Regina King To Exec Produce And Direct ABC Drama Series In Development
Rapidly expanding her output both in front of and behind the camera, Regina King has set a new project at ABC.
She is attached to direct and executive produce Warriors.
The one-hour drama is description: It takes place in a Midwestern community where two friends–a semi-retired NFL player and an idealistic high school principal–will attempt to overcome their conflicting styles of teaching as they mentor a new generation and confront the long-buried sins of their past.
Former pro football player Wade Davis will co-executive produce with King. Michael Narducci, who the project is from, will exec produce and write, and Michael J. McDonald is also an exec producer.
King is under an overall deal at ABC Studios. She exec produced and directed The Finest, a drama series that would have starred Amirah Vann and Tisha Campbell-Martin on five black sisters who were cops, but it didn’t make it to series. McDonald and Narducci are also under overall deals at ABC.
King has directed many episodes of television, including This is Us, The Good Doctor and Greenleaf.
WATCH: ‘True Detective’ Season 3 Trailer Released With Mahershala Ali
Mahershala Ali is on the case.The Oscar winner is starring in season 3 of HBO’s limited series “True Detective,” and in the new trailer, which was just released by the cabler, he looks like he’s in for a challenge.The trailer shows his character, Arkansas state police detective Wayne Hays, at three different ages, clearly haunted by a case. “Before you ever knew me, I wasn’t scared much. That wasn’t a fear for me. Things I’ve seen, things I know, wouldn’t do anything but cause harm. My whole brain’s a bunch of missing pieces,” he says in the voiceover for the trailer.
“My job…. there’s no certainty. This peace… is more haunting than anything. I want to know the whole story.”
Season 3, which also stars Mamie Gummer, Stephen Dorff and Carmen Ejogo, was directed by Daniel Sackheim, who took over from Jeremy Saulnier as Variety reported exclusively. Saulnier directed the first two episodes; Sackheim divided up the final six with series creator/exec producer Nic Pizzolatto, marking his directorial debut.
The critically acclaimed first season one was directed entirely by Cary Fukunaga; he was replaced in season two by a rotating lineup of directors.
Season 3 of “True Detective” will premiere in January 2019 on HBO.
Source: Variety
Marlon Wayans To Play Six Lead Roles In New Netflix Comedy Titled ‘Sextuplets’
Marlon Wayans is back in business with Netflix on the new comedy Sextuplets and he’s reuniting with his Marlon TV series star Bresha Webb. The pic, which goes into production next month in Atlanta, is eyeing a worldwide stream date next year.
Written by Mike Glock, Rick Alvarez and Wayans, Sextuplets tells the story of Alan (Wayans), a man embarking on a personal journey to meet his birth mother before the arrival of his first child. When Alan meets his brother, Russell, he discovers that he was born a sextuplet and decides to seek out his four other siblings (all played by Wayans). Together, the two brothers set out on a road trip to track down the rest of the family that they’ve never known, and Alan quickly realizes he may have gotten more than he bargained for.
Michael Tiddes, who directed Wayans’ previous Netflix movie, Naked, a re-make of the 2000 Swedish movie Naken is back at the helm. Sextuplets will mark the fifth time that Tiddes and Wayans have collaborated together as director and actor, their previous credits include A Haunted House, A Haunted Houses 2, and Fifty Shades of Black. Wayans and Alvarez are producing through their Wayans Alvarez Productions banner, alongside Nathan Reimann.
“Excited to be in business with Netflix on yet another project. I love how they embrace comedy and diversity. I am looking forward to doing the thing I love most… comedy,” said Wayans in a statement. He also toplined a stand-up special on Netflix, Marlon Wayans: Woke-ish.
Added Alvarez, “Ever since we received the script from Nathan Reimann, Marlon and I have considered this movie a labor of love. Couldn’t be happier to team up once again with Mike Tiddes and Netflix.”
Webb is currently recurring on The Last O.G. opposite Tiffany Haddish and Tracy Morgan, and she will next be seen in Universal’s Sept. 28 release Night School. She is repped by Greene & Associates Talent Agency and attorney Karl Austen. Reps for Michael Tiddes are Artists First, Rick Genow, and UTA. Wayans is repped by 3 Arts Entertainment, UTA and Morris Yorn Barnes Levine Krintzman Rubenstein Kohner & Gellman. Alvarez is repped by UTA and Morris Yorn Barnes Levine Krintzman Rubenstein Kohner & Gellman.
Source: Deadline
Janet Jackson To Receive The Rock Star Award At The 2018 Black Girls Rock Awards
Janet Jackson will receive the rock star award at the 2018 Black Girls Rock awards.
The Grammy winner will be honored as a “phenomenal woman in music,” organizers said Thursday. Jackson recently released “Made For Now,” her single with Daddy Yankee.
Queen Latifah will host the show, which will be taped Sunday at the New Jersey Performing Arts Center in Newark. BET Networks will air the special celebrating the accomplishments of black women on Sept. 9.
Other award recipients include Mary J. Blige, Naomi Campbell and Judith Jamison.
Blige will receive the star power award. Campbell will be presented with the black girl magic award and Jamison will receive the living legend award for her work in dance and choreography.
The televised special is a BET Networks, B.G.R. Enterprises Inc./BONDVISION MEDIA and Jesse Collins Entertainment production. The executive producers are Beverly Bond, CEO, founder and creator of “BLACK GIRLS ROCK!™”, Connie Orlando, Head of Programming for BET Networks and Jesse Collins and Jeannae Rouzan – Clay of Jesse Collins Entertainment.
‘Bewitched’ Reboot From Kenya Barris In The Works At ABC
ABC has given a pilot production commitment to a reboot of classic sitcom “Bewitched” from Kenya Barris.
The project hails from ABC Studios and Sony Pictures Television. It was in the works prior to Barris’ departure this summer from ABC Studios, where he had been under an overall deal. Earlier this month, Barris signed a three-year agreement with an option for two more additional years at Netflix worth $100 million.
Barris will write and executive produce the project with Yamara Taylor, currently a co-producer on Barris’ ABC comedy series “Black-ish.” John Davis and John Fox of Davis Entertainment will serve as non-writing exec producers.
A half-hour single camera comedy, the new “Bewitched” will be reimagined as a story featuring a bi-racial couple. The original “Bewitched” aired on ABC from 1964 to 1972. It starred Elizabeth Montgomery, a witch with magical powers who marries an ordinary mortal man, Darren, played first by Dick York and later by Dick Sargent. It was created by Sol Saks and produced by Harry Ackerman. Sony Pictures holds the rights to the franchise, which was made into a 2005 feature film starring Nicole Kidman and Will Ferrell. The new project will feature an African-American Samantha who marries a mortal white man.
Source: Variety
Common Signs Overall Deal With Lionsgate TV
Common is increasing his focus on television.
The Emmy-winning songwriter, actor and producer has inked an overall deal with Lionsgate Television. Under the pact, Common will create and develop new projects for the studio.
The deal expands Lionsgate’s relationship with Common, who has starred in the film studio’s John Wick and Now You See Me feature franchises. He currently co-stars and exec produces Showtime’s The Chi.
“We’re thrilled to have the talented multihyphenate Common join our television team along with his longtime manager and producing partner Derek Dudley, president of production Shelby Stone and creative executive Melisa Resch,” said Lionsgate executive vp and head of worldwide scripted TV Chris Selak. “Common’s expertise from working across all different artistic platforms offers a rich and exciting creative vision to our group. We look forward to the bold, premium content Freedom Road Productions will bring to our deep and diverse television slate.”
Common, who earned an Emmy for his music in Ava DuVernay’s Oscar-nominated and Emmy-winning documentary 13th, next has features Smallfoot (with Warner Bros.), The Hate U Give (Fox) and Hunter Killer, which hails from Lionsgate’s indie label Summit Entertainment.
“I’m proud to expand my relationship with the innovative content creator Lionsgate,” said Common. “The studio offers a collaborative, creative freedom that is unique in the entertainment industry, which makes them a perfect partner for Freedom Road Productions. I’m looking forward to teaming up with Kevin [Beggs, Lionsgate TV Group chairman], Chris and the Lionsgate collective on exciting and fresh television programming.”
Common’s TV credits include a co-starring role on AMC’s Hell on Wheels, joins a Lionsgate roster that also includes Dear White People‘s Justin Simien and Yvette Bowser, Kim and Eric Tannenbaum (Two and a Half Men), Courtney Kemp (Power) and Jenny Bicks(Sex and the City), among others. Common is repped by UTA, Dudley and attorney David Fox.
Source: The Hollywood Reporter
WATCH: The HappyTime Murders Movie Review!
For this episode of Humor Mill TV, we review the new film titled The HappyTime Murders!
Now, before we jump into the review we have to say do NOT take your children to see this film! Yes, the film include puppets that you may have seen in the trailer if you happened to catch it on television, but unlike the puppet films of the past, this film is not for your kids.
As stated, The HappyTime Murders is a film for adults, with puppets, that is sure to be the beginning of a whole new audience; an audience that includes rude, sexual jokes, drug jokes, and a ton of cursing that is not like anything you have seen from any puppet film. With that being said, this film is one of the most hilarious films released this year and thanks to the performances of Melissa McCarthy and Maya Rudolph, it does not disappoint. The HappyTime Murders will most likely be the start of a new branch of a puppet movie franchise for adults that’s sure to be around for a while, and laughter is definitely in the recipe for future success.
If you are not familiar with the film, check out the film description and our immediate reaction below. This film is rated R for strong sexual content, drug usage, and language but we give it a RATED G, as in GO SEE IT.
Film description;
Set in the underbelly of Los Angeles where puppets and humans coexist, detective Connie Edwards (Melissa McCarthy) teams up with her puppet partner, Phil Philips, to find out who’s behind a series of puppet murders. From Brian Henson, the son of Jim Henson and director of The Muppets Christmas Carol and Muppets Treasure Island, comes the least kid-friendly puppet movie ever made.THE HAPPYTIME MURDERS is a hilarious and outrageous R-rated comedy unlike anything you’ve ever seen, starring the very funny Melissa McCarthy alongside comedy all-stars Maya Rudolph, Joel McHale and Elizabeth Banks.
Regina Hall Confirms ‘Girls Trip’ Sequel Is In The Works
It looks like the Flossy Posse is getting back together! According to Girls Trip star Regina Hall, “the girls are coming back” for a sequel to the breakout comedy of summer 2017.
“We’re trying to make that happen,” Hall told BuzzFeed News’ AM to DM. “So we’re trying to get everything together with the schedule. I think they’re working on something. I don’t know where we’re going. I don’t know where the girls are going, but… we’re going somewhere.”
Girls Trip, directed by Malcolm D. Lee and written by Kenya Barris and Tracy Oliver, earned $140.4 million worldwide after its debut last year. Starring Hall, Tiffany Haddish (in her breakthrough role), Queen Latifah, and Jada Pinkett Smith, the film saw four college friends reuniting at Essence Fest in New Orleans where they partied hard, revisited old wounds, reclaimed their identities, and became much closer for it.
Talk of a sequel has been buzzing about since audiences proved once again that a film with women in the leading roles can (wait for it…) make a lot of money. (Hear that, Hollywood executives?) An official announcement, however, has remained elusive; Universal had no comment.
Lee told EW “we’d like to” do a sequel. “The audience really took to it, I think they’d want to see what the Flossy Posse is up to next and I’m hoping that we can make that happen and bring that to the masses.”
He continued, “It has to be a little bit bigger, it has to be just as good, just as funny, just as outrageous and that takes time. We’ve got to figure out how that’s all going to come together and coalesce in a script and make it worth our time as filmmakers, their time as actors, and the audience’s time as consumers. So we don’t want to do it if it’s not going to be great. We want to make sure that it’s a quality piece of work.”
This is something Haddish says she’s been “constantly bothering the studios about that.”
“Every time I see one of the executives, I say, ‘When are we doing Girls Trip 2? How’s it going to work out? Here, I have a few ideas,’” she adds. “I’m like writing it myself. I’m so ready for Girls Trip 2 to happen. And so is Jada and Queen Latifah and Regina, we all talk about it. We talk to each other at least once or twice a month, like ‘What do you think? What about this idea?’ I’m like, we should just write it ourselves and then present it to the studio, like, ‘When are we going to shoot this?’”
Source: Entertainment Weekly
Jay Ellis To Join Tom Cruise In The New ‘Top Gun’ Sequel
Jay Ellis is continuing to bolster his film resume.
The Insecure star, who will appear in the psychological horror flick Escape Room, is among the latest cast members added to the new Top Gun sequel, Top Gun: Maverick.
Tom Cruise toplines the upcoming film, and other co-stars include Val Kilmer, Glen Powell, Jennifer Connelly, Miles Teller, Thomasin McKenzie, Charles Parnell, Jay Ellis, Bashir Salahuddin, Danny Ramirez and Monica Barbaro.
The only character detail known as of yet is that Ellis will play a pilot.
Joseph Kosinski is the director of the film, set for release in July 2019.
Tiffany Haddish Sets Up Another New Stand-Up Special At Netflix
Tiffany Haddish continues to be a force.
After last year’s stand-up special on Showtime, she’s set another one in 2019, this time at Netflix.
“Tiffany Haddish is a force. Hilariously funny, brash and self-effacing, she’s an incredible artist who is winning over audiences while breaking barriers, and we are tremendously proud that she will showcase her formidable talent on Netflix,” said Lisa Nishimura, vice president of original documentary and comedy at Netflix.
Haddish has a busy to-do list; this is her second Netflix project aside from her animated series with Ali Wong, Tuca & Bertie, which premieres next year.
Her TNT series with Tracy Morgan, The Last O.G., was recently renewed for a second season, and among her many films set for release is September’s Night School.
