Sony Pictures TV Studios Co-President Chris Parnell Exits for Senior Role at Apple

Joe Otterson TV Reporter“grown-ish” star and executive producer Yara Shahidi has signed an overall deal with ABC Studios.As part of the deal, Shahidi is forming a production company with her business partner and mother, Keri Shahidi. The company is called 7th Sun.

Joe Otterson TV ReporterDon Johnson and Chris Redd have signed onto a starring role in “Kenan,” the upcoming NBC series starring Kenan Thompson.“Kenan” was originally ordered to series last year for a spring 2020 debut, but NBC announced in January that the show was being pushed to the 2020-2021 season to continue developing it.Johnson will play Rick, Kenan’s father-in-law in the series. He takes over the role from Andy Garcia.

Joe Otterson TV ReporterApple has ordered an action-thriller series from Mark Boal straight to series, Variety has learned.The 10-episode series is titled “Echo 3,” based on the Israeli series “When Heroes Fly” created by Omri Givon and based on the novel of the same name by Amir Gutfreund.In the series, Amber Chesborough, a brilliant young scientist, is the emotional center of a small American family.

Dino-Ray Ramos Associate Editor/ReporterThe cast of the Home Alone reboot is growing. Deadline has confirmed that Kenan Thompson (Saturday Night Live), Ally Maki (Toy Story 4) and Chris Parnell (Archer) are also part of the fresh take on the classic 20th Century Fox franchise at Disney+.The trio of actors join previously announced cast members Archie Yates, Rob Delaney and Ellie Kemper.

Joe Otterson TV ReporterCBS Television Studios and the NAACP (National Association for the Advancement of Colored People) have come to a multi-year content partnership agreement.Under the deal, the two organizations will work together to develop and produce scripted, unscripted, and documentary projects for linear and streaming platforms. The partnership will be aimed toward elevating a diverse range of voices as well as increasing the visibility of Black artists.

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

Joe Otterson TV ReporterIdris Elba and his Green Door Pictures production company have signed a first-look deal at Apple, Variety has learned. Under the deal, Elba and Green Door will produce both series and features for Apple’s streaming platform, Apple TV Plus.Elba is an actor, producer, director, and musician.

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.

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.

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.

Joe Otterson TV Reporter“Ozark” has been renewed for Season 4 at Netflix, with the new season also being the show’s last.The fourth season will consist of 14 episodes, with the first three seasons having been 10 episodes each. Season 4 will be split into two parts consisting of seven episodes each.“We’re so happy Netflix recognized the importance of giving ‘Ozark’ more time to end the Byrdes’ saga right,” showrunner Chris Mundy said.

Joe Otterson TV ReporterSpringHill Entertainment, the production company founded by LeBron James and Maverick Carter, has signed a two-year overall deal with ABC Studios.“SpringHill Entertainment makes the shows LeBron and I want to watch,” Carter said. “We look at every project as a way to connect with our community and ask ourselves if it will entertain and empower them.