Mark Johnson Latest Celebrity News & Gossip

Assad Zaman (Hotel Portofino, Small Axe) has joined the cast of AMC’s Interview With The Vampire, its series adaptation of Anne Rice’s book. Zaman will play Rashid, joining previously cast Sam Reid as Lestat, Jacob Anderson as Louis and Bailey Bass as Claudia. The seven-episode first season is set to premiere on AMC+ and AMC later this year.

AMC is moving forward with its series adaptation of Invitation to a Bonfire and sci-fi drama Demascus.

Joe Otterson TV ReporterAMC has ordered two new original series — “Demascus” and “Invitation to a Bonfire.”Both shows were developed under the network’s script to series model. Both shows hail from AMC Studios and have been given six-episode orders with an eye to debut them on AMC and AMC Plus in 2023.“Demascus” is a half-hour series about life as an ordinary Black man in America today.

EXCLUSIVE: Da’Vine Joy Randolph is set to join Paul Giamatti in Alexander Payne’s next feature film, The Holdovers. Miramax landed worldwide rights to the film last summer with Payne on board to direct. David Hemingson is writing and producing with Mark Johnson and Bill Block also producing. Production is set to start today in New England.

Mark Johnson tragically died. Ennis, otherwise known as The Menace, paid a very touching tribute to former contestant Mark Johnson on Monday following his tragic death.

AMC Studios has opened writers’ rooms on two new projects — Invitation to a Bonfire based on Adrienne Celt’s novel and inspired by the famed Nabokov marriage, from Rachel Caris Love (Physical); and Demascus, a comedic sci-fi series from Tearrance Arvelle Chisholm (Boomerang) and executive produced by Better Call Saul and Breaking Bad producer Mark Johnson’s Gran Via Productions.

EXCLUSIVE: Anonymous Content is partnering with Robert Baer to develop a Cold War series, based on research by the author and former CIA case officer.

EXCLUSIVE: Miramax has acquired worldwide rights to The Holdovers, the Alexander Payne-directed film that reteams him with Sideways star Paul Giamatti. David Hemingson wrote the script, Mark Johnson is producing, and the film is now greenlighted for a January start date in New England.

The immortal vampire rock star known as Lestat de Lioncourt will be the coming to television.

LOS ANGELES -- Anne Rice's “Interview with the Vampire” is rising again on screen, this time for TV.The bestselling novel, which was adapted for the 1994 Brad Pitt-Tom Cruise film, will be the basis for a new AMC and AMC+ series set for 2022, AMC Networks said Thursday.The announcement follows the company's 2020 acquisition of 18 works by Rice, including 1976's “Interview with the Vampire," its sequels and the Mayfair Witches series.Producer Mark Johnson ("Breaking Bad," “Halt and Catch Fire”)

Following several canceled features across 2019 and 2020, Deadline reports that Alexander Payne has set Paul Giamatti to star in “The Holdovers,” a David Hemingson-scripted film produced by Mark Johnson. Production on the film will begin early next year in New England.

EXCLUSIVE: Alexander Payne has set Paul Giamatti to star in The Holdovers, a David Hemingson-scripted film that Mark Johnson is producing. FilmNation will rep international rights and CAA Media Finance will handle domestic as the film is shopped next week in the Cannes Virtual Market. Production will begin early next year in New England.

Mónica Marie Zorrilla “Queen’s Gambit” co-creator, director and showrunner Scott Frank is writing every episode of FX’s adaptation of the visionary modern classic, “The Sparrow.” Emmy Award-winning director Johan Renck (“Chernobyl,” “Breaking Bad”) has been tapped to direct the sci-fi project.Frank and Renck, along with “Better Call Saul” producer Mark Johnson, will executive produce the limited series based on Mary Doria Russell’s acclaimed magnum opus.

Scott Frank, co-creator, writer and director of breakout Netflix hit The Queen’s Gambit, is swapping chess for Jesuit priests and extraterrestrial life in his next project.

By Nellie Andreeva, Denise Petski

AMC has given out a series order to the musical anthology dramedy “National Anthem,” with the cabler giving the series an initial eight-episode order.

Oscar-winning producer Mark Johnson, whose credits range from Rain Man to Breaking Bad, Briarcliff Entertainment CEO Tom Ortenberg and The Pursuit of Happyness writer-director Steve Conrad have been called to the bench as judges for the Script2Screens short screenplay competition for emerging writers.Also joining the A-list judging panel is Rush Hour series producer Arthur M.