September 6, 2019 3:10PM PT Chris March, a celebrity costume designer and former “Project Runway” contestant, died on Thursday. He was 56. Bravo’s Andy Cohen mourned the news with an Instagram post on Friday, writing that March “had a big booming laugh; he was a joy and delight.” According to TMZ, which first broke the
Television
September 6, 2019 2:29PM PT A drama series based on the life of celebrity chef Julia Child is near a pilot order at HBO Max, Variety has learned from sources. Joan Cusack is near a deal to star as Child. Daniel Goldfarb is attached to write and executive produce, with Christopher Keyser set to executive produce.
September 6, 2019 1:03PM PT NPR has tapped longtime media executive John Lansing to become its next president and CEO. Selected by the NPR board of directors, Lansing will start in October, succeeding outgoing head Jarl Mohn, who has occupied the role since 2014. “We are delighted to welcome John, whose deep experience as a
September 6, 2019 11:30AM PT “LA’s Finest” star Gabrielle Union is expanding her relationship with Spectrum Originals. Variety has learned exclusively that Union is attached to executive produce a one-hour dramedy project in development at Spectrum that hails from Sony Pictures Television. Titled “Tips,” the series is about a young woman who finds an escape
Arthur Sando, a veteran PR executive who worked for such notable figures as Ted Turner and Larry Flynt, died Sept. 3 of a heart attack in Washington, D.C. He was 71. Sando headed Sando Communications in recent years, based in his hometown of Washington, D.C. Starting in 2012, he served for several years as spokesman
September 6, 2019 8:30AM PT Former ABC comedy head Jamila Hunter has joined Paul Lee’s independent studio Wiip on a temporary basis, Variety has learned from sources. Hunter will fill in at Wiip until January while Nne Ebong is out on maternity leave. Hunter was most recently president of TV for Kenya Barris’ Khalabo Ink
September 6, 2019 7:20AM PT Last night’s low-scoring game between the Green Bay Packers and the Chicago Bears may have been a bit of a snooze fest, but it still managed to produce a three-year ratings high for an NFL kickoff game. The game scored a 15.3 in the overnight metered-market ratings, topping the 13.4
In this week’s International TV Newswire, “Hierro” breaks records in Spain, Sky readies fora diabolic Mipcom, NENT realigns, reflecting new market realities, Buena Vista drills down on gender crime, DRG, All3Media and EndemolShine strike production or sales deals. Renewed, “Hierro” Triumphs in Spain Movistar+, the pay TV unit of Telefonica, Europe’s third biggest telecom, has
BBC Studios, the commercial arm of the BBC, has merged its operations in Asia, Australia and New Zealand. It has appointed Jon Penn to head the unified structure. The move follows the departure of Myleeta Aga, acting executive VP, Asia, and comes after all BBC Studios’ international sales and distribution businesses, encompassing content sales, branded
September 5, 2019 10:31PM PT Longtime exec Angelica McDaniel has exited her post as executive VP in daytime programs, CBS Entertainment. McDaniel leaves amid a restructuring that will see her department absorbed by current programming, headed by Amy Resisenbach. The move is being made in an effort to streamline the reporting structure at CBS Entertainment
Milo Ventimiglia is suiting up as daredevil Evel Knievel for a limited series that has been ordered at USA Network, Variety has learned. Titled “Evel,” the series is based on the story of the larger-than-life 1970s daredevil as he prepares for his greatest death-defying feat, the historic Snake River Canyon jump. There is not currently an
In today’s tv news roundup, Amazon Prime Video set a Nov. 1 premiere date for “Tom Clancy’s Jack Ryan” and AMC released the first trailer for its new hip-hop docuseries “Hip Hop: The Songs That Shook America.” DATES Season 2 of “Tom Clancy’s Jack Ryan” will premiere on Amazon Prime Video on Friday, Nov. 1.
Patty Jenkins is heading to Netflix. Variety has learned that the director, writer, and producer has signed a multi-year overall deal at the streaming service to produce new television series. According to sources, the deal is valued at $10 million over three years. “We’re thrilled to welcome Patty Jenkins to Netflix,” said Channing Dungey, vice
September 5, 2019 3:00PM PT Joseph Gordon-Levitt is the latest big name star to set up a project at Apple. Variety has learned from sources that Gordon-Levitt is set to star in, write, and executive produce a drama series currently in the works at the nascent streamer titled “Mr. Corman.” It is said to follow
September 5, 2019 2:25PM PT Hulu is no longer developing John Grisham’s “The Rainmaker” and “Rogue Lawyer” for the streaming platform, Variety has learned. Michael Seitzman, creator of CBS dramas “Code Black” and “Intelligence,” had been tapped to oversee the multi-series so-called “Grisham Universe” alongside “Detroit 1-8-7” creator Jason Richman. The two Grisham series were
September 5, 2019 1:17PM PT Twentieth Century Fox Television Distribution president Gina Brogi is leaving the company, Variety has learned. The exit marks another departure in the wake of Walt Disney’s acquisition of 21st Century Fox’s entertainment assets, and follows last week’s news that Disney had laid off nearly 60 employees in its Media Distribution
Television executive Morgan Hertzan is joining the Vice media family as executive vice president and general manager of Viceland as the company expands its news coverage and programming. Hertzan, who will report to Vice’s global news and entertainment president Jesse Angelo, will oversee programming strategy and operations for the Vice television network and integrate Vice
The National Football League’s regular season kicks off Thursday night with a mouth-watering encounter between the Green Bay Packers, led by Aaron Rodgers who has a point to prove, and the Chicago Bears, boasting a formidable defense. However, while fans won’t have to wait long to find out whether offense or defense will come out
A group of friends hang out in a bar. It’s a typical sitcom setup. But “It’s Always Sunny in Philadelphia” has never been typical — and FX Entertainment president Eric Schrier can attest to that. He was one of the executives “laughing our asses off” a decade and a half ago at a screening of
September 5, 2019 9:14AM PT CBS has renewed its long-running reality competition series “Big Brother” for a 22nd season. In addition, Julie Chen Moonves has signed a new deal to return as the host of the series. The new season will air in summer 2020. “Big Brother” is produced by Allison Grodner and Rich Meehan
Veteran “CSI: NY” and “Forrest Gump” actor Gary Sinise is joining the cast of “13 Reasons Why” for its fourth and final season. Sinise will play Dr. Robert Ellman in the Netflix YA drama. Season 4 is currently in production and will feature the core cast’s graduation from Liberty High. Dr. Ellman is described as
September 5, 2019 8:35AM PT “America’s Got Talent” came out on top on a quiet Wednesday night for TV ratings. Last night’s results episode came in at a 1.2 in the key 18-49 demographic and was watched by around 8.4 million total viewers. “AGT” pipped “Big Brother” to first place, with the CBS unscripted stalwart
For about three years, Billy Bush has listened, apologized and explained. Now he’s doing the talking. “It’s a relaunch. It’s a comeback,” he said of his new celebrity newsmagazine, “Extra, Extra,” slated to debut next week. It’s a retooling of Warner Brothers’ long-running “Extra,” which is moving over to Fox-owned stations in seven major U.S.
Bob Greenblatt will collect the Personality of the Year award at Mipcom, the biggest market of the year for the international TV businesses. Veteran exec Greenblatt is chairman of WarnerMedia Entertainment and Direct-to-Consumer. Prior to that, he was chairman of NBC Entertainment during a period in which the network enjoyed success with shows including “This
Great Point Capital Management has signed a deal with Lionsgate to build a new production facility in Yonkers, NY, with Lionsgate becoming a long-term anchor tenant and investor. As anchor tenant, Lionsgate will have naming rights to the studio. Construction on the site will start in November, and the facility will be running in late
In today’s roundup, Hallmark announces its “Countdown to Christmas” lineup, including a first look at “A Christmas Love Story,” and Nickelodeon announces a premiere date for “The Loud House” spin-off “The Casagrandes.” FIRST LOOKS Kristin Chenoweth and Scott Wolf star in Hallmark Hall of Fame‘s upcoming holiday film, “A Christmas Love Story,” and Variety has
CBS may have previously expressed interest in acquiring Lionsgate-owned Starz, but now that the Eye has merged with Viacom, it’s unlikely that the newly formed ViacomCBS would look to actively pursue the premium cabler in the near term. According to sources close to the situation, there have not been any substantive talks about a potential
Janice Min is stepping down from her content executive role at Jeffrey Katzenberg and Meg Whitman’s short-form premium video startup, Quibi. “Janice Min will be leaving Quibi,” a Quibi spokesperson told Variety. “We thank her for her leadership and wish her well as she embarks on her next chapter.” The exit of Min, the former
September 4, 2019 3:45PM PT “The Detour” has reached the end of the road. The family comedy series has been canceled after four seasons at TBS, Variety has learned. The series was created, written and executive-produced by Jason Jones and Samantha Bee. Jones also starred in the series along with Natalie Zea, Ashley Gerasimovich, Liam
The climate crisis was the issue under the spotlight for the 10 leading Democratic candidates during a CNN town hall on the subject. The candidates, who have put forward individual plans to combat the climate crisis, all acknowledge the seriousness of the issue and the need to tackle it head on, however, their views primarily