Disney+ has teamed with Beta Film and Morena Films on an adaptation of young adult mystery novel franchise The Invisible Girl from leading YA author Blue Jeans.
23.06.2022 - 17:13 / variety.com
John Hopewell Chief International CorrespondentFurther expanding its already robust talent roster in Spain, Latin America and the U.S. Latino market, VIS, Paramount’s international studio, has signed an exclusive first-look deal with Madrid and Los Angeles-based Morena Films to develop and produce films and series for the company’s portfolio.The titles will have a strong focus on Latin America, Spain, and U.S.
Hispanic markets, VIS and Morena announced Thursday. The deal is one of the biggest to be unveiled during this week’s Conecta Fiction & Entertainment, where reference will be made to the agreement during two on-stage conversations on Thursday, one between Laura Abril, senior VP and head of VIS EMEA and Asia and Federico Cuervo, senior VP, and head of VIS Americas, and the other featuring Abril and Morena Films producer-partner Pedro Uriol.
The agreement plays off the two partners’ production of “Las Invisibles,” about five hotel maids working at an establishment on Spain’s Mediterranean coast, which is scheduled to stream on Paramount Plus later this year.In Morena Films, VIS is now partnering with one of Spain’s best in class and most international market-focused of production houses. Morena also boasts an impressively broad base of notable productions tapping Spanish and international talent and made in Spain and beyond.Notable titles range from upscale Spanish movie blockbusters – “Champions” (2018) and Cell 211 (2009) – to international co-productions – Asghar Farhadi’s Cannes Festival opener “Everybody Knows” (2018) with Penelope Cruz and Javier Bardem – as we’ll as movies from high-profile directors, such as Steven Soderbergh (“Che,” 2009) and Oliver Stone (“Looking for Fidel,” 2006) and platform wows like
.Disney+ has teamed with Beta Film and Morena Films on an adaptation of young adult mystery novel franchise The Invisible Girl from leading YA author Blue Jeans.
The Purge and Ouija franchises could not have been more collaborative, and we are thrilled to formalize our ongoing partnership with this new agreement.” Deadline first reported the news.More to come…
Rashida Jones and Will McCormack are getting into business with Lionsgate TV. The prolific duo have signed a first-look producing deal with the studio via their Le Train Train Productions under which they will produce scripted programming for multiple platforms.
Selome Hailu Rashida Jones and Will McCormack’s production company Le Train Train has entered a first look deal with the Lionsgate Television Group, where Jones and McCormack will produce scripted projects across platforms. The first project in development under the deal is “Lovesick,” based on the UK series of the same name.“Lovesick” was a romantic comedy series that ran for one season on Channel 4 before moving to Netflix for Seasons 2 and 3.
Todd Spangler NY Digital EditorA24, the indie studio behind TV shows and movies like “Euphoria,” “Minari,” “Moonlight” and “Lady Bird,” signed a first-look deal with Pushkin Industries, Malcolm Gladwell and Jacob Weisberg’s audio production company.Under the new deal, A24 has the right of first refusal to develop film and TV projects based on Pushkin’s intellectual property. The companies are already in development on “a few” projects including a documentary series based on Gladwell’s “The Bomber Mafia,” to be directed by filmmaker Morgan Neville.Pushkin Industries CEO Weisberg and president Gladwell will executive produce projects developed through the A24 pact.Pushkin Industries, founded in 2018, has produced several podcasts that have broken into the top 10 on Apple’s Top Podcasts chart, including Gladwell’s “Revisionist History,” as well as “Against the Rules,” “The Happiness Lab,” “Broken Record,” “Cautionary Tales,” “The Last Archive,” “Deep Cover,” “Lost Hills” and “A Slight Change of Plans.” Pushkin’s audiobooks include Pulitzer Prize-winning “The Netanyahus” by Joshua Cohen and Gladwell’s “Miracle and Wonder: Conversations with Paul Simon.” In “The Bomber Mafia: A Dream, a Temptation, and the Longest Night of the Second World War,” Gladwell uses original interviews and archival footage tell the stories of a Dutch genius and his homemade computer, a band of brothers in central Alabama, a British psychopath and pyromaniacal chemists at Harvard.In the years leading up to World War II, most military strategists saw the airplane as an afterthought.
Apple TV+ has inked a multi-year first-look deal with Animal Pictures, the production company from Maya Rudolph, Natasha Lyonne and Danielle Renfrew Behrens.The deal gives Apple TV+ the first-look on series and digital features developed and produced by the company.The news comes not long after the debut of Rudolph’s new workplace comedy series “Loot” on the streamer. “Loot” follows Rudolph’s Molly Novak, “a billionaire who has a dream life, complete with private jets, a sprawling mansion and a gigayacht — anything her heart desires. But when her husband of 20 years betrays her, she spirals publicly, becoming fuel for tabloid fodder,” per a logline from the streamer.
Joe Otterson TV ReporterApple has struck a multi-year first-look deal with Animal Pictures, the production company run by Maya Rudolph, Natasha Lyonne and Danielle Renfrew Behrens.The announcement of the deal comes after the premiere of “Loot,” the Apple comedy series in which Rudolph stars and executive produces. Under the terms of the deal, Apple will now have a first-look at all series and digital features developed and produced by Animal Pictures.In addition to “Loot,” Animal Pictures has Lyonne’s second season of “Russian Doll” at Netflix and Rian Johnson’s mystery “Poker Face” and a two-season order of adult animated series “The Hospital” created by Cirocco Dunlap.
Animal Pictures, the production company founded by Maya Rudolph and Natasha Lyonne, has signed a first-look deal with Apple TV+.
Naman Ramachandran Producer Yash Raj Films has revealed the keenly anticipated first look for Bollywood superstar Shah Rukh Khan’s “Pathaan.” The look is revealed in a motion poster, a favored Bollywood way of teasing the film and features a gun toting Khan. The poster dropped on June 25, which marks the 30th anniversary of “Deewana” (1992), Khan’s film debut. “Pathaan” is directed by Siddharth Anand (“War”).
Peaky Blinders and Cobra producer Joe Donaldson has set an indie, Magic Hour Television, and signed a first-look deal with All3Media International and All3Media-owned drama house New Pictures. Donaldson will develop a slate, funded by All3 and its international arm, and partner with New Pictures co-founder and CEO Willow Grylls to produce scripted TV.
Naman Ramachandran Joe Donaldson, producer of “Peaky Blinders” and “Cobra,” has launched new production company Magic Hour Television and signed a first look deal with All3Media and New Pictures.Donaldson will develop a slate, funded by All3Media and All3Media International, and partner with New Pictures co-founder and CEO Willow Grylls, to produce new scripted television content. He will also serve as executive producer for New Pictures on the upcoming third series ‘Cobra: Rebellion’ for Sky Max, which is due to start filming later this year.Magic Hour is set up to produce human stories about life in Britain and beyond, tapping into U.K.
Joe Otterson TV ReporterJosh Richards has entered into a first-look deal with Amazon, Variety has learned exclusively.Under the terms of the deal, he will act as a brand ambassador for the streamer and will develop custom social media for its content, including the NFL’s “Thursday Night Football.” The pro football league signed an 11-year deal with Amazon in 2021 for the rights to the Thursday night games, with this fall’s season being the first under the deal.“We are extremely excited to welcome Josh and his incredible team into the Amazon Studios and Prime Video fold,” said Lee Stimmel, head of influencer marketing for Amazon’s Prime Video. “Josh has an amazing track record of creating engaging content that resonates with his millions of fans.
win an Emmy for lead actor in a drama series. He also just won his second Tony Award for Best Musical as a producer on “A Strange Loop.”Gugenheim recently finished producing Porter’s feature directorial debut “Anything’s Possible” for Orion/MGM.In a statement of his own, Gugenheim said: “While ‘Pose’ was an incredible show that had a deep impact on strengthening my understanding of the importance of telling underrepresented stories and created a clear opening to approach Billy to direct ‘Anything’s Possible,’ it was working on set with Billy and watching him direct the cast and crew that left me with the most profound experience.
Selome Hailu Billy Porter has signed a first look deal with FX Productions to develop new content through his production company Incognegro with his producing partner D.J. Gugenheim.The deal is a continuation of Porter’s with FX, as he starred as Prayerful “Pray” Tell in all three seasons of the network’s hit drama “Pose.” in 2019, the role won him the Emmy Award for lead drama actor, and he was nominated again in 2020 and 2021.Along with “Pose,” Porter is best known for originating the role of Lola in “Kinky Boots” on Broadway.
Audible has entered into a first-look deal with President Barack Obama and Michelle Obama’s media company, Higher Ground.“At Higher Ground, we have always sought to lift up voices that deserve to be heard — and Audible is invested in realizing that vision alongside us. I’m looking forward to partnering with them to tell stories that not only entertain but also inspire,” the former President said in a statement Tuesday.“We are so proud of the stories we have been able to tell at Higher Ground, and there’s no one we’d rather write our next chapter with than Audible.
Todd Spangler NY Digital EditorPresident Barack Obama and Michelle Obama are going into business with Audible, the Amazon-owned audio storytelling platform.Audible set an exclusive, multiyear and global first-look production deal with Higher Ground, the Obamas’ media company, covering multiple audio projects. The slate of Higher Ground’s shows for Audible “will reflect the companies’ shared mission to tell meaningful and entertaining stories that elevate diverse voices and experiences,” according to the announcement.
Warner Bros. Television Group adds to its growing roster of talent by signing a new first-look deal with writer/producer Bill Prady and Chris Sanagustin’s Pine Tree Entertainment. Under the terms of the deal, Pine Tree Entertainment will develop new scripted programming — including dramas, multi- and single-camera comedies, genre series, and more — for all platforms, including HBO Max, external streaming services, cable, and broadcast networks.
Joe Otterson TV ReporterBill Prady and Chris Sanagustin’s Pine Tree Entertainment has set a multi-year first-look deal with Warner Bros. Television.Prady is best known for co-creating the hit WBTV series “The Big Bang Theory” with Chuck Lorre, while Sanagustin got her start as a production assistant on a WBTV series.
Bill Prady, co-creator of The Big Bang Theory, is heading back to Warner Bros. Television.