News

Exclusive: Canadian comedy Run the Burbs is in production for its third run.

Season 3 CBC and Pier 21 Films series from Andrew Phung and Scott Townend is in production around Toronto, Hamilton and Barrie. It follows a loving Vietnamese and Indian family, the Phams, in the suburbs and their oddball neighbors.

Phung stars in the ensemble comedy alongside the likes of Rakhee Morzaria, Zoriah Wong and Roman Pesino.

The new season will run to 13 episodes and launch in winter 2024 on CBC and streamer CBC Gem. It will include a now-annual Vietnamese Lunar New Year – Tết – episode and will once again include DJ and rapper Kardinall Offishall, in a role that has brought him a 2023 CSA nomination alongside Phung and Morzaria.

“Having the opportunity to showcase this family on television has been a dream come true,” said creators Phung and Townend. “It’s an absolute joy seeing the Phams grow from season to season.

Television writer and Wynonna Earp creator Emily Andras shares a tweet thread about Joss Whedon, renewing conversations about separating the art from the artist. Given the recent 20th anniversary of Buffy the Vampire Slayer's finale, Whedon's most influential project and its complicated legacy have resurfaced in headlines. The cast of Buffy and its spinoff Angel has spoken out over the past few years about how Whedon caused a toxic work environment, citing his bullying, verbal abuse, and tendency to pit people against one another. These revelations came on the heels of an investigation into Whedon's behavior on the set of 2017's Justice League movie.

Andras shared a tweet thread to discuss the importance of separating Whedon's art from who he is as a person. Andras credited the Buffy creator and Avengers director for “groundbreaking, cultural work that moved us all”, stressing the dangers of pretending that bad people can't...

Jennica Harper and Nelu Handa are taking over showrunning duties on CBC’s “Run The Burbs” for the comedy’s third season. The show was renewed a week before the Season 2 finale in March for a planned winter 2024 broadcast.

Harper and Handa are long-time collaborators, having worked together for three seasons on the Bell Media series “Jann” starring Jann Arden. Harper served as showrunner on all three seasons of the series, along with the 2022 holiday special. The Writers Guild of Canada Screenwriting Award winner’s other credits include “Spencer Sisters,” “Skymed” and “Cardinal.”

Handa wrote on the first two seasons of “Run The Burbs” and also won a Peabody Award for her contribution to the first season of the CBC/Max series “Sort Of.” In 2021 she also won a Canadian Screen Award for best writing on “The Baroness Von Sketch Show.” In February, she was one of six participants named...

Paramount Plus and CBC have partnered on the drama series “Skymed.”

The series is produced by Piazza Entertainment in association with CBC and CBS Studios. It is currently in production in Manitoba and Ontario and will be available to stream on Paramount Plus in 2022.

The series follow the triumphs, heartbreaks and tribulations of budding nurses and pilots flying air ambulances in remote Northern Canada. The cast includes: Natasha Calis (“Nurses”), Ace (Aason) Nadjiwan (“Batwoman”), Morgan Holmstrom (“Siberia”), Praneet Akilla (“Nancy Drew”), Thomas Elms (“The Order”), Mercedes Morris (“Between”), Kheon Clarke (“Riverdale”), Rebecca Kwan (“Taken”), Braeden Clarke (“Outlander”), and Aaron Ashmore (“Killjoys”).

“This show was inspired by the real-life experiences of my sister and brother-in-law, who met flying air ambulances in the north,” said series creator Julie Puckrin. “Together with a talented team of writers, we created relatable characters full of hope, compassion and resilience. I am thrilled to be working...

Paramount+ has teamed with Toronto-based Piazza Entertainment, Canadian National Broadcaster CBC and CBS Studios on air ambulance rescue series Skymed. Shooting is currently underway in Manitoba and Ontario, Canada, for premiere on the ViacomCBS streaming service next year.

Created by Julie Puckrin Skymed revolves around life, death and drama at 20,000 feet. The series weaves together intense character journeys and high-stakes medical rescues, as we follow the triumphs, heartbreaks and tribulations of budding nurses and pilots flying air ambulances in remote Northern Canada. They’re all in over their heads, and on their own, with no one to rely on but each other.

The ensemble cast includes Natasha Calis (Nurses), Ace (Aason) Nadjiwon (Batwoman), Morgan Holmstrom (Siberia), Praneet Akilla (Nancy Drew), Thomas Elms (The Order), Mercedes Morris (Between), Kheon Clarke (Riverdale), Rebecca Kwan (Taken), Braeden Clarke (Outlander) and Aaron Ashmore (Killjoys).

“This show was inspired by the real-life experiences of my sister and brother-in-law,...

Horror drama series “The Order” will not be returning to Netflix for a third season, the streamer confirmed to Variety.

Dennis Heaton, the creator, writer and executive producer of the series, made the announcement via Twitter on Friday night. “For two seasons I was honored to work with an incredible cast and crew on The Order for @Netflix,” Heaton wrote. “It was one of the best experiences of my career. Unfortunately, we aren’t returning, but I will always cherish the memories and the props I stole. Thank you all for watching.”

For two seasons I was honored to work with an incredible cast and crew on The Order for @netflix. It is one of the best experiences of my career. Unfortunately, we aren't returning, but I will always cherish the memories and the props I stole. Thank you all for watching.

— Dennis Heaton (@DennisHeaton2) November 14, 2020

Heaton also hinted at...

Kenneth Branagh (Death On The Nile), Olivia Cooke (Ready Player One), Laurie Holden (The Walking Dead), and William Shatner are voicing the lead characters in animated family adventure Fireheart.

Anton (Paddington) is backing the project and will unveil first footage at AFM in partnership with CAA; the pic has sold out internationally. eOne has key rights for Australia, UK, Germany, Spain, Benelux and Canada.

Set in New York in the roaring twenties, Fireheart tells the story of a young girl aspiring to be the world’s first female firefighter who, refusing to let others define her, heroically fights for her dream.

Laurent Zeitoun is directing the movie, alongside Yann Zenou, and wrote the script with Daphne Ballon and Jennica Harper. Animation is taking place at L’Atelier Animation studios in Montreal. The film’s soundtrack will include re-orchestrated 1920’s style covers of modern pop songs. Zeitoun and Zenou’s Main Journey...

Kenneth Branagh (“Death On The Nile”), Olivia Cooke (“Ready Player One”), Laurie Holden (“The Walking Dead”) and William Shatner (“Star Trek”) are set to star the lead voice actors in the animated family adventure “Fireheart.”

Set in New York in the roaring twenties, “Fireheart” tells the story of a young girl aspiring to be the world’s first female firefighter who, refusing to let others define her, heroically fights for her dream.

The ambitious film is being produced by Main Journey (Leap!), Anton and Caramel Films with a scheduled completion in 2021. “Fireheart” will boast an original soundtrack including a re-orchestrated 1920’s style covers of modern pop songs.

The creators and leading producers of the film are Laurent Zeitoun and Yann Zenou, the producers duo behind “The Intouchables,” and the 2017 animated hit feature “Leap!.” The pair is currently overseeing the production from L’Atelier Animation studios in Montreal. Zeitoun is co-directing the...

First footage screening at AFM.

Main Journey, Anton and Caramel Films announced on Tuesday (November 10) that Kenneth Branagh, Olivia Cooke, Laurie Holden, and William Shatner will voice the lead characters in animation family adventure Fireheart, and unveiled international sales.

Anton’s president of international production and distribution Cecile Gaget is showing first footage to AFM 2020 Online buyers this week with CAA, and said the film had sold out internationally.

Rights have gone in China (Peak Films Ltd (E Stars)); Latin America (Idc), Italy (Leone), Cis (Central Partnership), Eastern Europe (Vertical), Baltics (Acme), former Yugoslavia, Albania (Blitz), North Korea (Noori Pictures...

Canadian singer-songwriter and actor Jann Arden is coming to Hulu.

Hit comedy “Jann,” created by series star Arden with Leah Gauthier and Jennica Harper, and executive produced by Andrew Barnsley (“Schitt’s Creek”) will debut both its seasons on the streamer in early 2021.

In “Jann,” Arden plays a fictionalized, self-deprecating version of herself: a singer-songwriter of a “certain age” in severe denial of the harsh reality that her former music career is slowly fading away. With her personal life also in shambles, the series — which airs on Canadian broadcaster CTV — takes a comic look at her attempts to stage a personal and professional comeback.

The series is a CTV, Project 10 Productions and SEVEN24 Films production, consisting of six episodes in its first season and eight in its second. Hulu has exclusive U.S. rights. “Jann” was nominated for several awards at the Canadian Screen Awards, and Arden and Harper won...

Bringing one of the biggest new independent animation projects onto the Cannes market, London-based Anton is lead-financing and handling world sales on “Fireheart,” produced by Main Journey’s Laurent Zeitoun and Yann Zenou.

Budgeted at $40 million, “Fireheart” marks a step-up in scale for the Montreal-based Main Journey whose “Ballerina” (released in the U.S. as “Leap!”) earned $110 million worldwide. Zeitoun and Zenou’s producer credits also include “The Intouchables,” which grossed a global $427 million.

Set in New York in the roaring twenties, “Fireheart” is written by Zetoun and Jennica Harper (“Some Assembly Required”) from an idea and story by Zeitoun. It turns on Maria, just 16, who dreams of becoming a firefighter, but has to overcome the challenge of being a girl with a highly overprotective father.

When New York City comes under threat from a mysterious arsonist, who is burning Broadway theaters down one by one, Maria disguises herself as...