MTV Entertainment Elevates Michael Fabiani to Senior Vice President of Communications

Michael Schneider Variety Editor at LargeFormer NBC Entertainment chairman Paul Telegdy has launched a new shingle with his cousin, Berlin-based advertising exec Stefan Telegdy, and they are pitching their first TV project, a 10-episode series about the Falklands/Malvinas War of 1982.The Telegdys’ The Whole Spiel production company has partnered with Lone Wolf Pictures and Infinity Hill to produce “The Islands,” which tells the story of that 1982 war, from the perspective of the soldiers and civilians on both sides of the 74-day conflict.Argentine writer Sebastian Rotstein (“El Presidente” Season 2, “Morir de Amor”) is writing the screenplay for the show, which will employ writers and directors from both the U.K. and Argentina to tell the full story.

EXCLUSIVE: MTV Entertainment Studios has greenlit the docuseries De La Calle from creator and host Nick Barili in partnership with Zero Point Zero Productions.

MTV Entertainment Studios has unveiled its 2022-23 upfront slate, which includes a massive lineup of 90+ new and returning series across Paramount Media Networks and Paramount+, including MTV, Comedy Central, VH1, CMT, Smithsonian Channel and Paramount Network.

Manori Ravindran International EditorFilm financier Amcomri Entertainment and Ireland’s Studio Atlantic have struck a multi-picture production deal.The pact comes ahead of the release of Studio Atlantic’s latest production, “The Gates,” a Victorian period horror starring John Rhys Davies, Richard Brake, Elena Delia and Michael Yare, which is currently being sold in Cannes by Amcomri Entertainment’s sales arm 101 Films Intl.The deal will see Amcomri Prods. co-finance a slate of movies and become an official financing partner of Studio Atlantic, with 101 Films Intl.

Selome Hailu 10Len Fogge has been named president of marketing at AMC Networks. Additionally, streaming services president Miquel Penella is taking on an expanded role and will now oversee the company’s global division, AMC Networks International.

EXCLUSIVE: Laura Fitzpatrick has joined Sony Pictures Imageworks as Vice President, New Business. In her new role, she will be responsible for third party VFX business development and strategic planning for long-term growth. She will also oversee worldwide sales, marketing and client engagement, reporting to Executive Vice President Michelle Grady. Upcoming projects Fitzpatrick will have a hand in include the animated features The Sea Beast and Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse.

EXCLUSIVE: The Hideaway Entertainment has promoted Kristy Grisham to SVP of Development and Production, upping Ryan Cassells to Director of Development and Production, and tapping Jennifer Cox as Creative Executive. The company’s expansion reflects a recent initiative to ramp up their slate by buying and optioning books, screenplays, life rights and other IP in all stages of development.

Remedy Entertainment has outlined its five upcoming video game projects in its most recent financial results.The company published its financial earnings on May 13 (via Eurogamer), and CEO Tero Virtala made some comments about the developer’s large number of upcoming projects.“Alan Wake 2 is in the full production stage,” said Virtala. “A lot of work remains, but the game is starting to take a more complete form in many areas.

K.J. Yossman Eurovision fans have been left crushed after ticket re-selling site Viagogo failed to deliver tickets to the finals, which takes place tonight in Turin, Italy.Among those left out of pocket was Hila from Israel (she asked that Variety withhold her last name for privacy reasons).

Greenwich Entertainment announced the acquisition of North American distribution rights to Stay Prayed Up, the feature directorial debut of co-director Matt Durning and second feature from co-director D.L. Anderson (Farmer/Veteran).  The Vittles Films and Interlocking Pictures documentary premiered to rave reviews at its World Premiere at the Telluride Film Festival and at DOC NYC.  Greenwich will release the film in theaters on June 17.

EXCLUSIVE: Former Legendary Entertainment executive Natalie Viscuso has been tapped to oversee television as Vice President of TV at Roy Lee’s Vertigo Entertainment.

EXCLUSIVE: Chris Pratt is getting back into the ring with a documentary about World Champion wrestler Helen Maroulis.

EXCLUSIVE: Award-winning producer and co-founder of independent production company Nine Stories, Riva Marker, has joined Nicole King and Stacy O’Neil’s Linden Entertainment as their CEO of Productions.

Michael Schneider Variety Editor at Large“Spider-Man: No Way Home,” “Euphoria,” “The Batman” and “RuPaul’s Drag Race” lead this year’s MTV Movie & TV Awards nominations, the network announced on Wednesday. The outlet also announced that this year’s event would combine the longrunning MTV Movie & TV Awards with its recent spinoff, the all-reality “Movie & TV Awards: Unscripted,” into a one-night event to air live on Sunday, June 5.MTV originally announced in March that the second annual reality-centric “Movie & TV Awards: Unscripted” would air on the following night, Monday, June 6; there was no explanation given on why the two shows were ultimately moved to the same night.In 2021, the “MTV Movie & TV Awards” and the inaugural “Movie & TV Awards: Unscripted” were held on different nights.

Jennifer Maas TV Business WriterLongtime Disney communications and marketing staple Charissa Gilmore has been promoted to senior vice president of corporate communications at the company’s TV content arm, Disney General Entertainment.Most recently vice president of global distribution communications for Disney/ABC Television, in her upped role, Gilmore heads up external and internal corporate communications strategies and execution across business operations and content brands, including 20th Television, ABC Entertainment, ABC News, ABC Signature, Disney Branded Television, Freeform, FX, Hulu Originals, National Geographic and Onyx Collective.Her responsibilities include strategy, corporate messaging, executive communications, internal communications, public relations, corporate social responsibility, issues management and the shared functions for events planning, promotions, visual communications, editorial and photo operations. Gilmore reports directly to Peter Rice, chairman of General Entertainment at Disney.“Charissa’s such an important and trusted partner to me and my leadership team, as well as to her colleagues throughout the company,” Rice said in a statement Tuesday.

Hollywood exec news generally isn’t interesting, but hold on, this is an exception. If you pay attention to film news centering on executives— and we totally forgive and understand if you don’t —you’ll know that following Amazon‘s acquisition of MGM, the company announced that motion picture group chairman Michael De Luca and president Pam Abdy were leaving.

EXCLUSIVE: Searchlight Pictures vet Angela Johnson is joining ID Public Relations as Vice President, Deadline has learned.

UPDATED, 12:02 PM: Vice President Kamala Harris’ office said today that she has tested negative for Covid, six days after a positive test.

Veteran communications executive Michael Fabiani has been promoted to Senior Vice President, Communications, Paramount Media Networks and MTV Entertainment Studios.

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