Wondery Hires Spotify’s Chris Baughen As Wondery+ Launches In UK

EXCLUSIVE: Chris Evans, Anya Taylor-Joy, Salma Hayek, and Brendan Fraser will star in Sacrifice, a film cowritten and to be directed by Romain Gavras. Like his last film Athena that premiered last Venice and was released on Netflix, Sacrifice has a similar combustible and propulsive anarchy coursing through the film. This is closer to satire, but the script by Gavras and Will Arbery was strong enough to compel the leads to commit over the span of four days since the script was sent to talent. More actors will be set shortly, and I expect that the project — CAA Media Finance is selling the world with Rocket Science — won’t have a lot of territories left by the time buyers hit the Croisette. All the elements are there to launch Gavras as a major writer/director, here making his first English language film.  

Naman Ramachandran Some of the Sony Music Group‘s top European artists are backing a voter participation campaign. Sony has launched what it describes as a “non-partisan campaign,” titled Your Voice, Your Power, Your Vote, to encourage voting in the June European Union elections, with a focus on young people and underrepresented groups.

Simon Curtis’ upcoming comedy Encore, about a group of veteran actors whose passion for their profession is reignited through a retirement home production, has gathered a quartet of Academy Award, Golden Globe and Emmy winning stars for the ensemble cast.

Showbiz legend Christian has died suddenly aged 80 just days after he performed his final show in front of a packed audience.

Four female BBC News presenters have commenced legal action against the UK broadcaster, arguing they were forced off air for a year and harassed as a result of a “rigged” recruitment process.

A much-loved beverage brand has changed the recipe of one of their most popular drinks which they say has a “new irresistible taste” - but it seems like fans couldn’t agree less. Fanta has changed the flavour of its ‘zero sugar’ orange option which lovers of the drink have demanded they “change back immediately.”

Freely Launches In UK

Naman Ramachandran Freely, the new free streaming service backed by Britain’s public service broadcasters (PSBs) that delivers live TV over broadband, has launched. The initiative is from Everyone TV, the organization which runs free TV in the U.K. and is jointly owned by the BBC, ITV, Channel 4 and Paramount Global’s Channel 5.

Patrick Frater Asia Bureau Chief Visinema Studios, the family division of leading Indonesian entertainment company Visinema Group, is set to make its debut in live theater with “Keluarga Cemara: The Musical.” “Keluarga Cemara” (aka “Cemara Family”) has previously existed as a classic Indonesian novel about a family facing up to financial hardship, but emerging resilient and optimistic. It has since been adapted as two feature films “Keluarga Cemara” and “Keluarga Cemara 2,” which attracted over two million theatrical admissions, and the recent “Keluarga Cemara: The Series” which played on Disney+ Hotstar Indonesia. The stage show will be presented with cultural institution Galeri Indonesia Kaya and the Teater Musikal Nusantara.

Former eOne and Pathé UK marketing executive Chris Besseling has joined True Brit Entertainment, the UK distribution company run by Zygi Kamasa. 

Christian Nodal has made a noteworthy contribution to Mexican regional music by crossing borders with his music. He is experiencing great professional fulfillment and has seamlessly blended his personal life with his music career.

Pat Saperstein Deputy Editor Netflix has come on board “The Thursday Murder Club,” Amblin’s upcoming adaptation of the bestselling novel starring Helen Mirren, Pierce Brosnan and Ben Kingsley. Chris Columbus is writing and directing the story of a group of friends who solve murders. The 2020 book by Richard Osman tells the story of four friends who live in a retirement community and take on cold cases for fun.

EXCLUSIVE: Netflix just boarded a buzzy one. The streamer has joined The Thursday Murder Club, the Chris Columbus-directed feature adaptation of Richard Osman’s bestselling novel.

“We’ll launch FAST channels pretty darn soon” Sean Cohan told Deadline back in March and the Bell Media President has delivered on that pledge with the rollout of ten new channels.

EXCLUSIVE: London-based Alliance Media Partners (AMP) has hired Anthony Buckner as Head of Sales, Acquisitions and Distribution in the run up to the Cannes market.

K.J. Yossman Wondery U.K. has hired Spotify exec Chris Baughen as its new head of podcasts.

Tesco has launched a host of great deals on a range of BBQ must-haves.

Pierce Brosnan, Helen Mirren and Ben Kingsley are set to star in The Thursday Murder Club, with Chris Columbus attached to write and direct.

Christina Hendricks and George Bianchini are saying “I Do”!

Gurinder Chadha (Bend It Like Beckham) is pushing forward with Christmas Karma, a contemporary Bollywood musical set in London and inspired by Charles Dickens’ seminal A Christmas Carol, with Kunal Nayyar (The Big Bang Theory) signed on to lead an ensemble cast.