production company Wychwood Media, from Harry Potter filmmaker David Yates and his producing partner, Lewis Taylor. Under the pact, the pair will develop and produce both scripted and unscripted film, television and documentary content for Sister’s offices in both the U.S. and UK. Yates will also have the option to direct projects coming together through the deal.

Netflix is giving fans a first look at the new season of Umbrella Academy!

Sister, the independent studio founded by Elisabeth Murdoch, Stacey Snider and Jane Featherstone, has entered into a first look deal with Wychwood Media, a new production company from Lewis Taylor and “Harry Potter” and “Fantastic Beasts” director David Yates.Under the pact, Yates and Taylor will develop and produce both scripted and unscripted film, television, and documentary content for Sister for both its U.S. and UK offices.

HBO’s Original two-part documentary “George Carlin’s American Dream” will debut later this month.Directed by Judd Apatow (“The Zen Diaries of Garry Shandling”) and Michael Bonfiglio (“May It Last: A Portrait of the Avett Brothers”), the doc will air on HBO on back-to-back nights, with Part 1 premiering on Friday, May 20 at 8:00-9:55 p.m. ET/PT, followed by on Saturday, May 21, at the same time.Both episodes will be available to stream on HBO Max beginning Friday, May 20.

Pete Davidson hit the stage for his first stand-up set in three years this week, where he addressed some of the things happening in his personal life.