Sweet Christmas! Is Mike Colter Open to Return as Luke Cage in the MCU? - Main Image
With the ongoing buzz surrounding the Daredevil: Born Again miniseries, it’s no surprise that audiences are curious if other characters associated with Netflix’s Defenders Saga are boarding the MCU ship next.
Mike Colter, the actor who played the Harlem hero with super strength and impenetrable skin in two seasons of Luke Cage until 2018, reveals that he’s open to returning, under one condition: as long as he can work on his other projects.
Related: Quentin Tarantino Reveals Why His Luke Cage Movie Was Never Made
“Only if it doesn’t affect my schedule in a way that I can’t do another season of Evil,” Colter shares with ComicBook.com, referencing his ongoing series on Paramount+. He is not just waiting for a call from Marvel but remains open to offers, given...
With the ongoing buzz surrounding the Daredevil: Born Again miniseries, it’s no surprise that audiences are curious if other characters associated with Netflix’s Defenders Saga are boarding the MCU ship next.
Mike Colter, the actor who played the Harlem hero with super strength and impenetrable skin in two seasons of Luke Cage until 2018, reveals that he’s open to returning, under one condition: as long as he can work on his other projects.
Related: Quentin Tarantino Reveals Why His Luke Cage Movie Was Never Made
“Only if it doesn’t affect my schedule in a way that I can’t do another season of Evil,” Colter shares with ComicBook.com, referencing his ongoing series on Paramount+. He is not just waiting for a call from Marvel but remains open to offers, given...
- 5/22/2024
- EpicStream
Update, 3:08 Pm: Apple CEO Tim Cook’s X post on the much condemned “Crush” ad for the new iPad Pro has been viewed around 53 million times and the in-house produced promo is still on the tech giant’s YouTube page, but Apple is now saying sorry.
“Our goal is to always celebrate the myriad of ways users express themselves and bring their ideas to life through iPad,” Apple marketing kingpin Tor Myhren told Ad Age today as the backlash intensified. “We missed the mark with this video, and we’re sorry.”
Well, maybe not that sorry – as after two days they still haven’t taken the literally and figuratively destructive ad down.
Previously May 8 Am: Apple’s new iPad Pro isn’t hitting the shelves for another week, but the self-described “thinnest Apple product yet” is already being crushed because of a new ad.
Released yesterday at a virtual...
“Our goal is to always celebrate the myriad of ways users express themselves and bring their ideas to life through iPad,” Apple marketing kingpin Tor Myhren told Ad Age today as the backlash intensified. “We missed the mark with this video, and we’re sorry.”
Well, maybe not that sorry – as after two days they still haven’t taken the literally and figuratively destructive ad down.
Previously May 8 Am: Apple’s new iPad Pro isn’t hitting the shelves for another week, but the self-described “thinnest Apple product yet” is already being crushed because of a new ad.
Released yesterday at a virtual...
- 5/9/2024
- by Dominic Patten
- Deadline Film + TV
Exclusive: A documentary about the legendary Billy Preston that’s set to debut tonight at SXSW might not see the light of day.
“Instead of creating the film that they falsely described to Plaintiffs, Defendants White Horse Pictures, LLC, Homegrown Pictures, Inc. and Oyster Productions, LLC, by and through their principals and representatives Defendants Nigel Sinclair, Jeanne Elfant Festa, Stephanie Allain Bray, Paris C.K. Barclay and Cheo Hodari Coker, produced a film that is a salacious, posthumous ‘outing’ of Mr. Preston that centers on his sexuality – a deeply personal matter that Mr. Preston kept private until immediately before his untimely death – to the exclusion of many of the late musician’s notable accomplishments,” reads the fraud complaint filed today in Los Angeles Superior Court by Rock and Roll Hall of Famer Sam Moore of Sam & Dave, Preston Music Group, Ken Burke and others.
The Paris Barclay-directed documentary,...
“Instead of creating the film that they falsely described to Plaintiffs, Defendants White Horse Pictures, LLC, Homegrown Pictures, Inc. and Oyster Productions, LLC, by and through their principals and representatives Defendants Nigel Sinclair, Jeanne Elfant Festa, Stephanie Allain Bray, Paris C.K. Barclay and Cheo Hodari Coker, produced a film that is a salacious, posthumous ‘outing’ of Mr. Preston that centers on his sexuality – a deeply personal matter that Mr. Preston kept private until immediately before his untimely death – to the exclusion of many of the late musician’s notable accomplishments,” reads the fraud complaint filed today in Los Angeles Superior Court by Rock and Roll Hall of Famer Sam Moore of Sam & Dave, Preston Music Group, Ken Burke and others.
The Paris Barclay-directed documentary,...
- 3/8/2024
- by Dominic Patten and Erik Pedersen
- Deadline Film + TV
Exclusive: Former Disney TV studio executive and CAA agent Elizabeth Newman has joined Literate as its first new partner since the television-focused boutique management and production company was launched in early 2018 by founding partners A.B. Fischer and Dennis Kim.
With her background in television, publishing and book adaptations, Newman will manage a curated roster of film & TV writer/showrunners and will expand Literate’s business in representing screen rights for intellectual property creators, rightsholders, and estates. She also will work with authors, journalists, and playwrights transitioning to Hollywood.
This marks a return to representation for Newman who started her entertainment career at CAA. During her nearly 15-year tenure, she was a TV Literary & Media Rights agent, representing TV writer/creators, showrunners, producers, directors, and intellectual property, brokering major rights deals on behalf of bestselling authors such as Anne Rice and James Patterson.
At the end of 2019, Newman segued to the TV executive ranks,...
With her background in television, publishing and book adaptations, Newman will manage a curated roster of film & TV writer/showrunners and will expand Literate’s business in representing screen rights for intellectual property creators, rightsholders, and estates. She also will work with authors, journalists, and playwrights transitioning to Hollywood.
This marks a return to representation for Newman who started her entertainment career at CAA. During her nearly 15-year tenure, she was a TV Literary & Media Rights agent, representing TV writer/creators, showrunners, producers, directors, and intellectual property, brokering major rights deals on behalf of bestselling authors such as Anne Rice and James Patterson.
At the end of 2019, Newman segued to the TV executive ranks,...
- 9/19/2023
- by Nellie Andreeva
- Deadline Film + TV
Nathan Louis Jackson, the playwright, screenwriter and producer who worked on the Netflix superhero series Luke Cage, has died. He was 44.
Jackson died Aug. 22 at his home in Lenexa, Kansas, his wife, Megan Mascorro-Jackson, told The Hollywood Reporter. She said her husband had heart issues — he had undergone an aortic dissection in 2019 — and the family has chosen against an autopsy to determine the cause of death.
Since 2010, Jackson also wrote and produced for such other shows as Southland, Shameless, Resurrection, 13 Reasons Why, Genius and S.W.A.T.
During the two-season run (2016-18) of Luke Cage, created by Cheo Hodari Coker and starring Mike Colter as the Harlem hero from the Marvel Comics, Jackson wrote two episodes while also serving as a co-producer and executive story editor.
“The series makes a bigger, grander statement about African American men and how we view them,” he told The Kansas City Star a few years ago.
Jackson died Aug. 22 at his home in Lenexa, Kansas, his wife, Megan Mascorro-Jackson, told The Hollywood Reporter. She said her husband had heart issues — he had undergone an aortic dissection in 2019 — and the family has chosen against an autopsy to determine the cause of death.
Since 2010, Jackson also wrote and produced for such other shows as Southland, Shameless, Resurrection, 13 Reasons Why, Genius and S.W.A.T.
During the two-season run (2016-18) of Luke Cage, created by Cheo Hodari Coker and starring Mike Colter as the Harlem hero from the Marvel Comics, Jackson wrote two episodes while also serving as a co-producer and executive story editor.
“The series makes a bigger, grander statement about African American men and how we view them,” he told The Kansas City Star a few years ago.
- 9/5/2023
- by Mike Barnes
- The Hollywood Reporter - Movie News
Editors’ Note: This guest column by former Luke Cage showrunner and Creed II writer Cheo Hodari Coker is part of Deadline’s series commemorating the 50th anniversary of Hip-Hop on August 11.
In 1999, Yasin Bey — then known as Mos Def – dropped the seminal album “Black On Both Sides.”
The first song, “Fear Not Of Man” still gets me every time I play it. It’s a classic – — just as powerful now as the first time I heard it two decades ago. A meditation on everything Hip-Hop is…and isn’t.
You know what’s going to happen with hip-hop? Whatever’s happening with us. If we smoked out, hip-hop is going to be smoked out. If we doin’ alright, hip-hop is gonna be doin’ all right.
We are hip-hop. Me. You. Everybody.
So the next time you ask yourself where is hip-hop going, ask yourself – where am I going?
Twenty-four years later,...
In 1999, Yasin Bey — then known as Mos Def – dropped the seminal album “Black On Both Sides.”
The first song, “Fear Not Of Man” still gets me every time I play it. It’s a classic – — just as powerful now as the first time I heard it two decades ago. A meditation on everything Hip-Hop is…and isn’t.
You know what’s going to happen with hip-hop? Whatever’s happening with us. If we smoked out, hip-hop is going to be smoked out. If we doin’ alright, hip-hop is gonna be doin’ all right.
We are hip-hop. Me. You. Everybody.
So the next time you ask yourself where is hip-hop going, ask yourself – where am I going?
Twenty-four years later,...
- 8/11/2023
- by Cheo Hodari Coker
- Deadline Film + TV
David Jude Jolicoeur, known widely as Trugoy the Dove and one of the founding members of the Long Island hip hop trio De La Soul, has died. He was 54.
His representative Tony Ferguson confirmed the reports Sunday. No other information was immediately available.
In recent years, Jolicoeur, had said he was battling congestive heart failure, living with a LifeVest machine affixed to his person. De La Soul was part of the hip-hop tribute at the Grammy Awards last week, but Trugoy was not onstage with his fellow bandmates.
Tributes poured in on social media shortly after the news broke Sunday.
Read More: De La Soul’s Music Will Finally Be Available For Streaming In March 2023
“Dave! It was a honor to share so many stages with you,” wrote rapper Big Daddy Kane on Instagram.
Rapper Erick Sermon posted on Instagram that “This one hurts. From Long Island from one of...
His representative Tony Ferguson confirmed the reports Sunday. No other information was immediately available.
In recent years, Jolicoeur, had said he was battling congestive heart failure, living with a LifeVest machine affixed to his person. De La Soul was part of the hip-hop tribute at the Grammy Awards last week, but Trugoy was not onstage with his fellow bandmates.
Tributes poured in on social media shortly after the news broke Sunday.
Read More: De La Soul’s Music Will Finally Be Available For Streaming In March 2023
“Dave! It was a honor to share so many stages with you,” wrote rapper Big Daddy Kane on Instagram.
Rapper Erick Sermon posted on Instagram that “This one hurts. From Long Island from one of...
- 2/13/2023
- by Alex Nino Gheciu
- ET Canada
For the first time in years, DC and Marvel superhero movies failed to dominate the annual theatrical marketplace in 2022 as comic book flicks were overshadowed by big-budget franchises like “Avatar: The Way of Water,” “Top Gun: Maverick” and “Jurassic World Dominion,” which rose to the top of the box office heap instead.
With 1.5 billion for “Avatar” and 1.49 billion for “Top Gun,” these sequels finally broke the chokehold that superheroes have held on the global box office since 2017, the last time that blockbuster movies unrelated to DC Studios or Marvel led the movie pipeline.
Meanwhile, 2023 brings a slew of big franchise titles, including “The Super Mario Bros. Movie,” “Fast X” and “Transformers: Rise of the Beasts,” which rank among the most anticipated despite featuring not a single caped crusader.
Are audiences finally tired of superhero stories? Some Hollywood insiders say Yes. “You’re used to maybe one or two Marvel movies...
With 1.5 billion for “Avatar” and 1.49 billion for “Top Gun,” these sequels finally broke the chokehold that superheroes have held on the global box office since 2017, the last time that blockbuster movies unrelated to DC Studios or Marvel led the movie pipeline.
Meanwhile, 2023 brings a slew of big franchise titles, including “The Super Mario Bros. Movie,” “Fast X” and “Transformers: Rise of the Beasts,” which rank among the most anticipated despite featuring not a single caped crusader.
Are audiences finally tired of superhero stories? Some Hollywood insiders say Yes. “You’re used to maybe one or two Marvel movies...
- 1/9/2023
- by Scott Mendelson
- The Wrap
Andrew Garfield continues his reign over the entertainment industry, this time playing his hand as a detective in the new FX series Under the Banner of Heaven.
“It is Andrew Garfield’s year, and that is continuing with a new FX series called Under the Banner of Heaven. Based on the novel of the same name by Jon Krakauer, the story follows the real-life murder of Brenda and Erica Lafferty by Ron and Dan Lafferty. The story isn’t an easy one to digest and is still a case that is widely talked about in the Utah area.”
Read more at The Mary Sue
The showrunner of Marvel’s Luke Cage is nervous that the new streaming home for his TV show might censor some vital elements of the series.
“Cheo Hodari Coker, executive producer and showrunner of Marvel’s Luke Cage Netflix series, recently spent time on Twitter reminiscing about his work.
“It is Andrew Garfield’s year, and that is continuing with a new FX series called Under the Banner of Heaven. Based on the novel of the same name by Jon Krakauer, the story follows the real-life murder of Brenda and Erica Lafferty by Ron and Dan Lafferty. The story isn’t an easy one to digest and is still a case that is widely talked about in the Utah area.”
Read more at The Mary Sue
The showrunner of Marvel’s Luke Cage is nervous that the new streaming home for his TV show might censor some vital elements of the series.
“Cheo Hodari Coker, executive producer and showrunner of Marvel’s Luke Cage Netflix series, recently spent time on Twitter reminiscing about his work.
- 2/25/2022
- by Lee Parham
- Den of Geek
The clock is ticking on your rewatch of Marvel's Netflix Original Programming. "Daredevil," "Jessica Jones," "Punisher," "Luke Cage," and "The Defenders" are all prefaced with a removal notice stating "Last day to watch on Netflix: February 28" and /Film has confirmed that the rights to the Marvel-Netflix coproductions have reverted back to Disney. This leaves the rest of us with nothing to do but wax poetic about the beloved series' or try to cram in a clearly impossible rewatch of all five. Or, if one has a very special place in your heart, simply binge through your favorite.
The latest stop on...
The post Luke Cage Creator Cheo Hodari Coker Reacts to News of the Show Leaving Netflix appeared first on /Film.
The latest stop on...
The post Luke Cage Creator Cheo Hodari Coker Reacts to News of the Show Leaving Netflix appeared first on /Film.
- 2/23/2022
- by Shania Russell
- Slash Film
In recognition of their contributions to the world of entertainment, the executive committee of the Black Reel Awards is pleased to announce the recipients for honorary awards this year.
Two-time Black Reel Award winner and director of the new movie, Bruised, Halle Berry will receive the prestigious Vanguard Award for her tireless and inspiring work in the film community. Nate Moore, Vice President of Production and Development for Marvel Studios, will also receive a Vanguard Award for his contributions to and promotion of diversity in the Marvel Cinematic Universe.
Actor, producer and twelve-time Black Reel Award nominee, Laurence Fishburne will receive the Sidney Poitier Trailblazer Award. Fishburne will be the first actor to receive the honorary award named for the legendary icon since the passing of Poitier, just weeks ago. Other honorees include Chaz Ebert who will receive the Ruby Dee Humanitarian Award and producer Suzanne De Passe who will...
Two-time Black Reel Award winner and director of the new movie, Bruised, Halle Berry will receive the prestigious Vanguard Award for her tireless and inspiring work in the film community. Nate Moore, Vice President of Production and Development for Marvel Studios, will also receive a Vanguard Award for his contributions to and promotion of diversity in the Marvel Cinematic Universe.
Actor, producer and twelve-time Black Reel Award nominee, Laurence Fishburne will receive the Sidney Poitier Trailblazer Award. Fishburne will be the first actor to receive the honorary award named for the legendary icon since the passing of Poitier, just weeks ago. Other honorees include Chaz Ebert who will receive the Ruby Dee Humanitarian Award and producer Suzanne De Passe who will...
- 2/8/2022
- by Valerie Complex
- Deadline Film + TV
No group had it locked like Public Enemy the year Mandela was finally let out of prison. In 1990, when their momentum-grabbing third album dropped, its songs and the band’s logo — a defiant, beret-adorned B-boy in the crosshairs of a gun — were as ubiquitous as the African medallions worn by Black folks in virtually every North American city. If 1988’s It Takes a Nation of Millions to Hold Us Back is Public Enemy’s brilliant bedrock, Fear of a Black Planet represents their all-encompassing apex. This Black History Month is...
- 2/4/2022
- by Will Dukes
- Rollingstone.com
Exclusive: White Horse Pictures and Homegrown Pictures have teamed on an untitled documentary feature about the legendary musician and genius keyboardist Billy Preston. He was called the Fifth Beatle, because he the only non-member ever to be credited on a Beatles recording. He had plenty of his own hits and co-wrote the song Joe Cocker made famous, You Are So Beautiful. Fifteen years after his death in 2006, Billy Preston was inducted this past weekend into the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame.
Paris Barclay, the multi-Emmy-winning director, producer, and writer will direct. Cheo Hodari Coker is writing the film alongside Barclay.
The film is produced by Homegrown’s Stephanie Allain, White Horse’s Jeanne Elfant Festa, (Bee Gees: How Can You Mend a Broken Heart) and Nigel Sinclair. The exec producers are Barclay, Daniel Shaw, G. Marq Roswell, Olivia Harrison, Jonathan Clyde, and White Horse Pictures’ Nicholas Ferrall and Cassidy Hartmann. Coker is co-producing and Erikka Yancy serves as the film’s supervising producer. Pic is presented by Concord Originals alongside Impact Partners, Chicago Media Project, and Play/Action Pictures, Polygram Entertainment, Dave Knott, and Sobey Road Entertainment.
Said Allain: “A singular figure in music history, Billy Preston lent his genius to elevate the most celebrated artists of the 20th Century. Grateful to work with this team, using this soundtrack to explore his personal journey and finally place him front and center.” Barclay said “the Billy Preston we know was an incomparable musician,” but the Billy we’ll see in this documentary was a mass of contradictions. I’m thrilled to dig deeper into the complex man under the Afro, and behind the famous smile.”
A self taught prodigy keyboard player, Preston was just 16 when he met the not-yet-famous Beatles while playing for Little Richard while they toured Hamburg in 1962. He befriended the young, impoverished band by sneaking them food and drinks. Later in the ’60s, this led to Preston playing on The Beatles’ Let It Be and Abbey Road albums as a credited musician, and performing with the Beatles in their last live performance as a group – the famous Roof Top concert. The Grammy Award-winning artist had solo career that included number one hits, and working with The Rolling Stones, Red Hot Chili Peppers, Nat King Cole, Sly Stone, Barbra Streisand, Ray Charles, Sam Cooke, Aretha Franklin and Mahalia Jackson, among others. Preston is featured in the upcoming Peter Jackson-directed documentary The Beatles: Get Back.
Despite an enviable career in music, Preston had a challenging personal story that involved sexual abuse he endured as a child. He struggled with his sexuality and had substance abuse problems he used to make his pain. Only later in life did he come to terms with his truth and so find his peace.
Barclay and Hodari Coker asked to make a shout out to those who knew Preston or worked with him, who and may have recordings, photographs, or personal memories to make contact through http://www.billyprestondoc.com.
UTA Independent Film Group with White Horse Pictures helped raise the funding and they will broker sales of the film.
Allain’s Homegrown is repped by UTA, First Artists and Marcy Morris; Barclay is ICM and Lovett Management.
Paris Barclay, the multi-Emmy-winning director, producer, and writer will direct. Cheo Hodari Coker is writing the film alongside Barclay.
The film is produced by Homegrown’s Stephanie Allain, White Horse’s Jeanne Elfant Festa, (Bee Gees: How Can You Mend a Broken Heart) and Nigel Sinclair. The exec producers are Barclay, Daniel Shaw, G. Marq Roswell, Olivia Harrison, Jonathan Clyde, and White Horse Pictures’ Nicholas Ferrall and Cassidy Hartmann. Coker is co-producing and Erikka Yancy serves as the film’s supervising producer. Pic is presented by Concord Originals alongside Impact Partners, Chicago Media Project, and Play/Action Pictures, Polygram Entertainment, Dave Knott, and Sobey Road Entertainment.
Said Allain: “A singular figure in music history, Billy Preston lent his genius to elevate the most celebrated artists of the 20th Century. Grateful to work with this team, using this soundtrack to explore his personal journey and finally place him front and center.” Barclay said “the Billy Preston we know was an incomparable musician,” but the Billy we’ll see in this documentary was a mass of contradictions. I’m thrilled to dig deeper into the complex man under the Afro, and behind the famous smile.”
A self taught prodigy keyboard player, Preston was just 16 when he met the not-yet-famous Beatles while playing for Little Richard while they toured Hamburg in 1962. He befriended the young, impoverished band by sneaking them food and drinks. Later in the ’60s, this led to Preston playing on The Beatles’ Let It Be and Abbey Road albums as a credited musician, and performing with the Beatles in their last live performance as a group – the famous Roof Top concert. The Grammy Award-winning artist had solo career that included number one hits, and working with The Rolling Stones, Red Hot Chili Peppers, Nat King Cole, Sly Stone, Barbra Streisand, Ray Charles, Sam Cooke, Aretha Franklin and Mahalia Jackson, among others. Preston is featured in the upcoming Peter Jackson-directed documentary The Beatles: Get Back.
Despite an enviable career in music, Preston had a challenging personal story that involved sexual abuse he endured as a child. He struggled with his sexuality and had substance abuse problems he used to make his pain. Only later in life did he come to terms with his truth and so find his peace.
Barclay and Hodari Coker asked to make a shout out to those who knew Preston or worked with him, who and may have recordings, photographs, or personal memories to make contact through http://www.billyprestondoc.com.
UTA Independent Film Group with White Horse Pictures helped raise the funding and they will broker sales of the film.
Allain’s Homegrown is repped by UTA, First Artists and Marcy Morris; Barclay is ICM and Lovett Management.
- 11/4/2021
- by Mike Fleming Jr
- Deadline Film + TV
Tributes are pouring in for beloved actor Michael K. Williams. The five-time Emmy-nominated Williams, known for his iconic roles in The Wire, Boardwalk Empire, and most recently Lovecraft Country, among many others, was found dead inside his Brooklyn apartment Monday at the age of 54.
“We are devastated to learn of the passing of Michael Kenneth Williams, a member of the HBO family for more than 20 years,” the network said in a statement. “While the world is aware of his immense talents as an artist, we knew Michael as a dear friend who was beloved by all who had the privilege to work with him. We send our deepest condolences to his family for this immeasurable loss. ”
Michael K. Williams: A Career In Pictures
Remembrances were coming in from Williams’ co-stars on The Wire, the groundbreaking HBO series that ran five seasons from 2002-2008, including from Wendell Pierce, Domenick Lombardozzi and creator David Simon.
“We are devastated to learn of the passing of Michael Kenneth Williams, a member of the HBO family for more than 20 years,” the network said in a statement. “While the world is aware of his immense talents as an artist, we knew Michael as a dear friend who was beloved by all who had the privilege to work with him. We send our deepest condolences to his family for this immeasurable loss. ”
Michael K. Williams: A Career In Pictures
Remembrances were coming in from Williams’ co-stars on The Wire, the groundbreaking HBO series that ran five seasons from 2002-2008, including from Wendell Pierce, Domenick Lombardozzi and creator David Simon.
- 9/6/2021
- by Denise Petski
- Deadline Film + TV
Exclusive: Sundance Institute has announced the 21 fellows and 18 projects they have selected for their first-ever, multi-track Episodic Lab, which is being held virtually due to the Covid-19 pandemic.
Fellows chosen include Justin Calen-Chenn (The Cavi), Lauren Glover (A Dignified Death), Andrew Lopez (Emotional), Jessie Barr and Lena Hudson (Fantasia for You), Elissa Blount Moorhead and Ericka Blount Danois (fiftyTWO), Stacy F. McDonald (Gone But Not Forgotten), Zach Gonzalez-Landis (The Great Impasta), Mansoor Adayfi and Antonio Aiello, Yvonne Hana Yi (Hannah with the Dogs), Carly Woodworth (Lasting), Jackie Katzman (Loons), Terrance Daye (Mandingo), Jess dela Merced (On Soul), Shirin Najafi (Regulars), Johnny Alvarez (Somewhere Else), Rom Lotan (Tehran Disco), Melody Cooper (Those Who Kill) and Nicole Saad (Tinderbox).
The 2021 Lab, hosted on Sundance Collab, has been designed as an immersive two-part experience. Fellows were divided into either the “Idea to Pilot Track,” in which they developed an...
Fellows chosen include Justin Calen-Chenn (The Cavi), Lauren Glover (A Dignified Death), Andrew Lopez (Emotional), Jessie Barr and Lena Hudson (Fantasia for You), Elissa Blount Moorhead and Ericka Blount Danois (fiftyTWO), Stacy F. McDonald (Gone But Not Forgotten), Zach Gonzalez-Landis (The Great Impasta), Mansoor Adayfi and Antonio Aiello, Yvonne Hana Yi (Hannah with the Dogs), Carly Woodworth (Lasting), Jackie Katzman (Loons), Terrance Daye (Mandingo), Jess dela Merced (On Soul), Shirin Najafi (Regulars), Johnny Alvarez (Somewhere Else), Rom Lotan (Tehran Disco), Melody Cooper (Those Who Kill) and Nicole Saad (Tinderbox).
The 2021 Lab, hosted on Sundance Collab, has been designed as an immersive two-part experience. Fellows were divided into either the “Idea to Pilot Track,” in which they developed an...
- 5/14/2021
- by Matt Grobar
- Deadline Film + TV
The ongoing social media debate about which urban crime drama is better — Snowfall or The Wire — is happening in large part because the former is arguably enjoying its best season to date.
The fact that the FX offering, with its Season 4 finale airing this Wednesday (10/9c), is drawing comparisons to one of the most compelling shows to ever air on television is a testament to the late Snowfall co-creator John Singleton’s ability to build a series that has strengthened over time. Last week’s penultimate episode, for instance, charged into our living rooms with nonstop tension and three bloody deaths.
The fact that the FX offering, with its Season 4 finale airing this Wednesday (10/9c), is drawing comparisons to one of the most compelling shows to ever air on television is a testament to the late Snowfall co-creator John Singleton’s ability to build a series that has strengthened over time. Last week’s penultimate episode, for instance, charged into our living rooms with nonstop tension and three bloody deaths.
- 4/18/2021
- by Mekeisha Madden Toby
- TVLine.com
The Sony Pictures Universe of Marvel Characters is continuing to expand, with a series of projects in various stages of development despite the franchise still having only released one movie to date. Of course, that film was Venom and it raked in over $850 million at the box office, but the jury remains out on Jared Leto’s Morbius, and if one of next year’s two Spumc titles bomb, then the studio could be forced to abandon yet another Spider-Man adjacent franchise well ahead of schedule.
Cheo Hodari Coker’s Nighwatch, J.C. Chandor’s Kraven the Hunter, S.J. Clarkson’s Madame Web and Marc Guggenheim’s Jackpot have all been officially announced over the last few years, but there’s also another movie in the works from Olivia Wilde which hasn’t been confirmed as of yet. The actress’ debut feature behind the camera, Booksmart, received widespread critical acclaim and...
Cheo Hodari Coker’s Nighwatch, J.C. Chandor’s Kraven the Hunter, S.J. Clarkson’s Madame Web and Marc Guggenheim’s Jackpot have all been officially announced over the last few years, but there’s also another movie in the works from Olivia Wilde which hasn’t been confirmed as of yet. The actress’ debut feature behind the camera, Booksmart, received widespread critical acclaim and...
- 12/10/2020
- by Scott Campbell
- We Got This Covered
Sony’s last attempt at building a shared universe didn’t go according to plan, with the disappointing box office performance and generally lukewarm reception to The Amazing Spider-Man 2 nixing any further outings, despite the studio hedging their bets in a big way by stuffing the story full of Easter Eggs and teases of things to come, as well as hiring Drew Goddard to write and direct Sinister Six along with announcing various other spinoffs including Silver & Black and Spider-Man 2099.
Of course, Spider-Man was rebooted shortly afterwards as part of the Marvel Cinematic Universe, but the absence of their marquee hero hasn’t stopped the company from trying again. Venom surprised a lot of people after it raked in over $850 million globally, but next year could see the Sony Pictures Universe of Marvel Characters sink or swim with the double whammy of Morbius and Venom: Let There Be Carnage.
Of course, Spider-Man was rebooted shortly afterwards as part of the Marvel Cinematic Universe, but the absence of their marquee hero hasn’t stopped the company from trying again. Venom surprised a lot of people after it raked in over $850 million globally, but next year could see the Sony Pictures Universe of Marvel Characters sink or swim with the double whammy of Morbius and Venom: Let There Be Carnage.
- 12/7/2020
- by Scott Campbell
- We Got This Covered
Exclusive: Netflix is in early development on the feature adaptation of the Simon & Schuster Dwayne Alexander Smith novel Forty Acres which Luke Cage creator Cheo Hodari Coker will write and produce.
Forty Acres follows a Civil Rights attorney must fight for survival when he’s invited to join an elite black organization with a mind-blowing secret; the thriller is described as being a cross between The Firm and Get Out.
Coker will produce alongside James Lassiter, Jay-Z, Kapital Entertainment’s Aaron Kaplan, Niles Kirchner and Bill Strauss. Executive producers on Forty Acres are Dana Honor for Kapital, Smith and Mike Epps.
This marks the first movie project for Kapital whose principal Kaplan identified the idea as better suited as a feature when it was pitched to him for TV. Forty Acres reunites Kaplan with Jay-Z and Lassiter, his partners on the upcoming high-profile ABC limited series Women of the Movement.
Forty Acres follows a Civil Rights attorney must fight for survival when he’s invited to join an elite black organization with a mind-blowing secret; the thriller is described as being a cross between The Firm and Get Out.
Coker will produce alongside James Lassiter, Jay-Z, Kapital Entertainment’s Aaron Kaplan, Niles Kirchner and Bill Strauss. Executive producers on Forty Acres are Dana Honor for Kapital, Smith and Mike Epps.
This marks the first movie project for Kapital whose principal Kaplan identified the idea as better suited as a feature when it was pitched to him for TV. Forty Acres reunites Kaplan with Jay-Z and Lassiter, his partners on the upcoming high-profile ABC limited series Women of the Movement.
- 11/24/2020
- by Anthony D'Alessandro and Nellie Andreeva
- Deadline Film + TV
The first debate between Donald Trump and Joe Biden was an embarrassing waste of time, and no moment caused as much of an extreme reaction from the American public as when Trump failed to publicly condemn white supremacists. Moderator Chris Wallace asked Trump if would speak out against white supremacist groups that have committed acts of violence across America. Trump tried to side-step the question first by saying, “I would say, almost everything I see is from the left-wing,” and then by reacting, “I’m willing to do anything. I want to see peace.”
When pressed again by Wallace to condemn white supremacists, Trump responded, “What do you want to call them? Give me a name. Give me a name? Proud Boys, stand back, standby.” The Proud Boys are a mens-only neo-fascist organization with ties to numerous violent acts in Portland. Trump’s comments emboldened members of the white supremacist group,...
When pressed again by Wallace to condemn white supremacists, Trump responded, “What do you want to call them? Give me a name. Give me a name? Proud Boys, stand back, standby.” The Proud Boys are a mens-only neo-fascist organization with ties to numerous violent acts in Portland. Trump’s comments emboldened members of the white supremacist group,...
- 9/30/2020
- by Zack Sharf
- Indiewire
Coronavirus has changed everything, but as New York Media’s Kara Swisher said in TheGrill 2020 Tuesday, the real question is, “Will it continue afterward?”
Swisher and her co-panelists, the New York Times’ Ben Smith and “Luke Cage” executive producer Cheo Hodari Coker, think it will. As they told TheWrap founder and editor in chief Sharon Waxman, they believe the change will be enduring because much of it began prior to the upheaval of 2020.
As newsrooms and entertainment staffs face calls for more diversity, for instance, Coker said inclusion isn’t a new demand. He had a bleak message on how distant it remains as a goal, too: “Society has to fall apart for a brother or sister to get a break.”
Coker reflected on his past career as a journalist and noted the challenges facing the Los Angeles Times, which has seen calls to diversify its editorial staff and leadership...
Swisher and her co-panelists, the New York Times’ Ben Smith and “Luke Cage” executive producer Cheo Hodari Coker, think it will. As they told TheWrap founder and editor in chief Sharon Waxman, they believe the change will be enduring because much of it began prior to the upheaval of 2020.
As newsrooms and entertainment staffs face calls for more diversity, for instance, Coker said inclusion isn’t a new demand. He had a bleak message on how distant it remains as a goal, too: “Society has to fall apart for a brother or sister to get a break.”
Coker reflected on his past career as a journalist and noted the challenges facing the Los Angeles Times, which has seen calls to diversify its editorial staff and leadership...
- 9/23/2020
- by Lindsey Ellefson
- The Wrap
Welcome to TheGrill 2020.
For the first time, we are convening our annual summit about the changes that technology brings to the entertainment industry — over a streaming platform. Now that seems almost normal. Eight months ago, I didn’t dream of such a thing.
But of course, eight months ago the world was a different place.
With a global pandemic impacting every aspect of entertainment, media, politics and culture, accelerating all the trends we’ve examined at TheGrill for the last 10 years, it is a remarkable moment in time, one that will be discussed, debated and analyzed for decades to come.
The next three days will be part of the first draft of history. This year, TheGrill provides a forum for urgent issues that will define the immediate future of the entertainment business. We have worked hard to bring together some exciting voices that will speak to the moment we are in,...
For the first time, we are convening our annual summit about the changes that technology brings to the entertainment industry — over a streaming platform. Now that seems almost normal. Eight months ago, I didn’t dream of such a thing.
But of course, eight months ago the world was a different place.
With a global pandemic impacting every aspect of entertainment, media, politics and culture, accelerating all the trends we’ve examined at TheGrill for the last 10 years, it is a remarkable moment in time, one that will be discussed, debated and analyzed for decades to come.
The next three days will be part of the first draft of history. This year, TheGrill provides a forum for urgent issues that will define the immediate future of the entertainment business. We have worked hard to bring together some exciting voices that will speak to the moment we are in,...
- 9/22/2020
- by Sharon Waxman
- The Wrap
TheGrill is pleased to welcome award-winning filmmakers Brad Bird and Antoine Fuqua, former IMAX Entertainment CEO Greg Foster, Alamo Drafthouse CEO Shelli Taylor, Skydance president and COO Jesse Sisgold and Warner Bros. Pictures president of international theatrical distribution Andrew Cripps for a powerhouse conversation on “The Future of Theatrical Film” at the three-day Grill conference September 22-24.
Across the world movie theaters have closed, festivals have been cancelled or postponed, film releases have moved to future dates or delayed indefinitely and film production has largely halted. While Hollywood is bracing itself for more changes due to coronavirus, industry leaders are finding new ways to adapt and think outside the box. This high-level panel of executives, experts and filmmakers will address what the future holds for the theatrical experience, and movies in general.
For over a decade, TheWrap’s Grill event series has led conversations on the convergence between entertainment, media and technology,...
Across the world movie theaters have closed, festivals have been cancelled or postponed, film releases have moved to future dates or delayed indefinitely and film production has largely halted. While Hollywood is bracing itself for more changes due to coronavirus, industry leaders are finding new ways to adapt and think outside the box. This high-level panel of executives, experts and filmmakers will address what the future holds for the theatrical experience, and movies in general.
For over a decade, TheWrap’s Grill event series has led conversations on the convergence between entertainment, media and technology,...
- 9/21/2020
- by Emily Vogel
- The Wrap
TheGrill welcomes “Kajillionaire” writer and director Miranda July for the prestigious Spotlight Conversation on Wednesday at TheGrill, TheWrap’s signature business conference held virtually from September 22-24.
July, an author and artist along with being a writer-director, will discuss her career and her latest film “Kajillionaire” starring Evan Rachel Wood, Debra Winger, Richard Jenkins and Gina Rodriguez in a one-hour conversation with Wrap editor-in-chief Sharon Waxman.
“Kajillionaire” had its world premiere at the 2020 Sundance Film Festival and will be released by Focus Features on September 25. The film is about two con artists (Jenkins and Winger) who have spent 26 years training their only daughter to swindle, scam and steal at every turn, a unique fable told in July’s singular voice. The film won early laudatory reviews such as Antony Lane’s remark in The New Yorker: “July uses ‘Kajillionaire’ to present her credentials as a transcendentalist of the humdrum.”
“Kajillionaire” (Focus Features)
Previously July wrote,...
July, an author and artist along with being a writer-director, will discuss her career and her latest film “Kajillionaire” starring Evan Rachel Wood, Debra Winger, Richard Jenkins and Gina Rodriguez in a one-hour conversation with Wrap editor-in-chief Sharon Waxman.
“Kajillionaire” had its world premiere at the 2020 Sundance Film Festival and will be released by Focus Features on September 25. The film is about two con artists (Jenkins and Winger) who have spent 26 years training their only daughter to swindle, scam and steal at every turn, a unique fable told in July’s singular voice. The film won early laudatory reviews such as Antony Lane’s remark in The New Yorker: “July uses ‘Kajillionaire’ to present her credentials as a transcendentalist of the humdrum.”
“Kajillionaire” (Focus Features)
Previously July wrote,...
- 9/21/2020
- by Emily Vogel
- The Wrap
TheGrill is thrilled to welcome “The Social Dilemma” writer and director Jeff Orlowski for an in-depth conversation about his new documentary exploring the human impact of technology companies including Google, Facebook and Twitter.
In addition, “Green Book” producer John Sloss, “The Irishman” producer Jane Rosenthal, WarnerMedia senior vice president of enterprise inclusion MyKhanh Shelton,”Broad City” and “Russian Doll” producer Lilly Burns, “Charm City Kings” star William Catlett,”Peanut Butter Falcon” producer Tim Zajaros and activist and producer JLove Calderón will also join the three day all virtual event September 22-24.
“The Social Dilemma” is a hybrid documentary-drama that explores the dangerous human impact of intensive social networking that is changing societies across the globe. It features tech experts who sound the alarm about the products they helped create. Orlowski will show clips from the film and discuss the implications of its themes on September 24, Day Three of TheGrill.
For over a decade,...
In addition, “Green Book” producer John Sloss, “The Irishman” producer Jane Rosenthal, WarnerMedia senior vice president of enterprise inclusion MyKhanh Shelton,”Broad City” and “Russian Doll” producer Lilly Burns, “Charm City Kings” star William Catlett,”Peanut Butter Falcon” producer Tim Zajaros and activist and producer JLove Calderón will also join the three day all virtual event September 22-24.
“The Social Dilemma” is a hybrid documentary-drama that explores the dangerous human impact of intensive social networking that is changing societies across the globe. It features tech experts who sound the alarm about the products they helped create. Orlowski will show clips from the film and discuss the implications of its themes on September 24, Day Three of TheGrill.
For over a decade,...
- 9/18/2020
- by Emily Vogel
- The Wrap
TheGrill is pleased to welcome top streaming executives from Sony, Roku, Pluto TV, Xumo and FimRise to explore how the streaming revolution has transformed the way content is created, distributed and consumed at this year’s three-day, all-virtual conference from Sept. 22-24.
FilmRise CEO Danny Fisher, Sony Pictures Television president of worldwide networks and distribution Keith Le Goy, Roku vice president of programming Rob Holmes, Pluto TV’s senior vice president of content strategy and global partnerships Amy Kuessner and Xumo CEO Colin Petrie-Norris will discuss the latest trends and opportunities in streaming.
For over a decade, TheWrap’s Grill event series has led conversations on the convergence between entertainment, media and technology, bringing together newsmakers to debate the challenges and opportunities facing content in the digital age.
TheWrap has created a digital-first experience for TheGrill 2020. This year’s event will focus on the future of theatrical, streaming revolution, building...
FilmRise CEO Danny Fisher, Sony Pictures Television president of worldwide networks and distribution Keith Le Goy, Roku vice president of programming Rob Holmes, Pluto TV’s senior vice president of content strategy and global partnerships Amy Kuessner and Xumo CEO Colin Petrie-Norris will discuss the latest trends and opportunities in streaming.
For over a decade, TheWrap’s Grill event series has led conversations on the convergence between entertainment, media and technology, bringing together newsmakers to debate the challenges and opportunities facing content in the digital age.
TheWrap has created a digital-first experience for TheGrill 2020. This year’s event will focus on the future of theatrical, streaming revolution, building...
- 9/15/2020
- by Emily Vogel
- The Wrap
TheGrill 2020 kicks off on Tuesday, Sept. 22 with a hard-hitting conversation among Recode co-founder and New York Times op-ed columnist Kara Swisher, New York Times media columnist Ben Smith, “Luke Cage” executive producer Cheo Hodari Coker and TheWrap founder and editor-in-chief Sharon Waxman.
The session titled “The Year It All Changed – Media Disrupted,” will dive deep into the current state of the industry and debate the unprecedented disruption that has overtaken the industry in 2020.
For over a decade, TheWrap’s Grill event series has led conversations on the convergence between entertainment, media and technology, bringing together newsmakers to debate the challenges and opportunities facing content in the digital age.
TheWrap has created a digital-first experience for TheGrill 2020. This year’s event will focus on the future of theatrical, streaming revolution, building inclusion from within and the growth in podcasting and gaming. Attendees will have access to keynotes, panel conversations, roundtable discussions and virtual networking.
The session titled “The Year It All Changed – Media Disrupted,” will dive deep into the current state of the industry and debate the unprecedented disruption that has overtaken the industry in 2020.
For over a decade, TheWrap’s Grill event series has led conversations on the convergence between entertainment, media and technology, bringing together newsmakers to debate the challenges and opportunities facing content in the digital age.
TheWrap has created a digital-first experience for TheGrill 2020. This year’s event will focus on the future of theatrical, streaming revolution, building inclusion from within and the growth in podcasting and gaming. Attendees will have access to keynotes, panel conversations, roundtable discussions and virtual networking.
- 9/11/2020
- by Emily Vogel
- The Wrap
It takes a great man to play a great man; Chadwick Boseman did it four times!
To have the gravity, the intelligence, the physicality to portray any of his signature roles — Jackie Robinson, James Brown, Thurgood Marshall and T’Challa, the Black Panther — is a breathtaking feat, but to give four entirely different performances is a striking achievement. Screenwriter Cheo Hodari Coker compared Chadwick to the late great John Cazale, another actor who created an impressive body of work in a very short time before cancer robbed us of him.
We met at the Art and Film Ball at Lacma. Laura Wasserman, a longtime friend, sat us next to each other because she figured we would have a “lot to talk about.” She couldn’t have been more right! Chadwick had just been announced as the star of “Black Panther,” based on a comic book I wrote for four years.
To have the gravity, the intelligence, the physicality to portray any of his signature roles — Jackie Robinson, James Brown, Thurgood Marshall and T’Challa, the Black Panther — is a breathtaking feat, but to give four entirely different performances is a striking achievement. Screenwriter Cheo Hodari Coker compared Chadwick to the late great John Cazale, another actor who created an impressive body of work in a very short time before cancer robbed us of him.
We met at the Art and Film Ball at Lacma. Laura Wasserman, a longtime friend, sat us next to each other because she figured we would have a “lot to talk about.” She couldn’t have been more right! Chadwick had just been announced as the star of “Black Panther,” based on a comic book I wrote for four years.
- 8/31/2020
- by Reginald Hudlin
- Variety Film + TV
After Spike Lee made a triumphant 2018 return to Cannes with “BlacKkKlansman,” which later won the Best Adapted Screenplay Oscar, he was meant to premiere Vietnam drama “Da 5 Bloods” at Cannes 2020: It would have played out of competition as he presided over the Competition jury. Instead, the movie went straight to a June 12 Netflix release — but that low-key bow won’t keep him out of Oscar contention. While Covid-19 pushed back the Oscars 2021 calendar, this early contender is strong enough to last the next 10 months.
Cinephiles and critics (81 Metascore), hungry for a movie of substance, are praising Lee’s rip-roaring fable about four Big Red One infantrymen (led by Lee alumnae Delroy Lindo and Clarke Peters) who return to Saigon to dig up not only the remains of a fallen colleague (Chadwick Boseman), but also buried treasure. The movie references “The Treasure of the Sierra Madre,” “Scarface,” and “Apocalypse Now,...
Cinephiles and critics (81 Metascore), hungry for a movie of substance, are praising Lee’s rip-roaring fable about four Big Red One infantrymen (led by Lee alumnae Delroy Lindo and Clarke Peters) who return to Saigon to dig up not only the remains of a fallen colleague (Chadwick Boseman), but also buried treasure. The movie references “The Treasure of the Sierra Madre,” “Scarface,” and “Apocalypse Now,...
- 6/16/2020
- by Anne Thompson
- Indiewire
After Spike Lee made a triumphant 2018 return to Cannes with “BlacKkKlansman,” which later won the Best Adapted Screenplay Oscar, he was meant to premiere Vietnam drama “Da 5 Bloods” at Cannes 2020: It would have played out of competition as he presided over the Competition jury. Instead, the movie went straight to a June 12 Netflix release — but that low-key bow won’t keep him out of Oscar contention. While Covid-19 pushed back the Oscars 2021 calendar, this early contender is strong enough to last the next 10 months.
Cinephiles and critics (81 Metascore), hungry for a movie of substance, are praising Lee’s rip-roaring fable about four Big Red One infantrymen (led by Lee alumnae Delroy Lindo and Clarke Peters) who return to Saigon to dig up not only the remains of a fallen colleague (Chadwick Boseman), but also buried treasure. The movie references “The Treasure of the Sierra Madre,” “Scarface,” and “Apocalypse Now,...
Cinephiles and critics (81 Metascore), hungry for a movie of substance, are praising Lee’s rip-roaring fable about four Big Red One infantrymen (led by Lee alumnae Delroy Lindo and Clarke Peters) who return to Saigon to dig up not only the remains of a fallen colleague (Chadwick Boseman), but also buried treasure. The movie references “The Treasure of the Sierra Madre,” “Scarface,” and “Apocalypse Now,...
- 6/16/2020
- by Anne Thompson
- Thompson on Hollywood
Amazon Music has unveiled a new mini-documentary that coincides with the 25th anniversary of the Notorious B.I.G.’s debut album, Ready to Die. The landmark album was released on September 13th, 1994.
The nearly nine-minute The Birth of Biggie: 25 Years of Ready to Die offers a retrospective via a series of interviews with those that worked with the late rapper along with archival tape from the man himself. Biographer Cheo Hodari Coker, album producers Easy Mo Bee and DJ Mister Cee and former Svp of Promotions for Arista/Bad Boy Rob Stone provide commentary.
The nearly nine-minute The Birth of Biggie: 25 Years of Ready to Die offers a retrospective via a series of interviews with those that worked with the late rapper along with archival tape from the man himself. Biographer Cheo Hodari Coker, album producers Easy Mo Bee and DJ Mister Cee and former Svp of Promotions for Arista/Bad Boy Rob Stone provide commentary.
- 9/12/2019
- by Althea Legaspi
- Rollingstone.com
The first night of the Democrats’ second round of presidential debates of the 2020 election cycle was billed as a matchup between Bernie Sanders and Elizabeth Warren, and the two contenders did not disappoint on the CNN-hosted huddle as they faced The Bachelorette season finale on ABC.
In tone and temperament, the two pageants were similar tonight in their search for love and ratings — intentionally or not. Coming in hot and fiery from the start on their mutual policy of “Medicare for All” and railing against the rich and a “corrupt, rigged system,” to quote the Massachusetts senator, the two progressive parental figures went straight for the heart and soul of their party. It was a dash that might leave Joe Biden and Donald Trump as the real winners of tonight’s near-endless debate, in no small part thanks to ex-Today producer Jeff Zucker.
Emphasizing style over structure and in...
In tone and temperament, the two pageants were similar tonight in their search for love and ratings — intentionally or not. Coming in hot and fiery from the start on their mutual policy of “Medicare for All” and railing against the rich and a “corrupt, rigged system,” to quote the Massachusetts senator, the two progressive parental figures went straight for the heart and soul of their party. It was a dash that might leave Joe Biden and Donald Trump as the real winners of tonight’s near-endless debate, in no small part thanks to ex-Today producer Jeff Zucker.
Emphasizing style over structure and in...
- 7/31/2019
- by Dominic Patten
- Deadline Film + TV
Ghostface Killah and RZA trade ferocious bars on a new song “On That Sht Again,” which will appear on a new Ep to accompany the four-part Showtime docuseries about the Wu-Tang Clan, Of Mics and Men.
“On That Sht Again” boasts a classic Wu-Tang-style beat, with piano and string loops striking against the steady thump of a dusty drum groove. Both Ghostface and RZA are in fine form lyrically, with the former spitting bars about his Benetton pajamas and dropping characteristically ridiculous couplets like, “Should’ve been Italian how...
“On That Sht Again” boasts a classic Wu-Tang-style beat, with piano and string loops striking against the steady thump of a dusty drum groove. Both Ghostface and RZA are in fine form lyrically, with the former spitting bars about his Benetton pajamas and dropping characteristically ridiculous couplets like, “Should’ve been Italian how...
- 5/15/2019
- by Jon Blistein
- Rollingstone.com
As “Avengers: Endgame” gets closer to dethroning “Avatar” as the highest grossing movie ever made, a certain group of Marvel fans are turning the box office race into a full blown competition, complete with bad talking James Cameron. The director had the first and second highest grossing movies worldwide for just over a decade thanks to “Avatar” ($2.7 billion) and “Titanic” ($2.18 billion), but “Endgame” broke into the second spot in just 9 days with $2.19 billion.
“Endgame” surpassing “Titanic” at the worldwide box office made James Cameron a trending topic over the weekend as Marvel fans used social media to criticize the director and take joy in Cameron’s box office dominance being threatened. A lot of the animosity towards Cameron came from an April 2018 interview the director did with IndieWire in which he made a dig at Marvel movies.
“I’m hoping we’ll start getting ‘Avenger’ fatigue here pretty soon,” Cameron said at the time.
“Endgame” surpassing “Titanic” at the worldwide box office made James Cameron a trending topic over the weekend as Marvel fans used social media to criticize the director and take joy in Cameron’s box office dominance being threatened. A lot of the animosity towards Cameron came from an April 2018 interview the director did with IndieWire in which he made a dig at Marvel movies.
“I’m hoping we’ll start getting ‘Avenger’ fatigue here pretty soon,” Cameron said at the time.
- 5/6/2019
- by Zack Sharf
- Indiewire
Every streaming platform wants its in-house big names these days, and Amazon is no exception, as seen with Friday’s announcement that it had lured Jonah Nolan and Lisa Joy, the creators behind HBO’s “Westworld,” away from Warner Bros. TV.
Per Variety, Nolan and Joy’s new exclusive deal is said to be $150 million over five years; the pair will still be working on “Westworld” for the rest of the show’s run (Season 3 goes into production soon) but will now develop original series for Amazon, including the already-announced series “The Peripheral,” based on William Gibson’s novel.
The scale of the deal is on the level of similar huge pacts that producers like Ryan Murphy and Shonda Rhimes have made with Netflix. But Amazon has, like other platforms, been actively engaged in signing up other creators for exclusive deals, including Neil Gaiman, Reed Morano, Amy Sherman-Palladino and Dan...
Per Variety, Nolan and Joy’s new exclusive deal is said to be $150 million over five years; the pair will still be working on “Westworld” for the rest of the show’s run (Season 3 goes into production soon) but will now develop original series for Amazon, including the already-announced series “The Peripheral,” based on William Gibson’s novel.
The scale of the deal is on the level of similar huge pacts that producers like Ryan Murphy and Shonda Rhimes have made with Netflix. But Amazon has, like other platforms, been actively engaged in signing up other creators for exclusive deals, including Neil Gaiman, Reed Morano, Amy Sherman-Palladino and Dan...
- 4/5/2019
- by Liz Shannon Miller
- Indiewire
Stars: Michael B. Jordan, Sylvester Stallone, Tessa Thompson, Phylicia Rashad, Dolph Lundgren, Florian Munteanu, Russell Hornsby, Wood Harris, Milo Ventimiglia, Robbie Johns, Andre Ward, Brigitte Nielsen | Written by Sylvester Stallone, Cheo Hodari Coker | Directed by Steven Caple Jr.
Steven Caple Jr.’s Creed II, the long-anticipated follow-up to Ryan Coogler’s 2015 film Creed, itself a spin-off of the Sylvester Stallone Rocky franchise, is quite simply put – gold dust. Caple Jr., taking the reigns from innovative and visionary director Ryan Coogler, is no easy task, even if the material in front of him writes itself – with Stallone heading the script with Cheo Hodari Coker, and Michael B. Jordan putting forward a stunning turn as Adonis Creed. Establishing his own visual style and direction, while honouring the existing aesthetic and thematic margin is no mean feat to simply dismiss.
Creed II achieves the rare success that has escaped many of its contemporaries and predecessors before it,...
Steven Caple Jr.’s Creed II, the long-anticipated follow-up to Ryan Coogler’s 2015 film Creed, itself a spin-off of the Sylvester Stallone Rocky franchise, is quite simply put – gold dust. Caple Jr., taking the reigns from innovative and visionary director Ryan Coogler, is no easy task, even if the material in front of him writes itself – with Stallone heading the script with Cheo Hodari Coker, and Michael B. Jordan putting forward a stunning turn as Adonis Creed. Establishing his own visual style and direction, while honouring the existing aesthetic and thematic margin is no mean feat to simply dismiss.
Creed II achieves the rare success that has escaped many of its contemporaries and predecessors before it,...
- 3/25/2019
- by Jak-Luke Sharp
- Nerdly
Another Marvel-Netflix alum is making the move to Amazon.
Erik Oleson, who was most recently the showrunner on “Daredevil,” has signed an overall deal at Amazon, Variety has learned. The news comes after it was announced in December that “Luke Cage” creator and showrunner Cheo Hodari Coker had signed a similar deal.
“I want to tell the kind of stories that I love: stories that have great characters, thrilling concepts and epic backdrops, but are about something meaningful,” Olseon said. “Stories which allow an audience to think and feel rewarded for watching. Amazon is a perfect home for these stories, and I’m psyched to work alongside the entire Amazon Studios team.”
This also marks a homecoming for Oleson, who previously worked as an executive producer and head writer on the second season of Amazon’s “The Man in the High Castle.”
“We’re happy to welcome Erik back to Amazon Studios,...
Erik Oleson, who was most recently the showrunner on “Daredevil,” has signed an overall deal at Amazon, Variety has learned. The news comes after it was announced in December that “Luke Cage” creator and showrunner Cheo Hodari Coker had signed a similar deal.
“I want to tell the kind of stories that I love: stories that have great characters, thrilling concepts and epic backdrops, but are about something meaningful,” Olseon said. “Stories which allow an audience to think and feel rewarded for watching. Amazon is a perfect home for these stories, and I’m psyched to work alongside the entire Amazon Studios team.”
This also marks a homecoming for Oleson, who previously worked as an executive producer and head writer on the second season of Amazon’s “The Man in the High Castle.”
“We’re happy to welcome Erik back to Amazon Studios,...
- 3/11/2019
- by Joe Otterson
- Variety Film + TV
The final death knell for Netflix and Marvel’s television pact came this week with the cancellation of “The Punisher” and “Jessica Jones.” The latter has yet to release its third (and now final) season, which will be the last Marvel series to launch on the Netflix platform.
Netflix’s final uncoupling from Marvel has seemed likely in light of the upcoming streaming service Disney+ and the already-announced Marvel series there in development. Still, in August 2018, Netflix’s Cindy Holland told journalists at the Television Critics Association press tour that the streamer hadn’t necessarily reached critical mass when it came to greenlighting additional Marvel series: “There’s always an ongoing discussion as to whether we might spin off a couple of characters into additional properties,” she said.
That didn’t happen, and it was Netflix’s call: Marvel’s Jeph Loeb told IndieWire on the eve of the “Punisher...
Netflix’s final uncoupling from Marvel has seemed likely in light of the upcoming streaming service Disney+ and the already-announced Marvel series there in development. Still, in August 2018, Netflix’s Cindy Holland told journalists at the Television Critics Association press tour that the streamer hadn’t necessarily reached critical mass when it came to greenlighting additional Marvel series: “There’s always an ongoing discussion as to whether we might spin off a couple of characters into additional properties,” she said.
That didn’t happen, and it was Netflix’s call: Marvel’s Jeph Loeb told IndieWire on the eve of the “Punisher...
- 2/20/2019
- by Liz Shannon Miller
- Indiewire
Following months of what could be summarised as “behind-the-scenes turmoil” in 2018, with the future of the series at stake, Marvel and Netflix, unable to resolve their creative differences, agreed to cancel “Marvel’s Luke Cage.” The official announcement was made on October 19, 2018, leaving diehard fans in a lurch. Over the weekend at the Sundance Film Festival, star of the series, Mike Colter, stopped by the IndieWire Studio, presented by Dropbox, and addressed managing editor Christian Blauvelt’s question of whether there is any possibility of the series returning.
“I have no clue, because it’s one of those things that didn’t happen for any other reason than the powers that be deciding that it was something that they wanted to take back into another platform,” Colter said.
At the time of the cancelation, Marvel said it had no plans to continue or reboot its Luke Cage series on any other platform,...
“I have no clue, because it’s one of those things that didn’t happen for any other reason than the powers that be deciding that it was something that they wanted to take back into another platform,” Colter said.
At the time of the cancelation, Marvel said it had no plans to continue or reboot its Luke Cage series on any other platform,...
- 1/29/2019
- by Tambay Obenson
- Indiewire
Netflix’s loss is Amazon’s gain. Luke Cage showrunner Cheo Hodari Coker has just signed a deal with Amazon to produce new TV projects for Amazon Prime. The news comes on the heels of Netflix cancelling Luke Cage, which Coker created and served as showrunner on for its two seasons. Maybe all the other cancelled Marvel Netflix showrunners can […]
The post ‘Luke Cage’ Showrunner Cheo Hodari Coker Signs Deal with Amazon appeared first on /Film.
The post ‘Luke Cage’ Showrunner Cheo Hodari Coker Signs Deal with Amazon appeared first on /Film.
- 12/22/2018
- by Chris Evangelista
- Slash Film
Two months plus a day after Netflix and Marvel pulled the plug on a widely expected third season of Luke Cage, creator Cheo Hodari Coker has found a new long-term home with Amazon Studios.
In a stealth and strategic move in the television talent wars, the House of Bezos has signed now ex-Cage showrunner Coker and his new Fighting 99th Entertainment shingle to an overall deal to develop and produce new series. The finances of the agreement were kept under lock, but the deal is for three years, I’ve learned.
The arrangement will also see Coker based primarily out of his adopted hometown of Seattle. The Emerald City is, of course, also home to Amazon’s main HQ.
“Amazon is the future, and their bespoke, specific approach to building groundbreaking shows offers an amazing opportunity, one that I’m incredibly thankful for,” Coker, the former music journalist and Notorious scribe,...
In a stealth and strategic move in the television talent wars, the House of Bezos has signed now ex-Cage showrunner Coker and his new Fighting 99th Entertainment shingle to an overall deal to develop and produce new series. The finances of the agreement were kept under lock, but the deal is for three years, I’ve learned.
The arrangement will also see Coker based primarily out of his adopted hometown of Seattle. The Emerald City is, of course, also home to Amazon’s main HQ.
“Amazon is the future, and their bespoke, specific approach to building groundbreaking shows offers an amazing opportunity, one that I’m incredibly thankful for,” Coker, the former music journalist and Notorious scribe,...
- 12/20/2018
- by Dominic Patten
- Deadline Film + TV
“Luke Cage” showrunner Cheo Hodari Coker has set an overall TV development deal with Amazon Studios.
Coker comes to Amazon as the studio has been steadily beefing up its roster of exclusive talent deals under the direction of Amazon Studios head Jennifer Salke, an alum of NBC, 20th Century Fox TV and other studios. The pact calls for Coker to develop TV series for Amazon Prime Video through his Seattle-based Fighting 99th Entertainment banner.
Coker is a fast-rising showrunner star thanks to the warm reception from critics to the initial batch of “Luke Cage” episodes for Netflix in 2016. The Disney-produced series, based on a Marvel Comics property, revolves around an African-American ex-con who returns home to save his Harlem neighborhood and gains superhuman strength in the process.
Coker was freed up in October when Netflix canceled “Luke Cage” after two seasons. The show was likely a casualty of the...
Coker comes to Amazon as the studio has been steadily beefing up its roster of exclusive talent deals under the direction of Amazon Studios head Jennifer Salke, an alum of NBC, 20th Century Fox TV and other studios. The pact calls for Coker to develop TV series for Amazon Prime Video through his Seattle-based Fighting 99th Entertainment banner.
Coker is a fast-rising showrunner star thanks to the warm reception from critics to the initial batch of “Luke Cage” episodes for Netflix in 2016. The Disney-produced series, based on a Marvel Comics property, revolves around an African-American ex-con who returns home to save his Harlem neighborhood and gains superhuman strength in the process.
Coker was freed up in October when Netflix canceled “Luke Cage” after two seasons. The show was likely a casualty of the...
- 12/20/2018
- by Cynthia Littleton
- Variety Film + TV
Netflix's loss is Amazon's gain.
Two months after Netflix surprisingly canceled the Marvel drama Luke Cage, showrunner Cheo Hodari Coker has signed an overall deal with rival streamer Amazon.
Under the pact, Coker will develop and produce new TV projects for the retail giant and streamer under his Fighting 99th Entertainment banner. Amazon will distribute the content globally in more than 200 countries and territories.
"We're very excited to welcome Cheo to the Amazon Studios family," Vernon Sanders, co-head of TV at Amazon, said Thursday in a statement. "From Notorious to Luke Cage, Cheo is a ...
Two months after Netflix surprisingly canceled the Marvel drama Luke Cage, showrunner Cheo Hodari Coker has signed an overall deal with rival streamer Amazon.
Under the pact, Coker will develop and produce new TV projects for the retail giant and streamer under his Fighting 99th Entertainment banner. Amazon will distribute the content globally in more than 200 countries and territories.
"We're very excited to welcome Cheo to the Amazon Studios family," Vernon Sanders, co-head of TV at Amazon, said Thursday in a statement. "From Notorious to Luke Cage, Cheo is a ...
- 12/20/2018
- The Hollywood Reporter - Film + TV
Stars: Michael B. Jordan, Sylvester Stallone, Tessa Thompson, Phylicia Rashad, Dolph Lundgren, Florian Munteanu, Russell Hornsby, Wood Harris, Milo Ventimiglia, Robbie Johns, Andre Ward, Brigitte Nielsen | Written by Sylvester Stallone, Cheo Hodari Coker | Directed by Steven Caple Jr.
Steven Caple Jr.’s Creed II, the long-anticipated follow-up to Ryan Coogler’s 2015 film Creed, itself a spin-off of the Sylvester Stallone Rocky franchise, is quite simply put – gold dust. Caple Jr., taking the reigns from innovative and visionary director Ryan Coogler, is no easy task, even if the material in front of him writes itself – with Stallone heading the script with Cheo Hodari Coker, and Michael B. Jordan putting forward a stunning turn as Adonis Creed. Establishing his own visual style and direction, while honouring the existing aesthetic and thematic margin is no mean feat to simply dismiss.
Creed II achieves the rare success that has escaped many of its contemporaries and predecessors before it,...
Steven Caple Jr.’s Creed II, the long-anticipated follow-up to Ryan Coogler’s 2015 film Creed, itself a spin-off of the Sylvester Stallone Rocky franchise, is quite simply put – gold dust. Caple Jr., taking the reigns from innovative and visionary director Ryan Coogler, is no easy task, even if the material in front of him writes itself – with Stallone heading the script with Cheo Hodari Coker, and Michael B. Jordan putting forward a stunning turn as Adonis Creed. Establishing his own visual style and direction, while honouring the existing aesthetic and thematic margin is no mean feat to simply dismiss.
Creed II achieves the rare success that has escaped many of its contemporaries and predecessors before it,...
- 11/26/2018
- by Jak-Luke Sharp
- Nerdly
Adonis Creed (or Adonis Johnson) is back! “Creed” writer/director Ryan Coogler may have moved on, but “Creed 2” is still in capable hands with director Steven Caple Jr and writer Cheo Hodari Coker, prompting another exciting Thanksgiving holiday spent in with crying dads in a movie theater as young Adonis faces off against the son of Ivan Drago (Dolph Lundgren), the man who was responsible for his father’s death back in “Rocky IV.”
“Creed 2” being the eighth film in the “Rocky” franchise and the second focused on Apollo Creed’s son (Michael B Jordan), there’s plenty of reason to suspect that that it won’t be the last in this series. And with long-running franchises often come teases for future films after the credits roll in the form of a mid-credits or post-credits scene. Which can be a bit frustrating when you’ve been sitting in a theater...
“Creed 2” being the eighth film in the “Rocky” franchise and the second focused on Apollo Creed’s son (Michael B Jordan), there’s plenty of reason to suspect that that it won’t be the last in this series. And with long-running franchises often come teases for future films after the credits roll in the form of a mid-credits or post-credits scene. Which can be a bit frustrating when you’ve been sitting in a theater...
- 11/23/2018
- by Phil Owen
- The Wrap
There’s no better way to recognize what a filmmaker brings to the table than a sequel without him/her. This isn’t to say Ryan Coogler wasn’t involved in the making of Creed II—he is a producer on the project after all. No, it’s simply to point out how different Creed was to the Rocky films that came before it. Yes, it was pretty much a redux of the original installment that put Sylvester Stallone on Hollywood’s map as both a leading actor and screenwriter, but it relived those beats with a depth of character and emotion that transcended the nostalgic love we have for the Oscar-winner. Coogler and co-writer Aaron Covington lent a modern authenticity that moved beyond boxing to living life itself in the shadows of greatness.
Well, Stallone is back with the eighth chapter in the Balboa chronicles as writer (he was...
Well, Stallone is back with the eighth chapter in the Balboa chronicles as writer (he was...
- 11/21/2018
- by Jared Mobarak
- The Film Stage
“The Grinch” and “Fantastic Beasts: The Crimes of Grindelwald” are about to get a lot of company at movie theaters nationwide this Thanksgiving weekend. Four wide releases will be hitting theaters, with Disney’s “Ralph Breaks the Internet” expected to top the charts for the lucrative five-day holiday period.
Disney is projecting a five-day launch for the “Wreck-It Ralph” sequel of around $68 million, while independent trackers are looking at an opening of approximately $72 million. That would be a big step up from the $49 million three-day opening that “Wreck-It Ralph” made back in March 2012.
But it’s very possible that “Ralph” could overperform. Interest in the film has been high since Disney released a trailer featuring Sarah Silverman’s Vanellope von Schweetz meeting the Disney Princesses, and Fandango reported that presales for the film on their site are beating those of Disney’s 2016 Thanksgiving release “Moana,” which had an $82 million five-day opening.
Disney is projecting a five-day launch for the “Wreck-It Ralph” sequel of around $68 million, while independent trackers are looking at an opening of approximately $72 million. That would be a big step up from the $49 million three-day opening that “Wreck-It Ralph” made back in March 2012.
But it’s very possible that “Ralph” could overperform. Interest in the film has been high since Disney released a trailer featuring Sarah Silverman’s Vanellope von Schweetz meeting the Disney Princesses, and Fandango reported that presales for the film on their site are beating those of Disney’s 2016 Thanksgiving release “Moana,” which had an $82 million five-day opening.
- 11/20/2018
- by Jeremy Fuster
- The Wrap
Creed was a major surprise. Seriously. As much as I love the Rocky franchise, was there any reason to assume that what was essentially Rocky VII, just without a focus on the character we know and love, would be a success? Sure, it had an exciting young actor at the center and an up and coming filmmaker in Ryan Coogler at the helm. But still, how good could it be? Well, the answer was that it turned out to be an Oscar nominee, a Golden Globe winning film, and one of the year’s best. Now, Creed II hits this week and, defying all odds, is nearly as good. This flick will also end up on a top ten list for me. It more than delivers, it flies high. What easily could have tarnished what’s come before instead movingly builds on it. This is one of the ten best...
- 11/19/2018
- by Joey Magidson
- Hollywoodnews.com
How in the world did we get two spinoffs out of “Rocky IV”? Granted, it’s not the most pressing question on your mind as you watch the agreeably paint-by-numbers “Creed II,” the inevitable sequel to Ryan Coogler’s 2015 hit. “Creed” reignited the “Rocky” franchise with the story of the late Apollo Creed’s outside-of-marriage son Adonis, played by Michael B. Jordan as a brooding young man contending with the legacy of a champion he never knew.
But it is a bit of a head-scratcher that the worst entry in Sylvester Stallone’s initial series — in which Rocky Balboa’s fight against Ivan Drago (Dolph Lundgren) was really jingoistic America versus a cartoon Soviet Union, which was really aging action star versus bulked-up newcomer, but which was Really Stallone’s terrible direction pummeling the crap out of Eisenstein’s theory of montage — also sowed the seeds for its newfound appreciation and reworked survival.
But it is a bit of a head-scratcher that the worst entry in Sylvester Stallone’s initial series — in which Rocky Balboa’s fight against Ivan Drago (Dolph Lundgren) was really jingoistic America versus a cartoon Soviet Union, which was really aging action star versus bulked-up newcomer, but which was Really Stallone’s terrible direction pummeling the crap out of Eisenstein’s theory of montage — also sowed the seeds for its newfound appreciation and reworked survival.
- 11/16/2018
- by Robert Abele
- The Wrap
“When a fighter ain’t got nothin’ to lose, he’s dangerous!”
I’ve got another must watch featurette for Creed II for you today. It’s called “Who’s In Your Corner?” and it puts the focus on the family bonds of the characters that help drive the story forward.
The featurette offers insightful interviews with the cast of the film sharing additional information on the characters that they play and what family means to them. It also shows off some new footage from the movie.
One thing that Rocky is truly afraid of is that history will repeat itself and he’ll lose Adonis Creed when he faces off with Viktor Drago. This new video really brings highlights the deep emotion of the characters and what they are all facing in this movie.
Here’s the synopsis for the film:
Life has become a balancing act for Adonis Creed.
I’ve got another must watch featurette for Creed II for you today. It’s called “Who’s In Your Corner?” and it puts the focus on the family bonds of the characters that help drive the story forward.
The featurette offers insightful interviews with the cast of the film sharing additional information on the characters that they play and what family means to them. It also shows off some new footage from the movie.
One thing that Rocky is truly afraid of is that history will repeat itself and he’ll lose Adonis Creed when he faces off with Viktor Drago. This new video really brings highlights the deep emotion of the characters and what they are all facing in this movie.
Here’s the synopsis for the film:
Life has become a balancing act for Adonis Creed.
- 11/16/2018
- by Joey Paur
- GeekTyrant
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