Sony Pictures Animation Chief Kristine Belson Sees COVID-19 Helping Stimulate Demand For R-Rated And PG-13 Titles

Danielle Turchiano Senior Features Editor, TVBreak out your Xela kickball tee and kiss your Mandonna poster, “Happy Endings” will deliver a virtual reunion that includes the full, original cast performing new scripted material, Variety has learned exclusively.In order to raise money and awareness for Color of Change and José Andrés’ World Central Kitchen supporting Black Lives Matter and COVID-19 relief efforts, Sony Pictures Television (which produced the series that ran for three seasons on

Todd Spangler NY Digital EditorJeron Smith, CEO of Unanimous Media — the production company co-founded with NBA star Steph Curry — wants to broker film deals at Sony Pictures Entertainment with underrepresented talent, via a new joint venture.Smith and SPE have formed The Incubation Lab, which Smith describes as a “culture-forward content incubator.” Smith told Variety the goal of the project is to identify nontraditional storytellers, like athletes, musicians, designers, artists, and other

Amanda N'Duka pmc-editorial-managerEXCLUSIVE: Sony Pictures Television has acquired the rights to develop Ravenswood Manor, a camp-horror soap opera based on a live weekly episodic theatre production from writer and comedian Justin Sayre.The show, which ran at Los Angeles’ Celebration Theatre last fall, is set in the small New England town of Ravensport, Maine during the Spring of 1976.

Sony Pictures and SK Global have nabbed film rights to Kevin Kwan’s new novel, Sex and Vanity. Kwan’s earlier Crazy Rich Asians trilogy became a box office hit after it was adapted in 2018 by SK Global.

Also Read: 'Crazy Rich Asians' Director Responds to Brenda Song's Claim That She Was 'Not Asian Enough' to AuditionKwan and SK Global’s John Penotti (“Crazy Rich Asians”) are producing the film. Xian Li is the executive in charge for SK Global.

Jake Kanter International TV EditorSony Pictures Television has signed a joint venture deal with France’s Satisfaction Group after the latter acquired 100% of Sony Pictures Television France and its label Starling.Sony will control 20% of the new venture, with the remaining 80% being overseen by Satisfaction, which is run by Arthur Essebag under parent Arthur World Participation Group, and makes daily shows for France’s six main networks.The French company has also secured exclusive access to

Elsa Keslassy International CorrespondentSatisfaction Group, Arthur Essebag’s thriving Paris-based production company specializing in non-scripted shows, has acquired 100% of Sony Pictures Television France and its label Starling, creating an exclusive joint venture called Satisfy.Under the deal, Sony Pictures Television has acquired 20% of Satisfaction Group, and will be in charge of the international distribution of the company’s formats, some of which are among France’s highest-rated

Leo Barraclough Senior International CorrespondentEuropean pay-TV operator Sky and Sony Pictures Television have agreed a new long-term partnership across the U.K., Ireland, Germany, Italy, Austria and Switzerland.The deal includes a multi-year extension across all markets to the exclusive first pay window, and access to Sony’s film library, and extends to all of Sky’s transactional services across its markets.

Jake Kanter International TV EditorSky and Sony Pictures Television have signed a new “long-term” partnership that will give the Comcast-owned pay-TV operator access to Sony’s movies across the UK and Ireland, Germany, Italy, Austria and Switzerland.The deal builds on an agreement signed in 2016 and means new Sony Pictures Entertainment releases, including Jumanji: The Next Level, Little Women and Bad Boys For Life, will be carried by Sky Cinema.

Peter White Television EditorEXCLUSIVE: Gaumont, the production company behind series including Netflix’s Narcos and Apple TV+’s Stillwater, is shaking up its U.S. division with Nicolas Atlan taking over and Gene Stein exiting.The French company has handed oversight of its U.S.

Mike Fleming Jr Co-Editor-in-Chief, FilmBREAKING: Brad Pitt is set to star in Bullet Train, the Sony Pictures action movie that just got as director David Leitch, the helmer of Deadpool 2 and Fast & Furious Presents: Hobbs & Shaw. Zak Olkewicz wrote the script, based on the Japanese novel Maria Beetle by Kotaro Isaka.

Nota del editor: Tremenda Nota es el medio socio del Los Angeles Blade en Cuba. Este editorial salió en su sitio web el 29 de julio.

What will the future film output from studios look like post-COVID-19? That’s the question that doesn’t really have much of an answer right now. We know that some studios are beginning to ramp up production on films for the first time since March, but there are now strict regulations that are governing what can and can’t be done on a film set.

Joe Otterson TV ReporterChris Parnell is leaving Sony Pictures Television Studios, where he most recently served as co-president alongside Jason Clodfelter.Parnell will join Apple TV Plus in a senior programming role on the domestic development team, reporting to Matt Cherniss, Apple’s head of scripted development and current programming.

Sony Pictures TV studios co-president Chris Parnell is leaving to join Apple as a senior programming executive.Parnell will join Apple TV later this month. He leaves Sony after 16 years.

Nellie Andreeva Co-Editor-in-Chief, TVEXCLUSIVE: Sony Pictures Television Studios Co-President Chris Parnell will be departing the studio later this month after more than 16 years. He will be joining Apple TV+ in a senior programming role on the domestic development team, reporting to Matt Cherniss, Apple’s head of scripted development and current programming.In light of Parnell’s departure, Jason Clodfelter will become solo Co-President, SPT Studios.

The Western Cape Department of Education (WCED) has published what is said to be the country’s first draft Gender Identity and Sexual Orientation Guidelines.

Sony Corp.'s Sony Pictures Television has acquired a majority stake in Eleven, the British production banner behind Netflix's global smash hit series Sex Education. The acquisition, unveiled on Wednesday morning London time, had been rumored for several months, with Sony understood to have beaten out a number of potential suitors for the company, founded in 2006 by Jamie Campbell and Joel Wilson.

Manori Ravindran International EditorSony Pictures Television has acquired London-based “Sex Education” producer Eleven.As previously reported, Sony is believed to have beaten off a number of potential buyers, and has taken a majority stake in the outfit.The investment in Eleven marks one of the few major M&A deals to have emerged from the last four months, when much of the industry has ground to a standstill due to COVID-19.