Jamie Foxx Signs Feature Film Producing Deal With Sony Pictures
Jamie Foxx and his producing partner, Datari Turner, have signed an overall deal with Sony Pictures Entertainment to develop and produce feature films.
The first project in development that Foxx and Turner are producing for the studio under their new deal is an untitled action thriller written by Juel Taylor and Tony Rettenmaier, which Foxx is also set to star in.
“Not only is Jamie Foxx one of the most talented and decorated actors in the world he is also an idea machine,” said Sanford Panitch, president of Sony Pictures Motion Picture Group. “As a company, we have been lucky to work with Jamie in Baby Driver and Amazing Spiderman, but his creativity as a producer is his most exciting role yet. Jamie is wildly creative, funny, and brilliant, he walks the walk, he talks the talk and we are so proud to be in this partnership with Jamie and Datari. We already have a few projects secretly going and this is only the beginning.”
Foxx and Teyonah Parris recently joined John Boyega in the sci-fi mystery “They Cloned Tyrone” for Netflix and Macro. Foxx won an acting Oscar for “Ray” and was nominated in the supporting category for “Collateral.” He starred in the legal drama “Just Mercy” and nabbed the supporting actor trophy at the NAACP Image Awards earlier this year.
Foxx is currently starring in Netflix’s “Power Project,” and will be seen in Pixar’s “Soul” in the role of a passionate music teacher. He’s also set to star in Blumhouse’s “Spawn.”
Turner produced the Netflix film “Uncorked,” earlier this year starring Courtney B. Vance and Niecy Nash, and “Nine Days,” starring Winston Duke and Zazie Beetz. Foxx is repped by CAA, LBI Entertainment, and Ziffren Brittenham.
Source: Variety
Charlamagne tha God Launches New Podcast Network With Jess Hilarious, 85 South, & More On IHeartMedia
Charlamagne tha God inked a partnership with iHeartMedia to launch the Black Effect Podcast Network, anchored by his own syndicated radio show “The Breakfast Club.”
The Black Effect Podcast Network is slated to debut this fall with 18 podcasts on iHeartRadio and other podcast platforms, curated by Charlamagne. According to iHeartMedia, the venture is positioned to become the world’s largest podcast publisher dedicated to Black listeners and voices in Black culture.
Under the deal, Charlamagne’s popular nationally syndicated radio show, “The Breakfast Club,” will bring its replay podcast to the Black Effect Podcast Network as its flagship show effective immediately. The show, which averages over 4.5 million weekly listeners, is syndicated by iHeartMedia’s Premiere Networks.
Other creators in the Black Effect Podcast Network will include comedian-actress Jess Hilarious, social justice activist Tamika Mallory, and attorney and TV host Eboni K. Williams. Charlamagne and iHeartMedia also have agreements to bring other podcasts to the Black Effect Network, including “All The Smoke,” “Drink Champs” and “The 85 South Show.”
Additionally, the parties plan for the Black Effect Podcast Network to produce limited-series podcasts in conjunction with creators, music artists, actors, and sports stars to support their upcoming films, music releases, and related projects.
“Blackness has an immediate, culture-shifting effect on everything,” Charlamagne tha God said in a statement. “Blackness controls the cool. Blackness is the culture, but Black Voices are not monolithic. The only way to appreciate the diversity of thought and experiences in Black culture is to build a platform for those voices to be heard.”
The vision for the Black Effect Podcast Network, he added, is “to amplify, elevate, and empower emerging and established talent. Our goal is to shift the narrative from Black creators signing transactional deals, to instead forming legacy partnerships that build generational wealth while allowing each creative to have an equitable stake in their future. As a long-time partner of iHeart, it’s an honor to make history with them.”
All shows on the Black Effect Podcast Network will be distributed through the iHeartPodcast Network, which hosts more than 750 original podcasts spanning genres including business, sports, spirituality, technology, entertainment, family, comedy and true crime. The company’s podcasts are distributed on all major podcast platforms, including the iHeartRadio app.
“As our country’s No. 1 audio company and podcaster, we have both the responsibility and the opportunity to give new voices a massive audience platform for creativity and innovation — and for important ideas that need to be heard,” Bob Pittman, chairman and CEO of iHeartMedia, said in announcing the deal for the Black Effect. “Charlamagne tha God is an unparalleled multiplatform creator whose impact extends across radio, digital, social, TV, events and podcasts.”
The Black Effect Podcast Network launch lineup will include: “Drink Champs” with N.O.R.E and DJ EFN; “All the Smoke” with Matt Barnes; “The 85 South Show” with Karlous Miller, DC Young Fly and Chico Bean; “Whoreible Decisions” with Mandii B and Weezy; “Dropping Gems” with Devi Brown; “Holding Court” with Eboni K. Williams; “Carefully Reckless” with Jess Hilarious; “Street Politicians” with Tamika Mallory and Mysonne; “Hot Happy Mess” with Zuri Hall; “Untitled” with Bonang Matheba; “Hello Somebody” with Senator Nina Turner; “P.O.D.” with Ashley and Tammy; “Straight Shot No Chaser” with Tezlyn Figaro; “Laugh and Learn” with Flame Monroe (executive produced by Tiffany Haddish); “Checking In” with Michelle Williams; “Cut To It” with Steven Smith Sr.; “No Ceilings” with Glasses Malone; and “Gangster Chronicles” with MC EIHT, Reggie Wright Jr. and James McDonald.
Charlamagne tha God (real name Lenard McKelvey) is set to be inducted into the Radio Hall of Fame in October, alongside “The Breakfast Club” co-hosts Angela Yee and DJ Envy. In addition to “The Breakfast Club,” Charlamagne also co-hosts the “Brilliant Idiots” podcast and runs his own YouTube channel, CThaGod. He also is the author of “Black Privilege” and “Shook One.” Charlamagne’s production company, CTHAGOD World Productions, aims to discover and advocate for emerging talent.
The outspoken radio host, who’s called himself “the prime minister of pissing people off,” is no stranger to controversy. In July, Charlamagne said about ViacomCBS’s cutting ties with Nick Cannon over anti-Semitic comments, “If there’s one thing Jewish people have showed us, it’s they have the power”; that drew a rebuke from the head of the Anti-Defamation League. Cannon, who has apologized for his remarks, returned to hosting his syndicated radio show this week.
Separately, this summer iHeartmedia launched the BIN: Black Information Network, which it calls the first and only 24-hour service dedicated to news coverage from a Black perspective, in multiple radio markets.
Source: Variety
Kevin Hart’s Laugh Out Loud Becomes Programming Partner For The Just For Laughs Comedy Festival
Montréal (September 9, 2020) – After much preparation, in an extraordinary and challenging time for all, renowned comedy leader Just For Laughs is proud to reveal the first slate of programming for the Just For Laughs Festival, presented by La Capitale Insurance and Financial Services, in collaboration with Loto Québec. JFL’s first-ever 100% virtual and 100% free online festival will take place on October 9 & 10, 2020. Featuring over 100 artists, Just For Laughs Festival will feature special programming focusing on today’s timely and important topics, with a thought-provoking comedy spin aiming to inspire and engage audiences near and far.
Excitingly this year, JFL and Kevin Hart’s global comedy brand, Laugh Out Loud (LOL), are expanding their long standing relationship. LOL’s experiential division, LOL X, will serve as the official programming partner for the Just For Laughs Festival, curating a robust lineup for their very own comedy room within the festival which will be dedicated to celebrating Comedy in Color, featuring a mix of live stand-up performances from top-tier talent and emerging comedians, virtual panel discussions, live podcast tapings, and more.
Just For Laughs has worked tirelessly over the recent months to curate an inimitable comedy experience that will include multiple digital comedy rooms running simultaneously with a hybrid of programming in forms of
In Conversations, live discussions, and panels, designed specifically for online audiences. Promising to be riveting, original, and interactive, the Just For Laughs Festival will be a platform for discovery, satisfying all comedy fans’ cravings for new, live content after the industry’s abrupt disruption as a result of COVID-19.
“As a leader in the global comedy industry, but also as a true digital comedy pioneer, we are very proud to offer this special edition in an optimized free edition format, enabling us to do what we do best, curating and creating the best of comedy, while making it more accessible than ever, to all fans across the globe”, emphasizes Charles Décarie, President and CEO of the Just for Laughs Group. “We are truly able to deliver a Festival that lives up to Just for Laughs standards. Our spectators will be thrilled to safely reunite with their favorite artists – Rest assured that we will be back in a big way in 2021 with exciting plans for the comedy fans and industry who travel to join us every Summer”.
“Our goal with the Just For Laughs Festival is to really engage with the global comedy community, and have some important discussions regarding big societal issues in a way that’s still entertaining, with comedic relief provided by some of today’s brightest comedy stars”, shared Bruce Hills, President of Just For Laughs. “I could not be more honoured that Kevin Hart’s LOL is our official programming partner, working alongside our talented programming team, to offer the best possible, first-ever, 100% digital comedy festival.”
“Just For Laughs is an unparalleled comedic institution and we are delighted to expand our relationship with the festival and usher in an exciting new phase for our experiential division LOL X!,” said Jeff Clanagan, President of Laugh Out Loud. “Just For Laughs is the perfect partner to shine a spotlight on the emerging, diverse voices that are shaping the future of our Comedy In Color franchise and we look forward to unveiling more in the coming weeks.”
The first slate of artists joining this year’s Just For Laughs Festival include:
HANNAH GADSBY: Tasmania’s own Hannah Gadsby stopped stand-up comedy in its tracks with her multi award–winning show, Nanette, which played to sold out houses in Australia, the UK and New York. Its
launch on Netflix, and subsequent Emmy win, took Nanette (and Hannah) to the world. Hannah’s difficult second album (which was also her eleventh solo show) was named Douglas, after her dog. Douglas was a smash hit, moving beyond the trauma at the centre of Nanetteand instead letting the world see the view from Hannah’s brain – one that sees the world differently but with breathtaking clarity. Earning her an Emmy nomination, her recent comedy special Douglas is now available to stream on Netflix.
JO KOY: Awarded “Stand-Up Comedian of the Year” at the 2018 Montréal Just For Laughs Festival, comedian Jo Koy sells out theatres and arenas across the world. Koy’s most recent variety special Jo Koy: In His Elements was just released on Netflix this summer. Next year, the comedian will be releasing his first autobiography, Mixed Plate where he uncovers the stories behind his stand-up: the conflict, the drama, and the laughter as he struggles to find his place in the entertainment industry, a country and the world.
HOWIE MANDEL Emmy-nominated comedian, actor, host and producer, Howie Mandel, has remained a constant force in show business for more than 30 years. Mandel currently serves as a judge on NBC’s smash competition series, America’s Got Talent in addition to hosting the widely popular hit game show Deal or No Deal. He has worked as a host, actor, and/or executive producer on countless other TV shows including Take It All and Howie Do It for NBC, and recently released his first solo special in 20 years on Showtime, titled Howie Mandel Presents Howie Mandel at the Howie Mandel Comedy Club. Mandel’s versatile career has encompassed virtually all aspects of the entertainment spectrum, including television, film and stage. From his work on the Emmy Award-winning St. Elsewhere, to the international animated children’s series Bobby’s World, Mandel has become a mainstay of the American comedy scene and he continues to perform as many as 200+ stand-up comedy shows yearly across North America.
KENYA BARRIS: A Rhodes Scholar. A triathlete. A safe driver. Kenya Barris is none of these. And while Barris is widely celebrated as an award-winning writer, producer, director, and now, actor, it may surprise many to learn just how under-recognized for over-accessorizing he truly is. Barris is perhaps best known for creating the hit comedy series black-ish, which quickly became a critical and popular success amassing numerous awards and launching two spin-offs, grown-ish and mixed-ish. Still, of all his many accolades, Barris remains most humbled by being named the proud recipient of the prestigious 1998 Federal Tax Lien. Notwithstanding a decades-long addiction to Afrin nasal-spray, Barris hasn’t stopped creating television shows, among them the recently-launched Netflix original series #blackAF and the variety sketch series Astronomy Club. Barris has also further expanded his work into features and will release two films in the coming year, Coming to America 2, the highly anticipated sequel to John Landis’ 1980s classic starring Eddie Murphy, and an adaptation of Roald Dahl’s The Witches with Robert Zemeckis directing and Octavia Spencer and Anne Hathaway set to star. Along with this bio, Barris has several highly-anticipated projects in the works, including a feature-length musical about Juneteenth with Pharrell Williams as his partner on the project; Entergalactic, a first-of-its-kind adult animated music series based on Kid Cudi’s upcoming album of the same name; a reboot of the family comedy Cheaper By The Dozen; an animated feature based on the songs of Bob Marley; and a remake of the classic sports comedy White Men Can’t Jump, among others.
SARAH COOPER: In April 2020, Sarah went viral with her brilliant satirical lip-sync impressions of the current U.S. President. She has been retweeted and praised by the likes of Lin-Manuel Miranda, Ben Stiller, Halle Berry, Chrissy Teigen, Jane Lynch, Jerry Seinfeld, Seth Meyers and Bette Midler amongst others. These “how to” videos have been seen by tens of millions of people including her “How to Medical” video which has been viewed over 20 million times and counting. Sarah’s first variety special SARAH COOPER: EVERYTHING’S FINE, directed by Natasha Lyonne and executive produced by Maya Rudolph, will premiere on Netflix this Fall. She is currently writing a new show for CBS adapted from her best-selling book How To Be Successful Without Hurting Men’s Feelings. Sarah was named one of Variety Magazine’s “10 Comics To Watch For 2020” and guest hosted Jimmy Kimmel Live in August 2020. Prior to her online success, Sarah also wrote the best-selling book 100 Tricks to Appear Smart in Meetings. Sarah is next set to pen an auto-biographical take of Dale Carnegie’s How to Win Friends and Influence People for Audible. Her social platform is in the millions and continues rising daily.
AMBER RUFFIN: Emmy and WGA Award Nominee Amber Ruffin is a writer and performer for NBC’s Late Night with Seth Meyers and was the first African-American female to write for a late-night network talk show in the US. Ruffin’s own series The Amber Ruffin Show is coming soon to Peacock. Ruffin wrote and performed on Comedy Central’s Detroiters and is a regular narrator on Drunk History, and has also written for the HBO’s A Black Lady Sketch Show.
TITUSS BURGESS: Emmy and SAG nominated actor, musician and writer, Tituss Burgess is quickly emerging as one of the entertainment industry’s most versatile and dynamic performers, with his work in television and theatre generating both critical and commercial acclaim. Rising to fame in his iconic role as “Titus Andromedon” in Netflix’s Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt, Burgess can currently be seen as the host of Quibi’s hit new cooking competition, Dishmantled and in Apple TV+’s Central Park, an animated musical comedy series that follows the Tillermans, a family that lives in Central Park. Later this year, Burgess will appear in MGM’s Aretha Franklin biopic Respect; as well as the up-coming Netflix music competition show, Sing On!.
NICOLE BYER: Nicole Byer is one of the most versatile and recognizable voices in the comedy landscape today, currently starring as host of Netflix’s Emmy-nominated competition baking series Nailed It. She can be seen as producer and star of the scripted comedy series Loosely Exactly Nicole, which debuted on MTV and aired its second season on Facebook Watch. Byer also continues to host her very popular weekly podcast Why Won’t You Date Me?
TRIXIE MATTEL: Trixie Mattel is the stage name of Brian Michael Firkus, an American singer, actor, drag queen and recognized “Skinny Legend.” Trixie is the winner of RuPaul’s Drag Race All Stars season 3 (originally competing on season 7). He is also a Billboard Heatseekers #1 charting recording artist, a wildly successful theater touring act, and one half of a comic duo on Viceland’s The Trixie and Katya Show.
DEANNE SMITH: Canadian Comedy Award winner, DeAnne Smith, has performed at festivals all over the world including Just For Laughs, JFL42, JFL NorthWest, the Melbourne International Comedy Festival, the New Zealand International Comedy Festival, and Austin’s Moontower Comedy Fest, just to name a few. She’s also been on TV all over the world, including appearances on Last Comic Standing and The Late Late Show. Her video Straight Men, Step Your Game Up has over 46 million views. Her Netflix half-hour comedy special, the critically-praised Gentleman Elf, debuted January 2019. She is currently developing a sitcom for CBC.
JENNY HAGEL: Jenny Hagel is a TV writer and comedy performer who is also the Executive Producer and Head Writer of The Amber Ruffin Show (Peacock). She also writes for NBC’s Late Night with Seth Meyers. Hagel’s other writing credits include the Golden Globe Awards, TruTV’s Impractical Jokers, Logo’s Big Gay Sketch Show, and Head Writer of Fuse’s White Guy Talk Show.
ANDY KINDLER: Andy Kindler currently recurs on Fox’s hit animation, Bob’s Burgers and Comedy Central’s long-running Tosh.O. He is also a regular on the critically-praised Canadian web series, But I’m Chris Jericho. Andy was the host of Season 4 and 5 of Hulu’s standup series, Coming to the Stage as well as a series judge on the seventh season of NBC’s Last Comic Standing, the star of two half-hour Comedy Central Presents specials and was a frequent guest and correspondent on The Late Show with David Letterman with over 40 appearances. He has previously recurred on Everybody Loves Raymond, Showtime’s I’m Dying Up Here, Disney’s Wizards of Waverly Place, IFC’s Maron and Comedy Central’s The Daily Show. Every year Andy delivers his infamous State of the Industry Address at the Just for Laughs Festival in Montréal.
CRAVE’s CANADA’S DRAG RACE: Beyond the eleganza extravaganza, the drama, and the competition, there is fierce and cheeky humour. On Saturday Oct. 10, viewers are invited to a live conversation with the Top 4 finalists of Crave’s Canada’s Drag Race, JIMBO, Rita Baga, Scarlett Bobo, and Canada’s First Drag Superstar, Priyanka! Also joining the Queens is Canada’s Drag Race judge Stacey McKenzie, as they spill the tea on their time on the first season, and how laughter, love, and inclusivity plays a huge part in making it so successful.
CBS ALL ACCESS’ TOONING OUT THE NEWS: CBS All Access’ animated daily news satire series Tooning Out the News joins Just for Laughs for a panel with Executive Producer RJ Fried (‘James Smartwood’), Co-executive producer/ head writer Zach Smilovitz, Jack Bensinger (‘Tyler Templeton’), Maureen Monahan (‘Kylie Weaver’), Naima Pearce (‘Tory Hughes’), Ike Ufomadu (‘Dr. Ike Bloom’) and a conversation with their animated counterparts. The discussion will focus on the upcoming U.S. election and world events.
VARIETY’S 10 COMICS TO WATCH presented by Cohen Gardner LLP: One of the biggest events in the comedy world each year is Variety’s unveiling of their annual “10 Comics To Watch” feature. Catch the best and brightest from “10 Comics To Watch” and let them show you why they made the 2020 list.
NEW FACES: CREATORS: This showcase features the up-and-coming influencers and creators who are contributing to the evolution of the comedy landscape as we know it!
Festival Juste pour rire: More accessible than ever with three viewing experiences
On the French-language side, you can’t miss the terrific programming of this hybrid edition, with three innovative methods for consuming content. Whether they’re presented live from the Yoop Montreal space at Place des Arts, or from the Théâtre St-Denis, or from the Festival micro-site designed specifically for the occasion, this year’s galas, concept shows and major conversation events will be true to the event you love – an event that’s been lighting up the streets of Montreal for 38 years now. Among the offerings is the return of the now-celebrated Soirées Carte Blanche at the Théâtre St-Denis, which may be presented before live audiences, just like the Rire en français gala. The partnership with the Yoop space will make it possible to present several shows before a live audience while also broadcasting them in real time via the digital platform, enabling a wider viewership to enjoy the shows through the sale of unlimited-capacity access. And to close out this edition, catch the biggest names in comedy and their guests during the digital free portion of the Festival on October 9th and 10th, including excerpts from their previously-taped performances posted online, along with 100% exclusive content!
Additional artists, events and show times to be announced in the coming weeks.
THANKS TO OUR PARTNERS
The Just For Laughs Group would like to thank all its partners, who have been tremendous allies in bringing about the success of this initiative. First, we’d like to acknowledge the support of
La Capitale Insurance and Financial Services,Loto-Québec, Laugh Out Loud (LOL), CTV Comedy Channel, and Variety. We also extend our thanks to our public partners: the City of Montréal, SODEC and the Government of Canada.
Find us on social #JFLFestival
Facebook: @justforlaughs
Twitter: @justforlaughs
Instagram: @justforlaughs
Loretta Devine/Kym Whitley Star In ‘Pandemically Single’ – Hilarious New Comedy Web Series
In the midst of a pandemic, those looking for love must now navigate life and relationships around the world while trying to stay alive.
From award winning producer Re’Shaun Frear and writer, Dee LaSure comes “Pandemically Single” a scripted comedy series. The show premiered the first 3 episodes pre-Labor Day, during Labor Day weekend on LaSure TV on Youtube.
The series boasts an exciting cast including Loretta Devine, Kym Whitley, Angie Stone, CeCe Peniston, Jensen Atwood, Denise Dowse, Wendell James, Carl Lewis, Reid J Rich, and more. Singles will follow mandatory social distancing guidelines while trying to connect with love interests over social media. Singles will work to balance old school dating ideals with dating in today’s social media driven era. The series will bring some much-needed entertainment to viewers during one the most challenging times in America’s history. The series consists of 10 episodes with several celebrity appearances throughout.
Pandemically Single is executive produced by Re’Shaun Frear, Dee LaSure & Carol Shine. Also, on production is producer Gerry Ringgold and co-producers, Erin Fleming and Reid Rich.
About Re’Shaun Frear
He’s an award-winning Film/TV producer with more than a decade of experience. His film credits include the critically acclaimed and NAACP nominated film “Dirty Laundry” starring Loretta Devine and Rockmond Dunbar. “Black Poker Stars” starring Katt Williams and Anthony Anderson, and “Pastor Brown,” starring Salli Richardson and actor/director Rockmond Dunbar on Lifetime with more than 2.2 million viewers.
About Dee LaSure
Dee LaSure is an award-winning playwright best known for her SOLD OUT stage plays “Color Blind “, “It’s Not About You”, and “A Cross To Bear”. With more than 20 years of experience as a writer, LaSure worked for Jupiter Entertainment on the hit show “Justice By Any Means.” She was Associate Producer on the first season of “ATL Homicide” and has made appearances on various Jupiter crime reality shows including; Snapped, Fatal Attraction, and For My Man. She’s the author of “Men On Women: Perspectives on Life, Love, and Relationships.”
‘Black-ish’ Spinoff ‘Old-ish,’ Starring Laurence Fishburne, Jenifer Lewis In The Works At ABC
The ish franchise may be adding another installment.
ABC is developing Old-ish, another spinoff from Kenya Barris’ Emmy-nominated flagship series Black-ish. The comedy would see Laurence Fishburne and Jenifer Lewis reprise their roles as Earl “Pops” Johnson and Ruby Johnson, the parents of Anthony Anderson’s Dre.
Fishburne — who has been an exec producer on Black-ish since its start — has been a recurring player on the series and appeared in more than 60 of the comedy’s 141 episodes thus far, while Lewis was promoted from recurring to series regular in season two.
Barris, who departed ABC for a lucrative overall deal with Netflix in August 2018, will pen the script and exec produce alongside Fishburne, Anderson and Artists First’s E. Brian Dobbins. Lewis will be credited as a producer. The single-camera comedy hails from ABC Signature, Fishburne and Helen Sugland’s Cinema Gypsy and Barris’ Khalabo Ink Society.
The spinoff will follow Ruby and Earl as they give love a second chance. When they move to a rapidly gentrifying neighborhood of L.A., they’ll meet characters who represent the old and new faces of the community as they try to make it work as a married couple. Again.
Old-ish is the third spinoff in Barris’ ish empire which, in addition to the flagship series, includes ABC-turned-Freeform entry Grown-ish, starring Yara Shahidi, and Mixed-ish, a 1980s-set prequel built around the younger version of Tracee Ellis Ross’ character, Rainbow. While Grown-ish was originally developed for ABC, the network at the time thought it skewed too young. It was eventually picked up to series at Disney’s younger-skewing basic cable network, Freeform as its then head of originals Karey Burke (who is now president of entertainment at ABC) strongly pursued the series. Grown-ish, which has become a calling card for the cabler, returns for its fourth season in 2021. Mixed-ish, starring Arica Himmel, Tika Sumpter and Mark-Paul Gosselaar, will return for its second season on ABC sometime in the 2020-21 season.
While Barris has focused on developing film and TV projects for Netflix — his scripted comedy, Black AF, was recently picked up for a second season at the streamer — sources say that ABC’s Burke has remained friendly with the prolific showrunner. Sources note that Barris has also continued to be in touch with top Disney execs and recently pushed the company to release his shelved Black-ish episode, “Please, Baby, Please.” The episode, which was famously shelved in 2018, was released last month on Disney-owned Hulu. The move to shelve the politically-themed episode proved to be the last straw for Barris at Disney and the showrunner negotiated an early exit from his ABC deal and signed a three-year, eight-figure pact with Netflix in 2018.
Barris, who created the Peabody-winning Black-ish, remains actively involved in all of the ish shows. While others serve as showrunners, Barris has a carve out in his Netflix deal that allows him to remain deeply connected to the franchise. That he’s penning the script for Old-ish comes as a surprise given his lucrative Netflix deal.
#BlackAF is but one of multiple film and TV projects Barris and his Khalabo Ink Society banner have in the works as part of the company’s overall deal with Netflix. He also has a doc in the works about Civil Rights attorney Ben Crump, an animated music series Entergalatic and is in talks with the streaming giant for a Juneteenth-inspired musical with Pharrell Williams. Meanwhile, the Barris-produced comedy sketch show Astronomy Club was canceled after one season. He’s repped by CAA, Artists First and Morris Yorn.
Fishburne, meanwhile, is fresh off of Quibi’s FreeRayshawn. His TV series regular roles also include NBC’s Hannibal and CBS’ CSI: Crime Scene Investigation. He’s earned two Emmy wins, for guest actor in Tribeca and in the 1997 made for TV movie with Miss Evers’ Boys. On the big screen, his credits include the John Wick franchise, The Matrix, Marvel’s Ant-Man and the Wasp, DC’s Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice, Passengers and Contagion. He earned a best actor Oscar nomination for 1994’s What’s Love Got to Do With It. He’s repped by CAA, Landmark Artists and Del Shaw.
Lewis, meanwhile, has been a staple on Black-ish since season two, earning nominations from the Critics Choice Awards and the Black Reel Awards, among others. Her credits include Strong Medicine, Girlfriends and voice roles in Tuca & Bertie and Elena of Avalor, as well as features The Addams Family (2019), Cars 3, It Had To Be You and The Wedding Ringer. She’s repped by Innovative Artists and Joe Walker Management.
Source: The Hollywood Reporter
‘Fresh Prince of Bel-Air’ Drama Reboot Lands at Peacock With Two-Season Order
NBCUniversal-owned streamer Peacock has emerged as the winner in the bidding war for the drama reboot of The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air, handing out a straight-to-series, two-season order for the update from original series star Will Smith.
Smith and Morgan Cooper are teaming to adapt the latter’s dramatic reimagining of the former’s beloved NBC comedy The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air that was taken out to buyers last month.
“We have just officially closed the deal with Peacock with an unprecedented two-season-order from a pitch,” Smith told Morgan Cooper and showrunner Chris Collins when he surprised them with the good news about Bel-Air in an announcement posted to YouTube (watch it below). “I’ve been in this business for 30 years and that does not happen. They ordered two full seasons of Bel-Air based on the quality of the pitch and the work that you guys have done. So I want to say congratulations. I am hyped.”
Bel-Air is described as a dramatic take on the beloved ’90s comedy that catapulted Smith to stardom over his six seasons starring as a street-smart kid who moves from West Philly to the tony Los Angeles neighborhood. With a reimagined vision, Bel-Air will dive deeper into the inherent conflicts, emotions and biases of what it means to be a Black man in America today, while still delivering the swagger and fun nods to the original show.
The new Bel-Air has been in the works for more than a year, after Cooper’s four-minute clip went viral when it was posted in March 2019 and caught Smith’s attention. Cooper, a Fresh Prince superfan, created and directed the trailer that reimagined the series as if it were a drama. He will co-write the script, direct and be credited as a co-EP.
The series is a co-production between Smith’s Westbrook Studios and original producers Universal TV. Peacock, Netflix and HBO Max were among the streamers who were bidding for the series. HBO Max is the current streaming home for the original series.
Original series producers Smith, Quincy Jones and Benny Medina, as well as creators Andy and Susan Borowitz, are all set to return as exec producers. Chris Collins (The Wire, Crash, Sons of Anarchy) will serve as showrunner, exec producer and is set to co-write the script alongside Cooper.
The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air ran from 1990-1996 on NBC and was produced by Jones, Warner Bros. TV and what became Universal Television. Smith starred alongside James Avery, Alfonso Ribeiro, Karyn Parsons, Tatyana M. Ali, Joseph Marcell and Janet Hubert-Whitten/Daphne Maxwell Reid. Smith has remained close with the cast and recently reunited with everyone on SnapChat.
Reboots remain in high demand across broadcast, cable and streaming platforms as they come with built-in recognition and a viewership with built-in awareness, helping to reduce the costs of marketing and making it easier to cut through a crowded landscape. Key to reboots is having the original creators and studio attached, which Bel-Air has in spades. Miguel Melendez and Westbrook Studios’ Terence Carter are also attached to exec produce.
At Peacock, Bel-Air joins reboots of former NBC comedies including Saved by the Bell and Punky Brewster, as well as an update of Syfy’s Battlestar Galactica as the NBCU streamer mines its top library titles to help boost the new platform.
Source: The Hollywood Reporter
Showtime Picks Up Drama Series ‘The Chi’ For A Fourth Season
LOS ANGELES – September 8, 2020 –SHOWTIME has picked up the hit drama series THE CHI for a fourth season. Created and executive produced by Emmy® winner Lena Waithe (Twenties, Boomerang) and executive produced by Academy Award®, Emmy and Golden Globe® winner Common (Selma), THE CHI is a timely coming-of-age story centering on a group of residents on the South Side of Chicago who become linked by coincidence but bonded by the need for connection and redemption. Season three cast included Ntare Guma Mbaho Mwine (Queen of Katwe), Jacob Latimore (Sleight), Alex Hibbert (Moonlight), Yolonda Ross (Treme), Shamon Brown Jr., Michael V. Epps and Birgundi Baker (Station 19). Justin Hillian (Snowfall) will return as showrunner and executive producer for the fourth season. THE CHI is produced by Touchstone Television(HOMELAND). Season three of THE CHI was up double-digits across platforms over last season and doubled its audience on streaming platforms.
“Each season, THE CHI’s authentic storytelling resonates more deeply with its devoted and growing audiences,” said Gary Levine, President of Entertainment, Showtime Networks Inc. “Lena Waithe together with Justin Hillian explore the joys and the heartbreak of life on the South Side in a way that is unique on television, and we relish the prospect of continuing that exploration with them.”
“This show has definitely taken me on a journey,” said Waithe. “One of learning, healing, and growth. I didn’t know how this season would be received, but the level of engagement and enthusiasm from the fans has been fantastic. I still can’t believe our numbers are up by double digits! THE CHI is a team effort, and I’m grateful to continue this journey with such an amazing group of people.”
Produced entirely in its namesake city, season three of THE CHI found Kevin (Hibbert), Kiesha (Baker) and their newlywed mothers Nina (Tyla Abercrumbie) and Dre (Miriam A. Hyman) as they underwent a seismic shift in their blended family when Kiesha goes missing. Emmett (Latimore) grappled with the loss of his business partner as he struggled to mature into a full-fledged businessman and family man with girlfriend Tiff (Hannaha Hall). Jada (Ross) had her sights set on her own next chapter with a budding romance. A fledgling Ronnie (Mwine) was unsure of his life’s purpose but hoped it wasn’t too late to transform himself. Jake (Epps) found himself in a tug-of-war when his estranged brother Trig (Luke James) and girlfriend Imani (Jasmine Davis) arrived back in town to extricate Jake from his powerful new father-figure, Douda (Curtiss Cook). Meanwhile, Papa (Brown Jr.) found love in an unlikely place with former rival Maisha (Genesis Denise Hale). Season three guest stars included series creator Waithe, two-time Grammy® nominee James (Star, Little), Alani “La La” Anthony (Power), Lil Rel Howery (Get Out, Bird Box) and Kandi Burruss (The Real Housewives of Atlanta). In addition to Waithe, Common and Hillian, the hit drama series is also executive produced by Aaron Kaplan of Kapital Entertainment, Derek Dudley and Shelby Stone of Freedom Road Productions, Rick Famuyiwa and Jet Wilkinson.
Chadwick Boseman, ‘Black Panther’ Actor, Dies Of Cancer at 43
Boseman died at his home in the Los Angeles area with his wife and family by his side, his publicist Nicki Fioravante told The Associated Press.
Actor Chadwick Boseman, who played Black icons Jackie Robinson and James Brown before finding fame as the regal Black Panther in the Marvel cinematic universe, died Friday of cancer, his representative said. He was 43.
Boseman died at his home in the Los Angeles area with his wife and family by his side, his publicist Nicki Fioravante told The Associated Press.
Boseman was diagnosed with colon cancer four years ago, his family said in a statement.
“A true fighter, Chadwick persevered through it all, and brought you many of the films you have come to love so much,” his family said in the statement. “From Marshall to Da 5 Bloods, August Wilson’s Ma Rainey’s Black Bottom and several more- all were filmed during and between countless surgeries and chemotherapy. It was the honor of his career to bring King T’Challa to life in Black Panther.”
Boseman had not spoken publicly about his diagnosis.
Source: The Associated Press
Aida Rodriguez Stand-Up Comedy Special Coming To HBO Max
HBO Max is adding to its ever-expanding stand-up slate with the greenlight of a solo stand-up special from comedian, actress, producer Aida Rodriguez.
In the special, Aida Rodriguez takes to the stage to confront today’s audiences about cancel-culture and the social issues of the day, not just because they’re ripped from the headlines, but because they are in the pages torn out of her personal life. Trigger warning: her comedy might offend those who are too uptight to listen anyway.
“We are so thrilled to be able to partner with Aida not just on her scripted development but for her first one-hour stand-up special” said Suzanna Makkos, executive vice president of original comedy and animation for HBO Max. “Aida has such an unmistakable comedic voice and distinct point of view. Her ability to tackle an array of current events will certainly resonate with audiences.”
“I’m excited about my first hour-long special and I’m thankful that HBO Max believed in me enough to create a place for my voice, “ said Rodriguez. “They have been a great partner every step of the way.”
The special will be produced by Art & Industry.
Rodriguez joins HBO Max’s exciting slate of stand-up offerings, with previously announced specials from Chelsea Handler, Tracy Morgan, Marlon Wayans, John Early, and Ahir Shah, along with a slate of five specials from Conan O’Brien’s Team Coco, which includes which includes solo specials from Moses Storm, and Chris Redd. HBO Max launched the following specials on the platform TODAY: Rose Matafeo: Horndog, Beth Stelling: Girl Daddy, James Veitch: Straight to VHS, and the Latinx multiact special HA Comedy Festival: The Art of Comedy hosted by Anjelah Johnson.
Sinbad To Star In ‘Shazam’ Sequel Titled ‘Shazam: Fury of the Gods’
Sinbad is starring in a “Shazam” movie after all.
The actor and comedian was announced as the newest cast member of the “Shazam!” sequel during the DC FanDome virtual fan convention, where the film’s official title was revealed as “Shazam: Fury of the Gods.”
Star Zachary Levi kicked off the “Shazoom” call by explaining to fans that he was “a little limited” about what he could talk about when it came to the sequel, so he invited a few surprise guests to the panel — including co-stars Asher Angel, Jack Dylan Grazer, Faithe Herman, Meagan Good, Adam Brody and director David F. Sandberg.
When Sinbad jumped onto the video conference, Levi looked surprised asking, “Sinbad, are you in ‘Shazam 2?’”
“You tell me, John Krazinski, am I? Because everybody thought I was in ‘Shazam 1’ before it even existed — Google it,” Sinbad joked, referencing the internet theories that he’d starred in a comedy about a genie called “Shazam” in the 1990s. (In 1996, Shaquille O’Neal played a genie in a movie titled “Kazaam.”)
“People think I was in that one too, ‘Shazam,’ ‘Kazaam,’ all the Kazaams, I’m relegated to the false memories of the Tide generation man,” Sinbad said. “I’m going to work right now to rectify the situation once and for all with a big, prominent role in ‘Shazam 2,’ thank you very much.”
While it’s unclear who Sinbad will play in the film, he added, “I can play anything. I can play a good guy, bad guy, I can play Shazam’s trainer. And great news, David — I’ve already started working out for the movie. Check this out, man. I’m gonna look so good. I’ll even do nude scenes, a little booty, not a lot.”
Prior to the conference, Sandberg trolled fans by tweeting a fake poster for the sequel, with the title “Shazam!: Now the Kids Have Facial Hair,” acknowledging the long delay between the two films. The director posted the joke in response to a fan who tagged him online after “The Batman” director Matt Reeves revealed his film’s logo and artwork on Thursday.
The first “Shazam” was released in 2019, going on to make $365 million at the box office. The lighthearted superhero film starred Levi as Shazam and Angel as 14-year-old Billy Batson, who could turn into the godlike superhero at will.
