Paul Telegdy’s The Whole Spiel and Red Bull’s Terra Mater Studios Developing ‘Tarzan’ and Other Drama Series (EXCLUSIVE)

Savina Petkova There is an ample tradition of historical dramas set in Interwar Poland, but there’s rarely one made by a woman director. Anna Jadowska wants to fill in this gap with her new project, “Tethys Ocean,” which will be presented at Thessaloniki Film Festival’s Agora Crossroads Co-production Forum next week. The story unfolds in 1938, as seven-year-old Wiktoria is being sent from a village near Kraków to become a servant at the mansion of a wealthy family where her older cousin also works.

EXCLUSIVE: Anonymous Content, Red Bull Studios and Rise Films have partnered to produce new documentary feature The Balloonists following Swiss explorer Bertrand Piccard and English balloonist Brian Jones. BAFTA and Emmy-nominated documentary filmmaker John Dower has come aboard to direct the project and Anonymous Content’s AC Independent will oversee sales.

Weather experts have confirmed that snowfall is on the way for Scotland this week as temperatures begin to drop.

EXCLUSIVE: Sky Studios has put in development a comedy series about medieval Essex from The Great writer Ava Pickett and Big Talk Studios.

Anna Tingley If you purchase an independently reviewed product or service through a link on our website, Variety may receive an affiliate commission. Ever wanted to live in the universe of your favorite movie or T.V show, at least for a day or two? Now you can, thanks to Airbnb.

Marta Balaga DR Sales has been racking up sales for Danish drama series “Prisoner.” Starring Sofie Gråbøl, David Dencik, Youssef Wayne Hvidtfeldt and Charlotte Fich, it has been picked up by BBC (UK and Ireland), Canal+ Group’s channel Polar+ (France), MHz Networks (U.S.), SBS (Australia), NPO (Netherlands) and BeTV (French-speaking Belgium). Revolving around four desperate prison guards, forced to deal with everything from rampant drug trade to their personal problems and imminent closure of the prison, the show was created by Kim Fupz Aakeson.

Manchester United began what is a crucial week for them with a 2-1 victory over Sheffield United at Bramall Lane.

Manchester United are reportedly eyeing a move for young Benfica midfielder Joao Neves next summer.

Gene Maddaus Senior Media Writer A group of A-list actors is adding pressure on SAG-AFTRA leadership to find a way to resolve the actors strike, which has now lasted 97 days. George Clooney, Tyler Perry, Scarlett Johansson, and others held a Zoom meeting on Tuesday afternoon with Fran Drescher, the president of SAG-AFTRA, and Duncan Crabtree-Ireland, the union’s executive director. Though the tone has been described as “supportive,” the actors did not call the meeting merely to express support.

With temperatures set to plummet across the UK, you could be in for some extra cash depending on temperatures in your area.

Zack Sharf Digital News Director The upcoming release of “The Color Purple” musical film marks a full circle moment for Oprah Winfrey, who is producing the new adaptation 38 years after playing Sofia in Steven Spielberg’s take on Alice Walker’s seminal novel. Oprah earned an Oscar nomination for supporting actress, and now “The Color Purple” musical could earn her another one as a producer if it lands a best picture nomination. Oprah produced the film along with Spielberg, Scott Sanders and Quincy Jones.

Halloween is just days away, but we are already looking ahead to the next holiday: Bonfire Night.

Marta Balaga Vienna-based Terra Mater Studios, a subsidiary of Red Bull, is developing its first fictional series “Salon of Sugar.” The historical drama will focus on Berta Zuckerkandl, born in 1864: a writer, journalist and a hostess of an important literary salon in Vienna, frequented by the likes of Auguste Rodin, Gustav Klimt, director Max Reinhardt or Stefan Zweig. “Composer Gustav Mahler actually met his wife Alma there,” says producer Nina Steiner, teasing other familiar faces bound to appear in the show, from Freud to Georges Clemenceau.

Marta Balaga Pole-vaulting champion Armand “Mondo” Duplantis might be on his way to another record, as Red Bull Studios continues selling “Born to Fly,” a documentary feature about his life. So far, the film has been picked up by Germany (Sky), France (Canal+), Switzerland (3+ and RTS), Norway (NRK), Finland (MTV3), Spain (Movistar Plus+), Belgium (VRT) and Estonia (ERR). “We are delighted to partner with broadcast partners throughout the world to showcase this incredible athlete and his sport to global audiences,” said Sebastian Burkhardt, head of partnerships and commercial strategy at Red Bull Studios.

The Smashing Pumpkins and Weezer have shared details of a joint tour in the UK and Ireland next summer.Both bands played headline sets at California’s BeachLife festival last year and will come together again for a short tour that kicks off in Birmingham on June 7, 2024.The US acts will then take in shows at London’s The O2, Dublin’s 3Arena, Glasgow’s OVO Hydro, Manchester’s Co-op Live and Cardiff Castle across the rest of the month.Tickets for the UK and Ireland 2024 tour go on general sale this Friday (October 20) at 10am BST here. There is also a pre-sale at the same link opening this Thursday (October 19) at 10am BST.The Smashing Pumpkins and Weezer’s 2024 UK and Ireland tour:JUNEFriday 7 – Birmingham Utilita ArenaSaturday 8 – London The O2Monday 10 – Dublin 3ArenaWednesday 12 – Glasgow OVO HydroThursday 13 – Manchester Co-op LiveFriday 14 – Cardiff CastleIn other news, last month The Smashing Pumpkins re-staged the release show that they held for their ‘Siamese Dream’ album 30 years ago and performed numerous rarities at the event.Taking place on September 17, the band had the tea house made to look like the original Tower Records set.

The Smashing Pumpkins and Weezer have today announced a summer tour of the UK and Ireland in 2024.

EXCLUSIVE: Crime star Dougray Scott and Buccaneer Media, the Scottish police drama’s producer, have hired a Creative Director for Buccaneer Scotland, as it seeks to supercharge the scale of its productions in the Celtic country.

Graham McTavish has had a successful career spanning over multiple decades but is now best known for his role as Dougal MacKenzie in Outlander.

Clayton Davis Senior Awards Editor Mexican actor/director/writer/ producer Eugenio Derbez “can do anything.” That’s what Ben Odell, the co-founder and chief executive officer of Derbez’s production company, 3Pas, believes. “The roles he’s been offered to date are the comedy relief guy,” Odell tells Variety. “The best of Hollywood is the big spectacle movies.

Marta Balaga Finnish series creators are ready to laugh – also at themselves. “While cultures vary, a fish-out-of-water experience is universal,” says writer Beata Harju, behind “Lay Low and Don’t Be Fabulous” about a woman who just can’t let go of her ex.