‘Sisters’, ‘Soul Mates’ Castings; Vision Films Hire; Vertical, Random Media, Buffalo 8, Freestyle, DeskPop, Homestead, Indican Acquisitions; More – Film Briefs

Gentleman Jack producer Lookout Point and South African player Expanded Media Productions are adapting Deon Meyer’s bestseller Devil’s Peak into a five-part series for M-Net.

Paradigm Entertainment, the parent company of the Paradigm Talent Agency, said Wednesday that it has acquired BEST, a group of three management and marketing companies focused in the worlds of broadcast news, culinary and on-air media personalities. The new acquisitions will be housed in the newly created arm Paradigm Media Entertainment, which will include the talent agency. The lines of business will now work together to service clients’ entertainment, publishing, brand partnership, and news-media services needs.

EXCLUSIVE: Iranian-British director and artist Mehdi Norowzian has just wrapped the Iran shoot of his new drama A Time In Eternity starring Venice 2022 jury member Leila Hatami, best known for her roles in A Separation, The Pig and Imagine.

K.J. Yossman Banijay Rights has set a new returning drama series titled “Runners” with writer John Preston (pictured above, left) and exec producer Ellie Wood (pictured above, right) of Clearwood Films, the team behind “Stonehouse” and “The Dig.” “Runners” tells the story of the world’s first police force, the Bow Street Runners, who were formed in the 1740s in London, which at the time was facing a colossal crime wave. The Chief Magistrate of London at the time, Heny Fielding (who also happened to be a celebrated novelist), decided to take on this criminal underworld by assembling a group of police.“This extraordinary story will tell of how a group of just six police officers, none with any training or experience, set about imposing law and order on a completely lawless society and embarked on solving one of the strangest cases of its time – one with momentous political and social ramifications,” reads the logline.

Succession star Matthew Macfadyen, who stole the rug from under the warring Roys by betraying wife Shiv last season, has got the seal of approval for his performance in upcoming drama Stonehouse from his real-life wife and co-star Keeley Hawes.

EXCLUSIVE: Naomie Harris (Moonlight) and Natalie Dormer (Game of Thrones) have been tapped to lead the psychological thriller The Wasp, which BAFTA winner and two-time nominee Guillem Morales (Inside No. 9) is directing for XYZ Films.

Matt Bellamy wants to become an American citizen. The British-born Muse frontman admires the “structure” of the US political system and admitted the "chaotic and crazy" time two years ago when Donald Trump was voted out of office in favour of President Joe Biden only strengthened his appreciation for the country. Asked if he has considered taking US citizenship, he told the Los Angeles Times newspaper: "I have.

EXCLUSIVE: Karl Spoerri, Viviana Vezzani and Tobias Gutzwiller are officially launching production label Zurich Avenue, which will sit under the banner of their finance company SPG3.

Jessica Barden has set her latest project in the shape of the sports drama An Unsuitable Game from the BAFTA-award-winning filmmaker Mandie Fletcher (Absolutely Fabulous), which will launch sales next month at TIFF.

EXCLUSIVE: Oliver Trevena (Wire Room) is the latest addition to the cast of Millennium Media’s comic book film Red Sonja, which has entered production in Bulgaria. He joins an ensemble led by Matilda Lutz, which also includes the previously announced Wallis Day, Robert Sheehan, Michael Bisping, Martyn Ford, Eliza Matengu, Manal El-Feitury and Katrina Durden.

British actor Matthew Lewis is no fan of Air Canada.

EXCLUSIVE: Saban Films has acquired U.S. and Canadian rights to AGC International and Image Nation Abu Dhabi’s action picture The Ambush and set an October release for the Emirati production which marks its first non-English language acquisition.

A remake of the 1985 sword and sorcery film “Red Sonja” had been in the works for ages at Millennium Media. One incarnation had Robert Rodriguez producing with “Planet Terror” star Rose McGowan attached to play the comic book heroine.

Matt Smith has become one of the most renowned English actors on TV after rising to prominence in the 2010s. Smith played the eleventh incarnation of the Doctor in the BBC’s long-running sci-fi programme before portraying Prince Philip in Netflix’s The Crown, a royal performance which earned him a Primetime Emmy Award nomination.

Michaela Zee editor“Vampire Academy” has added eight recurring guest stars, Variety has learned exclusively.Angela Wynter (“This England,” “Responsible Child”), Lorna Brown (“The Devils,” “Soulmates”), Louisa Connolly-Burnham (“Wolfblood,” “Call The Midwife”), Cornelius Macarthy (“Torchwood,” “Father Brown”), Jason Diaz (“The 100,” “Charmed”), Jennifer Kirby (“Call The Midwife”), Joseph Ollman (“Domina,” “Knightfall”) and Pik-Sen Lim (“Johnny English Reborn,” “Maleficient”) will all appear in the series as recurring characters.Based on the book series of the same name by Richelle Mead, “Vampire Academy” follows two best friends — Rose Hathaway (Sisi Stringer), a vampire-human hybrid, and Lissa Dragomir (Daniela Nieves), a Royal Moroi vampire. As Rose and Lissa prepare to complete their education and enter vampire society, the two must also fight for their relationship as society attempts to tear them apart.