The comedian will star in season four of FX’s hit limited series “Fargo,” the network announced Friday at the Television Critics Assn. press tour. The critically acclaimed series will begin production next year, for a targeted air date next year as well.
Described as a story of “immigration and assimilation and the things we do for money,” season 4 of “Fargo” is set in 1950 in Kansas City, Missouri, where two criminal syndicates — one Italian, one African-American — have struck an uneasy peace. To cement their peace, the heads of both families have traded their eldest sons. Rock will play the head of one of the syndicates, who has surrendered his son to his enemy, and who must raise his son’s enemy as his own. But then the head of the Kansas City mafia goes into the hospital for routine surgery and dies — and everything changes.
Noah Hawley, who created the award-winning series, will again return as showrunner, writer and director. Joel & Ethan Coen, Warren Littlefield and John Cameron have also served as executive producers. “Fargo” is produced by MGM Television and FXProductions.
“I’m a fan of Fargo and I can’t wait to work with Noah,” said Rock.
This marks a return to FX for Rock, who was an executive producer on “Totally Biased with W. Kamau Bell.” which aired from 2012-2013. He also executive produced BET’s late-night talk show “The Rundown with Robin Thede” and “Everybody Hates Chris,” which ran from 2005-2009.
The first season of “Fargo,” which starred Billy Bob Thornton and Martin Freeman and was set in 2006, won three Emmy Awards, including best miniseries. Season two, set in 1979, featured an ensemble cast including Kirsten Dunst, Jesse Plemons and Jean Smart, and earned two Emmys. The third installment, set in 2010, starred Ewan McGregor (in dual roles), Carrie Coon and Mary Beth Winstead, landed six Emmy noms.
Source: Variety
Nick Cannon To Host New FOX Reality Series Titled ‘Masked Singer’
Fox is going all in for reality.
The network has ordered “The Masked Singer,” a new celebrity competition series, which will be hosted by Nick Cannon and is set to bow in January 2019.
The series, based on a South Korean format, features celebrities facing off against one another with one major twist: each singer is shrouded from head to toe in an elaborate costume, complete with a mask to conceal his or her identity. The host, panelists, audience, viewers and the other contestants are all left guessing who is singing. One singer will be eliminated each week, revealing his or her true identity.
Ken Jeong, Jenny McCarthy, Nicole Scherzinger and Robin Thicke will serve as panelists on the show.
“This is truly one of the most unique, genre-defining formats I’ve ever seen,” said Rob Wade, Fox’s president of alternative entertainment and specials. “It’s a massive international hit, and its boldness and originality make it the perfect fit for Fox.”
“There are very few hit formats left in the world, and when I saw ‘The Masked Singer,’ which is a true global and viral phenomenon that has captured the world’s attention, I knew it had to be brought to life in America,” said executive producer Craig Plestis (“Minute to Win It”).
“The Masked Singer,” which hails from Endemol Shine North America, is also executive-produced by Izzie Pick Ibarra (“Dancing with the Stars”); Alex Rudzinski (“Grease: Live”) will direct. The South Korean format was created by Mun Hwa Broadcasting Corp, which is repped by Paradigm, who also reps Plestis.
Source: Variety
Hannibal Buress To Headline ‘Life Is Beautiful Music & Art Festival’!
Life is Beautiful Music & Art Festival is excited to announce its 2018 comedy lineup featuring some of today’s real heavy-hitters. Hannibal Buress, Michelle Wolf, Pete Davidson, Natasha Leggero, Trixie Mattel and more join an already stacked music lineup during the 3-day festival. For the third year in a row, Life is Beautiful will host an eclectic group of stand-up comedians on the newly minted comedy stage, The Kicker, centered in the heart of the festival grounds inside The Venue Las Vegas.
Now in its sixth year, Life is Beautiful, known for staying ahead of new music discovery, offers up a slate of top comedic acts from all over the entertainment stratosphere, promising one of the most diverse groups of hilarious performers to be found at a major music festival. Highlights include Saturday Night Live funny man Pete Davidson, breakout stand-up comedian and actor Hannibal Buress, executive producer, writer and host of The Break with Michelle Wolf, celebrated stars of Netflix Natasha Leggero (The Honeymoon Stand up Special) and Nicole Byer (Nailed It), stand-up and music hybrid variety show The New Negroes With Baron Vaughn & Open Mike Eagle, LA’s notable stand-up/rock ‘n’ roll mash-up group The Goddamn Comedy Jam, the superstar saucy comedian and winner of RuPaul’s Drag Race All Stars Season 3 Trixie Mattel, star of HBO’s Silicon Valley Jimmy O. Yang and actor Langston Kerman (Insecure), fearless trans comedian Patti Harrison, SNL writer Anna Drezen, and SIRIUS XM’s Boast Rattle: A Competitive Compliment Contest With Kyle Ayers.
The comedy schedule this year will spread out the laughs with showcases throughout the day and into the evening, which includes comic relief by Big Mouth & American Vandal writer Jaboukie Young-White, 25-year-old social media comic Brandon Wardell, and Toronto’s very-own singing and comedy group Choir! Choir! Choir!, who plan to turn audiences into their own choir, with original performances all three days of the festival.
The Life is Beautiful comedy experience is open to all festival attendees and free admission for wristband holders on a first come first serve basis. Download the lineup poster HERE.
Come September, Life is Beautiful is committed to giving festival-goers an unforgettable experience featuring performances by chart-topping artists such as The Weeknd, N.E.R.D, Arcade Fire, Travis Scott, DJ Snake, Florence + The Machine, Tyler, The Creator, Death Cab For Cutie, Bastille, Galantis, Miguel, French Montana, GoldLink, T-Pain, Cold War Kids and more!
Malcolm D. Lee In Talks To Direct Kevin Hart’s ‘Uptown Saturday Night’ Remake
“Girls Trip” director Malcolm D. Lee is in early negotiations to direct Warner Bros. and Overbrook Entertainment’s remake of “Uptown Saturday Night” starring Kevin Hart, sources tell Variety.
Will Smith and his Overbrook Entertainment partner James Lassiter are producing with “Black-ish” creator Kenya Barris writing the most recent draft of the script. For years, the project was developed as a possible starring vehicle for Smith and Denzel Washington, but busy schedules for both A-listers have forced Smith to serve as a producer on the project, opening the door for Hart to take the lead.
Kevin Hart and John Cheng will also produce through their HartBeat banner.
The original pic starred Sidney Poitier and Bill Cosby and followed two friends who sneak out to visit a high-class but illegal club, and trouble ensues. Jesse Ehrman is overseeing for the studio.
Sources say that once Hart was attached to the project, Lee immediately looked to be in a good position to take on the remake. The two previously worked together on the upcoming Universal comedy “Night School,” which opens in September.
Lee is coming off one of the biggest hits of his career with last summer’s “Girls Trip,” which went on to gross $140 million worldwide, including $115 million domestically. Other recent credits include “Barbershop: The Next Cut” and “The Best Man Holiday.”
He is repped by Paradigm and Del Shaw.
Source: Variety
Robert Townsend Announces New Documentary On The Making Of ‘The Five Heartbeats’!
Comedian, writer, director, and producer Robert Townsend announced today via social media that he’s debuting his latest project, which we discovered is a documentary of the making of one of his hit films, The Five Heartbeats.
The film, which was directed by Townsend and Keenen Ivory Wayans, and written by Townsend, starred Townsend, Michael Wright, Leon, Harry Lennix, Diahann Carroll, and many more. The film quite simply is the story of the rise and fall of a group trying to make it in the R&B industry in the 50’s and 60’s. Ater watching a ton of TV One’s Unsung, this film parallels many groups and their fate in the industry.
Anyway, check out the post that Townsend made on social media below;
Finally! I have been working on this documentary off and on for 10 years! People of always asked me about a sequel to THE FIVE HEARTBEATS and I could never figure it out. But after being stopped so many times in the airports and people asking for a sequel for the movie. I decided to do this documentary to give real fans of the film a glimpse into my creative process and everything that it took to make this movie. The good,the bad and the ugly,it’s my personal journey seen like never before, telling my story as a young filmmaker, making my second movie,on a mission to create a new image of black men.It includes interviews with the Cast and the co-writer of the film Keenen Ivory Wayans . It will have its world premiere on August 27 one night only as a Fathom Event an arm of the AMC movie theaters.So if you’re a fan of the film and have seen it more than once,this is the documentary for you! Get your tickets now at fathomevents.com and see it on the big screen August 27 one night only! And as we say in THE FIVE HEARTBEATS“I got nothing but love for you baby“ #MakingThe5Heartbeats#RobertTownsend#EddieKaneJunior#Dresser#Duck#BigRed#HawthorneJames#TicoWells#MichaelWright#KeenenWayans#Leon #TicoWells #FathomEvents
Michael Che & Damon Wayans Jr. To Executive Producer Wil Sylvince’s Boxing Film ‘I Am Maurice’
Saturday Night Live co-head writer and “Weekend Update” co-anchor Michael Che and Damon Wayans Jr. (Fox’s New Girl) have signed on as executive producers on indie boxing film I Am Maurice, based on an original script by comedian Wil Sylvince and Bryan Kennedy. Jerry LaMothe is directing the pic, which follows Maurice (played by Sylvince), a downtrodden immigrant with aspirations of becoming a boxer and seeking a better life in America after the 2010 earthquake in Haiti.
The project launched a Kickstarter crowdfunding campaign that garnered support and pledges from fellow comedians including Dave Chappelle, Leslie Jones, Chris Rock as well as Che and Wayans, among others. As part of their pledges, Rock and Jones will make cameo appearances in the film.
Sylvince and Kennedy will produce under their Brilliant Minds Productions banner along with Marshall exec producer Chris Bongirne.
Sylvince has been featured on Comedy Central, HBO, Showtime, and appeared in Rock’s film Top Five.
Che, who made history as the first black co-anchor of “Weekend Update,” is gearing up to co-host the 70th annual Primetime Emmy awards, while Wayans series Happy Together was picked up by CBS to debut this fall.
Source: Deadline
Comedian Kid Fury To Develop HBO Comedy Series With Lena Waithe Producing!
Podcaster, vlogger, and comedian Kid Fury is developing a half-hour HBO comedy series that boasts Lena Waithe among its executive producers, Variety has learned exclusively.
The untitled project is described as a surreal dark comedy that follows Greg, a 20-something sarcastic gay black man navigating adulthood and responsibility in New York City while struggling to wrap his head around his undiagnosed clinical depression.
Kid Fury, whose given name is Gregory A. Smith, will serve as writer and co-executive producer on the series with Waithe executive producing. Chloe Pisello, David Martin, Jon Thoday, and Richard Allen-Turner of Avalon Television will also executive produce. Jason Kim will co-executive produce.
Kid Fury is a comedian and host of the hit podcast “The Read.” The podcast features a queer black perspective on pop culture, politics, and life advice, which has helped it establish a cult following. “The Read” also tours as a live show across the US and Europe, and recently celebrated it’s five year anniversary with a sold-out live show at the Apollo Theater.
He also tours with his solo stand-up show “Furious Thoughts: Live,” and recently appeared in a guest role on Season 2 of “Dear White People” on Netflix. He is also known for his viral YouTube videos like “S–t Black Gays Say” and his “Furious Thoughts” series. His channel has amassed over 17 million views.
Kid Fury is repped by Ambitious Minds and WME.
The project marks the latest in a string of projects Waithe has in the works. It was recently announced that her latest script, “Queen & Slim,” will go into production in January starring Daniel Kaluuya for Universal. Waithe also serves as executive producer and writer of the upcoming series “Twenties” at TBS.
Just last week, Waithe–who won an Emmy last year for her writing on “Master of None”–inked a first-look deal at Showtime, which airs her critically-acclaimed drama series “The Chi.” She is also an executive producer on the horror anthology series “THEM,” which has received a two-season order at Amazon.
Source: Variety
New Comedy Podcast Launches Interviewing Comedians Titled ‘Shut The Front Door With Shawn Janifer’ Featuring Owen Smith In It’s Premiere!
Have you heard a phrase or word and wondered where it came from or why do we use it? Shut The Front DoorWith Shawn Janiferexamines the origins of these popular phrases and words and makes it not only entertaining but educational. Every episode features a different comedian. Some of our conclusions may be fact, fiction, folklore or an old wives tale; nonetheless…entertaining.
In the debut episode Janifer interviews comedian and writer Owen Smith who discusses everything from his own podcast to working in Hollywood!
Listen and watch the first episode!
Netflix Officially Announces Octavia Spencer’s Madam C.J. Walker Limited Series Produced By LeBron James
Nearly a year after the project was first attached to Netflix, the streaming giant officially announced news of an Octavia Spencer-led Madame C.J. Walker limited series from LeBron James at Sunday’s Television Critics Association press tour.
Netflix says this of the series: This is the untold and highly irreverent story of black hair care pioneer and mogul Madam C.J. Walker and how she overcame hostile turn-of-the-century America, epic rivalries, tumultuous marriages and some trifling family to become America’s first black, self-made female millionaire. Based on the book On Her Own Ground, by A’Lelia Bundles
Claws showrunner Janine Sherman Barrois and Elle Johnson will co-showrun. Nicole Asher is writing the script. Kasi Lemons is directing the first episode and is an executive producer for it. The series executive producers are Spencer, James, Maverick Carter and Mark Holder and Christine Holder for Zero Gravity
The series will be produced for Netflix by SpringHill Entertainment and Zero Gravity in association with Warner Bros. Television.
Source: Shadow & Act
‘Black-ish’ Creator And ‘Girls Trip’ Writer Kenya Barris Officially Exits ABC Studios!
It’s official: Black-ish showrunner and Girls Trip writer Kenya Barris is leaving his longtime home at ABC Studios as sources say he could become the next mega-producer to ink a nine-figure overall deal with Netflix.
Barris’ deal with ABC Studios will end in August as he and the studio have now negotiated his exit. Netflix, meanwhile, declined comment on a potential deal with the prolific writer-producer.
“I’m very grateful to Patrick Moran and his team at ABC Studios, who have supported me every step of the way as I created the worlds of Black-ish, Grown-ish and now Besties. It has been an incredible ride including a Peabody and Golden Globe win, Emmy nominations, and many other accolades. But most importantly, they’ve allowed me to realize my dream of creating my own shows and I’m so proud of the work we’ve done together,” Barris said Friday in a statement. “No matter what, the studio has never wavered in their support of my creative vision. Leaving is bittersweet, but between my series on the air and projects currently in development, I know I’ll continue to work with ABC Studios for a long time.”
Barris’ likely move to Netflix comes as the prolific showrunner, as exclusively reported by The Hollywood Reporter, had been actively trying to get out of his overall deal with ABC Studios, his creative home since 2015. Barris, who earned a Peabody and two best comedy Emmy nominations for his ABC comedy Black-ish, had three years remaining on the lucrative four-year deal he signed in 2017. Sources say other studios, including Warner Bros. Television, courted Barris with nine-figure offers as well. Barris, like Shonda Rhimes when she departed ABC Studios, will remain an executive producer on all of his shows. Kenny Smith has been promoted to co-showrunner alongside Jonathan Groff on Black-ish. Julie Bean continues to serve as showrunner on the Freeform spinoff Grown-ish. Groff, Smith and Bean all have overall deals with ABC Studios. The news comes months after Freeform handed out a straight-to-series order for Barris comedy Besties, which will remain on track.
Barris is a logical fit for Netflix, which is seeking what chief content officer Ted Sarandos has called a “rare class of creator” who can deliver hits that are both critically and commercially successful. Barris has proved the ability to deliver that on both the film and TV side. Also of interest to the streaming service, which is looking to satisfy its 117 million subscribers: prolific producers of content. Again, Barris delivered, overseeing a show and a spinoff (Freeform’s Grown-ish) while also developing aggressively on TV and in film.
The potential Netflix deal follows a series of tough breaks at ABC. In March, for instance, it yanked a politically themed episode of Black-ish following creative differences between the network and Barris. At the time, ABC called the decision to scrap it a mutual one between the network and Barris, though sources say otherwise. The episode was poised to feature star Anthony Anderson’s Dre relaying his concerns about the current state of the country to his son. “Given our creative differences, neither ABC nor I were happy with the direction of the episode and mutually agreed not to air it,” Barris said at the time. “Black-ish is a show that has spoken to all different types of people and brought them closer as a community and I’m so proud of the series.”
Since first signing with the Disney-owned studio in 2015, Barris has become its top comedy writer-producer. In addition to Black-ish, he has developed multiple projects for the network but landed only one series pickup: spinoff Grown-ish, which was originally developed for ABC but skewed too young, sources said, and was moved to cable sibling Freeform (where it was renewed for a supersized second season). Grown-ish was one of three projects Barris developed for ABC in 2017. Politically themed family comedy Libby and Malcolm,starring Felicity Huffman and Courtney B. Vance with a script from Barris, was considered a frontrunner to go to series given its timely premise of two politically divided pundits who fall in love, but ABC passed. The network also went to pilot on the Toni Collette CIA drama Unit Zero, a passion project for Barris who described it as the “type of drama television I love doing. It pulls back the curtain on what it’s like to be a woman in a historically male-dominated field and it shows underrepresented voices.” It also did not go to series.
This season, ABC handed out a straight-to-series order for a family comedy written by Barris with Alec Baldwin attached to executive produce and potentially star. Baldwin ultimately exited the multicamera comedy after reading the script, and the series order was downgraded to pilot before ultimately being rolled off-cycle after trouble casting a new lead of Baldwin’s caliber. (Sources say the project may never see the light of day.) Meanwhile, the Barris-produced single-camera comedy Bright Futures landed at another network — NBC — with a late-season pilot order, but it was passed over at the broadcast network.
Barris, meanwhile, already has projects at Netflix including a feature film reboot of Shaft, with New Line producing the script written by Barris. He is also attached to rewrite a script for a sequel to Eddie Murphy’s Coming to America. Both of those projects follow the breakout success of Girls Trip, which grossed more than $140 million worldwide on a budget of $19 million. (Barris, it should be noted, has a film deal with Fox, though it’s unclear when that expires.)
Barris, should his Netflix pact close, will join Rhimes (Scandal, Grey’s Anatomy) and Ryan Murphy (Glee, American Crime Story) with nine-figure deals at the streaming service. Rhimes and Murphy each exited their longtime homes at ABC Studios and 20th Century Fox Television, respectively, helping to further ignite a war for talent among broadcast, cable and streamers. It’s also worth noting that ABC Studios let Rhimes out of her deal in order to sign with Netflix, as she had a year remaining with the company. Barris’ exit now leaves ABC Studios without its top comedy and drama producers.
Other producers who have been rumored to be targeted by Netflix include Modern Family co-creator Steve Levitan, Family Guy‘s Seth MacFarlane and Shameless’ John Wells.
