‘The Blacklist’ Showrunner John Eisendrath Extends Overall Deal With Sony Pictures Television; Sets ‘Alert’ Drama At Fox With Jamie Foxx As EP

EXCLUSIVE: Spotting new IP whose series adaptation would produce the next big TV hit has become vital for the business as the competition for eyeballs in the expanding TV universe continues to intensify. With that in mind, Sony Pictures Television has signed a first-look deal with Matt DeVoe, co-founder and CCO of CovrPrice, a comic book collectibles platform, for him to identify new trends in IP for series development.

Sony Pictures Classics announced today that its golf film The Phantom of the Open, starring Academy Award winner Mark Rylance, Academy Award nominee Sally Hawkins and BAFTA Award nominee Rhys Ifans, will open in New York and Los Angeles on June 3, with a wider release in additional markets set for the following weeks.

Sony Pictures Television is teaming up with corporate sibling the Game Show Network for the companies’ first joint upfront presentation to advertisers.

Todd Spangler NY Digital EditorArchewell, the media production company founded by Prince Harry and Meghan Markle, has quietly hired former Sony Pictures Entertainment exec Fara Taylor as head of marketing.Prior to Archewell, Taylor spent more than 11 years at Sony Pictures, most recently as VP of global marketing partnerships.She joined Beverly Hills-based Archewell in September 2021, according to the company. Taylor oversees all global marketing efforts for its three divisions: Archewell Productions, which has an exclusive deal with Netflix; Archewell Audio, which has an exclusive audio content pact with Spotify; and the not-for-profit Archewell Foundation.As a movie marketing exec, Taylor worked on dozens of campaigns including those in the Spider-Man and James Bond franchises.

EXCLUSIVE: Billy Slaughter (The Card Counter) has boarded Amazon Studios’ film The Burial, which is currently in production in New Orleans.

Welcome to Deadline’s International Disruptors, a feature where we’ll shine a spotlight on key executives and companies outside of the U.S. shaking up the offshore marketplace. This week, we’re speaking to esteemed UK TV executive Jane Tranter, co-founder of Bad Wolf. The company is behind hits such as His Dark Materials and A Discovery Of Witches and recently sold a majority stake to Sony Pictures Television. In her first interview since the deal, we take a deep dive into Tranter’s career and Bad Wolf’s ambitions for the future. 

Spider-Man has web shooters to get around, but these Spider-Man: No Way Home stars need a set of wheels — and Million Dollar Wheels has the hottest rides for celebs. Jamie Foxx and Tom Holland visit celebrity car dealer RD Whittington on the new Discovery+ reality show.

Sony veteran Carrie Ferman has been elevated to EVP & Head of Strategy and Operations at Sony Pictures TV Studios, from her previous SVP role.

EXCLUSIVE: Josh Berman has entered a first-look book-to-screen deal with independent publisher Sourcebooks. Under the three-year pact, Berman’s Sony Pictures Television-based Osprey Productions will have a first look at all new titles that Sourcebooks acquires film and television rights to, as well as an overall look at the company’s extensive backlist of bestselling fiction.

Skydance Animation has landed another major talent.Rich Moore, director of “Zootopia,” “Wreck-It Ralph” and “Ralph Breaks the Internet,” is joining the team in an exclusive, multi-year overall deal. Under the new pact, Moore will create, develop and produce original animated features for the studio.

Amanda Warren has been tapped as the lead in the CBS drama pilot East New York.

Sasha Urban editorCBS police drama pilot “East New York” has cast Amanda Warren (“The Purge”) in the starring role of Regina Haywood, a serious street cop turned deputy inspector.“East New York,” written by William Finkelstein and Mike Flynn, was given a pilot order last month. No other cast members have been announced.The pilot’s executive producers are Finkelstein, Flynn, Mike Robin from Skyemac Productions, Christine Holder and Mark Holder from Wonder Street.

EXCLUSIVE: Following the critical acclaim of his Netflix comedy Bad Trip, director Kitao Sakurai has set his sights on his next major studio pic, being set to helm 72 Hours for Sony Pictures. John Davis is producing through his Davis Entertainment banner along with Cobra Kai creators Jon Hurwitz, Hayden Schlossberg and Josh Heald through their Counterbalance Entertainment. Davis Entertainment’s John Fox and Jeremy Stein are executive producing.

Sony Pictures Classics announced today that its feature documentary Jazz Fest: A New Orleans Story, co-directed by five-time Oscar nominee Frank Marshall (The Bee Gees: How Can You Mend a Broken Heart) and Ryan Suffern (Mr. A & Mr. M: The Story of A&M Records), will hit theaters in New York and Los Angeles on May 13, before expanding to additional markets in the following weeks. It will open against IFC Films’ horror-thriller The Innocents, Roadside Attractions’ comedy Family Camp and Universal’s horror-thriller Firestarter starring Zac Efron and more.

EXCLUSIVE: Former Grown-ish co-showrunner Jeni Rice-Genzuk Henry has signed an overall deal with BET Studios, the venture launched last year by Paramount and BET to generate premium content from Black creators for Paramount+, Showtime, CBS, Nickelodeon, BET+ and BET, as well as select third-party platforms.

EXCLUSIVE: Succession‘s Alan Ruck is the latest addition to the cast of Amazon Studios’ film The Burial, which is currently in production. He joins an ensemble that also includes Jamie Foxx, Tommy Lee Jones, Jurnee Smollett, Mamoudou Athie, Bill Camp, Dorian Missick, Pamela Reed, Amanda Warren and Jim Klock.

Jem Aswad Senior Music Editor“Clive Davis: Most Iconic Performances,” a four-art series featuring concert clips chosen by and interviews conducted by the legendary music executive, will premiere exclusively on Paramount Plus in the U.S. and internationally beginning Wednesday, March 23.In this special miniseries, culled from his virtual 2021 pre-Grammy Gala events, sees Davis taking viewers through some of his favorite musical performances from the last few decades.

EXCLUSIVE: Dorian Missick (Shirley), Pamela Reed (Outside In), Amanda Warren (Three Billboards Outside Ebbing, Missouri) and Jim Klock (The Underground Railroad) will round out the cast of Prime Video’s The Burial, which is currently in production.

Apple TV+ has signed an overall deal extension with Jonathan Tropper, the executive producer/showrunner of streamer’s original series See, starring Jason Momoa. In addition to continuing to shepherd See, currently in production on Season 3, under the new three-year pact Tropper will develop television projects exclusively for Apple TV+ through his banner Tropper Ink.