On This Day In Comedy… In 1993 ‘Cool Runnings’ Was Released
On This Day In Comedy… On October 1, 1993, Cool Runnings was released by Walt Disney Pictures
This last film John Candy appeared in while still alive also stars Doug E. Doug, Malik Yoba, Leon and Rawle D. Lewis. The story is loosely based on the historic inclusion of Jamaicans into the sport of bobsledding at the 1988 Winter Olympics. Prior to that all bobsledding teams had hailed from locations with snow (which made it easier for them to practice), but when an 100 meter runner doesn’t make the Summer Olympic games due to an on track mishap, he seeks out a former two time Gold Medalist to help him attain his dream. The difference is now the dream consists of using runners to make a bobsled go faster and possibly win a medal.
The newly formed Jamaican bobsled team find the old timer and an uneasy alliance is formed. The assembled motley crew discover their new coach was once a bigtime cheat. Other revelations dot the film as movies mixing sports, comedy and sentimentality are known to do, but they all end up gaining a greater understanding of each other as it becomes the Jamaicans and their non-Jamaican coach against all the other bobsled teams who feel superior.
With the authenticity of actual footage and fueled by a popular sound track featuring Jimmy Cliff’s version of “I Can See Clearly”, Cool Runnings was a box office hit and critical success. It debuted at #3 domestically and earned $68,856,263 in the US and Canada. In Jamaica, the film made $416,771 and its total worldwide take came to $154,856,263. Not bad for a film made on a $14-million budget.
Lara Croft is the fiercely independent daughter of an eccentric adventurer who vanished when she was scarcely a teen. Now a young woman of 21 without any real focus or purpose, Lara navigates the chaotic streets of trendy East London as a bike courier, barely making the rent, and takes college courses, rarely making it to class. Determined to forge her own path, she refuses to take the reins of her father’s global empire just as staunchly as she rejects the idea that he’s truly gone. Advised to face the facts and move forward after seven years without him, even Lara can’t understand what drives her to finally solve the puzzle of his mysterious death.
Going explicitly against his final wishes, she leaves everything she knows behind in search of her dad’s last-known destination: a fabled tomb on a mythical island that might be somewhere off the coast of Japan. But her mission will not be an easy one; just reaching the island will be extremely treacherous. Suddenly, the stakes couldn’t be higher for Lara, who—against the odds and armed with only her sharp mind, blind faith and inherently stubborn spirit—must learn to push herself beyond her limits as she journeys into the unknown. If she survives this perilous adventure, it could be the making of her, earning her the name tomb raider.
From Warner Bros. Pictures and Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer Pictures, “Tomb Raider” is the story that will set a young and resolute Lara Croft on a path toward becoming a global hero. The film stars Oscar winner Alicia Vikander (“Ex Machina,” “The Danish Girl”) in the lead role, under the direction of Roar Uthaug (“The Wave”), with Oscar-winner Graham King (“The Departed”) producing under his GK Films banner. The executive producers are Patrick McCormick, Denis O’Sullivan and Noah Hughes.
“Tomb Raider” also stars Dominic West (“Money Monster,” “300”), Walton Goggins (“The Hateful Eight,” “Django Unchained”), Daniel Wu (AMC’s “Into the Badlands”) and Oscar nominee Kristin Scott Thomas (“The English Patient”).
Uthaug directed from a script by Geneva Robertson-Dworet and Alastair Siddons. The director’s behind-the-scenes creative team includes director of photography George Richmond (“Mission: Impossible – Rogue Nation”); production designer Gary Freeman (“Maleficent”); Oscar-nominated editor Stuart Baird (“Skyfall,” “Gorillas in the Mist”); Oscar-winning costume designer Colleen Atwood (“Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them”) and costume designer Timothy A. Wonsik (assistant costume designer, “Free State of Jones,” “Iron Man 3”).
Warner Bros. Pictures and Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer Pictures present, a Square Enix Limited production, a GK Films production, “Tomb Raider.” Set for release on March 16, 2018, the film will be distributed by Warner Bros. Pictures, a Warner Bros. Entertainment Company, and in select territories by MGM.
Jerrod Carmichael Inks Overall Deal With 20th Century Fox TV
The Carmichael Show may have come to an abrupt end but 20th Century Fox TV’s relationship with creator and star Jerrod Carmichael did not.
20th TV, the leading studio behind the praised NBC multi-camera comedy, has signed a big overall deal with Carmichael. Under the pact, he will produce projects for the studio with longtime collaborator and producing partner Ari Katcher under his Morningside Entertainment banner. Carmichael will write, produce, supervise other writers, and potentially star in new projects for the studio.
“The end of The Carmichael Show was a heartbreak for everyone at this studio, and Howard (Kurtzman) and I swore we’d be back in business with Jerrod if we had anything to say about it,” 20th TV president of creative affairs Jonnie Davis said. “Lucky for us, he said ‘yes.’ This is a guy whose inspiration is Norman Lear and it’s not hard to see why– he speaks about what’s happening in the world and he gets people talking even if the subject matter is uncomfortable. Oh, and he’s also hilarious. He’s an incredible talent and a ‘television savant’ and we’re thrilled he’s making 20th his exclusive home.“
The Carmichael Show was originally developed at Universal TV but was “adopted” by 20th TV when it was picked up to series by NBC and 20th TV-based writer-producer Danielle Sanchez-Witzel was named showrunner. 20th TV became the lead studio, co-producing with Uni TV, and fought for the show until its end this past summer after three seasons.
Carmichael and Katcher are repped by UTA and Ziffren.
Source; Deadline
Woody McClain Starring In ‘Stories With Kev’ Series, Based On Kevin Hart’s Notable Skits
The New Edition Story‘s Woody McClain has created a new series for Kevin Hart’s digital streaming service, Laugh Out Loud (LOL).
The series, Stories With Kev, will feature McClain as Hart, acting out his most notable skits and experiences.
McClain also executive produces the project.
“I’m excited to premiere this hilarious new Laugh Out Loud series that brings some of my most memorable stand up stories to life in a whole new light. I’ve witnessed Woody’s amazing talent first hand and can’t wait for our Laugh Out Loud community to watch him in Stories with Kev,” said Hart.
“Kevin Hart has created a platform for fresh up-and-coming comedians and comedic actors to showcase their talents. I’m extremely honored to work with him and his team to produce some amazing content that will hopefully grab the public’s attention and move the platform forward,” said McClain.
McClain signed with Hart’s HartBeat Digital in December 2015 after a video he made on one of Hart’s skits went viral.
The actor, most known for his role as Bobby Brown in The New Edition Story, also stars in the indie film Canal Street, set for release next year. He’s also appearing in BET’s anthology series Tales this year.
The series is now playing on LOL.
Source: Shadow&Act
On This Day In Comedy… In 1976 ‘Norman… Is That You?’ Was Released By MGM And United Artists
On this day in comedy on September 29, 1976, Norman… Is That You?was released by Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer and United Artists
Based on the hit stage play of the same name this version goes for a Black cast, not Jewish and stars Redd Foxx and Pearl Bailey. They portray the parents of fresh-out-the-closet, Norman. Well, the closet door was ajar and Redd peeked in. Foxx is an abandoned husband (his wife ran off with the brother-in-law) and to get his bearings he visits his son unannounced and pulls a Columbus of a discovery. Like most old-school fathers, Foxx tries to talk Norman (Michael Warren) into being a real man to the point of buying him a prostitute. But naturally by the end of this comedy attitudes have been adjusted, enlightenment and personal growth have manifest and old Redd Foxx is a more tolerant man than when he arrived uninvited on the doorstep of his grown ass son.
Directed and produced by George Schlatter, Norman . . .Is That You? co-stars Dennis Dugan, Tamara Dobson, Vernee Watson-Johnson, Jayne Meadows, George Furth, Sosimo Hernandez, Sergio Aragones and Wayland Flowers.
On This Day In Comedy… In 1970 Comedian And Actor, Russell Peters Was Born!
On this day in comedy on September 29, 1970, Comedian, Actor, Russell Dominic Peters was born in Toronto
Due to his Indian descent, Peters was regularly bullied in school and took up boxing to even things out. Comedy was also a great leveler of tension. Peters took up joke telling in 1989 and in 1992 he met one of his idols, George Carlin. It was that meeting that instilled an extra bit of ambition in Peters. Carlin advised the young comic to go up and perform and much as possible and wherever possible. It was that new work ethic that kicked Peters’ career into that of a serious professional and got him noticed by his elders, including Carlin, who Peter’s opened for on one of Carlin’s last performances.
The big break for Peters came in 2004. He was the beneficiary of the latest thing known as videos going viral. He’d shot a set on Canadian TV’s “Comedy Now!” and YouTube users ate it up. Not only did they devour the 45-minute routine, they uploaded segments of his racial comedy and made sure the groups he was talking about got it. They in turn uploaded it and before long Peters was an international comedy star.
Throughout his career it’s been about groundbreaking numbers. He was the first comedian to sell out Toronto’s Air Canada Centre (16,000 tickets) in 2007. In 2009 he set the sales record for London’s 02 Arena (16,000 tickets). His 2010 show in Australia (13,880 tickets) was the biggest stand-up comedy show in Australia’s history and he did the same thing in Singapore in 2012. His DVD, “Outsourced” stayed on the National DVD charts for over a year and a half. His autobiography, “Call Me Russell” was a best-seller. For all this hard work Peters was recognized by Forbes Magazine as the third highest paid stand-up comedian.
Russell Peters has produced comedy for radio and hosted televised award shows (The Juno Awards). In 2008, he won the prestigious Gemini Award for Best Performance or Host in a Variety Program or Series. He had the 2013 Trailblazer Award bestowed upon him by the Association of South Asians in Media for his pioneering comedy contributions by a member of his culture. For the 2014 season of NBCs “Last Comic Standing” Peters served as a judge along with Keenan Ivory Wayans and Roseanne Barr. He’s appeared on TV (“Mr. D”, “The Burn with Jeff Ross”), in films (“National Lampoon’s 301: The Legend of Awesomest Maximus”, “My Baby’s Daddy”), but mostly on stages worldwide.
Sony Fast Tracks ‘Men In Black’ Spinoff Set For Summer 2019
The Men in Black are back. Sony Pictures has fast-tracked a spinoff of its billion-dollar alien franchise. The studio today will stake out a May 17, 2019, release date for an untitled film that has a script by Matt Holloway & Art Marcum, the writers of Iron Man and Transformers: The Last Knight.
Will Smith and Tommy Lee Jones aren’t expected to reprise, but the film acknowledges and builds on the world they inhabited. Holloway & Marcum have scripted a contemporary sci-fi pic about the black-clad secret force that protects earth from the alien scum of the universe, focusing on new characters chasing villains that put the picture on more of a global scale than the two previous films. The ambition is akin to the way that Jurassic World rebooted and expanded that franchise. The MiBspinoff film is being produced by Walter F. Parkes and Laurie MacDonald and executive produced by Steven Spielberg. They are actively involved in meeting with top directors right now and expect to land one quickly.
The project is a surprise, because it was expected that the next Men in Black movie would be a mashup with another Sony Pictures hit franchise, 21 Jump Street, with Channing Tatum and Jonah Hill’s characters donning the black suits. That idea remains in development, but the spinoff is moving quickly and will come first. Sony, which separately is rebooting its Charlie’s Angels rebootwith Elizabeth Banks directing and Kristen Stewart and Lupita Nyong’o in talks.
The studio also is moving on multiple fronts with its Spider-Man universe, working simultaneously on a Phil Lord & Christopher Miller-scripted animated film for Christmas 2018, as well as the Ruben Fleischer-directed Tom Hardy-Michelle Williams starrer Venom to be released October 5, 2018, and Silver & Black, with Gina Prince-Bythewood directing the two female superheroes in the Spidey universe for February 8, 2019. There is also the sequel to Spider-Man: Homecoming, with Jon Watts directing Tom Holland and the Zendaya-led ensemble. That will be released July 5, 2019.
Parkes confirmed the Men in Black spinoff. “It’s so rare to get to the end of the script and know you’re holding a movie in your hands, but Art and Matt have written a spinoff that somehow is true to the core of the MiB world and yet expands the franchise to a fresh new place,” he said.
David Beaubaire is overseeing for Sony.
O.J. Simpson’s Parole Prompts Comedy Script ‘Cuba Gooding Jr. Must Die’
O.J. Simpson could be paroled from prison this Monday, which begs the question, what’s the first thing Simpson might do once he’s no longer behind bars? Well, a hot new spec script dares to answer that question with one doozy of a premise.
Jeff Portnoy at Bellevue Productions is shopping an action-comedy spec by Jimmy Tsai titled CUBA GOODING JR. MUST DIE!: AN O.J. SIMPSON STORY. Ripped from the headlines, it’s exactly what you might imagine. Check out this wild logline:
After being released from prison on parole, O.J. Simpson sets out on an obsessive quest to avenge Cuba Gooding Jr. for exploiting his image.
There aren’t any elements attached yet, but this would certainly be a “fun,” quirky way of tackling the Simpson saga on the big screen. Cuba Gooding Jr. Must Die comes on the heels of the Oscar-winning actor’s turn as Simpson in the acclaimed FX miniseries The People v. O.J. Simpson: American Crime Story. ESPN also aired Ezra Edelman’s brilliant 7.5-hour documentary O.J.: Made in America, which won an Oscar despite its lengthy runtime.
Tsai is best known for writing, co-producing and starring in the indie movie Ping Pong Playa, which was released by IFC Films. He was also a fellow in the Fox Television Writers Program. Tsai is represented by Bellevue’s Portnoy.
I don’t know if Cuba Gooding Jr. has anything to say about this, but I’ll let you know if I hear from him. In the meantime, stay tuned to the Tracking Board, as this spec will certainly have people talking this week, especially if the Juice does in fact get loose.
Source: Tracking Board
The BET Hip Hop Awards Announces Luther “Uncle Luke” Campbell To Receive ‘I Am Hip Hop Award’!
The BET “HIP HOP AWARDS” has remained the most prominent hip hop showcase on television for ten years with its powerful performances, iconic hip hop honorees and much-anticipated cyphers. Multi-platinum artist, mega-producer and ‘Anthem King’ DJ Khaled will take the reins as host of theBET “HIP HOP AWARDS” 2017.
The “I Am Hip Hop” Award returns to honor hip hop pioneer and legend Luther “Uncle Luke” Campbell.
Luther “Uncle Luke” Campbell is a businessman, community activist, author, television personality, radio host, artist and most importantly the first Southern rapper to appear on Billboard’s Pop charts. In addition, he was the first Southern rapper to start an independent rap record label, Luke Records. Known as the “Godfather of Southern Hip Hop,” Luther Campbell was the first in the music industry to provide “parental advisory” stickers on product responsibly ensuring his music was only bought by those of a certain age. Soon thereafter, the entire music industry made it mandatory for illicit material to provide advisory stickers. With his likeness highlighted in the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame, as a member of the 2 Live Crew, Luke fought to ensure the freedom of speech all the way to the Supreme Court – and won. Campbell’s endless philanthropic efforts has found him giving to refugees from Cuba and Haiti on the shores of Miami and those less fortunate than himself in the community. Campbell is also a sports radio host, long-time columnist for the Miami New Times and owner of several Wingstop franchises. Campbell is currently in the process of producing a biopic on his life with Lions Gate as well as several other television projects.
And the hottest night in hip hop is only getting started as the host and multi-platinum recording artist and producer DJ Khaled is confirmed to perform; the first female rapper to top Billboard’s Hot 100 chart Cardi B is set to bring the house to their feet; as well some of the hottest hip hop performances by Migos, Yo Gotti, Flo Rida, T-Pain, Playboi Carti, Plies and many more. Also bringing the heat for this year’s BET “HIP HOP AWARDS” for the first time in Miami and representing the “305” is Rick Ross, Trina and Trick Daddy in a historic “305” medley and special appearances by Irv Gotti, Keyshia Ka’Oir, Blac Chyna and Devonta Freeman.
The BET “HIP HOP AWARDS”will also be an opportunity to support relief efforts aimed at communities in South Texas and South Florida hard hit by Hurricane Harvey and Hurricane Irma. BET Networks and Jesse Collins Entertainment are teaming up with Miami-based non-profit Make the Homeless Smile and Houston-based non-profit Angel by Nature on hurricane relief efforts.
Jesse Collins, CEO of Jesse Collins Entertainment, will serve as Executive Producer of the BET Hip Hop Awardsalong with Connie Orlando, BET Head of Programming and Jeannae Rouzan–Clay, Vice President of Specials, Jesse Collins Entertainment.
NBC Renews ‘Marlon’!
According to our sources, NBC has renewed the hit series Marlonfrom Marlon Wayans.
We hear that the network has decided that they are going to add more then 10 episodes, and it may be 22. No official word yet on the actual series order.
The series description;
Marlon has an amicable divorce/co-parenting situation with his ex Ashley (Essence Atkins), meaning he spends a lot of his time in their old house dispensing advice to bookish daughter Marley (Notlim Taylor) and rambunctious son Zack (Amir O’Neil). Rounding out the limited ensemble are Ashley’s sassy best friend Yvette (Bresha Webb) and Marlon’s friend Stevie (Diallo Riddle), who has been sleeping on his couch for two years.
