Exclusive: Lola Kirke (Gone Girl) is the newest addition to the cast of Ryan Coogler’s untitled supernatural thriller for Warner Bros Pictures.
As previously announced, Michael B. Jordan leads the ensemble, which will also feature Jack O’Connell, Delroy Lindo, Omar Benson Miller, Jayme Lawson, Wunmi Mosaku, Hailee Steinfeld and Li Jun Li. Details as to the film’s plot remain under wraps, as does Kirke’s role.
Coogler is directing from his own script and will also produce alongside Proximity Media’s Zinzi Coogler and Sev Ohanian. The film’s executive producers are Rebecca Cho, two-time Oscar-winning composer Ludwig Göransson, and Will Greenfield.
Bringing Jordan and Coogler back together following their collaboration on the Creed and Black Panther franchises and the acclaimed Sundance drama Fruitvale Station, the film is the second from the collaborators that Warner Bros Film Group co-chairs and CEOs Mike De Luca and Pam Abdy have championed,...
As previously announced, Michael B. Jordan leads the ensemble, which will also feature Jack O’Connell, Delroy Lindo, Omar Benson Miller, Jayme Lawson, Wunmi Mosaku, Hailee Steinfeld and Li Jun Li. Details as to the film’s plot remain under wraps, as does Kirke’s role.
Coogler is directing from his own script and will also produce alongside Proximity Media’s Zinzi Coogler and Sev Ohanian. The film’s executive producers are Rebecca Cho, two-time Oscar-winning composer Ludwig Göransson, and Will Greenfield.
Bringing Jordan and Coogler back together following their collaboration on the Creed and Black Panther franchises and the acclaimed Sundance drama Fruitvale Station, the film is the second from the collaborators that Warner Bros Film Group co-chairs and CEOs Mike De Luca and Pam Abdy have championed,...
- 4/26/2024
- by Matt Grobar
- Deadline Film + TV
Exclusive: Dulé Hill and Sarayu Blue are set for key recurring roles opposite Ellen Pompeo and Mark Duplass in Orphan (working title), Hulu‘s eight episode limited series starring and executive produced by Pompeo.
Written by Katie Robbins, the drama series is inspired by the true story of a Midwestern couple, Michael and Kristine Barnett, played by Duplass and Pompeo, who adopt a girl with a rare form of dwarfism. But as they begin to raise her alongside their three biological children, questions emerge around her age and background, and they slowly start to suspect she may not be who she says she is. As they grow to believe their new daughter is a threat, she fights her own battle to confront her past and what her future holds, in a showdown that ultimately plays out in the tabloids and the courtroom.
Hill plays Brandon Drysdale, the detective investigating the...
Written by Katie Robbins, the drama series is inspired by the true story of a Midwestern couple, Michael and Kristine Barnett, played by Duplass and Pompeo, who adopt a girl with a rare form of dwarfism. But as they begin to raise her alongside their three biological children, questions emerge around her age and background, and they slowly start to suspect she may not be who she says she is. As they grow to believe their new daughter is a threat, she fights her own battle to confront her past and what her future holds, in a showdown that ultimately plays out in the tabloids and the courtroom.
Hill plays Brandon Drysdale, the detective investigating the...
- 4/22/2024
- by Denise Petski
- Deadline Film + TV
Netflix has shared a new trailer for the documentary Power, which traces the history of policing in the United States, from 18th century slave patrols and publicly funded police departments in the 19th century to police protests in the Sixties and 2020s.
A speaker in the Netflix trailer raises the question: Who is more powerful, the people or the police? The trailer highlights the racially charged history of policing, particularly how slaves, indigenous people, and working class people were the target of unregulated violence, and how the past informs police brutality within American cities.
A speaker in the Netflix trailer raises the question: Who is more powerful, the people or the police? The trailer highlights the racially charged history of policing, particularly how slaves, indigenous people, and working class people were the target of unregulated violence, and how the past informs police brutality within American cities.
- 4/22/2024
- by Kalia Richardson
- Rollingstone.com
The Concordia Fellowship provides crucial financial and professional support to diverse non-fiction storytellers in sixth class. Concordia Studio, the company behind the acclaimed Emmy-winning documentary film, Still: A Michael J. Fox Movie, directed by founder Davis Guggenheim, is awarding four filmmakers the Concordia Fellowship for 2024.
As the artist development program housed within Concordia Studio, the Concordia Fellowship aims to elevate the creative and professional career of each selected filmmaker through significant financial awards and a professional program to accelerate the creative development of a new non-fiction project. The program helps its Fellows build sustainable careers, offering foundational mentorships with veteran talent, industry executives, as well as exclusive access to Concordia’s production and studio facilities. Year-round virtual and in-person programming includes guest visits and masterclasses with renowned filmmakers and industry talent such as Sheila Nevins, Lisa Cortes, Liz Garbus, Julie Goldman, and executives at Participant Media, Magnolia Pictures, Sundance Institute,...
As the artist development program housed within Concordia Studio, the Concordia Fellowship aims to elevate the creative and professional career of each selected filmmaker through significant financial awards and a professional program to accelerate the creative development of a new non-fiction project. The program helps its Fellows build sustainable careers, offering foundational mentorships with veteran talent, industry executives, as well as exclusive access to Concordia’s production and studio facilities. Year-round virtual and in-person programming includes guest visits and masterclasses with renowned filmmakers and industry talent such as Sheila Nevins, Lisa Cortes, Liz Garbus, Julie Goldman, and executives at Participant Media, Magnolia Pictures, Sundance Institute,...
- 3/27/2024
- by Valerie Complex
- Deadline Film + TV
The Morning Show‘s Mark Duplass has been cast as the male lead in the Hulu limited series that factored into Ellen Pompeo’s decision to have a reduced presence on Grey’s Anatomy these past two seasons.
Currently titled Orphan, the eight-episode series is inspired by the true story of Natalia Grace and follows a Midwestern couple — Kristine and Michael Barnett (played by Pompeo and Duplass) — who adopt what they believe is an 8-year-old Ukrainian girl with a rare form of dwarfism. But as they begin to raise the girl alongside their three biological children, they slowly start to believe...
Currently titled Orphan, the eight-episode series is inspired by the true story of Natalia Grace and follows a Midwestern couple — Kristine and Michael Barnett (played by Pompeo and Duplass) — who adopt what they believe is an 8-year-old Ukrainian girl with a rare form of dwarfism. But as they begin to raise the girl alongside their three biological children, they slowly start to believe...
- 3/20/2024
- by Matt Webb Mitovich
- TVLine.com
Exclusive: Mark Duplass is set as the male lead opposite Ellen Pompeo and Imogen Faith Reid in Orphan (working title), Hulu’s eight episode limited series starring and executive produced by Pompeo.
Written by Katie Robbins, who serves as showrunner, the series is inspired by the true story of Natalia Grace and the Midwestern couple who adopted her believing she was a little girl with dwarfism but gradually started to believe she may not be who she said she was.
Duplass will play Michael Barnett, at the time husband of Pompeo’s Kristine Barnett, and adoptive father to Natalia (Imogen Faith Reid).
In 2019, Michael (Duplass), an upbeat Midwestern dad and retail manager, was charged, along with his ex-wife Kristine (Pompeo), for the neglect and abandonment of their daughter Natalia, whom they adopted in 2010. Already in the public eye because of Kristine’s bestselling book The Spark– about raising their son Jacob,...
Written by Katie Robbins, who serves as showrunner, the series is inspired by the true story of Natalia Grace and the Midwestern couple who adopted her believing she was a little girl with dwarfism but gradually started to believe she may not be who she said she was.
Duplass will play Michael Barnett, at the time husband of Pompeo’s Kristine Barnett, and adoptive father to Natalia (Imogen Faith Reid).
In 2019, Michael (Duplass), an upbeat Midwestern dad and retail manager, was charged, along with his ex-wife Kristine (Pompeo), for the neglect and abandonment of their daughter Natalia, whom they adopted in 2010. Already in the public eye because of Kristine’s bestselling book The Spark– about raising their son Jacob,...
- 3/20/2024
- by Nellie Andreeva
- Deadline Film + TV
Exclusive: Netflix has locked down rights to an untitled adult thriller spec from Michael Werwie, with Jason Bateman and Michael Costigan set to produce for Aggregate Films, sources tell Deadline.
Plot details are under wraps. Falling under Aggregate’s first-look deal with Netflix across film and TV, the sale comes at a busy time for the company, which most recently set up comedy The Chaperone at the streamer, as a potential star vehicle for Bateman. Recently bringing in Amblin vet John Buderwitz to serve as VP of Film, the company also last summer teamed with Netflix in a bidding war over David Gauvey Herbert’s 2021 Esquire magazine article “Daddy Ball,” which is being developed as a limited series for Bateman to direct, star in, and co-ep alongside Costigan and Roxie Rodriguez.
The project comes to Netflix following Werwie’s scripting and exec producing and...
Plot details are under wraps. Falling under Aggregate’s first-look deal with Netflix across film and TV, the sale comes at a busy time for the company, which most recently set up comedy The Chaperone at the streamer, as a potential star vehicle for Bateman. Recently bringing in Amblin vet John Buderwitz to serve as VP of Film, the company also last summer teamed with Netflix in a bidding war over David Gauvey Herbert’s 2021 Esquire magazine article “Daddy Ball,” which is being developed as a limited series for Bateman to direct, star in, and co-ep alongside Costigan and Roxie Rodriguez.
The project comes to Netflix following Werwie’s scripting and exec producing and...
- 2/23/2024
- by Matt Grobar
- Deadline Film + TV
Sheila Nevins has produced documentaries for most of her professional life. But at 84, she’s still notching career firsts.
Last month, Nevins added “Oscar-nominated director” to her résumé, having landed her first nod for co-directing the short “The ABCs of Book Banning” with Trish Adlesic and Nazenet Habtezghi.
Nevins’ first Oscars as a nominee take place at the same time she is wrapping up her run as the head of MTV Documentary Films. Nevins joined the company in 2019 after 38 years at HBO.
“I went there to raise the bar for the intellectual quotient of what MTV could produce in the documentary arena,” Nevins says. “I did highbrow and lowbrow at HBO, but when I got to MTV, I just did highbrow.”
On Nevins’ watch, MTV produced 40 docs and landed five Oscar nominations, including a feature doc bid this year for “The Eternal Memory.”
“Sheila Nevins is an extraordinary storyteller,...
Last month, Nevins added “Oscar-nominated director” to her résumé, having landed her first nod for co-directing the short “The ABCs of Book Banning” with Trish Adlesic and Nazenet Habtezghi.
Nevins’ first Oscars as a nominee take place at the same time she is wrapping up her run as the head of MTV Documentary Films. Nevins joined the company in 2019 after 38 years at HBO.
“I went there to raise the bar for the intellectual quotient of what MTV could produce in the documentary arena,” Nevins says. “I did highbrow and lowbrow at HBO, but when I got to MTV, I just did highbrow.”
On Nevins’ watch, MTV produced 40 docs and landed five Oscar nominations, including a feature doc bid this year for “The Eternal Memory.”
“Sheila Nevins is an extraordinary storyteller,...
- 2/14/2024
- by Addie Morfoot
- Variety Film + TV
Exclusive: Having already portrayed the President of United Earth on Star Trek: Discovery and shifted the political landscape here in America more than once, Stacey Abrams is expanding her production company with a heavy-hitter hire.
Former CBS Drama Series Development VP Adriana Martínez Barrón is joining Abrams’ Sage Works as the Head of Film and Television, I have learned.
“I am delighted to welcome the immense talents of Adriana as our new Head of Film and Television, as we continue to grow our slate and our reach,” Abrams said Tuesday of the new addition to her team. “As a storyteller and avid consumer of media, I created Sage Works Productions because entertainment allows us to identify our most complex challenges and craft creative solutions that inspire and transform.”
The feeling is clearly mutual.
“I’m thrilled to partner with Stacey to bring her vision to life,” said Martínez Barrón, who will report directly to Abrams.
Former CBS Drama Series Development VP Adriana Martínez Barrón is joining Abrams’ Sage Works as the Head of Film and Television, I have learned.
“I am delighted to welcome the immense talents of Adriana as our new Head of Film and Television, as we continue to grow our slate and our reach,” Abrams said Tuesday of the new addition to her team. “As a storyteller and avid consumer of media, I created Sage Works Productions because entertainment allows us to identify our most complex challenges and craft creative solutions that inspire and transform.”
The feeling is clearly mutual.
“I’m thrilled to partner with Stacey to bring her vision to life,” said Martínez Barrón, who will report directly to Abrams.
- 2/13/2024
- by Dominic Patten
- Deadline Film + TV
Nat Geo has ordered a trio of new projects.
The network has greenlit Pathological, a true-crime doc about conman Stéphane Bourgoin and Sally, a feature doc about space pioneer Sally Ride, while Anthony Mackie is taking Shark Beach over from Chris Hemsworth.
Pathological: Chasing A True-Crime Con Man follows the rise and fall of bestselling French author and serial killer expert Bourgoin, whose career was built on a foundation of lies. The series takes viewers through the dramatic twists and turns of Bourgoin’s life in front of and behind the camera and tracks his pursuit by a group of true-crime enthusiasts, whose passion for the genre turned them into amateur sleuths and seekers of truth.
Based on the New Yorker’s 2022 piece on Bourgoin from journalist Lauren Collins, the three-part series comes from filmmaker Ben Selkow. It is produced by The New Yorker Studios and The Circus producer Left/Right.
The network has greenlit Pathological, a true-crime doc about conman Stéphane Bourgoin and Sally, a feature doc about space pioneer Sally Ride, while Anthony Mackie is taking Shark Beach over from Chris Hemsworth.
Pathological: Chasing A True-Crime Con Man follows the rise and fall of bestselling French author and serial killer expert Bourgoin, whose career was built on a foundation of lies. The series takes viewers through the dramatic twists and turns of Bourgoin’s life in front of and behind the camera and tracks his pursuit by a group of true-crime enthusiasts, whose passion for the genre turned them into amateur sleuths and seekers of truth.
Based on the New Yorker’s 2022 piece on Bourgoin from journalist Lauren Collins, the three-part series comes from filmmaker Ben Selkow. It is produced by The New Yorker Studios and The Circus producer Left/Right.
- 2/8/2024
- by Peter White
- Deadline Film + TV
Ahead of next week’s semiannual Television Critics Association press tour, Netflix staged its own press event Wednesday — dubbed Next on Netflix — at its Tudum Theater in Hollywood. Content chief Bela Bajaria and her top lieutenants, vp nonfiction Brandon Riegg and vp Latin America Paco Ramos, previewed a slate of new and returning TV series as well as a number of high-profile films for press.
The late-afternoon event, which was restricted to a who’s who of media, was effectively a TCA session that featured a sizzle reel (watch it, below) and a first look at a number of titles including upcoming seasons of Squid Game and Bridgerton, as well as rookies 3 Body Problem, The Gentleman and even Ryan Murphy’s upcoming second season of Monster. Following the hourlong blitz, Bajaria, Riegg and Ramos fielded questions ranging from its freshly inked deal with WWE and the recently removed Vince McMahon (“He’s gone,...
The late-afternoon event, which was restricted to a who’s who of media, was effectively a TCA session that featured a sizzle reel (watch it, below) and a first look at a number of titles including upcoming seasons of Squid Game and Bridgerton, as well as rookies 3 Body Problem, The Gentleman and even Ryan Murphy’s upcoming second season of Monster. Following the hourlong blitz, Bajaria, Riegg and Ramos fielded questions ranging from its freshly inked deal with WWE and the recently removed Vince McMahon (“He’s gone,...
- 2/1/2024
- by Lesley Goldberg
- The Hollywood Reporter - Movie News
From 2010 to 2011, the remains of 11 people were discovered near Gilgo Beach in Long Island’s remote South Shore. The grisly discoveries sent waves of terror and grief through the community, and for more than a decade, the murders went unsolved. Then, in July 2023, there was a break in the case — and for the first time in 13 years, there was a clear suspect of who may have been responsible.
In the untitled three-part documentary series from Story Syndicate and director Liz Garbus, the conclusion to the multi-decade quest for justice unfolds in real time. The series will tell the stories of the victims’ lives via exclusive interviews with their families, and will review how police were finally able to identify Rex Heuermann, a prolific NYC architect living in Nassau County, as a suspect. In July 2023, Heuermann was...
In the untitled three-part documentary series from Story Syndicate and director Liz Garbus, the conclusion to the multi-decade quest for justice unfolds in real time. The series will tell the stories of the victims’ lives via exclusive interviews with their families, and will review how police were finally able to identify Rex Heuermann, a prolific NYC architect living in Nassau County, as a suspect. In July 2023, Heuermann was...
- 1/17/2024
- by Amanda Richards
- Tudum - Netflix
NBA Hall of Famer Dwyane Wade is considered one of the greatest to ever play the game of basketball, winner of three NBA championships and a gold medal at the Olympic Games. For those accomplishments, he and the rare sports figures on his level earn widespread public adulation.
“As athletes, we get tags on us — called heroes. We’re looked at as heroes, by a lot of people in the world,” Wade notes. “And I’m not saying that that’s not right for what we do, but when you talk about real heroes, we’re talking about the Arlos of the world.”
Arlo Washington in ‘The Barber of Little Rock’
The Arlo he’s referring to is Arlo Washington, the man at the center of the Oscar-shortlisted documentary The Barber of Little Rock, directed by John Hoffman and Christine Turner. Washington became a successful barber and later founded a...
“As athletes, we get tags on us — called heroes. We’re looked at as heroes, by a lot of people in the world,” Wade notes. “And I’m not saying that that’s not right for what we do, but when you talk about real heroes, we’re talking about the Arlos of the world.”
Arlo Washington in ‘The Barber of Little Rock’
The Arlo he’s referring to is Arlo Washington, the man at the center of the Oscar-shortlisted documentary The Barber of Little Rock, directed by John Hoffman and Christine Turner. Washington became a successful barber and later founded a...
- 1/15/2024
- by Matthew Carey
- Deadline Film + TV
Human rights activist and business leader Mandana Dayani has signed with CAA.
Dayani created and founded along with CAA I am a voter., a nonpartisan organization looking to boost civic engagement. More recently, she served as president of Archewell, the Los Angeles-based production, audio and philanthropic company founded by Prince Harry and Meghan Markle.
Archewell has credits like the popular podcast Archetypes on Spotify, the Netflix documentary series Harry & Meghan and Prince Harry’s best-selling autobiography Spare. The Harry & Meghan docuseries, directed by Liz Garbus, featured extensive interviews with the Duke and Duchess of Sussex and chronicled the couple’s romance, their experiences within the British royal family and their role on the world stage.
Since launching in 2018, I am a voter. has registered over 500,000 Americans to encourage voter participation, especially among young people. The organization has worked in partnership with the NBA, Disney, Bumble, Starbucks, the NFL, H&m,...
Dayani created and founded along with CAA I am a voter., a nonpartisan organization looking to boost civic engagement. More recently, she served as president of Archewell, the Los Angeles-based production, audio and philanthropic company founded by Prince Harry and Meghan Markle.
Archewell has credits like the popular podcast Archetypes on Spotify, the Netflix documentary series Harry & Meghan and Prince Harry’s best-selling autobiography Spare. The Harry & Meghan docuseries, directed by Liz Garbus, featured extensive interviews with the Duke and Duchess of Sussex and chronicled the couple’s romance, their experiences within the British royal family and their role on the world stage.
Since launching in 2018, I am a voter. has registered over 500,000 Americans to encourage voter participation, especially among young people. The organization has worked in partnership with the NBA, Disney, Bumble, Starbucks, the NFL, H&m,...
- 12/15/2023
- by Etan Vlessing
- The Hollywood Reporter - Movie News
In a clip from the documentary, Little Richard: I Am Everything, we hear the young entertainer singing an early version of what would become his signature tune, “Tutti Frutti.” But surprise! The original lyrics were different than the ones we know today: “Tutti frutti, good booty/Tutti frutti, good booty!”
The song, as Richard wrote it, was about gay sex. In 1955, it would become the rock ‘n’ roll pioneer’s breakthrough hit, catapulting him to mainstream stardom — but only after the words were revised to something much more benign: “Tutti frutti, oh rooty/Tutti frutti, oh rooty!”
The sanitized lyrics symbolize the deep conflict between Little Richard’s public persona and his private life, and how he could hit the stage in all his authentic glory, then do an about-face when the spotlight became too white-hot and too controversial — especially in the deep South, at a time when the definition...
The song, as Richard wrote it, was about gay sex. In 1955, it would become the rock ‘n’ roll pioneer’s breakthrough hit, catapulting him to mainstream stardom — but only after the words were revised to something much more benign: “Tutti frutti, oh rooty/Tutti frutti, oh rooty!”
The sanitized lyrics symbolize the deep conflict between Little Richard’s public persona and his private life, and how he could hit the stage in all his authentic glory, then do an about-face when the spotlight became too white-hot and too controversial — especially in the deep South, at a time when the definition...
- 12/12/2023
- by Denise Quan
- Deadline Film + TV
The Barber of Little Rock — an award-winning documentary short recently nominated for a Critics Choice Documentary Award, screened as part of Doc NYC’s Short List program and counts basketball great Dwyane Wade among its executive producers — has been acquired by the New Yorker Studios for an Oscar run.
The film is now part of the New Yorker Documentary series, which showcases innovative shorts from around the world that offer uncommon perspectives on important issues, and will launch on the magazine’s digital channels in January 2024.
Directed by John Hoffman and Christine Turner, The Barber of Little Rock explores America’s racial wealth gap through the story of Arlo Washington, a barber in Little Rock, Arkansas, whose barber college has created professional opportunities for more than 1,500 licensed barbers. Having experienced the effects of generational poverty and structural racism firsthand, Washington understands his community’s profound mistrust of financial institutions, which...
The film is now part of the New Yorker Documentary series, which showcases innovative shorts from around the world that offer uncommon perspectives on important issues, and will launch on the magazine’s digital channels in January 2024.
Directed by John Hoffman and Christine Turner, The Barber of Little Rock explores America’s racial wealth gap through the story of Arlo Washington, a barber in Little Rock, Arkansas, whose barber college has created professional opportunities for more than 1,500 licensed barbers. Having experienced the effects of generational poverty and structural racism firsthand, Washington understands his community’s profound mistrust of financial institutions, which...
- 11/30/2023
- by Scott Feinberg
- The Hollywood Reporter - Movie News
A new Peacock docuseries about the ex-wife and family of suspected Long Island serial killer Rex Heuermann has unsurprisingly irked authorities and some families of victims potentially tied to the case.
The project was first confirmed earlier this month, and, as The New York Times notes, camera crews have been spotted at the home of Heuermann’s ex, Asa Ellerup, as well as following her to one of Heuermann’s recent court hearings. 50 Cent’s G-Unit Productions is helping to develop the project along with Texas Crew Productions and New York Post Entertainment.
The project was first confirmed earlier this month, and, as The New York Times notes, camera crews have been spotted at the home of Heuermann’s ex, Asa Ellerup, as well as following her to one of Heuermann’s recent court hearings. 50 Cent’s G-Unit Productions is helping to develop the project along with Texas Crew Productions and New York Post Entertainment.
- 11/28/2023
- by Jon Blistein
- Rollingstone.com
Oscar-nominated director Matthew Heineman and late filmmaker Nancy Buirski will be honored at the Hamptons Doc Fest in New York next month.
Heineman, whose latest film, American Symphony, premiered to acclaim at the Telluride Film Festival, will receive the prestigious Pennebaker Career Achievement Award, named for the legendary filmmaker and pioneer of “direct cinema” D.A. Pennebaker. Heineman is expected to be on hand to receive the honor, which has previously gone to Richard Leacock, Susan Lacy, Barbara Kopple, Stanley Nelson Jr., Alex Gibney, Liz Garbus, Sheila Nevins, Frederick Wiseman, Dawn Porter, Sam Pollard, and to Pennebaker and and his wife and filmmaking partner Chris Hegedus.
Jon Batiste in ‘American Symphony’
Hamptons Doc Fest will screen American Symphony, which has been acquired by the Obamas’ production company Higher Ground through the former first couple’s deal with Netflix. The documentary about Grammy-winning musician Jon Batiste and his wife, the musician Suleika Jaouad,...
Heineman, whose latest film, American Symphony, premiered to acclaim at the Telluride Film Festival, will receive the prestigious Pennebaker Career Achievement Award, named for the legendary filmmaker and pioneer of “direct cinema” D.A. Pennebaker. Heineman is expected to be on hand to receive the honor, which has previously gone to Richard Leacock, Susan Lacy, Barbara Kopple, Stanley Nelson Jr., Alex Gibney, Liz Garbus, Sheila Nevins, Frederick Wiseman, Dawn Porter, Sam Pollard, and to Pennebaker and and his wife and filmmaking partner Chris Hegedus.
Jon Batiste in ‘American Symphony’
Hamptons Doc Fest will screen American Symphony, which has been acquired by the Obamas’ production company Higher Ground through the former first couple’s deal with Netflix. The documentary about Grammy-winning musician Jon Batiste and his wife, the musician Suleika Jaouad,...
- 10/21/2023
- by Matthew Carey
- Deadline Film + TV
Story Syndicate, the film and television production company established by Oscar and Emmy-winning filmmakers Liz Garbus and Dan Cogan, have launched a scripted division focusing on television and film projects — and now they’ve inked a first-look scripted TV deal with Tomorrow Studios to go with it.
Nellie Reed of Nina Jacobson and Brad Simpson’s Color Force has been appointed as head of scripted to spearhead the initiative. Tomorrow Studios, led by founder and CEO Marty Adelstein and partner and president Becky Clements, is known for their work on projects like Netflix’s “One Piece” and Apple TV+’s “Physical.”
“Marty and Becky at Tomorrow Studios are brilliant, creative and share our vision for the next steps for Story Syndicate,” Cogan and Garbus said in a statement, obtained by TheWrap. “Our scripted division is focused on elevated, commercial shows that are often grounded in true stories and speak directly to the cultural zeitgeist.
Nellie Reed of Nina Jacobson and Brad Simpson’s Color Force has been appointed as head of scripted to spearhead the initiative. Tomorrow Studios, led by founder and CEO Marty Adelstein and partner and president Becky Clements, is known for their work on projects like Netflix’s “One Piece” and Apple TV+’s “Physical.”
“Marty and Becky at Tomorrow Studios are brilliant, creative and share our vision for the next steps for Story Syndicate,” Cogan and Garbus said in a statement, obtained by TheWrap. “Our scripted division is focused on elevated, commercial shows that are often grounded in true stories and speak directly to the cultural zeitgeist.
- 10/12/2023
- by Umberto Gonzalez
- The Wrap
Liz Garbus and Dan Cogan’s Story Syndicate production company is launching its own scripted film and television division, Variety has learned exclusively.
The new division will be headed up by Nellie Reed, who is joining Story Syndicate from Nina Jacobson and Brad Simpson’s Color Force. In addition, Story Syndicate has signed a first-look deal with Tomorrow Studios for its scripted television projects. Reed will work out of Tomorrow Studios’ Los Angeles offices.
“Dan and Liz are incredible storytellers whose work we have admired for years — what they have accomplished in the non-fiction space is undeniable,” said Tomorrow Studios founder and CEO Marty Adelstein and partner and president Becky Clements. “We are thrilled to be working with them and Nellie to further expand their footprint in scripted TV with the kind of culturally relevant, character-driven storytelling for which they are already known.”
Garbus and Cogan originally founded Story Syndicate in 2019. To date,...
The new division will be headed up by Nellie Reed, who is joining Story Syndicate from Nina Jacobson and Brad Simpson’s Color Force. In addition, Story Syndicate has signed a first-look deal with Tomorrow Studios for its scripted television projects. Reed will work out of Tomorrow Studios’ Los Angeles offices.
“Dan and Liz are incredible storytellers whose work we have admired for years — what they have accomplished in the non-fiction space is undeniable,” said Tomorrow Studios founder and CEO Marty Adelstein and partner and president Becky Clements. “We are thrilled to be working with them and Nellie to further expand their footprint in scripted TV with the kind of culturally relevant, character-driven storytelling for which they are already known.”
Garbus and Cogan originally founded Story Syndicate in 2019. To date,...
- 10/12/2023
- by Joe Otterson
- Variety Film + TV
Exclusive: Leonine Studios’ Gebrueder Beetz Filmproduktion has hired international doc expert Martin Pieper from public network Zdf.
The experienced exec will exit Zdf after 20 years to join the German production house on October 1 as International Producer.
Gebrueder Beetz is known for docs such as Sky’s Juan Carlos – Downfall of the King and Netflix’s first German doc-series Perfect Crime and is considered as one of mainland Europe’s top factual producers.
Pieper, who has a reputation as an expert on the international doc market, led numerous Zdf/Arte’s editorial departments, namely its Culture and Science, Thema and, most recently News/Arte units. During his time at Zdf, he worked with Gebrueder Beetz on Armenian Academy Award entry Aurora’s Sunrise and docs Gaza and The Land of the Enlightened, both of which were nominated for the Grand Jury Prize at the Sundance Film Festival.
Pieper will lead international co-production activities...
The experienced exec will exit Zdf after 20 years to join the German production house on October 1 as International Producer.
Gebrueder Beetz is known for docs such as Sky’s Juan Carlos – Downfall of the King and Netflix’s first German doc-series Perfect Crime and is considered as one of mainland Europe’s top factual producers.
Pieper, who has a reputation as an expert on the international doc market, led numerous Zdf/Arte’s editorial departments, namely its Culture and Science, Thema and, most recently News/Arte units. During his time at Zdf, he worked with Gebrueder Beetz on Armenian Academy Award entry Aurora’s Sunrise and docs Gaza and The Land of the Enlightened, both of which were nominated for the Grand Jury Prize at the Sundance Film Festival.
Pieper will lead international co-production activities...
- 9/26/2023
- by Jesse Whittock
- Deadline Film + TV
Staffers at MTV’s comedy show focused on viral videos, Ridiculousness, have voted to unionize with the Writers Guild of America West.
In a National Labor Relations Board ballot count that occurred Monday in Los Angeles, eight creative consultants voted to join the WGA West, while none voted against, a spokesperson from the Nlrb shared on Tuesday. Two ballots were challenged and won’t be counted “because they aren’t determinative,” said Nlrb director and press secretary Kayla Blado.
The union and the employer now have five days to raise any objections, and if none are brought forth, the Ridiculousness union will be certified and can begin to bargain a first contract.
“Yesterday, my colleagues and I voted in favor of joining the Writers Guild of America West by the widest possible margin, 100%. This result really matters given the scare tactics used by the company in an attempt to disempower us and break our unity,...
In a National Labor Relations Board ballot count that occurred Monday in Los Angeles, eight creative consultants voted to join the WGA West, while none voted against, a spokesperson from the Nlrb shared on Tuesday. Two ballots were challenged and won’t be counted “because they aren’t determinative,” said Nlrb director and press secretary Kayla Blado.
The union and the employer now have five days to raise any objections, and if none are brought forth, the Ridiculousness union will be certified and can begin to bargain a first contract.
“Yesterday, my colleagues and I voted in favor of joining the Writers Guild of America West by the widest possible margin, 100%. This result really matters given the scare tactics used by the company in an attempt to disempower us and break our unity,...
- 9/12/2023
- by Katie Kilkenny
- The Hollywood Reporter - Movie News
It was one of the most tragic hate crimes to rock North America.
On Oct. 12, 1998, a 21-year-old gay college student named Matthew Shepard died in a Colorado hospital five days after being brutally abducted, beaten and tied to a fence in Laramie, Wyoming.
According to People, his convicted murderers, Russell Henderson and Aaron McKinney, have been slammed with two consecutive life terms for his kidnap and murder.
Read More: Emmy Winner Liz Garbus To Direct Netflix Docuseries On Gilgo Beach Serial Killings
On Oct. 9, “The Matthew Shepard Story: An American Hate Crime” on Investigation Discovery (ID) will celebrate his life on the 25th anniversary of one of the United States of America’s most brutal hate crimes.
The docuseries will include exclusive interviews with Shepard’s friends and allies, local journalists and celebs deeply impacted by the murder, including Rosie O’Donnell and Adam Lambert.
Jason Sarlanis, President of Turner Networks,...
On Oct. 12, 1998, a 21-year-old gay college student named Matthew Shepard died in a Colorado hospital five days after being brutally abducted, beaten and tied to a fence in Laramie, Wyoming.
According to People, his convicted murderers, Russell Henderson and Aaron McKinney, have been slammed with two consecutive life terms for his kidnap and murder.
Read More: Emmy Winner Liz Garbus To Direct Netflix Docuseries On Gilgo Beach Serial Killings
On Oct. 9, “The Matthew Shepard Story: An American Hate Crime” on Investigation Discovery (ID) will celebrate his life on the 25th anniversary of one of the United States of America’s most brutal hate crimes.
The docuseries will include exclusive interviews with Shepard’s friends and allies, local journalists and celebs deeply impacted by the murder, including Rosie O’Donnell and Adam Lambert.
Jason Sarlanis, President of Turner Networks,...
- 8/31/2023
- by Emerson Pearson
- ET Canada
Once a cold case is now becoming a Netflix docuseries.
Emmy winner and Oscar nominee Liz Garbus is taking the director’s chair for the three-part Netflix docuseries about the Gilgo Beach on Long Island serial killings committed by Rex Heuermann, for which he was finally arrested in July, according to a press release on Thursday.
Throughout the ’90s and 2000s, 10 to 16 women were killed, with many of their remains discovered on Gilgo Beach.
Read More: ‘Harry & Meghan’ Director Claims Buckingham Palace Tried To ‘Discredit’ Netflix Docuseries
The case was once believed to be permanently unsolved until Heuermann was linked as the murderer and arrested this summer. He has pleaded not guilty following his containment.
Garbus – who has taken the director’s role for projects like 2022’s “Harry & Meghan” – has already released a film loosely surrounding the Gilgo murders, 2020’s “Lost Girls”.
A timeline leading to the arrest...
Emmy winner and Oscar nominee Liz Garbus is taking the director’s chair for the three-part Netflix docuseries about the Gilgo Beach on Long Island serial killings committed by Rex Heuermann, for which he was finally arrested in July, according to a press release on Thursday.
Throughout the ’90s and 2000s, 10 to 16 women were killed, with many of their remains discovered on Gilgo Beach.
Read More: ‘Harry & Meghan’ Director Claims Buckingham Palace Tried To ‘Discredit’ Netflix Docuseries
The case was once believed to be permanently unsolved until Heuermann was linked as the murderer and arrested this summer. He has pleaded not guilty following his containment.
Garbus – who has taken the director’s role for projects like 2022’s “Harry & Meghan” – has already released a film loosely surrounding the Gilgo murders, 2020’s “Lost Girls”.
A timeline leading to the arrest...
- 8/31/2023
- by Emerson Pearson
- ET Canada
The arrest of the Long Island Serial Killer and the slew of still-unsolved murders along the shore of Gilgo Beach will be the focus of an upcoming Netflix docuseries.
Filmmaker Liz Garbus, who directed the 2020 dramatized film Lost Girls about the Gilgo Beach killings, will return to the role of documentarian for the three-part series, which the streaming service announced just six weeks after Rex Heuermann was charged with murder for three of the victims, as well as remains a prime suspect for a fourth.
However, that arrest accounts for...
Filmmaker Liz Garbus, who directed the 2020 dramatized film Lost Girls about the Gilgo Beach killings, will return to the role of documentarian for the three-part series, which the streaming service announced just six weeks after Rex Heuermann was charged with murder for three of the victims, as well as remains a prime suspect for a fourth.
However, that arrest accounts for...
- 8/31/2023
- by Daniel Kreps
- Rollingstone.com
Variety Awards Circuit section is the home for all awards news and related content throughout the year, featuring the following: the official predictions for the upcoming Oscars, Emmys, Grammys and Tony Awards ceremonies, curated by Variety senior awards editor Clayton Davis. The prediction pages reflect the current standings in the race and do not reflect personal preferences for any individual contender. As other formal (and informal) polls suggest, competitions are fluid and subject to change based on buzz and events. Predictions are updated every Thursday.
Visit the prediction pages for the respective ceremonies via the links below:
Oscars | Emmys | Grammys | Tonys
2023 Emmy Predictions:
Outstanding Documentary of Nonfiction (Series) “Harry & Meghan” was directed by Liz Garbus.
Weekly Commentary: A tight race ensues for acclaimed documentaries. Ken Burns’ powerful “The U.S. and the Holocaust” which premiered at Telluride 2022 before hitting television screens, is a favorite in the category.
Read: Variety’s...
Visit the prediction pages for the respective ceremonies via the links below:
Oscars | Emmys | Grammys | Tonys
2023 Emmy Predictions:
Outstanding Documentary of Nonfiction (Series) “Harry & Meghan” was directed by Liz Garbus.
Weekly Commentary: A tight race ensues for acclaimed documentaries. Ken Burns’ powerful “The U.S. and the Holocaust” which premiered at Telluride 2022 before hitting television screens, is a favorite in the category.
Read: Variety’s...
- 8/28/2023
- by Clayton Davis
- Variety Film + TV
Prince Harry gives a rallying cry to war veterans preparing for next month’s Invictus Games competition in the teaser trailer for the Heart of Invictus documentary series, from his and Meghan Markle’s Archewell Productions, for Netflix.
‘It is here at Invictus Games that you realize whatever you carry was the springboard that propelled you to the next level. The Games doesn’t focus on what causes the injury, but really about the recovery and how to be part of a community again,” Harry says of the project from Orlando von Einsiedel and Joanna Natasegara, the Oscar-winning director and producer team behind The White Helmets short film, also for Netflix.
The five-parter, to bow on Aug. 30, looks at the human stories behind the Invictus Games, the international sporting event founded by Harry, who also executive produces the series. The trailer captures the Duke of Sussex encouraging service members who...
‘It is here at Invictus Games that you realize whatever you carry was the springboard that propelled you to the next level. The Games doesn’t focus on what causes the injury, but really about the recovery and how to be part of a community again,” Harry says of the project from Orlando von Einsiedel and Joanna Natasegara, the Oscar-winning director and producer team behind The White Helmets short film, also for Netflix.
The five-parter, to bow on Aug. 30, looks at the human stories behind the Invictus Games, the international sporting event founded by Harry, who also executive produces the series. The trailer captures the Duke of Sussex encouraging service members who...
- 8/16/2023
- by Etan Vlessing
- The Hollywood Reporter - Movie News
Workers at documentary powerhouse Story Syndicate, which has produced projects like Harry and Meghan, I’ll Be Gone in the Dark and the Unknown series, have secured voluntary union recognition from management to bargain for their share of what they called “windfall profits for the largest streaming platforms in the world” on the back of their work.
Roughly 25 to 100 producers and 12 to 30 editorial employees, depending on the number of titles in production, will be represented by the Writers Guild of America East (Wgae) and Motion Picture Editors Guild (Mpeg) respectively, according to the groups. They attributed the successful unionization to a “remarkable example of inter-union solidarity.”
The next step will be to negotiate a contract with Story Syndicate, founded by Oscar and Emmy-winning couple Dan Cogan and Liz Garbus.
“At Story Syndicate, we believe the way we work with our employees is as important as the quality of the work itself,...
Roughly 25 to 100 producers and 12 to 30 editorial employees, depending on the number of titles in production, will be represented by the Writers Guild of America East (Wgae) and Motion Picture Editors Guild (Mpeg) respectively, according to the groups. They attributed the successful unionization to a “remarkable example of inter-union solidarity.”
The next step will be to negotiate a contract with Story Syndicate, founded by Oscar and Emmy-winning couple Dan Cogan and Liz Garbus.
“At Story Syndicate, we believe the way we work with our employees is as important as the quality of the work itself,...
- 8/8/2023
- by Winston Cho
- The Hollywood Reporter - Movie News
The WGA East and the Editors Guild, IATSE Local 700, have won a major victory in their joint effort to unionize producers and editorial employees at Story Syndicate, the Brooklyn-based documentary powerhouse behind such nonfiction features and series as Harry and Meghan and Unknown for Netflix, Fauci for PBS and I’ll Be Gone in the Dark and Last Call for HBO.
The American Arbitration Association independently verified that each guild had the support of a majority of Story Syndicate employees in their respective jurisdictions, and the company founded by Liz Garbus and Dan Cogan in 2019 now has agreed to voluntarily recognize the unions as their collective bargaining representatives.
Historically, most documentary production companies have been nonunion, and their workers have not enjoyed the same workplace benefits and protections as their counterparts in the entertainment industry’s heavily unionized scripted sector. Notable unionized exceptions include documentary companies run by Emmy...
The American Arbitration Association independently verified that each guild had the support of a majority of Story Syndicate employees in their respective jurisdictions, and the company founded by Liz Garbus and Dan Cogan in 2019 now has agreed to voluntarily recognize the unions as their collective bargaining representatives.
Historically, most documentary production companies have been nonunion, and their workers have not enjoyed the same workplace benefits and protections as their counterparts in the entertainment industry’s heavily unionized scripted sector. Notable unionized exceptions include documentary companies run by Emmy...
- 8/8/2023
- by David Robb
- Deadline Film + TV
With the 2023 Truth Seekers Summit presented by Showtime taking place a day after former President Donald Trump was indicted for a third time, this time in an attempt to overturn the 2020 election, MSNBC’s Rachel Maddow set the tone of the event after receiving the Variety and Rolling Stone Truth Seekers Award, “The crisis we have right now in this work that we do is not a crisis about the truth,” she said in a sitdown with Variety’s Co-Editor-In-Chief Ramin Setoodeh. “The truth is the truth; the truth just exists.
- 8/4/2023
- by Sean Malcolm
- Rollingstone.com
Jess Search, the influential documentary producer and co-founder of the U.K. Doc Society, has died at age 54 after a battle with brain cancer. She passed on July 31 after being diagnosed with cancer in June.
Nearly two decades ago, Search co-founded the non-profit Doc Society, which since 2005 has been dedicated to funding documentaries globally. Search’s many credits as a documentary film producer include the Academy Award-nominated “Virunga” about gorilla protection and for which she was nominated for a Primetime Emmy award, the Emmy-nominated LGBTQ advocacy documentary “Welcome to Chechnya,” and many more.
Doc Society leadership — Megha Agrawal Sood, Shanida Scotland, Sandra Whipham, and Maxyne Franklin — shared a note on Tuesday announcing Search’s passing.
“She was surrounded by the love of her life Beadie Finzi, their children Ella and Ben, and friends. As a fierce supporter of independent artists and co-founder of Doc Society, Jess spent the weeks following...
Nearly two decades ago, Search co-founded the non-profit Doc Society, which since 2005 has been dedicated to funding documentaries globally. Search’s many credits as a documentary film producer include the Academy Award-nominated “Virunga” about gorilla protection and for which she was nominated for a Primetime Emmy award, the Emmy-nominated LGBTQ advocacy documentary “Welcome to Chechnya,” and many more.
Doc Society leadership — Megha Agrawal Sood, Shanida Scotland, Sandra Whipham, and Maxyne Franklin — shared a note on Tuesday announcing Search’s passing.
“She was surrounded by the love of her life Beadie Finzi, their children Ella and Ben, and friends. As a fierce supporter of independent artists and co-founder of Doc Society, Jess spent the weeks following...
- 8/2/2023
- by Ryan Lattanzio
- Indiewire
Last Wednesday, Rolling Stone and Variety made more news regarding their upcoming Truth Seekers Summit, presented by Showtime on August 2nd. The two brands announced a digital content hub for attendees, featuring the kind of reporting that’s at the heart of the event’s celebration of hard-nosed journalism and documentary and investigative storytelling. Seeking to dig “underneath the surface to reveal what’s hidden, what happened and what might come next,” the content hub will showcase stories on documentaries of all genres by both Rolling Stone and Variety.
One...
One...
- 7/26/2023
- by Sean Malcolm
- Rollingstone.com
When director Anthony Caronna was pitched with making a series out of Elon Green’s 2021 book “Last Call,” about a string of queer-targeted murders in 1990’s Manhattan, he had some reservations.
“I loved the book,” said Caronna. “But I passed on the project because I wasn’t interested at that time in doing true crime. My biggest concern was re-victimizing the community and possibly working against the community in a way.”
True crime media is a true mixed bag. Each documentary, docuseries or podcast sits somewhere on a spectrum of educational and entertaining; while the latter might sound like a jarring way to describe the storytelling of real-life criminals and real-life victims, it’s not incorrect to say that some audiences find sensationalized crime stories enticing.
So, before Caronna ended up taking on the pitch and directing HBO’s four-part docuseries “Last Call: When a Serial Killer Stalked Queer New York,...
“I loved the book,” said Caronna. “But I passed on the project because I wasn’t interested at that time in doing true crime. My biggest concern was re-victimizing the community and possibly working against the community in a way.”
True crime media is a true mixed bag. Each documentary, docuseries or podcast sits somewhere on a spectrum of educational and entertaining; while the latter might sound like a jarring way to describe the storytelling of real-life criminals and real-life victims, it’s not incorrect to say that some audiences find sensationalized crime stories enticing.
So, before Caronna ended up taking on the pitch and directing HBO’s four-part docuseries “Last Call: When a Serial Killer Stalked Queer New York,...
- 7/17/2023
- by Sophia Scorziello
- Variety Film + TV
Kohn’s Corner is a weekly column about the challenges and opportunities of sustaining American film culture.
With a fiery speech from SAG-AFTRA president Fran Drescher this week, Hollywood went into shutdown mode. Documentary filmmakers are a different story. Since no specific union represents their needs, many documentarians don’t have the option to strike, even as they suffer from many of the same issues raised by the unions in their demands.
Yet documentaries haven’t benefited from the production slowdown, either. While there has been speculation since the start of the WGA strike that studios would invest more in unscripted series or nonfiction features to fill their slates, documentarians I contacted this week told me they had yet to experience higher demand.
“We have not seen the kind of uptick people expected,” said Dan Cogan, who runs documentary powerhouse Story Syndicate with his wife Liz Garbus. The pair’s recent successes,...
With a fiery speech from SAG-AFTRA president Fran Drescher this week, Hollywood went into shutdown mode. Documentary filmmakers are a different story. Since no specific union represents their needs, many documentarians don’t have the option to strike, even as they suffer from many of the same issues raised by the unions in their demands.
Yet documentaries haven’t benefited from the production slowdown, either. While there has been speculation since the start of the WGA strike that studios would invest more in unscripted series or nonfiction features to fill their slates, documentarians I contacted this week told me they had yet to experience higher demand.
“We have not seen the kind of uptick people expected,” said Dan Cogan, who runs documentary powerhouse Story Syndicate with his wife Liz Garbus. The pair’s recent successes,...
- 7/15/2023
- by Eric Kohn
- Indiewire
Updated Throughout: Law enforcement officials and investigators used cell phone data, DNA evidence and computer search histories to zero in on the suspect in the Long Island serial killer case, explained Ray Tierney, Suffolk County, New York, District Attorney, in a press briefing this afternoon.
Among other bits of evidence presented to a grand jury since the formation of an investigative task force last year were hairs found on the bodies of at least three victims, hairs that provided DNA that matched DNA found on a pizza crust discarded by suspect Rex Heuermann.
Tierney also said that Heuermann had been linked to various “burner” cell phones – a different phone allegedly used to contact each victim and then discarded after the murder – and that cell phone tower data linked locations frequented by Heuermann – his Massapequa Park home, his Midtown Manhattan office – to calls made to the victims.
The victims were sex...
Among other bits of evidence presented to a grand jury since the formation of an investigative task force last year were hairs found on the bodies of at least three victims, hairs that provided DNA that matched DNA found on a pizza crust discarded by suspect Rex Heuermann.
Tierney also said that Heuermann had been linked to various “burner” cell phones – a different phone allegedly used to contact each victim and then discarded after the murder – and that cell phone tower data linked locations frequented by Heuermann – his Massapequa Park home, his Midtown Manhattan office – to calls made to the victims.
The victims were sex...
- 7/14/2023
- by Greg Evans
- Deadline Film + TV
The trailer for Netflix’s Unknown: Cave of Bones opens with the news that 1,500 bones have been discovered in a South African cave. Most importantly, the bones aren’t human.
Cave of Bones is part of a four-part documentary series premiering on the streaming service in July 2023. The four episodes will be released once a week over a four-week period. Part one, The Lost Pyramid, premiered on July 3rd, followed by Killer Robots on July 10th. Cave of Bones streams on July 17th, and the docuseries finishes up with Cosmic Time Machine on July 24th.
Netflix offered this description of the Cave of Bones episode:
“In South Africa’s Cradle of Humankind, Paleoanthropologist Lee Berger has found the world’s oldest graveyard – and it’s not human. If Lee and his team can prove that this ancient, small-brained, ape-like creature practiced complex burial rituals – it will change everything we know...
Cave of Bones is part of a four-part documentary series premiering on the streaming service in July 2023. The four episodes will be released once a week over a four-week period. Part one, The Lost Pyramid, premiered on July 3rd, followed by Killer Robots on July 10th. Cave of Bones streams on July 17th, and the docuseries finishes up with Cosmic Time Machine on July 24th.
Netflix offered this description of the Cave of Bones episode:
“In South Africa’s Cradle of Humankind, Paleoanthropologist Lee Berger has found the world’s oldest graveyard – and it’s not human. If Lee and his team can prove that this ancient, small-brained, ape-like creature practiced complex burial rituals – it will change everything we know...
- 7/12/2023
- by Rebecca Murray
- Showbiz Junkies
Netflix’s megahit documentary series on Prince Harry and Meghan Markle failed to earn any Emmy nominations this morning, a snub that presumably will delight critics of the Duke and Duchess of Sussex.
The six-part series Harry & Meghan directed by Liz Garbus was under consideration for Outstanding Documentary or Nonfiction Series. The Emmy oversight is particularly glaring because the series scored extraordinary numbers for Netflix, racking up the second most viewing minutes of any documentary program on the streaming platform, behind only The Tinder Swindler.
Related: Emmy Winners For Best Drama Since 1960: A Photo Gallery
As a consolation, Harry & Meghan did earn an honor on Tuesday when it was nominated for the Hollywood Critics Association Awards in the category of Best Streaming Nonfiction Series.
Prince Harry and Meghan Markle
The series dropped on Netflix last December, immediately triggering an uproar in the UK because of Prince Harry’s...
The six-part series Harry & Meghan directed by Liz Garbus was under consideration for Outstanding Documentary or Nonfiction Series. The Emmy oversight is particularly glaring because the series scored extraordinary numbers for Netflix, racking up the second most viewing minutes of any documentary program on the streaming platform, behind only The Tinder Swindler.
Related: Emmy Winners For Best Drama Since 1960: A Photo Gallery
As a consolation, Harry & Meghan did earn an honor on Tuesday when it was nominated for the Hollywood Critics Association Awards in the category of Best Streaming Nonfiction Series.
Prince Harry and Meghan Markle
The series dropped on Netflix last December, immediately triggering an uproar in the UK because of Prince Harry’s...
- 7/12/2023
- by Matthew Carey
- Deadline Film + TV
A potential actors strike may be looming, but the 75th Primetime Emmys looks full-steam ahead, for now.
Announcing the nominations today at the historic Hollywood Athletic Club, Yvette Nicole Brown and TV Academy boss Frank Scherma read out some familiar and once again strongly tipped names including Succession, The Bear, Abbott Elementary, Ted Lasso and The White Lotus. However, it was the names and shows the past Emmy nominee and the RadicalMedia co-founder did not utter that left some hopefuls with a bad taste in their mouths this morning.
Noting that they hoped the “ongoing guild negotiations can come to equitable and swift end,” the duo did not mention the work of a Dame of the realm, a real prince, a big-screen legend or, yet again, Yellowstone.
Related: Emmy Winners For Best Drama Since 1960: A Photo Gallery
Hard to tell how there will be an Emmys if SAG-AFTRA join...
Announcing the nominations today at the historic Hollywood Athletic Club, Yvette Nicole Brown and TV Academy boss Frank Scherma read out some familiar and once again strongly tipped names including Succession, The Bear, Abbott Elementary, Ted Lasso and The White Lotus. However, it was the names and shows the past Emmy nominee and the RadicalMedia co-founder did not utter that left some hopefuls with a bad taste in their mouths this morning.
Noting that they hoped the “ongoing guild negotiations can come to equitable and swift end,” the duo did not mention the work of a Dame of the realm, a real prince, a big-screen legend or, yet again, Yellowstone.
Related: Emmy Winners For Best Drama Since 1960: A Photo Gallery
Hard to tell how there will be an Emmys if SAG-AFTRA join...
- 7/12/2023
- by Dominic Patten
- Deadline Film + TV
Exclusive: Mala Chapple has been elevated to President of Story Syndicate, the decorated production company of Liz Garbus and Dan Cogan, having made a significant mark there since joining as Chief Operating Officer in 2021.
In her previous role, Chapple oversaw production, business affairs and financial operations for the company. She also served as an executive producer of Harry & Meghan — the series on the royals that last year notched Netflix’s biggest-ever doc debut, with over 81.55M hours viewed globally in its first week of release — as well as the Netflix adventure-exploration series Unknown.
Going forward, Chapple will continue to steer the organization through ever-shifting market conditions, in concert with Garbus and Cogan. As she increases the scope of her responsibilities, Head of Documentary and Nonfiction Jon Bardin will assume additional oversight as far as day-to-day project management.
“As a creative company, how do you thrive in an evolving marketplace while remaining devoted to unique,...
In her previous role, Chapple oversaw production, business affairs and financial operations for the company. She also served as an executive producer of Harry & Meghan — the series on the royals that last year notched Netflix’s biggest-ever doc debut, with over 81.55M hours viewed globally in its first week of release — as well as the Netflix adventure-exploration series Unknown.
Going forward, Chapple will continue to steer the organization through ever-shifting market conditions, in concert with Garbus and Cogan. As she increases the scope of her responsibilities, Head of Documentary and Nonfiction Jon Bardin will assume additional oversight as far as day-to-day project management.
“As a creative company, how do you thrive in an evolving marketplace while remaining devoted to unique,...
- 7/11/2023
- by Matt Grobar
- Deadline Film + TV
The most recent edition of The Hollywood Reporter’s award-winning Roundtable series features top talent working in television today.
The discussions included such talent and Emmy contenders as Pedro Pascal and Kieran Culkin (Drama Actor Roundtable), Jennifer Coolidge and Dominique Fishback (Drama Actress), Tyler James Williams and Steven Yeun (Comedy Actor), Jenna Ortega and Elle Fanning (Comedy Actress), Lisa Vanderpump and Keke Palmer (Reality), Mark Mylod and Karyn Kusama (Director) and Tony Gilroy and Sharon Horgan (Showrunner).
Ahead of Wednesday’s Emmy nominations announcement, watch candid conversations with the aforementioned stars and more about everything from fighting stereotypes and myth of leaving your demons on set to awkward moments that made it to air and the problem of a public life.
***
Comedy Actor Roundtable
Steven Yeun, John Mulaney, Jason Segel, Tyler James Williams and Mo Amer on when to embrace the anxiety hives, buy the BMW and push through that...
The discussions included such talent and Emmy contenders as Pedro Pascal and Kieran Culkin (Drama Actor Roundtable), Jennifer Coolidge and Dominique Fishback (Drama Actress), Tyler James Williams and Steven Yeun (Comedy Actor), Jenna Ortega and Elle Fanning (Comedy Actress), Lisa Vanderpump and Keke Palmer (Reality), Mark Mylod and Karyn Kusama (Director) and Tony Gilroy and Sharon Horgan (Showrunner).
Ahead of Wednesday’s Emmy nominations announcement, watch candid conversations with the aforementioned stars and more about everything from fighting stereotypes and myth of leaving your demons on set to awkward moments that made it to air and the problem of a public life.
***
Comedy Actor Roundtable
Steven Yeun, John Mulaney, Jason Segel, Tyler James Williams and Mo Amer on when to embrace the anxiety hives, buy the BMW and push through that...
- 7/10/2023
- by Lacey Rose and Mikey O'Connell
- The Hollywood Reporter - Movie News
Last Call: When A Serial Killer Stalked Queer New York is set to arrive on Sunday, and HBO has now released new details about the docuseries. The episodes will focus on the true story of a serial murderer infiltrating queer nightlife to find his victims during the early 1990s and the AIDS crisis.
Charlize Theron, Liz Garbus, Dan Cogan, Jon Bardin, and Kate Barry are executive producing the four-part series, which will use archival footage and first-time interviews with activists, investigators, and family members to paint a picture of what happened.
Read More…...
Charlize Theron, Liz Garbus, Dan Cogan, Jon Bardin, and Kate Barry are executive producing the four-part series, which will use archival footage and first-time interviews with activists, investigators, and family members to paint a picture of what happened.
Read More…...
- 7/3/2023
- by TVSeriesFinale.com
- TVSeriesFinale.com
HBO unveiled a trailer for “Last Call: When a Serial Killer Stalked Queer New York,” which will premiere on HBO and stream on Max Sunday, July 9.
The four-part investigative crime docuseries, which is based on Elon Green’s award-winning investigative book “Last Call: A True Story of Love, Lust, and Murder in Queer New York,” centers on a serial killer who preyed upon gay men in New York City in the early 1990s, infiltrating queer nightlife to find his victims.
Also Read:
Warner Bros. Discovery in Talks to License HBO Content to Netflix
The show dives into the prejudices and attitudes of the times and the efforts by activists, including the NYC Anti-Violence Project, to force law enforcement to recognize and protect the queer community.
“Last Call: When a Serial Killer Stalked Queer New York” is executive produced by two-time Academy Award nominee Howard Gertler (HBO’s “All the Beauty and the Bloodshed...
The four-part investigative crime docuseries, which is based on Elon Green’s award-winning investigative book “Last Call: A True Story of Love, Lust, and Murder in Queer New York,” centers on a serial killer who preyed upon gay men in New York City in the early 1990s, infiltrating queer nightlife to find his victims.
Also Read:
Warner Bros. Discovery in Talks to License HBO Content to Netflix
The show dives into the prejudices and attitudes of the times and the efforts by activists, including the NYC Anti-Violence Project, to force law enforcement to recognize and protect the queer community.
“Last Call: When a Serial Killer Stalked Queer New York” is executive produced by two-time Academy Award nominee Howard Gertler (HBO’s “All the Beauty and the Bloodshed...
- 6/28/2023
- by Lucas Manfredi
- The Wrap
The systemic erasure of queer killings is investigated in the HBO docuseries “Last Call: When a Serial Killer Stalked Queer New York.”
Directed by Anthony Caronna, the four-part series unpacks the homophobic lack of police effort to find Richard Rogers, a serial killer targeting gay men in the early 1990s New York City nightlife scene. The documentary is based on Elon Green’s book “Last Call: A True Story of Love, Lust, and Murder in Queer New York.”
Per the official synopsis, in the early 1990s, with homophobia and hate crimes on the rise as the AIDS crisis worsened, a serial killer preyed upon gay men in New York City, infiltrating queer nightlife to find his victims. “Last Call” dives deeply into the prejudices and attitudes of the times, when deep-rooted biases in the criminal justice system and the media’s distorted public perception of the victims undermined the investigation...
Directed by Anthony Caronna, the four-part series unpacks the homophobic lack of police effort to find Richard Rogers, a serial killer targeting gay men in the early 1990s New York City nightlife scene. The documentary is based on Elon Green’s book “Last Call: A True Story of Love, Lust, and Murder in Queer New York.”
Per the official synopsis, in the early 1990s, with homophobia and hate crimes on the rise as the AIDS crisis worsened, a serial killer preyed upon gay men in New York City, infiltrating queer nightlife to find his victims. “Last Call” dives deeply into the prejudices and attitudes of the times, when deep-rooted biases in the criminal justice system and the media’s distorted public perception of the victims undermined the investigation...
- 6/28/2023
- by Samantha Bergeson
- Indiewire
On Wednesday, Rolling Stone and Variety announced more names and special programming that will appear at the two brands’ annual Truth Seekers Summit, presented by Showtime. Serving as welcomed additions to the August 2nd event, these developments will further bolster an already stacked lineup that will feature keynote and panel discussions led by journalists, documentary filmmakers and cultural trendsetters, whose sole purpose is to spread the gospel of authenticity while bringing truth to light in the stories they tell.
Hollywood and Crime’s host and co-producer, Tracy Pattin, will be...
Hollywood and Crime’s host and co-producer, Tracy Pattin, will be...
- 6/23/2023
- by Sean Malcolm
- Rollingstone.com
HBO’s Last Call: When a Serial Killer Stalked Queer New York delves into the brutal murderer who targeted gay men in the 1990s. The four-part documentary series was directed by Pride‘s Anthony Caronna and features interviews with activists, investigators, and family members who were involved in the search for the serial killer.
The docuseries is based on Elon Green’s bestseller and is executive produced by Howard Gertler, Charlize Theron, Liz Garbus, Dan Cogan, Jon Bardin, and Kate Barry.
HBO released the following description of the docuseries:
“In the early 1990s, with homophobia and hate crimes on the rise as the AIDS crisis worsens, a serial killer preys upon gay men in New York City, infiltrating queer nightlife to find his victims. A gripping, investigative crime story, Last Call: When a Serial Killer Stalked Queer New York also dives deeply into the prejudices and attitudes of the times,...
The docuseries is based on Elon Green’s bestseller and is executive produced by Howard Gertler, Charlize Theron, Liz Garbus, Dan Cogan, Jon Bardin, and Kate Barry.
HBO released the following description of the docuseries:
“In the early 1990s, with homophobia and hate crimes on the rise as the AIDS crisis worsens, a serial killer preys upon gay men in New York City, infiltrating queer nightlife to find his victims. A gripping, investigative crime story, Last Call: When a Serial Killer Stalked Queer New York also dives deeply into the prejudices and attitudes of the times,...
- 6/21/2023
- by Rebecca Murray
- Showbiz Junkies
Showtime’s “Yellowjackets” has officially submitted 18 actors for Emmys consideration, and as part of the show’s campaign, the network has released several FYC posters for each character.
Melanie Lynskey, who earned a nomination last year for playing Shauna, will be joined by Tawny Cypress (Taissa), Juliette Lewis (Natalie) and Sophie Nélisse, who plays the teen version of Shauna, in outstanding lead actress.
Christina Ricci (Misty), Samantha Hanratty (Teen Misty), Courtney Eaton (Teen Lottie), Jasmin Savoy Brown (Teen Taissa), Lauren Ambrose (Adult Van), Sophie Thatcher (Teen Nat) and Simone Kessell (Adult Lottie) are among those vying for outstanding supporting actress. Both Eaton and Kessell are among the Aapi contenders. Should Kessell be recognized for her portrayal of Adult Lottie, she would be the first Pacific Islander to receive a nod in that category. Meanwhile, Kevin Alves (Teen Travis), Steven Krueger (Coach Ben), Elijah Wood (Walter) and Warren Kole (Jeff) will...
Melanie Lynskey, who earned a nomination last year for playing Shauna, will be joined by Tawny Cypress (Taissa), Juliette Lewis (Natalie) and Sophie Nélisse, who plays the teen version of Shauna, in outstanding lead actress.
Christina Ricci (Misty), Samantha Hanratty (Teen Misty), Courtney Eaton (Teen Lottie), Jasmin Savoy Brown (Teen Taissa), Lauren Ambrose (Adult Van), Sophie Thatcher (Teen Nat) and Simone Kessell (Adult Lottie) are among those vying for outstanding supporting actress. Both Eaton and Kessell are among the Aapi contenders. Should Kessell be recognized for her portrayal of Adult Lottie, she would be the first Pacific Islander to receive a nod in that category. Meanwhile, Kevin Alves (Teen Travis), Steven Krueger (Coach Ben), Elijah Wood (Walter) and Warren Kole (Jeff) will...
- 6/20/2023
- by Jazz Tangcay
- Variety Film + TV
There are medical nightmares, and there are legal nightmares. The story at the heart of Take Care of Maya encompasses both. The new Netflix documentary, premiering June 19, presents a damning account of how a sort of hospital-run child abuse/Cps mill allegedly destroyed one family in slow motion, keeping a sick girl from her parents until one of her parents could no longer take it. Like most documentaries, this one will play differently if you haven’t been following the real-life story, so continue reading with caution if you value the element of surprise.
- 6/19/2023
- by Chris Vognar
- Rollingstone.com
Netflix’s six-part docu-series “Harry & Meghan” puts the Duke and Duchess of Sussex at the center of their story.
The limited series details the couple’s relationship, from their first impressions of one another to the growth of their family. However, throughout the six hours, composer Gil Talmi revealed to Variety, he composed over four hours (approximately 260 minutes) of music to embrace the regal and historical elements of the Duke’s past and current challenges.
“Naturally, the subject of the royalty and the monarchy lends itself to the classical background, with a lot of neoclassical piano, strings and orchestra.” The composer detailed how he combined the Duke’s past and present through the incorporation of darker electronics and modular and analog synths, all in an effort “to help convey the challenges and darker undercurrents that [Harry and Meghan] have been facing.”
Talmi’s research extended further than the subjects themselves, the composer...
The limited series details the couple’s relationship, from their first impressions of one another to the growth of their family. However, throughout the six hours, composer Gil Talmi revealed to Variety, he composed over four hours (approximately 260 minutes) of music to embrace the regal and historical elements of the Duke’s past and current challenges.
“Naturally, the subject of the royalty and the monarchy lends itself to the classical background, with a lot of neoclassical piano, strings and orchestra.” The composer detailed how he combined the Duke’s past and present through the incorporation of darker electronics and modular and analog synths, all in an effort “to help convey the challenges and darker undercurrents that [Harry and Meghan] have been facing.”
Talmi’s research extended further than the subjects themselves, the composer...
- 6/16/2023
- by Charna Flam
- Variety Film + TV
Last year’s breakout hit “Yellowjackets” swarmed awards season with seven Emmy nominations including Best Drama Series in 2022. The Showtime drama is looking to outperform those numbers this year by submitting 18 actors for consideration from its Season 2 cast. The Emmy ballots were officially unveiled on the Television Academy’s website on June 15, the same day nominations-round voting began (it will conclude on June 26 at 10:00 p.m.).
Most notable is Melanie Lynskey, who earned a Best Actress bid for playing Shauna Sadecki last year and currently ranks second in our odds to win the prize this time around. Cast mates joining her in the Best Drama Actress field are Tawny Cypress (Taissa Turner), Juliette Lewis (Natalie Scatorccio) and the teen version of Shauna, Sophie Nélisse.
See Liz Garbus (‘Yellowjackets’ director) on ‘tremendous challenge’ of filming Shauna’s childbirth in ‘Qui’ [Exclusive Video Interview]
Christina Ricci looks to repeat her nomination from last year as well.
Most notable is Melanie Lynskey, who earned a Best Actress bid for playing Shauna Sadecki last year and currently ranks second in our odds to win the prize this time around. Cast mates joining her in the Best Drama Actress field are Tawny Cypress (Taissa Turner), Juliette Lewis (Natalie Scatorccio) and the teen version of Shauna, Sophie Nélisse.
See Liz Garbus (‘Yellowjackets’ director) on ‘tremendous challenge’ of filming Shauna’s childbirth in ‘Qui’ [Exclusive Video Interview]
Christina Ricci looks to repeat her nomination from last year as well.
- 6/15/2023
- by Denton Davidson
- Gold Derby
100 Foot Wave (HBO/Max) 100 Foot Wave
Chris Smith’s show about big-wave surfing is back in contention for its second season, just a year after its first was nominated in this category and won for cinematography. Surfer extraordinaire Garrett McNamara returns with other surfers and their stories, too.
Dear Mama (FX/Hulu) Dear Mama
Allen Hughes, a nominee in this category in 2018 for The Defiant Ones, profiles Tupac Shakur and his activist mom. (jeen-yuhs, which explored Kanye West’s relationship with his mom, was nominated for this award last year.) It attracted the most viewers ever for an FX unscripted show.
Prehistoric Planet (Apple TV+) Prehistoric Planet
Season one of this David Attenborough-narrated study of dinosaurs was snubbed (its VFX is cutting-edge, but some doc purists object to re-creations). However, voters have a track record of embracing nature/animal-related docs in this category.
The 1619 Project (Hulu...
Chris Smith’s show about big-wave surfing is back in contention for its second season, just a year after its first was nominated in this category and won for cinematography. Surfer extraordinaire Garrett McNamara returns with other surfers and their stories, too.
Dear Mama (FX/Hulu) Dear Mama
Allen Hughes, a nominee in this category in 2018 for The Defiant Ones, profiles Tupac Shakur and his activist mom. (jeen-yuhs, which explored Kanye West’s relationship with his mom, was nominated for this award last year.) It attracted the most viewers ever for an FX unscripted show.
Prehistoric Planet (Apple TV+) Prehistoric Planet
Season one of this David Attenborough-narrated study of dinosaurs was snubbed (its VFX is cutting-edge, but some doc purists object to re-creations). However, voters have a track record of embracing nature/animal-related docs in this category.
The 1619 Project (Hulu...
- 6/13/2023
- by Scott Feinberg
- The Hollywood Reporter - Movie News
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