Roku’s Brian Tannenbaum To Oversee Scripted Content As Colin Davis Moves To Sony Pictures Television
Exclusive: Roku has quickly found its new scripted boss.
The free-ad supported streaming service has promoted Brian Tannenbaum to oversee scripted content following news of Colin Davis’ departure to Sony Pictures Television. Deadline understands that he will initially take on the role on an interim basis, but sources suggest that he will likely get the job on a permanent basis.
Deadline revealed earlier this afternoon that Davis, who was Head of Scripted Originals, is joining the studio as EVP, Comedy Development.
Lydia Antonini remains Head of Creative Affairs and Morgan Pichinson remains Head of Comedy.
Tannenbaum has spent the last couple of years as Head of Alternative Originals and will now oversee all original programming for the service. It’s believed that he will become Head of Originals, after David Eilenberg was upped to Head of Content at Roku Media, following the departure of Rob Holmes earlier this year.
Tannenbaum...
The free-ad supported streaming service has promoted Brian Tannenbaum to oversee scripted content following news of Colin Davis’ departure to Sony Pictures Television. Deadline understands that he will initially take on the role on an interim basis, but sources suggest that he will likely get the job on a permanent basis.
Deadline revealed earlier this afternoon that Davis, who was Head of Scripted Originals, is joining the studio as EVP, Comedy Development.
Lydia Antonini remains Head of Creative Affairs and Morgan Pichinson remains Head of Comedy.
Tannenbaum has spent the last couple of years as Head of Alternative Originals and will now oversee all original programming for the service. It’s believed that he will become Head of Originals, after David Eilenberg was upped to Head of Content at Roku Media, following the departure of Rob Holmes earlier this year.
Tannenbaum...
- 3/17/2023
- by Peter White
- Deadline Film + TV
Exclusive: This Joka, a stand-up comedy series exec produced by Will Smith, will not be returning for a second season on Roku.
The streaming service launched the series, which came via its acquisition of short-form service Quibi, in March.
The series features a raft of stand ups including Punkie Johnson and Chris Estrada.
Deadline understands that the decision had nothing to do with the Oscars incident, where Smith slapped comedian Chris Rock on stage, but a somewhat unusual issue with timing.
Roku is believed to never really have had the option to renew the series, which is produced by Smith and Jada Pinkett Smith’s Westbrook Studios and Topgolf Entertainment Group. The option to renew lapsed before Roku launched the show, and certainly before the streamer had the chance to analyse its viewing data, meaning that it was unlikely to return for a second season on the platform.
The show...
The streaming service launched the series, which came via its acquisition of short-form service Quibi, in March.
The series features a raft of stand ups including Punkie Johnson and Chris Estrada.
Deadline understands that the decision had nothing to do with the Oscars incident, where Smith slapped comedian Chris Rock on stage, but a somewhat unusual issue with timing.
Roku is believed to never really have had the option to renew the series, which is produced by Smith and Jada Pinkett Smith’s Westbrook Studios and Topgolf Entertainment Group. The option to renew lapsed before Roku launched the show, and certainly before the streamer had the chance to analyse its viewing data, meaning that it was unlikely to return for a second season on the platform.
The show...
- 5/2/2022
- by Peter White
- Deadline Film + TV
Will Smith’s Westbrook Studios and David Oyelowo’s Yoruba Saxon have partnered with Netflix to produce the film adaptation of “Onyeka and the Academy of the Sun.”
Based on the upcoming book by British-Nigerian author, journalist and hair care educator Tọlá Okogwu, “Onyeka and the Academy of the Sun” tells the tale of a teenager who learns she has powers and travels to Nigeria to learn more about her origins, where she discovers a threat to her newfound magical community.
Described as “Black Panther” meets “X-Men” or “Percy Jackson,” the book is the first in an action-packed series for middle-grade children and will be published by Simon & Schuster in the U.S. and U.K. this June. Okogwu is represented by CAA and Claire Wilson at Rcw Literary Agency.
Ola Shokunbi is set to write the film adaptation after helping to bring “Onyeka and the Academy of the Sun” to Netflix.
Based on the upcoming book by British-Nigerian author, journalist and hair care educator Tọlá Okogwu, “Onyeka and the Academy of the Sun” tells the tale of a teenager who learns she has powers and travels to Nigeria to learn more about her origins, where she discovers a threat to her newfound magical community.
Described as “Black Panther” meets “X-Men” or “Percy Jackson,” the book is the first in an action-packed series for middle-grade children and will be published by Simon & Schuster in the U.S. and U.K. this June. Okogwu is represented by CAA and Claire Wilson at Rcw Literary Agency.
Ola Shokunbi is set to write the film adaptation after helping to bring “Onyeka and the Academy of the Sun” to Netflix.
- 2/16/2022
- by Angelique Jackson
- Variety Film + TV
Exclusive: Westbrook has upped Jesse Uram from VP of Business Development to SVP, Growth.
In his new role, Uram will leverage Westbrook’s industry relationships to incubate, launch, and scale new strategies, growth opportunities and partnerships across Westbrook Studios, Westbrook Media, and Good Goods that are synergistic with the company’s overall mission.
“We couldn’t be happier to recognize Jesse and the integral role he has had in Westbrook’s growth over the past few years,” said Tera Hanks, President of Westbrook Inc. “He is an incredibly savvy, passionate leader whose creativity continues to position Westbrook at the forefront of an ever-evolving industry. We are thrilled to work alongside him as we continue to build this company and create content that empowers artists and connects the world.”
“Working at Westbrook has been a dream,” said Uram. “In under two years, we’ve established ourselves as innovators across the entertainment landscape,...
In his new role, Uram will leverage Westbrook’s industry relationships to incubate, launch, and scale new strategies, growth opportunities and partnerships across Westbrook Studios, Westbrook Media, and Good Goods that are synergistic with the company’s overall mission.
“We couldn’t be happier to recognize Jesse and the integral role he has had in Westbrook’s growth over the past few years,” said Tera Hanks, President of Westbrook Inc. “He is an incredibly savvy, passionate leader whose creativity continues to position Westbrook at the forefront of an ever-evolving industry. We are thrilled to work alongside him as we continue to build this company and create content that empowers artists and connects the world.”
“Working at Westbrook has been a dream,” said Uram. “In under two years, we’ve established ourselves as innovators across the entertainment landscape,...
- 5/6/2021
- by Anthony D'Alessandro
- Deadline Film + TV
Exclusive: The Roku Channel has a job on its hands to manage its recently acquired library of Quibi shows and has hired the shortform service’s former exec Brian Tannenbaum to help on the non-scripted side.
Deadline understands that Tannenbaum, who was a senior content executive and programming lead in the shortform streaming service’s alternative and unscripted team, has joined the technology company to head up alternative content for The Roku Channel.
Sources have told Deadline that Tannenbaum’s priority is to handle the non-scripted portion of the Quibi content, dealing with producers and talent as it plans to roll out these shows on The Roku Channel later this year.
The majority of these non-scripted shows aired on Quibi during its brief window of operation, but there were a handful that didn’t – some that were completed before it shutdown and others that hadn’t finished production. Tannenbaum will...
Deadline understands that Tannenbaum, who was a senior content executive and programming lead in the shortform streaming service’s alternative and unscripted team, has joined the technology company to head up alternative content for The Roku Channel.
Sources have told Deadline that Tannenbaum’s priority is to handle the non-scripted portion of the Quibi content, dealing with producers and talent as it plans to roll out these shows on The Roku Channel later this year.
The majority of these non-scripted shows aired on Quibi during its brief window of operation, but there were a handful that didn’t – some that were completed before it shutdown and others that hadn’t finished production. Tannenbaum will...
- 3/11/2021
- by Peter White
- Deadline Film + TV
In today’s TV news roundup, HBO has released a teaser for the second season of “His Dark Materials,” and Variety obtained an exclusive first look of ID’s “The 93 Victims of Samuel Little.”
Dates
Quibi announced the premiere dates for its entire fall lineup, which is as follows: “Singled Out” Season 2 (Sept. 7), a social media dating show hosted by Keke Palmer and Joel Kim Booster; “Wireless” (Sept. 14), a survival thriller from executive producer Stephen Soderbergh; “Murder Unboxed” (Sept. 21), an unscripted true crime show that unboxes evidence from real-life murder cases; “Benedict Men” (Sept. 28), a docuseries about the nationally-ranked basketball team at St. Benedict’s Preparatory School from executive producer Stephen Curry; “The Expecting” (Sept. 28), a horror series about a waitress that experiences disturbing side effects during pregnancy starring AnnaSophia Robb and Rory Culkin; “Natural Born Narco” (Oct. 5), a prequel to the telenovela “El Señor de los Cielos” in partnership with Telemundo; “Gloop World” (Oct.
Dates
Quibi announced the premiere dates for its entire fall lineup, which is as follows: “Singled Out” Season 2 (Sept. 7), a social media dating show hosted by Keke Palmer and Joel Kim Booster; “Wireless” (Sept. 14), a survival thriller from executive producer Stephen Soderbergh; “Murder Unboxed” (Sept. 21), an unscripted true crime show that unboxes evidence from real-life murder cases; “Benedict Men” (Sept. 28), a docuseries about the nationally-ranked basketball team at St. Benedict’s Preparatory School from executive producer Stephen Curry; “The Expecting” (Sept. 28), a horror series about a waitress that experiences disturbing side effects during pregnancy starring AnnaSophia Robb and Rory Culkin; “Natural Born Narco” (Oct. 5), a prequel to the telenovela “El Señor de los Cielos” in partnership with Telemundo; “Gloop World” (Oct.
- 8/28/2020
- by Ellise Shafer
- Variety Film + TV
The Fresh Prince Of Bel-Air is making a dark return with Bel-Air, an hourlong series based on Morgan Cooper’s popular fan film that reenvisions the 1990s Will Smith sitcom as a drama. The project, from Jada Pinkett Smith and Will Smith’s Westbrook Studios and Universal Television, is currently being pitched to streamers, drawing strong interest and big commitments, including multiple straight-to-series orders, to set up a bidding war, I hear.
Cooper will direct and co-executive produce the potential series, which he is co-writing with Chris Collins. Collins is an executive producer and showrunner.
Set in modern-day America, Bel-Air is a serialized one-hour dramatic analogue of The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air that leans into the original premise: Will’s complicated journey from the streets of West Philadelphia to the gated mansions of Bel-Air. With a reimagined vision, Bel-Air will dive deeper into the inherent conflicts,...
Cooper will direct and co-executive produce the potential series, which he is co-writing with Chris Collins. Collins is an executive producer and showrunner.
Set in modern-day America, Bel-Air is a serialized one-hour dramatic analogue of The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air that leans into the original premise: Will’s complicated journey from the streets of West Philadelphia to the gated mansions of Bel-Air. With a reimagined vision, Bel-Air will dive deeper into the inherent conflicts,...
- 8/11/2020
- by Nellie Andreeva
- Deadline Film + TV
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