In today’s film news roundup, documentaries on Mac Miller and the U.S.’s great outdoors are under way, Paramount has promoted Kevin Tsu, Wavelength hires four and “The Muppet Movie” will come back for two days.
DOCUMENTARIES LAUNCHED
Filmmaker CJ Wallis has announced that his company Margrette Bird Pictures is beginning pre-production on a documentary chronicling the late rapper Mac Miller.
Miller died in September from a mix of fentanyl and cocaine, according to a toxicology report from the Los Angeles County Coroner’s Office. His death was characterized as accidental. Miller had struggled with substance abuse in the past and often referred to the problems in his songs.
Wallis made the announcement on his Twitter account:
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Destination-marketing organization Brand USA and Expedia are teaming with MacGillivray Freeman Films to produce giant-screen documentary “Into America’s Wild.”
The project will premiere in Washington D.C. in February 2020. It will follow John Herrington, the first Native American astronaut, and Alaskan pilot Ariel Tweto on a cross-country journey of scenic byways, ancient homelands and little known trails and will include Oregon’s coast, the ancient canyons of the Southwest, the wilds of Alaska and the Appalachian Trail.
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PARAMOUNT PROMOTION
Paramount Pictures has promoted Kevin Suh to president of themed entertainment and consumer products for the studio.
He reports to Andrew Gumpert, Paramount Pictures’ chief operating officer, and oversees Paramount’s Parks and Resorts division, Paramount Live Stage, and Paramount’s Consumer Products division, which controls licensing and development of products in all categories of merchandise, gaming, publishing and media.
Suh has been with Paramount Pictures since 2012. He was previously executive VP of themed entertainment and consumer products.
WAVELENGTH HIRES
Wavelength Productions has hired Serena Turner, Taylor Wildenhaus, Swathi Narahari, and Kamilah Hawa Badiane, making it a 90% women-helmed company.
Turner has joined Wavelength as the senior VP of development and production where she will find and develop new projects, collaborate with filmmakers during production and secure distribution. Wildenhaus is an associate producer who has worked on “Full Frontal with Samantha Bee” and “Last Week Tonight with John Oliver” and will be responsible for assisting in every phase of production for all in-house projects.
Narahari is Wavelength’s executive assistant and has worked on “The Break with Michelle Wolf” and “Jimmy Kimmel Live!” Badiane is Wavelength’s new assistant production office coordinator.
Wavelength titles include “Won’t You Be My Neighbor,” “The Infiltrators,” “Where’s My Roy Cohn” and “Selah and the Spades.”
MUPPETS RETURNING
A 40th anniversary showing of “The Muppet Movie” has been set for July 25 and July 30 from Fathom Events, The Jim Henson Company and Universal Pictures.
“The Muppet Movie” will play in more than 700 movie theaters on July 25 at 7 p.m. and on July 30 at 12:30 p.m. and 7 p.m. each day through Fathom’s Digital Broadcast Network.
“The Muppet Movie,” directed by James Frawley, received an Academy Award nomination for “The Rainbow Connection,” the film’s theme song. It follows Kermit the Frog as he embarks on a cross-country trip to Hollywood.