Skydance TV Inks First-Look Deal With Impact Accelerator for Up-and-Coming Writers

Naman Ramachandran In today’s Global Bulletin, John Boyega’s UpperRoom sets animation deal with ViacomCBS’s VIS Kids; Germany’s Bavaria Film acquires Story House companies; and International Literary Properties appoints Hilary Strong as U.K./Europe CEO.“Star Wars” and “Small Axe” actor John Boyega‘s UpperRoom Productions has set a deal to present three to five animation projects to ViacomCBS International Studios‘ VIS Kids for development into a long form series.

Angelique Jackson Entertainment studio Topic Studios and New York-based production company Loveless have entered into an all-media first-look deal, partnering to develop scripted and unscripted projects across TV, film and podcasts.Topic Studios, the entertainment studio from First Look Media, which recently produced the Golden Globe-nominated legal thriller “The Mauritanian,” and Loveless, the production company founded by Emmy-nominees Carly Hugo and Matt Parker, have come together for the

EXCLUSIVE: Fred Siebert, a cable TV marketing pioneer who went on to become a producer of a number of successful animated series, has launched a new production entity called FredFilms.

ViacomCBS International Studios’ children’s division VIS Kids has signed a first-look deal with John Boyega’s UpperRoom Productions as part of a raft of content partnerships announced at the Kidscreen Summit Virtual 2021.

EXCLUSIVE: George Tillman, Jr. and Robert Teitel’s State Street Pictures has signed a first-look deal with Sony Pictures Television.

first reported to be in talks in December, and today, the studios have given a first look at the two animated films that will premiere on Apple TV+, “Luck” and “Spellbound.”Apple has also ordered two seasons of an animated series from Skydance Animation, “The Search for WondLa.” Several other feature films and TV series will be announced over the term of the partnership.Both “Luck” and “Spellbound” were originally slated for theatrical release in 2022 through Paramount, though no new release

EXCLUSIVE: Chernin Entertainment has set a first-look deal with producer Julie Oh and her newly launched production label, OhCo.

EXCLUSIVE: Brian Grazer and Ron Howard’s Imagine Entertainment is partnering with Impact to launch a global call to discover an emerging writer to pen a new basketball comedy. An idea hatched by Imagine, the feature is described as a “School of Rock meets Moneyball“.

Joseph Sikora, best known as Tommy Egan on Starz'sPower franchise, has signed a first-look deal for his Black Fox Productions banner with Lionsgate TV. The deal follows Sikora's character being pegged as the focus of the upcoming new installment of the franchise, Power Book IV: Force.

Elaine Low Senior TV Writer“Impractical Jokers” stars Joe Gatto, James “Murr” Murray, Brian “Q” Quinn and Sal Vulcano, otherwise known as comedy troupe The Tenderloins, have inked a first-look deal with WarnerMedia to develop and produce scripted and unscripted originals for TNT, TBS, truTV and HBO Max.“From the very first dinner I had with Joe, James, Brian and Sal, I knew I loved spending time with them, and that our audiences would as well,” said TBS, TNT and truTV general manager Brett

The stars of long-running TruTV series Impractical Jokers have struck a first-look deal with WarnerMedia and had their flagship show renewed for a tenth season.

Skydance Television, the company behind Netflix’s Grace and Frankie, is searching for emerging writers after striking a first-look deal with Brian Grazer & Ron Howard’s Impact.

Mónica Marie Zorrilla Skydance Television, the diversified media company behind “Grace and Frankie,” “Altered Carbon” and “Jack Ryan,” has inked a first-look deal with global talent network and development accelerator program Impact. The contract will enable Skydance to source television content from writers around the world through Impact’s proprietary open application and evaluation system.

Sony Pictures Television's international production division has extended its partnership with EbonyLife Media, the expanding banner led by prolific Nigerian producer Mo Abudu. SPT struck an exclusive first-look deal for all new EbonyLife-controlled scripted television projects created, originated, or developed by or for EbonyLife and intended for global audiences.

Sony Pictures Television has signed an exclusive first-look deal with Nigerian media company EbonyLife Media to develop scripted TV series.

Naman Ramachandran Sony Pictures Television’s (SPT) international production division has signed a two-year exclusive first look deal with Nigeria’s EbonyLife Media for scripted content.SPT gets the first look at all new EbonyLife-controlled scripted television projects created, originated or developed by EbonyLife and intended for global audiences.The deal follows a multi-title deal EbonyLife signed in 2020 with Netflix to produce films and series.

Keshet Studios, the company behind series including ABC’s The Baker and the Beauty and NBC’s The Brave, has extended its first-look deal with Universal Television.

EXCLUSIVE: Amazon-owned Audible is continuing to ramp up its development slate with a first-look deal with Shark Tank star Daymond John.

Universal Pictures has signed a first-look production deal with Dan Lin and Rideback, the production company behind the billion dollar-grossing live-action remake of Aladdin and Oscar-nominated drama The Two Popes. Details of the deal were not disclosed but it is understood that Lin, who runs Rideback’s movie arm with film president Jonathan Eirich, will bring to the table his ability to produce across various genres.