John Travolta, Uma Thurman, Samuel L. Jackson and Harvey Keitel reunited at the TCM Classic Film festival on Thursday for a 30th anniversary screening of Quentin Tarantino’s “Pulp Fiction” to reflect on the film’s impact on their careers — and upon the medium itself.
“It changed cinema, so it’s almost hard to have it sink in,” observed Uma Thurman, who joined Samuel L. Jackson, John Travolta and Harvey Keitel for a Q&a about Tarantino’s benchmark film with Turner Classic Movies host Ben Mankiewicz. “I feel like I’ve had an evolving and beautifully growing relationship with ‘Pulp Fiction’ all of my life. It changed cinema, and it changed every filmmaker I met since.”
Though she and her three costars were the only members asked to speak before the screening, several other members of the cast and crew joined them in the auditorium of the Tcl Chinese Theatre,...
“It changed cinema, so it’s almost hard to have it sink in,” observed Uma Thurman, who joined Samuel L. Jackson, John Travolta and Harvey Keitel for a Q&a about Tarantino’s benchmark film with Turner Classic Movies host Ben Mankiewicz. “I feel like I’ve had an evolving and beautifully growing relationship with ‘Pulp Fiction’ all of my life. It changed cinema, and it changed every filmmaker I met since.”
Though she and her three costars were the only members asked to speak before the screening, several other members of the cast and crew joined them in the auditorium of the Tcl Chinese Theatre,...
- 4/19/2024
- by Todd Gilchrist
- Variety Film + TV
Opening night of the TCM Classic Film Festival next week will also serve as a Pulp Fiction reunion.
Uma Thurman, Samuel L. Jackson, Rosanna Arquette and Harvey Keitel are among those joining John Travolta on April 18 for the 30th anniversary, 35mm screening of Quentin Tarantino’s Pulp Fiction (1994) at the Tcl Chinese Theatre in Hollywood.
Fellow actors Eric Stoltz, Julia Sweeney, Frank Whaley, Phil Lamarr and Burr Steers, producer Lawrence Bender and executive producers Michael Shamberg and Stacey Sher are expected to be there as well.
As previously announced, actor Billy Dee Williams and makeup artist Lois Burwell will be honored at the 15th annual festival; author Jeanine Basinger will receive the Robert Osborne Award; and Jodie Foster will partake in a hand- and footprint ceremony.
The festival, with the theme “Most Wanted: Crime and Justice in Film,” runs through April 21 at venues including the rejuvenated Egyptian Theatre.
Among those...
Uma Thurman, Samuel L. Jackson, Rosanna Arquette and Harvey Keitel are among those joining John Travolta on April 18 for the 30th anniversary, 35mm screening of Quentin Tarantino’s Pulp Fiction (1994) at the Tcl Chinese Theatre in Hollywood.
Fellow actors Eric Stoltz, Julia Sweeney, Frank Whaley, Phil Lamarr and Burr Steers, producer Lawrence Bender and executive producers Michael Shamberg and Stacey Sher are expected to be there as well.
As previously announced, actor Billy Dee Williams and makeup artist Lois Burwell will be honored at the 15th annual festival; author Jeanine Basinger will receive the Robert Osborne Award; and Jodie Foster will partake in a hand- and footprint ceremony.
The festival, with the theme “Most Wanted: Crime and Justice in Film,” runs through April 21 at venues including the rejuvenated Egyptian Theatre.
Among those...
- 4/8/2024
- by Mike Barnes
- The Hollywood Reporter - Movie News
Chris McCarthy continues to slim down Showtime’s content pipeline.
The premium cable network has passed on four projects: the reboot of Gattaca that would have brought Homeland duo Howard Gordon and Alex Gansa back to the Paramount Global outlet as well as Seasoned, the comedy inspired by the lives of married couple Mandy Patinkin and Kathryn Grody that had previously had a series order. Also getting the pass are two projects that had been in development — Split and Sweetness.
Sony Pictures Television, which produces Gattaca and Sweetness, plans to shop both projects.
Showtime declined to comment.
The passes come after Chris McCarthy added oversight of Showtime to his purview last year, giving him control of nearly all of Paramount Global’s linear networks including MTV, Comedy Central and Paramount Network, among others. This week, Showtime programming was folded into Paramount+ in a bid to provide the streamer with the...
The premium cable network has passed on four projects: the reboot of Gattaca that would have brought Homeland duo Howard Gordon and Alex Gansa back to the Paramount Global outlet as well as Seasoned, the comedy inspired by the lives of married couple Mandy Patinkin and Kathryn Grody that had previously had a series order. Also getting the pass are two projects that had been in development — Split and Sweetness.
Sony Pictures Television, which produces Gattaca and Sweetness, plans to shop both projects.
Showtime declined to comment.
The passes come after Chris McCarthy added oversight of Showtime to his purview last year, giving him control of nearly all of Paramount Global’s linear networks including MTV, Comedy Central and Paramount Network, among others. This week, Showtime programming was folded into Paramount+ in a bid to provide the streamer with the...
- 6/29/2023
- by Lesley Goldberg
- The Hollywood Reporter - Movie News
Homeland duo Howard Gordon and Alex Gansa may be heading back to Showtime.
The Sony Pictures TV-based duo is teaming with Craig Borten (Dallas Buyers Club) to develop an adaptation of the 1997 dystopian movie Gattaca for the premium cable network. Sources say the project is being eyed with a sizable commitment at the Paramount Global-backed cabler and marks the first new project to be developed since Chris McCarthy added oversight of Showtime to his purview.
Reps for Showtime and Sony TV declined to comment, as deals have yet to close.
The movie starred Ethan Hawke and Uma Thurman and was set in a not-too-distant future where eugenics is common and genetic discrimination is illegal. Andrew Niccol wrote and directed the movie, which was produced by Sony’s Columbia Pictures. Danny DeVito, Michael Shamberg, Stacey Sher and Gail Lyon produced the pic.
Since McCarthy added Showtime to his purview, the...
The Sony Pictures TV-based duo is teaming with Craig Borten (Dallas Buyers Club) to develop an adaptation of the 1997 dystopian movie Gattaca for the premium cable network. Sources say the project is being eyed with a sizable commitment at the Paramount Global-backed cabler and marks the first new project to be developed since Chris McCarthy added oversight of Showtime to his purview.
Reps for Showtime and Sony TV declined to comment, as deals have yet to close.
The movie starred Ethan Hawke and Uma Thurman and was set in a not-too-distant future where eugenics is common and genetic discrimination is illegal. Andrew Niccol wrote and directed the movie, which was produced by Sony’s Columbia Pictures. Danny DeVito, Michael Shamberg, Stacey Sher and Gail Lyon produced the pic.
Since McCarthy added Showtime to his purview, the...
- 3/15/2023
- by Lesley Goldberg
- The Hollywood Reporter - Movie News
Martin Scorsee and Leonardo DiCaprio’s adaptation of “The Devil in the White City,” based on Erik Larson’s 2003 book about the notorious real-life 19th-century serial killer, is no longer moving forward at Hulu, multiple sources reported on Monday.
It’s the latest no-go for the project in a nearly 20-year attempt to bring it to the screen. The most recent version had Keanu Reeves set to star as visionary architect Daniel H. Burnham, but once “Tár” director Todd Field exited in October, so did Reeves.
No casting was announced for the title role of Dr. H. H. Holmes, who is considered America’s first modern serial killer. He slaughtered guests who were attending the 1893 Chicago World’s Fair in his diabolical “Murder Castle.” The horrific true story inspired a 2006 episode of “Supernatural.”
Also Read:
Keanu Reeves Exits Hulu’s ‘Devil in the White City’
DiCaprio acquired the rights in...
It’s the latest no-go for the project in a nearly 20-year attempt to bring it to the screen. The most recent version had Keanu Reeves set to star as visionary architect Daniel H. Burnham, but once “Tár” director Todd Field exited in October, so did Reeves.
No casting was announced for the title role of Dr. H. H. Holmes, who is considered America’s first modern serial killer. He slaughtered guests who were attending the 1893 Chicago World’s Fair in his diabolical “Murder Castle.” The horrific true story inspired a 2006 episode of “Supernatural.”
Also Read:
Keanu Reeves Exits Hulu’s ‘Devil in the White City’
DiCaprio acquired the rights in...
- 3/7/2023
- by Sharon Knolle
- The Wrap
The series adaptation of “The Devil in the White City” is no longer moving forward at Hulu, Variety has learned.
The series had originally been ordered to series at the streamer in August 2022 after originally being put into development there in 2019. At the time it was ordered, Keanu Reeves was attached to star in one of the lead roles with Todd Field onboard to direct.
However, Variety exclusively reported that Field had dropped out of the show in October, with Reeves also exiting. According to sources, Reeves had signed on to the series due in part to Field’s involvement, but left the show once Field did.
According to an individual with knowledge of the situation, there are plans to shop the project to other outlets.
Per the official logline, the show “tells the true story of Daniel H. Burnham, a demanding but visionary architect who races to make his...
The series had originally been ordered to series at the streamer in August 2022 after originally being put into development there in 2019. At the time it was ordered, Keanu Reeves was attached to star in one of the lead roles with Todd Field onboard to direct.
However, Variety exclusively reported that Field had dropped out of the show in October, with Reeves also exiting. According to sources, Reeves had signed on to the series due in part to Field’s involvement, but left the show once Field did.
According to an individual with knowledge of the situation, there are plans to shop the project to other outlets.
Per the official logline, the show “tells the true story of Daniel H. Burnham, a demanding but visionary architect who races to make his...
- 3/7/2023
- by Joe Otterson
- Variety Film + TV
A 4K Steelbook! Haven’t seen this show lately, and discovered that it holds up remarkably well. Mr. Qt’s sophomore outing made an indelible mark on American movies — the darling of hipster crime filmmaking dazzled viewers with showcase set-piece scenes, entertainingly profane dialogue and ultra-hip inside-out time-shuffling narrative tricks. Add to that genuine star turns, especially Uma Thurman and John Travolta’s iconic dance scene. It’s old-fashioned movie-going in an avant-garde pattern, with raw violence and even rougher language. The stars include Samuel L. Jackson, Harvy Keitel, Ving Rhames, Tim Roth, Amanda Plummer and Bruce Willis.
Pulp Fiction 4K
4K Ultra HD + Blu-ray + Digital Code
Paramount Home Video
1994 / Color / 2:35 widescreen / 154 min. / Street Date December 6, 2022 / Available from Amazon / 30.99
Starring: Tim Roth, Amanda Plummer, John Travolta, Samuel L. Jackson, Frank Whaley, Bruce Willis, Ving Rhames, Rosanna Arquette, Eric Stoltz, Uma Thurman, Steve Buscemi, Emil Sitka, Christopher Walken, Maria de Medeiros,...
Pulp Fiction 4K
4K Ultra HD + Blu-ray + Digital Code
Paramount Home Video
1994 / Color / 2:35 widescreen / 154 min. / Street Date December 6, 2022 / Available from Amazon / 30.99
Starring: Tim Roth, Amanda Plummer, John Travolta, Samuel L. Jackson, Frank Whaley, Bruce Willis, Ving Rhames, Rosanna Arquette, Eric Stoltz, Uma Thurman, Steve Buscemi, Emil Sitka, Christopher Walken, Maria de Medeiros,...
- 12/10/2022
- by Glenn Erickson
- Trailers from Hell
There’s nothing as tempting as IP: Just ask the studio streaming titans of today, who are diving deep into their film catalogs to reboot and reimagine hit films from decades past.
Just one summer since slasher “I Know What You Did Last Summer” found new life as an Amazon Prime Video series, and it seems that all our favorite “old” movies are finding new life on streamers and networks alike.
CBS announced shortly after canning a slew of shows that a reboot of the 1994 Arnold Schwarzenegger and Jamie Lee Curtis film “True Lies” will head to the network soon.
NBCUniversal also recently announced on May 12 a “re-framing” of Ben Stiller’s beloved 1994 burnout dramedy “Reality Bites,” which originally starred Winona Ryder and Ethan Hawke. The series is set to debut on Peacock, along with a bevy of other Universal titles being transformed for the small screen.
And that’s...
Just one summer since slasher “I Know What You Did Last Summer” found new life as an Amazon Prime Video series, and it seems that all our favorite “old” movies are finding new life on streamers and networks alike.
CBS announced shortly after canning a slew of shows that a reboot of the 1994 Arnold Schwarzenegger and Jamie Lee Curtis film “True Lies” will head to the network soon.
NBCUniversal also recently announced on May 12 a “re-framing” of Ben Stiller’s beloved 1994 burnout dramedy “Reality Bites,” which originally starred Winona Ryder and Ethan Hawke. The series is set to debut on Peacock, along with a bevy of other Universal titles being transformed for the small screen.
And that’s...
- 10/26/2022
- by Samantha Bergeson
- Indiewire
In another blow to Hulu’s series adaptation of “The Devil in the White City,” Todd Field has exited the project on which he was to serve as director and executive producer, Variety has learned exclusively.
According to an individual with knowledge of the situation, the search is now on for a new director. News of Field’s departure from the show comes just days after Variety also exclusively reported that series star Keanu Reeves had bowed out as well.
Field most recently wrote and directed the Cate Blanchett-led drama feature “Tár,” which debuted at the 2022 Venice International Film Festival. The film received rave reviews upon its debut and is being touted as an early Oscar contender. In his review for Variety, Owen Gleiberman wrote, “The movie is breathtaking — in its drama, its high-crafted innovation, its vision. It’s a ruthless but intimate tale of art, lust, obsession, and power.
According to an individual with knowledge of the situation, the search is now on for a new director. News of Field’s departure from the show comes just days after Variety also exclusively reported that series star Keanu Reeves had bowed out as well.
Field most recently wrote and directed the Cate Blanchett-led drama feature “Tár,” which debuted at the 2022 Venice International Film Festival. The film received rave reviews upon its debut and is being touted as an early Oscar contender. In his review for Variety, Owen Gleiberman wrote, “The movie is breathtaking — in its drama, its high-crafted innovation, its vision. It’s a ruthless but intimate tale of art, lust, obsession, and power.
- 10/10/2022
- by Joe Otterson
- Variety Film + TV
‘John Wick’ star Keanu Reeves has walked out of the streaming series adaptation of ‘The Devil in the White City’. The show was first put into development at streaming platform Hulu in 2019 and was officially ordered at the streamer in August 2022.
It is based on the book of the same name by Erik Larson, reports Variety.
As per the official logline, the show “tells the true story of Daniel H. Burnham, a demanding but visionary architect who races to make his mark on history with the 1893 Chicago World’s Fair, and Dr H. H. Holmes, America’s first modern serial killer and the man behind the notorious ‘Murder Castle’ built in the Fair’s shadow.”
Variety further states that Reeves was cast as Burnham in what would have been his first major American television role, but the search is now on for a replacement. No one has been cast as Holmes as yet.
It is based on the book of the same name by Erik Larson, reports Variety.
As per the official logline, the show “tells the true story of Daniel H. Burnham, a demanding but visionary architect who races to make his mark on history with the 1893 Chicago World’s Fair, and Dr H. H. Holmes, America’s first modern serial killer and the man behind the notorious ‘Murder Castle’ built in the Fair’s shadow.”
Variety further states that Reeves was cast as Burnham in what would have been his first major American television role, but the search is now on for a replacement. No one has been cast as Holmes as yet.
- 10/8/2022
- by Glamsham Bureau
- GlamSham
Keanu Reeves will no longer star in the Hulu series adaptation of “The Devil in the White City,” Variety has learned exclusively from sources.
The show was first put into development at Hulu in 2019 and was officially ordered to series at the streamer in August 2022. It is based on the book of the same name by by Erik Larson.
Per the official logline, the show “tells the true story of Daniel H. Burnham, a demanding but visionary architect who races to make his mark on history with the 1893 Chicago World’s Fair, and Dr. H. H. Holmes, America’s first modern serial killer and the man behind the notorious ‘Murder Castle’ built in the Fair’s shadow.”
Reeves was cast as Burnham in what would have been his first major American television role, but the search is now on for a replacement. No one has been cast as Holmes at the time of this publishing.
The show was first put into development at Hulu in 2019 and was officially ordered to series at the streamer in August 2022. It is based on the book of the same name by by Erik Larson.
Per the official logline, the show “tells the true story of Daniel H. Burnham, a demanding but visionary architect who races to make his mark on history with the 1893 Chicago World’s Fair, and Dr. H. H. Holmes, America’s first modern serial killer and the man behind the notorious ‘Murder Castle’ built in the Fair’s shadow.”
Reeves was cast as Burnham in what would have been his first major American television role, but the search is now on for a replacement. No one has been cast as Holmes at the time of this publishing.
- 10/7/2022
- by Joe Otterson
- Variety Film + TV
The long-gestating adaptation of “Devil in the White City” is officially ordered to series at Hulu with Keanu Reeves set to star in one of the lead roles, Variety has learned.
The series is based on the book of the same name by Erik Larson. It tells the true story of Daniel H. Burnham (Reeves), a demanding but visionary architect who races to make his mark on history with the 1893 Chicago World’s Fair, and Dr. H. H. Holmes, America’s first modern serial killer and the man behind the notorious “Murder Castle” built in the Fair’s shadow. News comes as Hulu meets reporters virtually on Thursday for its portion of the TV Critics Association press tour.
Martin Scorsese, Rick Yorn, Leonardo DiCaprio and Jennifer Davisson of Appian Way, Stacey Sher, Sam Shaw, and Mark Lafferty serve as executive producers on the series. Reeves will executive produce in addition to starring.
The series is based on the book of the same name by Erik Larson. It tells the true story of Daniel H. Burnham (Reeves), a demanding but visionary architect who races to make his mark on history with the 1893 Chicago World’s Fair, and Dr. H. H. Holmes, America’s first modern serial killer and the man behind the notorious “Murder Castle” built in the Fair’s shadow. News comes as Hulu meets reporters virtually on Thursday for its portion of the TV Critics Association press tour.
Martin Scorsese, Rick Yorn, Leonardo DiCaprio and Jennifer Davisson of Appian Way, Stacey Sher, Sam Shaw, and Mark Lafferty serve as executive producers on the series. Reeves will executive produce in addition to starring.
- 8/4/2022
- by Joe Otterson
- Variety Film + TV
New Academy of Motion Picture Arts & Sciences CEO Bill Kramer has been a quick study. He had been working with the Academy, for better or worse, when he was running the Academy Museum of Motion Pictures, so he already had a good sense of who he liked dealing with and not. He’s been promoting from within, brought over his Museum chief of staff, and is reaching out to members, booking countless meetings over the past weeks.
For years many in the Academy, which is a member-run organization, have felt that it lacks transparency. Some have described the Academy and its CEO, president, and 54-member Board of Governors as dealing with the membership from an Ivory Tower.
Having reached 10,000 members, Kramer’s task is to find ways to communicate better with them. While each of the 17 branches of the Academy elects three representatives to the Board of Governors, many do...
For years many in the Academy, which is a member-run organization, have felt that it lacks transparency. Some have described the Academy and its CEO, president, and 54-member Board of Governors as dealing with the membership from an Ivory Tower.
Having reached 10,000 members, Kramer’s task is to find ways to communicate better with them. While each of the 17 branches of the Academy elects three representatives to the Board of Governors, many do...
- 7/22/2022
- by Anne Thompson
- Indiewire
Editors Note: Bill Mechanic is chairman and CEO of Pandemonium Films and a former top executive at Paramount, Disney and chairman and CEO of Fox Filmed Entertainment when that studio generated Titanic, X-Men, Independence Day and Braveheart. He is also a former producer of the Oscars and Oscar-nominated films like Hacksaw Ridge and Coraline, and was a member of the Academy’s Board of Governors before resigning in 2018. He weighs in on that body’s upcoming elections.
A few years ago now (amazing how time flies during a pandemic), I resigned as a governor from the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences for two reasons: 1) there were factions on the Board of Governors who wanted everything to be status quo in spite of evidence of mismanagement as well as some foreboding changes coming to the industry; and 2) I thought a loud and clear resignation might get the silenced majority...
A few years ago now (amazing how time flies during a pandemic), I resigned as a governor from the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences for two reasons: 1) there were factions on the Board of Governors who wanted everything to be status quo in spite of evidence of mismanagement as well as some foreboding changes coming to the industry; and 2) I thought a loud and clear resignation might get the silenced majority...
- 5/17/2022
- by Bill Mechanic
- Deadline Film + TV
A reframing of the Gen-x hit film Reality Bites is in the works as a series at Peacock from original screenplay writer Helen Childress, who will also executive produce.
The series is centered on the driven, idealistic Lelaina Pierce and her three best friends as they leave college and try “adulting” in the 1990s; as the world around them is on the brink of a seismic shift, they struggle to hold onto who they are, and to each other.
Jenna Bans, Danny Devito, Michael Shamberg, Stacey Sher, and Casey will serve as executive producers. The project reunites Devito, Shamberg, and Sher who were producers for the Reality Bites film which starred Winona Ryder, Ben Stiller, and Ethan Hawk.
Childress is repped by WME, Anonymous Content, and Jackoway Tyerman Wertheimer Austen Mandelbaum & Morris. Devito, Shamberg, and Sher are all repped by CAA.
The series is centered on the driven, idealistic Lelaina Pierce and her three best friends as they leave college and try “adulting” in the 1990s; as the world around them is on the brink of a seismic shift, they struggle to hold onto who they are, and to each other.
Jenna Bans, Danny Devito, Michael Shamberg, Stacey Sher, and Casey will serve as executive producers. The project reunites Devito, Shamberg, and Sher who were producers for the Reality Bites film which starred Winona Ryder, Ben Stiller, and Ethan Hawk.
Childress is repped by WME, Anonymous Content, and Jackoway Tyerman Wertheimer Austen Mandelbaum & Morris. Devito, Shamberg, and Sher are all repped by CAA.
- 5/12/2022
- by Rosy Cordero
- Deadline Film + TV
The dream of the ’90s is alive on Peacock: The streamer is developing a TV series version of the Gen X classic Reality Bites, according to The Hollywood Reporter.
The series is described as a “reframing” of the 1994 film, with original screenwriter Helen Childress returning to pen the adaptation. The story centers on recent college grad Lelaina Pierce and her three best friends as they venture into adulthood together. “As the world around them is on the brink of a seismic shift, they struggle to hold onto who they are, and to each other,” per the official description. (It’s...
The series is described as a “reframing” of the 1994 film, with original screenwriter Helen Childress returning to pen the adaptation. The story centers on recent college grad Lelaina Pierce and her three best friends as they venture into adulthood together. “As the world around them is on the brink of a seismic shift, they struggle to hold onto who they are, and to each other,” per the official description. (It’s...
- 5/12/2022
- by Dave Nemetz
- TVLine.com
Peacock is bringing another fan-favorite title to television with a series adaptation of the 1994 film, Reality Bites. According to The Hollywood Reporter, the show based on the Gen-x classic will see original screenwriter Helen Childress return to pen the updated story. As fans will recall, the 1994 movie featured Winona Ryder, Ethan Hawke, and Ben Stiller among others. In Peacock’s iteration, the story is centered on a driven and idealistic Lelaina Pierce along with her three best friends as they leave for college and try their hand at “adulting.” The action is once again set in the 1990s as the world is on the brink of major changes. The friends struggle to hold onto who they are along with holding onto each other. (Credit: Universal/courtesy Everett Collection) Childress will also serve as an executive producer alongside Janna Bans, Michael Shamberg, Stacey Sher, Danny DeVito, and Casey Kyber. Similar to Childress,...
- 5/12/2022
- TV Insider
Here’s a thought for a sunny morning: Wouldn’t it be nice to see a “daylight slate” in charge of the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences?
If precedent holds, next month will bring the election or re-election of almost one-third of the Academy’s 54-member governing board (three governors are diversity appointments). A month later, the termed-out David Rubin will be replaced as president, and at some point the group will complete its search for a new chief executive to replace Dawn Hudson, who is leaving.
That confluence of changes brings the rare opportunity for a sudden reset — but only if the incoming leaders are not simply a new version of the old (Hudson and Rubin will influence the choice of a new CEO) and if there is any point on which they can actually agree.
So let that point be “daylight”: a commitment to transparency and member engagement.
If precedent holds, next month will bring the election or re-election of almost one-third of the Academy’s 54-member governing board (three governors are diversity appointments). A month later, the termed-out David Rubin will be replaced as president, and at some point the group will complete its search for a new chief executive to replace Dawn Hudson, who is leaving.
That confluence of changes brings the rare opportunity for a sudden reset — but only if the incoming leaders are not simply a new version of the old (Hudson and Rubin will influence the choice of a new CEO) and if there is any point on which they can actually agree.
So let that point be “daylight”: a commitment to transparency and member engagement.
- 5/10/2022
- by Michael Cieply
- Deadline Film + TV
A four-part Netflix documentary sheds new light on the staggering effects of the near-catastrophe at the Three Mile Island nuclear power plant in 1979.
The Middletown, Pennsylvania-based plant suffered a breakdown in 1979, and series “Meltdown: Three Mile Island” reexamines the series of missteps that led to the national cover-up. Academy Award–nominated director Kief Davidson (“The Ivory Game”) collaborates with “Erin Brockovich” producers Michael and Carla Shamberg and Moxie Pictures to tell the true story of what happened at Three Mile Island’s “first step in a nuclear nightmare,” as the trailer states. “Meltdown” premieres May 4.
The four-part documentary reveals how it all unfolded in real time, the impact on the community, and the personal account of chief engineer and whistleblower, Richard Parks, who had the courage to speak up and prevent a near catastrophe for the East Coast. Dramatic reenactments, archival footage, never-before-seen home video, and in-depth interviews bring viewers...
The Middletown, Pennsylvania-based plant suffered a breakdown in 1979, and series “Meltdown: Three Mile Island” reexamines the series of missteps that led to the national cover-up. Academy Award–nominated director Kief Davidson (“The Ivory Game”) collaborates with “Erin Brockovich” producers Michael and Carla Shamberg and Moxie Pictures to tell the true story of what happened at Three Mile Island’s “first step in a nuclear nightmare,” as the trailer states. “Meltdown” premieres May 4.
The four-part documentary reveals how it all unfolded in real time, the impact on the community, and the personal account of chief engineer and whistleblower, Richard Parks, who had the courage to speak up and prevent a near catastrophe for the East Coast. Dramatic reenactments, archival footage, never-before-seen home video, and in-depth interviews bring viewers...
- 4/19/2022
- by Samantha Bergeson
- Indiewire
Updated: Los Angeles County Superior Court Judge H. Jay Ford III on Tuesday finalized his tentative ruling to grant a request by the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences for summary judgment against producer Michael Shamberg’s lawsuit challenging the group’s interpretation of its bylaws.
Ford said Monday in issuing the tentative ruling that he was persuaded the courts must “decline to exercise jurisdiction over the disputes concerning the rights and duties of members of a private voluntary association.”
Shamberg, an two-time Oscar-nominated producer, had sought a determination that the Academy’s Board of Governors was required to vote on his proposals for an Oscar-related social media program and an annual member survey. The governors said they were not required to vote on member-proposed changes to the bylaws; but they subsequently amended the rules to clarify the process for member proposals. Shamberg’s suit said that post facto...
Ford said Monday in issuing the tentative ruling that he was persuaded the courts must “decline to exercise jurisdiction over the disputes concerning the rights and duties of members of a private voluntary association.”
Shamberg, an two-time Oscar-nominated producer, had sought a determination that the Academy’s Board of Governors was required to vote on his proposals for an Oscar-related social media program and an annual member survey. The governors said they were not required to vote on member-proposed changes to the bylaws; but they subsequently amended the rules to clarify the process for member proposals. Shamberg’s suit said that post facto...
- 4/5/2022
- by Michael Cieply
- Deadline Film + TV
A judge in Los Angeles has ruled against “Erin Brockovich” producer Michael Shamberg after he sued the American Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences, claiming that the Oscars organization violated its bylaws by not allowing a membership vote on his plan for a revised social media strategy.
In a Tuesday ruling obtained by TheWrap, Judge H. Jay Ford III of the Superior Court of Los Angeles County wrote that the court won’t interfere or scrutinize the bylaws of a private, voluntary organization “unless there has been an abuse of discretion and a clear, unreasonable and arbitrary invasion of private rights.”
However, the judge did consider Article IX of the Academy’s bylaws and said that the language was “ambiguous” as to “whether members are entitled to a vote on their proposed amendments.” And a judge at a hearing in Los Angeles County Superior Court on Tuesday referred to...
In a Tuesday ruling obtained by TheWrap, Judge H. Jay Ford III of the Superior Court of Los Angeles County wrote that the court won’t interfere or scrutinize the bylaws of a private, voluntary organization “unless there has been an abuse of discretion and a clear, unreasonable and arbitrary invasion of private rights.”
However, the judge did consider Article IX of the Academy’s bylaws and said that the language was “ambiguous” as to “whether members are entitled to a vote on their proposed amendments.” And a judge at a hearing in Los Angeles County Superior Court on Tuesday referred to...
- 4/5/2022
- by Brian Welk
- The Wrap
The Roku Channel released a trailer on Wednesday morning for “Reno 911″ Defunded,” its upcoming revival series of the long-running “Reno 911!” sitcom.
The trailer shows both new faces and old ones hard at work in the Reno Police Department. A guest star appearance by Jamie Lee Curtis is also revealed, alongside an upcoming Feb. 25 premiere date.
“We’re supposed to be a friendlier face to the city of Reno,” Thomas Lennon’s Lieutenant Jim Dangle informs his precinct, ordering the officers to don a collection of comical hats.
“Reno 911! Defunded” is a continuation of the long-running “Reno 911” series, which originated on Comedy Central with a six-season run that concluded in 2009. The property was revived on the short-lived streaming platform Quibi in 2020, with installments released in the presumptively novel “quick bite” format of seven-minute episodes. After Quibi shut down, the revival production was acquired by the Roku Channel, which is now...
The trailer shows both new faces and old ones hard at work in the Reno Police Department. A guest star appearance by Jamie Lee Curtis is also revealed, alongside an upcoming Feb. 25 premiere date.
“We’re supposed to be a friendlier face to the city of Reno,” Thomas Lennon’s Lieutenant Jim Dangle informs his precinct, ordering the officers to don a collection of comical hats.
“Reno 911! Defunded” is a continuation of the long-running “Reno 911” series, which originated on Comedy Central with a six-season run that concluded in 2009. The property was revived on the short-lived streaming platform Quibi in 2020, with installments released in the presumptively novel “quick bite” format of seven-minute episodes. After Quibi shut down, the revival production was acquired by the Roku Channel, which is now...
- 2/9/2022
- by J. Kim Murphy
- Variety Film + TV
The Roku Channel has set a release date for its upcoming original comedy “Reno 911! Defunded.” The series will premiere on February 25.
The series will star original “Reno 911!” cast members Thomas Lennon, Robert Ben Garant, Kerri Kenney-Silver, Niecy Nash, Cedric Yarbrough, Carlos Alazraqui, Ian Roberts, Joe Lo Truglio, Mary Birdsong, and Wendi McLendon-Covey. Guest stars Jamie Lee Curtis, “Weird Al” Yankovic and George Lopez are also set to appear.
While the series promises the same level of mischief as its predecessor, the deputies are also facing a new set of obstacles. The series description reads:
It’s 2022. Crime is on the rise, but one city is never short on heroes. Reno’s finest are back and this time they’re facing their biggest challenge yet –they’ve been defunded! No budget. No back-up. No problem for your favorite top cops as they return along with a squad room full of...
The series will star original “Reno 911!” cast members Thomas Lennon, Robert Ben Garant, Kerri Kenney-Silver, Niecy Nash, Cedric Yarbrough, Carlos Alazraqui, Ian Roberts, Joe Lo Truglio, Mary Birdsong, and Wendi McLendon-Covey. Guest stars Jamie Lee Curtis, “Weird Al” Yankovic and George Lopez are also set to appear.
While the series promises the same level of mischief as its predecessor, the deputies are also facing a new set of obstacles. The series description reads:
It’s 2022. Crime is on the rise, but one city is never short on heroes. Reno’s finest are back and this time they’re facing their biggest challenge yet –they’ve been defunded! No budget. No back-up. No problem for your favorite top cops as they return along with a squad room full of...
- 2/9/2022
- by Katie Campione
- The Wrap
Paramount Plus today launched the trailer for original special “Reno 911! The Hunt for QAnon,” following all-new misadventures of the hapless law-enforcement team as they try to track down the elusive leader of the pro-Trump conspiracy movement.
In “Reno 911! The Hunt for QAnon,” set to premiere Thursday, Dec. 23, exclusively on Paramount Plus, the deputies from the Reno Sheriff’s Department get stuck at a QAnon convention at sea — escaping only to discover that they’ve become stranded on Jeffrey Epstein’s old island. (Watch the trailer below.)
The special, from MTV Entertainment Studios, reunites the entire original “Reno 911!” cast, including Thomas Lennon, Robert Ben Garant, Kerri Kenney-Silver, Cedric Yarbrough, Carlos Alazraqui, Wendi McLendon-Covey, Niecy Nash, Mary Birdsong and Ian Roberts.
Also appearing the trailer are Patton Oswalt, who evidently reprises his recurring “Reno 911!” role as a right-wing radio host, and comedians Brian Posehn and Steve Agee as Maga devotees...
In “Reno 911! The Hunt for QAnon,” set to premiere Thursday, Dec. 23, exclusively on Paramount Plus, the deputies from the Reno Sheriff’s Department get stuck at a QAnon convention at sea — escaping only to discover that they’ve become stranded on Jeffrey Epstein’s old island. (Watch the trailer below.)
The special, from MTV Entertainment Studios, reunites the entire original “Reno 911!” cast, including Thomas Lennon, Robert Ben Garant, Kerri Kenney-Silver, Cedric Yarbrough, Carlos Alazraqui, Wendi McLendon-Covey, Niecy Nash, Mary Birdsong and Ian Roberts.
Also appearing the trailer are Patton Oswalt, who evidently reprises his recurring “Reno 911!” role as a right-wing radio host, and comedians Brian Posehn and Steve Agee as Maga devotees...
- 12/9/2021
- by Todd Spangler
- Variety Film + TV
Paramount+ has set Thursday, December 23 for the premiere of the new Reno 911 special The Hunt For QAnon. The streamer also released a teaser trailer (see below).
On a mission to track down the one and only Q, the one behind all QAnon conspiracies, Reno 911: The Hunt For QAnon follows the deputies from the Reno Sheriff’s Department as they get stuck at a QAnon convention at sea, ultimately escaping only to discover that they’ve landed at Jeffrey Epstein’s old island.
It stars the original Reno 911 cast, including Thomas Lennon, Robert Ben Garant, Kerri Kenney-Silver, Cedric Yarbrough, Carlos Alazraqui, Wendi McLendon-Covey, Niecy Nash, Mary Birdsong and Ian Roberts.
Lennon, Garant, Kenney-Silver, Yarbrough, Nash, Alazraqui, McLendon-Covey executive produce along with John Landgraf, Michael Shamberg, Stacey Sher, Danny Devito, Peter Principato, Christian Hoffman and David Lincoln. Mary Birdsong and Ian Roberts serve as producers. Garant also directs the special.
On a mission to track down the one and only Q, the one behind all QAnon conspiracies, Reno 911: The Hunt For QAnon follows the deputies from the Reno Sheriff’s Department as they get stuck at a QAnon convention at sea, ultimately escaping only to discover that they’ve landed at Jeffrey Epstein’s old island.
It stars the original Reno 911 cast, including Thomas Lennon, Robert Ben Garant, Kerri Kenney-Silver, Cedric Yarbrough, Carlos Alazraqui, Wendi McLendon-Covey, Niecy Nash, Mary Birdsong and Ian Roberts.
Lennon, Garant, Kenney-Silver, Yarbrough, Nash, Alazraqui, McLendon-Covey executive produce along with John Landgraf, Michael Shamberg, Stacey Sher, Danny Devito, Peter Principato, Christian Hoffman and David Lincoln. Mary Birdsong and Ian Roberts serve as producers. Garant also directs the special.
- 11/17/2021
- by Denise Petski
- Deadline Film + TV
“Reno 911: The Hunt for QAnon” has set a premiere date on Paramount Plus.
The special will air on the streamer starting Dec. 23. It follows the deputies of the Reno Sheriff’s Department as they hunt for Q, the one behind all the QAnon conspiracies. Their efforts cause them to get stuck at a QAnon convention at sea, ultimately escaping only to discover that they’ve landed at Jeffrey Epstein’s old island.
The first teaser and key art for the new special can be found below.
The entire original cast of “Reno 911!” will reunite for the special, namely Thomas Lennon, Robert Ben Garant, Kerri Kenney-Silver, Cedric Yarbrough, Carlos Alazraqui, Wendi McLendon-Covey, and Niecy Nash, along with Mary Birdsong and Ian Roberts, who joined the show later in its run.
Lennon, Garant, Kenney-Silver, Yarbrough, Nash, Alazraqui, and McLendon-Covey also serve as executive producers along with John Landgraf, Michael Shamberg,...
The special will air on the streamer starting Dec. 23. It follows the deputies of the Reno Sheriff’s Department as they hunt for Q, the one behind all the QAnon conspiracies. Their efforts cause them to get stuck at a QAnon convention at sea, ultimately escaping only to discover that they’ve landed at Jeffrey Epstein’s old island.
The first teaser and key art for the new special can be found below.
The entire original cast of “Reno 911!” will reunite for the special, namely Thomas Lennon, Robert Ben Garant, Kerri Kenney-Silver, Cedric Yarbrough, Carlos Alazraqui, Wendi McLendon-Covey, and Niecy Nash, along with Mary Birdsong and Ian Roberts, who joined the show later in its run.
Lennon, Garant, Kenney-Silver, Yarbrough, Nash, Alazraqui, and McLendon-Covey also serve as executive producers along with John Landgraf, Michael Shamberg,...
- 11/17/2021
- by Joe Otterson
- Variety Film + TV
Scott Budnick’s One Community has tapped Ameet Shukla to serve as head of content.
In his new role, Shukla will oversee the company’s slate of film and television projects and will report directly to Budnick.
“Ameet’s vision and passion for making content that can change the world bowled us over,” One Community CEO Scott Budnick said, announcing Shukla’s hiring. “We couldn’t be more pleased to have him on board to lead our content team and we are excited to continue growing our slate so that we can continue growing our impact.”
Shukla previously served as president of production for Michael Shamberg’s Mas Production, as well as VP of production at Double Feature Films (under Shamberg and Stacey Sher). Shukla’s producing credits include “Cold Pursuit,” starring Liam Neeson; “Freeheld,” starring Julianne Moore and Elliot Page; and Zach Braff’s “Wish I Was Here.”
“From my first meeting,...
In his new role, Shukla will oversee the company’s slate of film and television projects and will report directly to Budnick.
“Ameet’s vision and passion for making content that can change the world bowled us over,” One Community CEO Scott Budnick said, announcing Shukla’s hiring. “We couldn’t be more pleased to have him on board to lead our content team and we are excited to continue growing our slate so that we can continue growing our impact.”
Shukla previously served as president of production for Michael Shamberg’s Mas Production, as well as VP of production at Double Feature Films (under Shamberg and Stacey Sher). Shukla’s producing credits include “Cold Pursuit,” starring Liam Neeson; “Freeheld,” starring Julianne Moore and Elliot Page; and Zach Braff’s “Wish I Was Here.”
“From my first meeting,...
- 8/24/2021
- by Angelique Jackson
- Variety Film + TV
“Paddington 3” is among a host of slate titles revealed by Studiocanal at an event in Cannes on Tuesday.
Studiocanal CEO Anna Marsh said that principal photography on the keenly anticipated project would commence in the second quarter of 2022. The film reunites Studiocanal with Heyday Films, as previously reported by Variety.
The director, cast updates and location are currently under wraps. The story is by “Paddington” 1 and 2 collaborators Paul King, Simon Farnaby and Mark Burton, and screenplay by Mark Burton, Jon Foster and James Lamont. King will executive produce.
Studiocanal also announced that it has acquired Lailaps Films Germany and will welcome producer Nils Dünker’s company lineup to the Studiocanal folds, including films and series such as “Wild Republic,” “Eine Unerhörte Frau,” “Spurlos in Marseille,” “Vorsicht vorLeuten,” “Beste Aller Welten” and “Hannes,” which opens theatrically in Germany this fall. The Lailaps production team is currently in pre-production on the...
Studiocanal CEO Anna Marsh said that principal photography on the keenly anticipated project would commence in the second quarter of 2022. The film reunites Studiocanal with Heyday Films, as previously reported by Variety.
The director, cast updates and location are currently under wraps. The story is by “Paddington” 1 and 2 collaborators Paul King, Simon Farnaby and Mark Burton, and screenplay by Mark Burton, Jon Foster and James Lamont. King will executive produce.
Studiocanal also announced that it has acquired Lailaps Films Germany and will welcome producer Nils Dünker’s company lineup to the Studiocanal folds, including films and series such as “Wild Republic,” “Eine Unerhörte Frau,” “Spurlos in Marseille,” “Vorsicht vorLeuten,” “Beste Aller Welten” and “Hannes,” which opens theatrically in Germany this fall. The Lailaps production team is currently in pre-production on the...
- 7/6/2021
- by Naman Ramachandran and Jamie Lang
- Variety Film + TV
Musicals are mounting a major return to a platform near you — nearly a dozen are set to release by the end of the year. Why are there are so many lined up? It’s both flukes of timing and market forces. Some are big-budget studio efforts held back until the pandemic was “over,” others are smaller scale films, some are strictly online events. Not all will make it to theaters, especially after Jon M. Chu’s movie adaptation “In the Heights”, a less-well-known Broadway musical from “Hamilton” creator Lin-Manuel Miranda, nabbed stellar reviews but disappointed in theaters after launching the Tribeca Festival. How it performed on HBO Max is less clear.
But there’s still a lot of Miranda — among other musical talents — in the 2021 pipeline. See below. Here’s what’s going on.
1. Studios are chasing pre-branded hits.
Despite the disaster of “Cats” ($75.5 million worldwide), global smashes like “Mamma Mia!...
But there’s still a lot of Miranda — among other musical talents — in the 2021 pipeline. See below. Here’s what’s going on.
1. Studios are chasing pre-branded hits.
Despite the disaster of “Cats” ($75.5 million worldwide), global smashes like “Mamma Mia!...
- 6/22/2021
- by Anne Thompson
- Thompson on Hollywood
Musicals are mounting a major return to a platform near you — nearly a dozen are set to release by the end of the year. Why are there are so many lined up? It’s both flukes of timing and market forces. Some are big-budget studio efforts held back until the pandemic was “over,” others are smaller scale films, some are strictly online events. Not all will make it to theaters, especially after Jon M. Chu’s movie adaptation “In the Heights”, a less-well-known Broadway musical from “Hamilton” creator Lin-Manuel Miranda, nabbed stellar reviews but disappointed in theaters after launching the Tribeca Festival. How it performed on HBO Max is less clear.
But there’s still a lot of Miranda — among other musical talents — in the 2021 pipeline. See below. Here’s what’s going on.
1. Studios are chasing pre-branded hits.
Despite the disaster of “Cats” ($75.5 million worldwide), global smashes like “Mamma Mia!...
But there’s still a lot of Miranda — among other musical talents — in the 2021 pipeline. See below. Here’s what’s going on.
1. Studios are chasing pre-branded hits.
Despite the disaster of “Cats” ($75.5 million worldwide), global smashes like “Mamma Mia!...
- 6/22/2021
- by Anne Thompson
- Indiewire
Exclusive: Amazon Studios has acquired Gator and the Egg, an undercover buddy cop movie that becomes another streamer film made possible by the Covid pandemic. Amazon has set Tricia Brock to direct the script by BenDavid Grabinski. Steven Soderbergh, Stacey Sher, Michael Shamberg and John Henson are producing. This one is being fast-tracked to shoot late summer, sources said.
The film is a buddy movie, a Lethal Weapon-esque pairing for the modern era with a romantic tension at the center. The project originated at USA Network as a pilot that was location scouting when the pandemic hit and USA shut down its scripted projects. After it shook loose, Grabinski refashioned it as a feature film and Amazon saw it as a chance to add a modestly budgeted potential franchise to its slate.
Brock directed Dummy, which got Anna Kendrick an Emmy nomination last year, and she is currently directing two...
The film is a buddy movie, a Lethal Weapon-esque pairing for the modern era with a romantic tension at the center. The project originated at USA Network as a pilot that was location scouting when the pandemic hit and USA shut down its scripted projects. After it shook loose, Grabinski refashioned it as a feature film and Amazon saw it as a chance to add a modestly budgeted potential franchise to its slate.
Brock directed Dummy, which got Anna Kendrick an Emmy nomination last year, and she is currently directing two...
- 6/4/2021
- by Mike Fleming Jr
- Deadline Film + TV
Producer Michael Shamberg’s lawsuit against the Academy of Motion Picture of Arts and Sciences and its governing board will go forward, as Judge H. Jay Ford of the Los Angeles County Superior Court this morning said he will overrule the Academy’s demurrer in the case.
Shamberg has been asking the court to rule that he was entitled to a vote on his proposals last year to amend the Academy’s bylaws, in order to require an annual membership survey and to institute a robust social media program aimed at salvaging the Oscars. The Academy replied that he was entitled to propose the changes, but was not owed a vote. Subsequently, however, the group amended its rules to clarify how member-proposed changes would be considered.
During a morning hearing, Ford said it would be premature to dismiss the case based on the Academy’s demurrer. Instead, he said he...
Shamberg has been asking the court to rule that he was entitled to a vote on his proposals last year to amend the Academy’s bylaws, in order to require an annual membership survey and to institute a robust social media program aimed at salvaging the Oscars. The Academy replied that he was entitled to propose the changes, but was not owed a vote. Subsequently, however, the group amended its rules to clarify how member-proposed changes would be considered.
During a morning hearing, Ford said it would be premature to dismiss the case based on the Academy’s demurrer. Instead, he said he...
- 5/20/2021
- by Michael Cieply
- Deadline Film + TV
At the end of the strangest, rockiest awards season ever, it’s no surprise that the 93rd Academy Awards will be a very different Oscars show. The ceremony is (mostly) taking place in a train station, downtown Los Angeles’ Union Station, instead of a theater; awards will be given out in front of the smallest in-person audience in about 90 years; the red carpet will be scaled back dramatically; and Covid-19 protocols will have an impact on just about everything that happens.
I can’t help but think there’s an element of “Let’s just get this over with” to this year’s Oscars, coming at the end of an interminable awards season that has lasted two months longer than usual. But the singularity of the season also makes this the most tantalizing Oscars in decades, and potentially one of the most important.
As Steven Soderbergh, who is producing the...
I can’t help but think there’s an element of “Let’s just get this over with” to this year’s Oscars, coming at the end of an interminable awards season that has lasted two months longer than usual. But the singularity of the season also makes this the most tantalizing Oscars in decades, and potentially one of the most important.
As Steven Soderbergh, who is producing the...
- 4/25/2021
- by Steve Pond
- The Wrap
The Academy of Motion Picture Arts & Sciences says its bylaws are “unambiguous” when it comes to whether it’s obligated to hold a board vote in response to a member’s proposal: It isn’t.
The Academy is asking L.A. County Superior Court judge H. Jay Ford III to throw out a lawsuit from producer Michael Shamberg (The Big Chill, Erin Brockovich) that alleges it violated its bylaws by failing to vote on a proposal he made before its board of governors, which called for amending the rules to mandate “state of the art social media” and “an ...
The Academy is asking L.A. County Superior Court judge H. Jay Ford III to throw out a lawsuit from producer Michael Shamberg (The Big Chill, Erin Brockovich) that alleges it violated its bylaws by failing to vote on a proposal he made before its board of governors, which called for amending the rules to mandate “state of the art social media” and “an ...
The Academy of Motion Picture Arts & Sciences says its bylaws are “unambiguous” when it comes to whether it’s obligated to hold a board vote in response to a member’s proposal: It isn’t.
The Academy is asking L.A. County Superior Court judge H. Jay Ford III to throw out a lawsuit from producer Michael Shamberg (The Big Chill, Erin Brockovich) that alleges it violated its bylaws by failing to vote on a proposal he made before its board of governors, which called for amending the rules to mandate “state of the art social media” and “an ...
The Academy is asking L.A. County Superior Court judge H. Jay Ford III to throw out a lawsuit from producer Michael Shamberg (The Big Chill, Erin Brockovich) that alleges it violated its bylaws by failing to vote on a proposal he made before its board of governors, which called for amending the rules to mandate “state of the art social media” and “an ...
Editor’s note: Michael Shamberg is a tenured film and TV producer whose credits include Contagion, Get Shorty, The Big Chill, Erin Brockovich, Out of Sight, Pulp Fiction, A Fish Called Wanda and many others.
With the Warner Bros announcement that all its 2021 films will premiere online at the same time as in theaters, it’s likely moviegoing is changed forever. The industry leader Disney, which has 40% of the U.S. box office, now calls movies in theaters a “legacy” medium, which really means before Netflix came along. But the tradition of “cinema” as an art form won’t survive if it isn’t updated to speak to the 140 million millennials and Gen Zers who are growing up watching movies on their cell phones, laptops and big-screen TVs.
I was one of the producers of Contagion, a realistic film about an imaginary global pandemic. Ironically, nine years after its release in theaters,...
With the Warner Bros announcement that all its 2021 films will premiere online at the same time as in theaters, it’s likely moviegoing is changed forever. The industry leader Disney, which has 40% of the U.S. box office, now calls movies in theaters a “legacy” medium, which really means before Netflix came along. But the tradition of “cinema” as an art form won’t survive if it isn’t updated to speak to the 140 million millennials and Gen Zers who are growing up watching movies on their cell phones, laptops and big-screen TVs.
I was one of the producers of Contagion, a realistic film about an imaginary global pandemic. Ironically, nine years after its release in theaters,...
- 12/8/2020
- by Michael Shamberg
- Deadline Film + TV
In a little-noticed court filing last week, producer Michael Shamberg amended his existing complaint against the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences, arguing that Academy governors improperly deprived members of rights in June by restricting their ability to propose bylaws changes.
Shamberg earlier had sued the Academy and its governing board, asking the Los Angeles County Superior Court to compel a vote on his own proposed bylaws amendments. Those sought to boost the Oscars with a broad new social media policy and to require an annual survey of Academy members. The governors declined to vote on the proposals, and Academy lawyers have argued that no vote was required by the bylaws that were in place last spring.
But on June 28 — after their initial exchanges with Shamberg but before his lawsuit was filed in late July — the governors quietly amended those bylaws, adding explicit provisions that require any member-proposed change...
Shamberg earlier had sued the Academy and its governing board, asking the Los Angeles County Superior Court to compel a vote on his own proposed bylaws amendments. Those sought to boost the Oscars with a broad new social media policy and to require an annual survey of Academy members. The governors declined to vote on the proposals, and Academy lawyers have argued that no vote was required by the bylaws that were in place last spring.
But on June 28 — after their initial exchanges with Shamberg but before his lawsuit was filed in late July — the governors quietly amended those bylaws, adding explicit provisions that require any member-proposed change...
- 11/11/2020
- by Michael Cieply
- Deadline Film + TV
A funny thing happened at HBO Max today. The WarnerMedia streamer has inked with Comedy Central to run all episodes of the cable net’s comedies Chappelle’s Show, Inside Amy Schumer, Key & Peele, Nathan for You and the original Reno 911!
The nonexclusive streaming deal adds to HBO Max’s trove of Comedy Central content that also includes the full South Park series and upcoming seasons of The Other Two and South Side produced by Comedy Central Productions as Max Originals.
As a refresher for the converted or a primer for the uninitiated, here are descriptions of the five series included in the new deal:
Chappelle’S Show
Featuring stand-up, sketch comedy and musical performances, Dave Chappelle takes on culture with a no-holds-barred attitude. And with themes like race and fame at the forefront of the series, nothing is off limits. Creators Chappelle and Neal Brennan executive produced the Emmy-nominated series along with Michelle Armour.
The nonexclusive streaming deal adds to HBO Max’s trove of Comedy Central content that also includes the full South Park series and upcoming seasons of The Other Two and South Side produced by Comedy Central Productions as Max Originals.
As a refresher for the converted or a primer for the uninitiated, here are descriptions of the five series included in the new deal:
Chappelle’S Show
Featuring stand-up, sketch comedy and musical performances, Dave Chappelle takes on culture with a no-holds-barred attitude. And with themes like race and fame at the forefront of the series, nothing is off limits. Creators Chappelle and Neal Brennan executive produced the Emmy-nominated series along with Michelle Armour.
- 10/30/2020
- by Erik Pedersen
- Deadline Film + TV
In court last month, lawyers for the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences contended that the group’s bylaws in no way required a vote on revisions that had been proposed by member-producer Michael Shamberg, who asked for an aggressive social media program and an annual membership survey. “The bylaws do not require a vote on any and all proposed amendments,” said the Academy’s August 27 demurrer to a lawsuit filed by Shamberg.
“The bylaws only provide the procedures for adopting an amendment by vote, if a vote were to take place,” the demurrer added.
But apparently the Academy is taking no chances. Quietly, its Board of Governors had already acted to make sure the group’s 9,000 or so members could not follow Shamberg’s lead by trying to force votes on member-proposed changes.
According to revised bylaws dated June 28, future proposals now go straight to the Academy Secretary...
“The bylaws only provide the procedures for adopting an amendment by vote, if a vote were to take place,” the demurrer added.
But apparently the Academy is taking no chances. Quietly, its Board of Governors had already acted to make sure the group’s 9,000 or so members could not follow Shamberg’s lead by trying to force votes on member-proposed changes.
According to revised bylaws dated June 28, future proposals now go straight to the Academy Secretary...
- 9/10/2020
- by Michael Cieply
- Deadline Film + TV
“Reno 911!” is returning to Quibi for another season, the upstart streaming service and Comedy Central Productions announced on Thursday. The decision follows “Reno 911!” earning two Emmy nominations for its 7th season, which debuted on Quibi earlier this year after the comedy had been off TV for more than a decade.
Just as they did last season, co-creators Robert Ben Garant, Thomas Lennon and Kerri Kenney-Silver will continue to write and star in the series.
“We are thrilled about the pick-up, but we’re even more thrilled about getting to leave our living rooms for the first time in 5 months,” the trio said in a statement.
“Reno 911!,” which follows the fictional shenanigans of the Reno Sheriff’s Department, ran for six season on Comedy Central from 2003 to 2009 before its rebirth on Quibi. The show’s latest run recently garnered Emmy nominations for Outstanding Short Form Comedy or Drama...
Just as they did last season, co-creators Robert Ben Garant, Thomas Lennon and Kerri Kenney-Silver will continue to write and star in the series.
“We are thrilled about the pick-up, but we’re even more thrilled about getting to leave our living rooms for the first time in 5 months,” the trio said in a statement.
“Reno 911!,” which follows the fictional shenanigans of the Reno Sheriff’s Department, ran for six season on Comedy Central from 2003 to 2009 before its rebirth on Quibi. The show’s latest run recently garnered Emmy nominations for Outstanding Short Form Comedy or Drama...
- 9/3/2020
- by Sean Burch
- The Wrap
The rather incompetent folks at the Reno Sheriff’s Department are coming back for more antics.
Quibi has renewed its revival of “Reno 911!” for a second season, right as the first season on the short form content platform comes to an end.
The revival, which is produced by Comedy Central Productions, recently received a pair of Emmy noms in the short form categories, including an acting nod for co-creator Kerri Kenney-Silver, who plays Deputy Trudy Wiegel. Fellow co-creators Robert Ben Garant and Thomas Lennon will be back to write and star in the new season.
“We are thrilled about the pick-up, but we’re even more thrilled about getting to leave our living rooms for the first time in 5 months,” said all three series co-creators in a statement.
They will be joined once more by Niecy Nash, Wendi McLendon-Covey, Cedric Yarbrough, and Carlos Alazraqui, who all starred in the original series.
Quibi has renewed its revival of “Reno 911!” for a second season, right as the first season on the short form content platform comes to an end.
The revival, which is produced by Comedy Central Productions, recently received a pair of Emmy noms in the short form categories, including an acting nod for co-creator Kerri Kenney-Silver, who plays Deputy Trudy Wiegel. Fellow co-creators Robert Ben Garant and Thomas Lennon will be back to write and star in the new season.
“We are thrilled about the pick-up, but we’re even more thrilled about getting to leave our living rooms for the first time in 5 months,” said all three series co-creators in a statement.
They will be joined once more by Niecy Nash, Wendi McLendon-Covey, Cedric Yarbrough, and Carlos Alazraqui, who all starred in the original series.
- 9/3/2020
- by Will Thorne
- Variety Film + TV
Casting director David Rubin has been re-elected to his second term as president of the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences, the Academy announced on Tuesday.
Earlier in the day, Rubin was nominated for an Emmy Award for casting “Big Little Lies.” His other work as a casting director includes “The English Patient,” “Men in Black” and “The Talented Mr. Ripley.”
The 54 members of the Board of Governors first elected Rubin last summer. Sitting presidents virtually always win re-election at the Academy, which has recently been forced to push back the schedule for next year’s Oscars and for the opening of its long-delayed Academy Museum of Motion Pictures.
Also Read: Why Producer Michael Shamberg Sued the Oscars Academy: 'They Don't Want to Listen to Anybody'
Presidents are typically allowed to serve four one-year terms. Rubin will be eligible to run again next summer, but he will have to...
Earlier in the day, Rubin was nominated for an Emmy Award for casting “Big Little Lies.” His other work as a casting director includes “The English Patient,” “Men in Black” and “The Talented Mr. Ripley.”
The 54 members of the Board of Governors first elected Rubin last summer. Sitting presidents virtually always win re-election at the Academy, which has recently been forced to push back the schedule for next year’s Oscars and for the opening of its long-delayed Academy Museum of Motion Pictures.
Also Read: Why Producer Michael Shamberg Sued the Oscars Academy: 'They Don't Want to Listen to Anybody'
Presidents are typically allowed to serve four one-year terms. Rubin will be eligible to run again next summer, but he will have to...
- 7/28/2020
- by Steve Pond
- The Wrap
Why would anyone during a global pandemic take the time to file a lawsuit against the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences? “Erin Brockovich” and “Contagion” producer Michael Shamberg said the pandemic has made him feel not only unheard by the Academy but concerned about its future. In an interview, Shamberg recounted his two-year effort to get AMPAS to formally recognize what he feels are “pretty innocuous” ways the Oscars can become more relevant. He escalated that battle when he filed a lawsuit last week accusing the Academy’s board of violating its own bylaws by refusing to vote on his proposals to implement a new social media policy and survey members — a charge that the Academy disputes. He’s for a judge to rule that all AMPAS members should be able to vote on his bylaw amendments. Shamberg’s lawsuit points to numerous examples where he feels the...
- 7/27/2020
- by Brian Welk
- The Wrap
Michael Shamberg, the Oscar-nominated producer of The Big Chill and Erin Brokovich, filed a civil action in Los Angeles County Superior Court on Monday alleging that the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences — of which he has been a member since 1981 — violated its bylaws by failing to vote on a proposal that he made before its board of governors — of which he is not a member — earlier this year. Shamberg's pitch called for overhauling the organization's social media approach, which he finds to be terribly lacking.
Why, you might wonder, has a dispute of this ...
Why, you might wonder, has a dispute of this ...
- 7/21/2020
- The Hollywood Reporter - Movie News
Michael Shamberg, the Oscar-nominated producer of The Big Chill and Erin Brockovich, filed a civil action in Los Angeles County Superior Court on Monday alleging that the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences — of which he has been a member since 1981 — violated its bylaws by failing to vote on a proposal that he made before its board of governors — of which he is not a member — earlier this year. Shamberg's pitch called for overhauling the organization's social media approach, which he finds to be terribly lacking.
Why, you might wonder, has a dispute of this ...
Why, you might wonder, has a dispute of this ...
- 7/21/2020
- The Hollywood Reporter - Film + TV
Michael Shamberg, the producer whose credits include Erin Brockovich, Contagion, Get Shorty, The Big Chill and Pulp Fiction, has sued the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences in an attempt to get the governing body to vote on his plan to boost its social media presence.
The civil suit, filed Monday in Los Angeles Superior Court in Santa Monica, seeks declaratory and injunctive relief, asking that the court impel AMPAS’ board of governors to vote on his proposal, arguing that it did not adhere to its own procedures when he asked it to amend its bylaws.
In April, Shamberg, an AMPAS member since 1981, shared with Deadline his open letter to the Academy community detailing “both a crisis of relevance and a financial crisis which threatens its survival,” noting the Oscar ratings’ all-time low this year. Saying “The Academy is an epic fail as a 21st century social media institution,...
The civil suit, filed Monday in Los Angeles Superior Court in Santa Monica, seeks declaratory and injunctive relief, asking that the court impel AMPAS’ board of governors to vote on his proposal, arguing that it did not adhere to its own procedures when he asked it to amend its bylaws.
In April, Shamberg, an AMPAS member since 1981, shared with Deadline his open letter to the Academy community detailing “both a crisis of relevance and a financial crisis which threatens its survival,” noting the Oscar ratings’ all-time low this year. Saying “The Academy is an epic fail as a 21st century social media institution,...
- 7/21/2020
- by Patrick Hipes
- Deadline Film + TV
“Erin Brockovich” producer Michael Shamberg has filed a lawsuit against the Academy of Motion Pictures Arts and Sciences saying the board violated its bylaws when they did not allow for a vote on his proposal for a revised social media strategy.
Shamberg, who is a tenured AMPAS member who also unsuccessfully ran for a board seat back in June, filed a lawsuit in Los Angeles County Superior Court and accused the Academy’s board of rejecting his proposal without following the proper rules. He’s asking for a judge to rule that not just the board, but all AMPAS members must vote on his bylaw amendments.
In January, Shamberg met with the Academy to propose amending AMPAS’ bylaws to include “state of the art social media” and “an annual member survey” in order to address what he says are the declining “relevance” of the Oscars. In an attached exhibit he...
Shamberg, who is a tenured AMPAS member who also unsuccessfully ran for a board seat back in June, filed a lawsuit in Los Angeles County Superior Court and accused the Academy’s board of rejecting his proposal without following the proper rules. He’s asking for a judge to rule that not just the board, but all AMPAS members must vote on his bylaw amendments.
In January, Shamberg met with the Academy to propose amending AMPAS’ bylaws to include “state of the art social media” and “an annual member survey” in order to address what he says are the declining “relevance” of the Oscars. In an attached exhibit he...
- 7/20/2020
- by Brian Welk
- The Wrap
Veteran film producer Michael Shamberg sued the Academy of Motion Picture Arts & Sciences on Monday, as he steps up his campaign to prod the organization to boost its social media presence.
Shamberg, 75, has been publicly decrying the Academy’s slide into irrelevance with younger viewers for several months.
An Academy member since 1981, Shamberg also has been working on the inside to try to get the Academy’s board to heed his warnings. According to the suit, he proposed an amendment to the organization’s bylaws in January that would have required the group to adopt a “state of the art” social media strategy and conduct an annual survey of its members.
Shamberg asked to attend the March meeting and was allowed to speak in support of his proposal. David Rubin, the Academy president, told him he would have 10 minutes to speak and that he would then have to leave so...
Shamberg, 75, has been publicly decrying the Academy’s slide into irrelevance with younger viewers for several months.
An Academy member since 1981, Shamberg also has been working on the inside to try to get the Academy’s board to heed his warnings. According to the suit, he proposed an amendment to the organization’s bylaws in January that would have required the group to adopt a “state of the art” social media strategy and conduct an annual survey of its members.
Shamberg asked to attend the March meeting and was allowed to speak in support of his proposal. David Rubin, the Academy president, told him he would have 10 minutes to speak and that he would then have to leave so...
- 7/20/2020
- by Gene Maddaus
- Variety Film + TV
Using a new preferential ballot to streamline the election process, the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences added director Ava DuVernay (“A Wrinkle In Time”) and 2020 Oscars producer Lynette Howell Taylor (“A Star is Born”) to its newly elected 2020–2021 Board of Governors, increasing the number of female Academy governors from a record 25 to 26, and people of color from 11 to 12, including the three Governors-at-Large. Three newly elected or reelected governors are Black, with a total of six on the Board. The governors will take office at the first regularly scheduled board meeting of the new term.
New governors joining the Board for the first time:
Debra Zane, Casting Directors Branch
Ava DuVernay, Directors Branch
Stephen Rivkin, Film Editors Branch
Linda Flowers, Makeup Artists and Hairstylists Branch
Lynette Howell Taylor, Producers Branch
Rob Bredow, Visual Effects Branch
Incumbent governors reelected to the Board:
Whoopi Goldberg, Actors Branch
Mandy Walker, Cinematographers Branch
Isis Mussenden,...
New governors joining the Board for the first time:
Debra Zane, Casting Directors Branch
Ava DuVernay, Directors Branch
Stephen Rivkin, Film Editors Branch
Linda Flowers, Makeup Artists and Hairstylists Branch
Lynette Howell Taylor, Producers Branch
Rob Bredow, Visual Effects Branch
Incumbent governors reelected to the Board:
Whoopi Goldberg, Actors Branch
Mandy Walker, Cinematographers Branch
Isis Mussenden,...
- 6/10/2020
- by Anne Thompson
- Thompson on Hollywood
Using a new preferential ballot to streamline the election process, the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences added director Ava DuVernay (“A Wrinkle In Time”) and 2020 Oscars producer Lynette Howell Taylor (“A Star is Born”) to its newly elected 2020–2021 Board of Governors, increasing the number of female Academy governors from a record 25 to 26, and people of color from 11 to 12, including the three Governors-at-Large. Three newly elected or reelected governors are Black, with a total of six on the Board. The governors will take office at the first regularly scheduled board meeting of the new term.
New governors joining the Board for the first time:
Debra Zane, Casting Directors Branch
Ava DuVernay, Directors Branch
Stephen Rivkin, Film Editors Branch
Linda Flowers, Makeup Artists and Hairstylists Branch
Lynette Howell Taylor, Producers Branch
Rob Bredow, Visual Effects Branch
Incumbent governors reelected to the Board:
Whoopi Goldberg, Actors Branch
Mandy Walker, Cinematographers Branch
Isis Mussenden,...
New governors joining the Board for the first time:
Debra Zane, Casting Directors Branch
Ava DuVernay, Directors Branch
Stephen Rivkin, Film Editors Branch
Linda Flowers, Makeup Artists and Hairstylists Branch
Lynette Howell Taylor, Producers Branch
Rob Bredow, Visual Effects Branch
Incumbent governors reelected to the Board:
Whoopi Goldberg, Actors Branch
Mandy Walker, Cinematographers Branch
Isis Mussenden,...
- 6/10/2020
- by Anne Thompson
- Indiewire
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