‘The Jetsons’ Live-Action TV Comedy In The Works At ABC
Courtesy of Photofest/ABC
Prepare to meet George Jetson (again).
ABC is teaming with producers Warner Bros. Television to develop a live-action multi camera comedy based on the classic Hanna-Barbera cartoon family from the 1960s.
The comedy, which has landed at ABC with a sizable put-pilot commitment, will be written by Gary Janetti (Family Guy, Will & Grace), who exec produces alongside Jack Rapke and Robert Zemeckis (Back to the Future).
The ABC take is described as based on the original animated series, the sitcom is set 100 years in the future and revolves around America’s favorite future family — told through a modern filter. Warner Bros. Television, who was behind the original The Jetsons, produces alongside Nickleby Inc and Compari Entertainment. Jackie Levine is set as a co-EP.
ABC originally aired The Jetsons — the family comedy about George, his wife Jane, daughter Judy and son Elroy as well as pooch Astro and housekeeper Rosie — for two seasons in 1962-63 when it was the first program broadcast in color on the network. The series later aired on Sunday mornings on ABC in 1963-64 and later moved to CBS and NBC. New episodes were produced in the mid-1980s. A 1990 animated musical film — produced by Universal Pictures and featuring the voices of original cast members Mel Blanc, George O’Hanlon and Penny Singleton — served as the series finale.
The new ABC comedy comes as Warner Animation Group is readying an animated feature film with Conrad Vernon (Sausage Party) attached.
Reboots continue to remain in high demand this development season as broadcast, cable and streaming outlets look for proven IP in a bid to cut through a crowded landscape of more than 455 scripted originals. This far this season, NBC is adapting The Munsters and Miami Vice.
Zemeckis is with WME; Rapke (Cast Away) is with CAA; and Janetti is with WME.
Check out the original opening credits, below.
Source: The Hollywood Reporter
‘Marlon’ Gets A Huge Start On NBC Last Night!
The series debut of NBC’s comedy “Marlon” scored the second most-watched new summer comedy premiere on the Big 4 broadcast networks in 10 years, according to Nielsen overnight data.
Airing at 9 p.m., “Marlon” averaged a 1.3 rating in adults 18-49 and 5.4 million total viewers. That is one of the best premieres for a summer comedy series since CBS’ “Creature Comforts” nabbed 6.2 million viewers in 2007. Earlier this summer, the Tuesday timeslot debut of ABC’s “Downward Dog” drew 5.7 million viewers, but that series was ultimately canceled. A second episode of “Marlon” at 9:30 p.m. dropped to a 1.0 and 4.1 million viewers, losing approximately 23% of its audience in the key demo and 24% in total viewers.
Earlier on NBC, “America’s Got Talent” (2.1, 10.7 million) was the highest-rated and most-watched show of the night.
On CBS, “Big Brother” (1.9, 6.3 million) was even. A new episode of “Salvation” at 9 p.m. (0.5, 3.1 million) was also even, while a second episode at 10 p.m. (0.4, 2.8 million) dipped in both measures.
ABC aired only the music special “CMA Fest” (1.2, 5.7 million), which was approximately even with last year’s broadcast.
For Fox, “MasterChef” (0.9, 3.1 million) was even, while “The F Word” (0.6, 1.8 million) was up in both measures.
The CW aired only repeats.
NBC won the night with a 1.3 and 6.1 million viewers. ABC was second with a 1.2 and 5.7 million viewers. CBS was third with a 0.9 and 4.1 million. Fox was fourth with a 0.8 and 2.4 million. The CW averaged a 0.2 and 675,000 viewers.
SOurce: Variety
OWN Announces New Drama Series From ‘Moonlight’ Writer/Producer To Star Michael B. Jordan
Los Angeles – OWN: Oprah Winfrey Network announced today a new one-hour drama series from Tarell Alvin McCraney, co-writer and executive producer of the Academy Award-winning Best Picture “Moonlight.”
Marking his first television series, McCraney will create, write and executive produce the new coming-of-age drama, from Warner Horizon Scripted Television, with Mike Kelley and Melissa Loy (“Revenge”/”Swingtown”) serving as executive producers under their Page Fright production banner alongside Michael B. Jordan (“Creed”) who is also joining as executive producer via his Outlier Productions.
Haunted by the death of his closest friend, and relied on by his hardworking mother to find a way out of poverty, a 14-year-old prodigy from the projects must choose between the streets that raised him or the higher education that may offer him a way out. Set in South Florida at the end of the Obama legacy, the lyrical drama inspired by events in McCraney’s own life, explores the precarious balance needed for the making of a man.
“When Tarell shared his powerful story with us there wasn’t a dry eye in the room,” said Oprah Winfrey. “I knew this was something special that our viewers will without a doubt connect to and feel compelled to explore with us. I am honored to be working with Tarell and the rest of the producers on this project.”
“I wanted to explore the pivotal steps towards adulthood and identity, the ones we take when we think or feel we have no other choice,” said Tarell Alvin McCraney.
“From the moment Tarell began discussing his profoundly moving story with us, we knew we needed to find a courageous home to nurture his extraordinary vision. No one is better equipped to do that than Oprah Winfrey and her talented team,” said Mike Kelley and Melissa Loy.
“Being young, gifted and black in America today and anywhere for that matter makes it extremely hard and challenging to follow your dreams and achieve success,” said Michael B. Jordan. “Tarell’s adaptation of this reality was so honest and true and it’s the exact message our youth needs today.”
Playwright, actor and producer Tarell Alvin McCraney received an Academy Award, with director Barry Jenkins, for Best Adapted Screenplay for co-writing the 2016 film “Moonlight,” which also won for Best Picture. The movie was based on McCraney’s semi-autobiographical script In Moonlight Black Boys Look Blue. McCraney currently serves as the chair of playwriting at the Yale School of Drama. This will be his first foray into creating a scripted drama series for television. Michael B. Jordan’s acting career spans both film and television. He has had prominent roles in critically acclaimed films including “Fruitvale Station” and “Creed” and on popular television series including “Friday Night Lights” and “The Wire.” Last year he launched his own production company, Outlier Productions. Page Fright producing partners Mike Kelley and Melissa Loy have worked on several notable scripted series, including “Revenge,” where they served as executive producer/showrunner, and executive producer, respectively.
McCraney’s series will join OWN’s expanded lineup of premium scripted programming. The network most recently announced the new dramedy “Love Is __” from Mara Brock Akil and Salim Akil adding to its roster of current top-rated dramas “Queen Sugar” and “Greenleaf” (both just picked up for third seasons), and Tyler Perry’s popular dramas “The Haves and the Have Nots” and “If Loving You is Wrong,” which year-to-date comprise four of the top six original scripted series on ad-supported cable for women 25-54.
The series, which is yet to be titled, will be produced for OWN by Page Fright and Outlier Productions in association with Warner Horizon Scripted Television.
D.L. Hughley Blasts Donald Trump On His Late Rebuke Of White Supremacists
D. L. Hughley‘s not surprised by Donald Trump‘s belated rebuke of white supremacists … because he believes the Trumps have roots in racism.
We got D. L. Monday at LAX and asked what he made of Trump’s timing to come out and explicitly denounce white supremacists after violence in Charlottesville — and he had a simple explanation.
The comedian cites reports that Trump’s late father, Fred Trump, was arrested in Queens in 1927 after a KKK riot there … although Trump has denied his dad had any involvement.
Either way … D.L. thinks the country knows where the Prez stands on race, and it’s time Americans looked themselves in the mirror on the issue.
Source: TMZ
‘Bad Boys 3’ Gets Pulled From Sony’s Release Schedule
It’s bad news for the Bad Boys.
Entertainment Weekly reports that Bad Boys 3 (also known as Bad Boys for Life) has been pulled from Sony’s release schedule, pushed from a previously announced November 9, 2018 release to an unknown date.
The pic, which is expected to bring together original Bad Boy franchise stars Martin Lawrence and Will Smith as wise-cracking cop duo Mike and Marcus, hasn’t had the easiest road of production. In March of this year, director Joe Carnahan (The A-Team, The Grey, Smokin’ Aces) dropped from the project, citing scheduling conflicts. He announced his exit on Twitter, stating that “scheduling conflicts happen all the time” and explaining that he and Frank Grillo (Captain America: Civil War) were hard at work on their new production company WarParty. However, sources close to The Hollywood Reporter previously indicated that his departure may have been due to creative differences.
Where Carnahan will have his hands full directing a remake of The Raid, an Indonesian action film helmed by Gareth Huw Evans, Sony is still on the hunt for someone to take the reins on Bad Boys 3. Considering that the studio removed the upcoming action comedy flick from its calendar, it seems that production without a director may have proven too difficult.
Whatever the reason for the indefinite delay, Bad Boys 3 is in some hot water that may cause Sony to cancel the planned sequel altogether.
Vin Diesel To Star In ‘Fast and Furious’ Live Arena Tour!
Vin Diesel will continue to live his “life a quarter mile at a time.”
Diesel announced Wednesday on Facebook that he will be starring in the upcoming “Fast and Furious” live show.
Universal Studios is teamed up with Brand Events for the international arena tour, based on the hit franchise, which kicks off in January.
“As you know, my work with ‘Fast and Furious’ never ends, which I’m grateful for because of you all,” Diesel, who plays Dominic Toretto, said in the Facebook video. “I am in New York, believe it or not, and we are filming something that is going to be pretty state of the art, something no one’s ever seen before, which is a live show.”
The actor also told fans that the show will launch in the United Kingdom.“I think it’s first going to be showed at the O2 Arena in London, but it’s going to go all over the world and we’re really excited about it,” Diesel added. “It’ll be a way for you to see the action first-hand, first time it’s ever been done.”
The show will include re-creations of some of the stunts and cars in the eight-film franchise, which is still expanding. The executive producers are Chris Hughes and James Cooke-Priest, along with writer/director Rowland French.
Source: Variety, Facebook
Urban Movie Channel Continues Fall Out Friday Slate With ‘The Comedy Underground’ Series Hosted By Red Grant
Following the recent announcement of UMC – Urban Movie Channel’s new original comedy series, The Rich and the Ruthless, UMC is keeping the laughs coming this summer with more original comedy series as part of its annual “Fall Out Fridays” summer lineup. The first variety series coming to UMC, Lawd Have Mercy, is a Sunday church service version of America’s Funniest Home Videos hosted by Flex Alexander (Single Ladies, Girlfriends) and comedian/writer Buddy Lewis(Real Husbands of Hollywood). Greenlit for a second season, The Comedy Underground Series initially premiered on UMC in 2015. The returning series, which kicks off with new host Red Grant, spotlights some of the world’s funniest comedic talent and rising stars. Lawd Have Mercy will premiere on Friday, August 4, 2017, followed by the return of The Comedy Underground Series on Friday, August 11, 2017. New episodes for both series will be added weekly through Labor Day weekend.
Hosted by Flex Alexander along with co-host Buddy Lewis, Lawd Have Mercy is a video clip show that takes a lighthearted look at faith and religion. Produced by former Major League Baseball player Kenny Lofton and his producing partner Brenton Earley under their production company FilmPool, the new variety series showcases some of the most righteously funny videos on the internet today with the help of the Lawd Have Mercy gospel choir. “UMC is the perfect home for “Lawd Have Mercy,” says Brenton Earley. “When the creator Lee House brought us the idea, we knew we had a home run. With Flex already attached, we knew adding Buddy and the LHM Choir would make it a Grand Slam,” says Kenny Lofton. Craig Hall, Theida Salazar and Chadwick Williams also served as producers on the project.
Returning fan-favorite The Comedy Underground Series breaks the hottest new faces in comedy while re-introducing seasoned veterans in the comedy business. In Season 2, comic Red Grant takes the stage as the show’s host with MC Lyte reprising her role as DJ and ringmaster. Created and produced by Angela White, via her Silver Lining Entertainment banner, along with producer Carol Ann Shine, the second season boasts a powerhouse roster of hilarious talent, including Guy Torry, Brooklyn Jones, Rip Micheals, Tony Roberts, Pretty Ricki, Cocoa Brown, Zooman Miller, and Ocean Glapion. Available at www.umc.tv, UMC is the first premium subscription streaming service that showcases quality African American and urban entertainment across all genres from RLJ Entertainment (NASDAQ: RLJE).
Created by Robert L. Johnson, Chairman of RLJ Entertainment and founder of Black Entertainment Television (BET), Urban Movie Channel (UMC) is the first subscription streaming service created for African American and urban audiences in North America that features quality urban content and showcases feature films, documentaries, original series, stand-up comedy, and other exclusive content. UMC is available on Apple TV, iOS, Roku, Amazon Prime, and Amazon Fire TV. At www.UMC.tv, UMC offers a free 7-day trial and thereafter is just $4.99/month or $49.99/year. Keep up with UMC on Facebook at Facebook.com/UrbanMovieChannel and on Twitter/Instagram @WatchUMC.
Spike Lee Developing Comedic TV Series Inspired By ‘Young Black Mark Zuckerberg’ Tech Entrepreneur
Spike Lee is gearing up to shop around a new TV series with tech entrepreneur and multi-hyphenate rising star Chad Sanders, according to sources.
The series, titled “Archer,” is a dark comedy and sociological thriller capturing the life of a 20-something African-American coding genius and iconoclast living in Brooklyn who has developed a dating app that reads sexual chemistry. The central character is described as a “young, black Mark Zuckerberg-like protagonist,” and the story will travel between New York, Silicon Valley, and Berlin’s famously sexual environment.
The project is loosely based on the life of Sanders, a tech entrepreneur who formerly served as a partner and head of business development at Dev Bootcamp, an intensive coding school that was eventually sold to Kaplan for double-digit millions. Sanders spent the first four years of his career with Google. He recently founded the business development agency Archer Genius Management, which is the basis for the title of the series.
Sanders is the creator and star of the series, in addition to serving as executive producer, writer, and director. Lee is on board to direct the pilot episode and will executive produce through his 40 Acres and A Mule Filmworks production banner. Sanders and Lee, who both coincidentally graduated from Morehouse College, first met through a mutual family friend.
The series will be pitched to a wide variety of networks, and no particular platform is being eyed at this point.
For Lee, “Archer” marks the filmmaker’s latest television project, following his upcoming Netflix series “She’s Gotta Have It,” which launches this November.
Sanders is repped by WME and managed by Oronde Garrett at Headshell Management. Lee is repped by ICM.
Source: Variety
On This Day In Comedy… In 2002 ‘Undercover Brother’ Was Released
On this day in comedy on May 31, 2002, Undercover Brother was released by Universal Pictures
Eddie Griffin stars as the title character that was created by John Ridley. Undercover Brother has but one purpose – stick it to the Man. Based on the hit Internet sensation, the film centers on the renegade’s recruitment into B.R.O.T.H.E.R.H.O.O.D., an organization formed specifically to stick it to the Man. Seems the Man has been trying to make blackness look bad and has a mind-altering drug floating around the hood. It makes black leaders and celebrities in the community go all coon and somebody has to put a stop to it.
Griffin infiltrates the Man’s criminal organization, but soon loses himself as he is under the influence of a deadly white woman (Is there any other kind?) sent by who else? The Man. Before long, Undercover Brother is an out & out Tom. Despite the pigment of his skin – he’s been converted into a white boy. It takes a bold, soul sister to get him back in touch with his blackness and B.R.O.T.H.E.R.H.O.O.D. has one of those. Griffin is back to black and the white girl follows him to that side. She’s a traitor to her own (Surprised?). In a climatic plot to get James Brown to coon Griffin disguises himself as Brown and blows the case wide open (as they say in movie review speak) and goes off into the sunset with the sistah.
Directed by Malcolm D. Lee, Undercover Brother was well-received by the critics. It won a Black Reel Award for Best Film Song and one for the film itself by the Washington DC Area Film Critics Association Awards. The movie featured Chris Kattan, Dave Chappelle, Chi McBride, Gary Anthony Williams, Neil Patrick Harris, Aunjanue Ellis, Denise Richards, Billy Dee Williams, Jack Noseworthy and James Brown. Written by Michael McCullers and co-executive produced by Ridley, the music was provided by Stanley Clarke. On a budget of $25 million Undercover Brother earned $41.6 million.
On This Day In Comedy… In 1998 ‘I Got the Hook-Up’ Was Released
On this day in comedy on May 27, 1998, I Got the Hook-Up was released by Miramax Films
This was a pure Master P production. As No Limit Records’ first film he co-wrote it, co-produced it, did some of the music and co-stars in this tale of two merchandise-is-in-their-van hustlers who come up when a mistake is made. Thanks to dumb luck they (Master P and A J Johnson) now have a fleet of erroneously delivered cell phones in a mobile phone hungry hood. Eureka! Of course, whenever there’s new money to be made, local gangsters always want their cut and whenever there’s criminals the authorities get involved and in the movies, that usually means the FBI to make it seem even more important.
I Got the Hook-Up features the acting talents of Ice Cube, C-Murder, Tiny Lister, Mystikal, Mr. Serv-On, Fiend, Mia X and Snoop Dogg. Also getting their thespian on was Sheryl Underwood, Tangie Ambrose, Helen martin, Joe Estevez, Richard Keats, Gretchen Palmer, Anthony Boswell, Frantz Turner, Harrison White and John Witherspoon.
The film was directed by Michael Martin and distributed by Dimension Films. The soundtrack made it to #1 on the Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums and #3 on the Billboard 200. On a budget of $3.5 million, I Got the Hook-Up grossed $10,317,779 at the box office.
