News

Rola Bauer is staying in the Amazon family.

Bauer, who was Head of Pan-English scripted originals at the company before departing at the end of last year, has boarded two high-profile scripted projects that are in development at Prime Video.

The Tandem Productions co-founder, who joined MGM as President, International Television Productions in 2020 before it was acquired by the tech giant, will serve as an exec producer on its live-action remake of kids series Totally Spies! and Pompeii: A Day of Fire, which comes from Michael Hirst and Ridley Scott.

It’s not unusual for a former buyer to return to projects that they originally shepherded, as an independent producer.

Totally Spies! is based on the long-running French animated kids series that debuted in 2002. It is currently in production on its eighth season and has produced close to 200 episodes. The live-action adaptation of the series, which comes from Banijay Kids & Family,...

Your browser does not support the video tag.

Douglas Booth discusses starring in a modern update to Goethe's classic novel, 'The Sorrows of Young Werther' with Alison Pill. He delves into working with Pill previously on The Pillars of the Earth and what the great auteur Terrence Malick is like as a director. 'Young Werther' hits theaters, digital and on demand Dec. 13, 2024, from Lionsgate.

Eddie Redmayne's spy thriller with an 84% Rotten Tomatoes score has received a season 2 renewal. Beginning his career in the West End theatre, Redmayne's first leading film role came in 2006's Like Minds, followed by his big breakthroughs in My Week with Marilyn and Les Misrables. Soon after, he starred as Stephen Hawking in The Theory of Everything and won an Academy Award for Best Actor. The following year, he played a transgender artist in The Danish Girl and earned a second nomination in the same category.

Since his Oscar win and nomination, Redmayne has been best known for playing Newt Scamander in the Fantastic Beasts movies. Meanwhile, he starred in Aaron Sorkin's The Trial of the Chicago 7 and The Good Nurse, both for Netflix. Though Redmayne has mostly focused on movies throughout his career, both prestige pictures and potential blockbusters like Fantastic Beasts, he has also starred in a few television series,...

International television executive, and producing pioneer, Rola Bauer is stepping down from her post as as head of pan-English scripted SVOD TV at Amazon Studios, Bauer and Amazon announced on Wednesday.

After several years at the global streamer, producing series starring the likes of Sophie Turner, Bill Nighy, Riz Ahmed and Robin Wright, Bauer said she wanted to “return to my entrepreneurial roots.”

Bauer was President of International Television Productions at MGM when, in May 2021, Amazon bought the studio in an $8.5 billion deal. Following the merger, she was put in charge of a new division, pan-English global originals, developing and producing English-language series outside the United States.

Her team produced six series in two years, including such upcoming shows as the thriller series Harlan Coben’s Lazarus starring Sam Claflin and Nighy; crime drama Haven featuring Turner; the half-hour comedy Quarter Life written by, and starring Ahmed; and The Girlfriend,...

A veteran producer of international co-productions and high-end drama series — see the Emmy-nominated The Pillars of the Earth with Matthew Macfadyen and Eddie Redmayne or the pan-European crime series Crossing Lines with the late, great Donald Sutherland — Bauer has been building up Amazon’s slate of international English-language originals since 2022.

Her upcoming slate includes the heist thriller Haven, starring Sophie Turner, Jacob Fortune Lloyd and Archie Madekwe; the family drama The Girlfriend with Robin Wright and Olivia Cooke; and the thriller Lazarus, a psychological mystery from Harlan Coben and Danny Brocklehurst that follows a forensic pathologist, played by Sam Claflin, who becomes entangled in a series of cold-case murders as he grapples with the mystery of his father’s death (played by Bill Nighy) and the murder of his sister (Utopia‘s Alexandra Roach) 25 years ago. On the lighter side, Bauer’s division has also greenlit a new comedy series by and starring Riz Ahmed.

As THR unveils its annual list of the most powerful women in international television, the global industry finds itself at a crossroads. It’s been a rough year. Layoffs at nearly every studio and major production company have highlighted the overall contraction in the market and signal a broad shift in priorities away from growth at all costs to a laser focus on the bottom line. Against this backdrop, the executives on this list have had to find ways to do more with less, to restructure their business operations, question long-established practices, and create new ways forward — all without abandoning the core principles of equity and inclusion that got them this far.

As the global entertainment industry continues to evolve, the leadership of these powerful women, and their vision, will be crucial in shaping its future. Jane Turton, CEO of production juggernaut All3Media, has this advice for young women entering the business: “Be yourself.

Beloved actor and Hollywood Legend Donald Sutherland has died at the age of 88.

Donald passed away earlier, Thursday, June 20, in Miami after a long battle with an undisclosed illness.

His son, actor Kiefer Sutherland, announced the sad news.

Taking to Instagram and X (formerly Twitter), Kiefer shared a black-and-white photo of himself as a boy with his father to honor Donald.

“With a heavy heart, I tell you that my father, Donald Sutherland, has passed away. I personally think one of the most important actors in the history of film. Never daunted by a role, good, bad or ugly. He loved what he did and did what he loved, and one can never ask for more than that. A life well lived,” Kiefer wrote.

Although Kiefer didn’t reveal a cause of death, Deadline confirmed via Donald’s rep that he had been ill for quite some time but did not give specifics.

Canadian actor Donald Sutherland has died. Father to actor Kiefer Sutherland, the veteran actor was known for roles like Mr. Bennet in Pride & Prejudice (2005), the older version of President Snow in The Hunger Games films and John Klute in Klute (1971). A younger version of his Hunger Games character President Coriolanus Snow was portrayed recently in a prequel film The Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes by Tom Blythe. Sutherland’s voice contributes to the film.

Other credits for Sutherland include Mr. Harrigan in Mr. Harrigan’s Phone, Franklin Reinhardt in The Undoing with Nicole Kidman and Hugh Grant, Thomas Pruitt in Ad Astra, and Reverend Monroe in Cold Mountain (2003). He voiced Colonel Oliver Southern in Lord of War and he had a Simpsons character Hollis Hurlbut.

He played Bartholomew in The Pillars of the Earth, and he appeared as Flint in TV mini series Treasure Island as well as Father...

Exclusive: Wondery has lined up its latest drama podcast and it stars Rhea Seehorn.

The Better Call Saul star will feature in The Last City alongside Maury Sterling (Homeland), Jeannie Tirado (Fairy Tale Zero), Skye Lourie (The Pillars of the Earth), and Celia Rose Gooding (Star Trek: Strange New Worlds).

Weaving together elements of the climate crisis, its subsequent mental health consequences, and complicated feelings about the future, The Last City is set in the futuristic, utopian land of Pura and the brewing mystery beneath its perfect exterior.

In the climate-ravaged year of 2072, Pura stands as a miraculous green haven, a geoengineered paradise that protects lucky residents from the global catastrophes of heat domes, fires, floods, and droughts. Demetria Lopez is Pura’s PR fixer, tirelessly promoting the city’s idyllic image. But when she stumbles upon a dark secret that underpins Pura’s existence, she must decide who and...

The Hunger Games is one of the most popular dystopian young adult book series, which was later adapted to the screen. And the movie adaptations of The Hunger Games turned actors like Jennifer Lawrence, Josh Hutcherson, and Liam Hemsworth into household names. Jennifer Lawrence especially became an international sensation after her portrayal of The Hunger Games' heroine, Katniss Everdeen.

Lawrence and her co-stars cemented their careers with the release of The Hunger Games: Catching Fire and The Hunger Games: Mockingjay - Part 1 and Part 2. The Hunger Games franchise also had established actors like Donald Sutherland and Julianne Moore in starring roles, earning them recognition among a younger demographic. Once The Hunger Games movie series ended, some of the actors went on to star in critically acclaimed shows and movies, while others won several accolades.

Sam Claflin Went on To Earn His First Golden Globe Awards Nomination Close Sam Claflin...

Roland Emmerich’s gladiator drama “Those About to Die,” which Prime Video has acquired exclusive streaming rights for in several European territories, is an ambitious project creatively, but it also breaks new ground in business terms.

With a budget north of $150 million for a 10-episode first season, it is the most expensive independently produced European series ever. For Emmerich, the German filmmaker best known for blockbuster movies such as “Independence Day,” the show is a new departure as well as it is his first foray into television. He is directing the show, alongside Marco Kreuzpaintner, and is also an executive producer.

The project was initiated by Emmerich’s Centropolis, Harald Kloser’s Street Entertainment and Gianni Nunnari’s Hollywood Gang, along with Bob Rodat, the screenwriter behind films like “Saving Private Ryan” and “The Patriot.” It is inspired by the nonfiction book of the same name by Daniel P. Mannix,...

The Nintendo Switch is mostly renowned for its exceptional first-party titles, but hidden within its vast library are countless indie games that offer unique and captivating experiences. The Switch has become the platform of choice for many indie developers, thanks to its longevity in the market and its portable form factor making it ideal for story-based gaming on the go.

While the main talk of 2023 has been the release of The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom, and there has also been a big buzz around Metroid Prime Remastered, this year has also seen the release of some brilliant indie games with compelling storytelling and stunning art styles.

Trinity Trigger

Trinity Trigger is an Arpg that draws inspiration from the 90s, and looks and feels like a spiritual successor to beloved Square Enix classic Secret of Mana. With 3D graphics and anime-inspired character designs, it is a delightful game to look at,...

Eddie Redmayne, fresh from The Good Nurse, is set to play another killer.

The Oscar-winning actor will star in The Day of the Jackal series for Peacock and Sky. He will play The Jackal, a professional assassin hired by a French paramilitary dissident to kill French President Charles de Gaulle in 1962.

The series is based on the Frederick Forsyth novel and 1973 film adaptation from Universal Pictures. However, it has been reimagined as a contemporary story set amidst the current turbulent geo-political landscape and will delve deeper into the chameleon like ‘anti-hero’.

Top Boy creator and writer Ronan Bennett writes and serves as showrunner. Brian Kirk, who has directed episodes of Game of Thrones and Luther, will direct. It is produced by Universal International Studios’ Carnival Films, which is best known for producing Downton Abbey.

Redmayne will also exec produce alongside Carnival Films’ Gareth Neame and Nigel Marchant, Sky Studios’ Sam Hoyle.

Loki season 2 has cast a Game of Thrones alum in a major role. Loki, which was created by Michael Waldron and premiered on Disney+ in June 2021, was one of the first spinoff series in the Marvel Cinematic Universe. It followed the adventures of Thor's brother Loki (Tom Hiddleston) after the events of Avengers: Endgame, in which a past version of himself escaped, becoming a "time variant" and leading to him being captured by the Time Variance Authority.

Per Deadline, Kate Dickie has been cast in Loki season 2. The actress is perhaps best known for starring in the HBO fantasy series Game of Thrones as Lysa Arryn, who became Lady Regent of the Vale after having her husband murdered. Although her character in that series was more morally grey, she will reportedly be playing an all-out villain in Loki, though exactly what character she will be portraying has not yet been announced.

This feature is sponsored by

The Outlander book series by Diana Gabaldon may contain literally millions of words, but there only so many times you can read the saga and watch its stellar adaptation before you need something else to add to the time travel romance adventure rotation. When this moment comes, look no further than the following list of recommendations, composed of other epic romances that span time and space…

Breaking Time by Sasha Alsberg

A romance that defies the laws of time. A lush (and magical) Scottish setting. An adventure-driven narrative that will have you flipping the pages to find out what happens both with this slow-burn love story and and the deadly forces that have brought these two people together. If you love Outlander for its high-stakes tale of love and adventure amidst the tides of history, then you should check out Sasha Alsberg’s Breaking Time,...

Herbert G. Kloiber, former head of German distributor Tmg, is teaming with Constantin Film to launch High End Productions, based in Vienna.

The aim is for the new company to produce premium European fiction series for the international market under the guidance of MD Jonas Bauer.

Bauer most recently worked at Studiocanal, where he was Head of Acquisitions and Co-productions from 2012 until 2020. He had been executive producer for Tandem Productions since 2005 and (co)-produced and financed numerous projects there, such as Ken Follett’s The Pillars of the Earth and Shadowplay.

Kloiber said: “After 50 years of entrepreneurial activity I decided to take a two-year break. But there are still some exciting projects waiting for first-class production. Both bestselling novels and great historical figures have always fascinated me personally. I would like to realise these with one of the world’s foremost media companies.”

Martin Moszkowicz, CEO, and Oliver Berben, Deputy CEO,...

Herbert G. Kloiber, who was formerly the owner of German TV and film giant Tele München Group (now known as Leonine), and Constantin Film have set up Vienna-based production company High End Productions, which will produce premium European fiction series for the international market. Jonas Bauer has been appointed as managing director.

Bauer comes from Studiocanal, where he worked as head of acquisitions and co-productions from 2012 until 2020. He had been executive producer for Tandem Productions since 2005 and produced, coproduced and financed numerous projects there, such as Ken Follett’s “The Pillars of the Earth” and “Shadowplay.”

Kloiber began his career at German media company Kirch Group, and acquired Tele München Group in 1977, growing it into an independent media giant. In 2019 he sold the company to U.S. private equity giant Kkr, which renamed it Leonine.

Kloiber said: “After 50 years of entrepreneurial activity I decided to take a two-year break. But...

International best-selling author Ken Follett has yet another book adaptation in the works as Legendary TV and Range Media Partners optioned The Evening and the Morning, the latest work in his Kingsbridge saga, for series development. Range and Legendary will co-finance the project.

Published in September 2020, The Evening and the Morning is the prequel to Follet’s 1989 historical novel The Pillars of the Earth.

The Evening and the Morning takes place in 997 Ce, the end of the Dark Ages. England is facing attacks from the Welsh in the west and the Vikings in the east. Those in power bend justice according to their will, regardless of ordinary people and often in conflict with the king. Without a clear rule of law, chaos reigns. In these turbulent times, three characters find their lives intertwined. A young boatbuilder’s life is turned upside down when the only home he’s ever known is raided by Vikings,...

Range Media Partners and Legendary Television have teamed to develop and co-finance a series adaptation of the Ken Follett novel “The Evening and the Morning.”

The book is a prequel to Follett’s 1989 novel “The Pillars of the Earth.” It is set in 997 Ce, the end of the Dark Ages. England is facing attacks from the Welsh in the west and the Vikings in the east. Those in power bend justice according to their will, regardless of ordinary people and often in conflict with the king. Without a clear rule of law, chaos reigns. In these turbulent times, three characters find their lives intertwined: A young boatbuilder’s life is turned upside down when the only home he’s ever known is raided by Vikings, forcing him and his family to move and start their lives anew in a small hamlet where he does not fit in; A Norman noblewoman marries for love,...

The next chapter of the Vikings saga is starting to take shape.

Netflix on Tuesday unveiled the cast of its forthcoming sequel series, Vikings Valhalla.

Sam Corlett (Chilling Adventures of Sabrina), Frida Gustavsson (Swoon), Leo Suter (The Liberator), Bradley Freegard (Keeping Faith), Jóhannes Jóhannesson (Cursed), Laura Berlin (Immenhof – The Adventure of a Summer), David Oakes (The Pillars of the Earth), and Caroline Henderson (Tuya Siempre) are set as series regulars and Pollyanna McIntosh and Asbjørn Krogh Nissen will recur.

The sequel begins in the early 11th century and chronicles the legendary adventures of some of the most famous Vikings who ever lived – Leif Eriksson, Freydis Eriksdotter, Harald Hardrada, and the Norman King William the Conqueror.

These men and women will blaze a path as they fight for survival in the ever changing and evolving world.

Here are the official character breakdowns:

Sam Corlett as Leif Eriksson

A Greenlander, raised on...

Netflix has set the cast for Vikings: Valhalla, a sequel to History’s hit series, from Vikings creator Michael Hirst and studio MGM Television. Sam Corlett (Chilling Adventures of Sabrina), Frida Gustavsson (Swoon), Leo Suter (The Liberator), Bradley Freegard (Keeping Faith), Jóhannes Jóhannesson (Cursed), Laura Berlin (Immenhof – The Adventure of a Summer), David Oakes (The Pillars of the Earth) and Caroline Henderson (Tuya Siempre) are set as series regulars and Pollyanna McIntosh and Asbjørn Krogh Nissen will recur. A premiere date has not yet been set but it’s expected to debut in late 2021 or 2022.

Vikings: Valhalla begins in the early 11th century and chronicles the legendary adventures of some of the most famous Vikings who ever lived – Leif Eriksson, Freydis Eriksdotter, Harald Hardrada and the Norman King William the Conqueror. These men and women will blaze a path as they fight for survival in the ever changing and evolving world.

In today’s Global Bulletin, ViacomCBS licenses “The Stand” globally, Jonty Claypole steps down as BBC director of arts, Compact Pictures divides its production business, Saloon Media joins BriteSpark East on “World’s Most Scenic River Journeys” and Leonine Studios hires Patrick Phelan as the company’s new director of world sales.

Licensing

ViacomCBS Global Distribution Group has licensed the nine-episode series adaptation of Stephen King’s “The Stand” in more than 100 markets globally. Key deals include Starzplay for much of Europe, HBO Nordic, HBO Portugal, M-net in Africa, Cosmote TV in Greece, Síminn in Iceland, Wavve and Tcast Co., Ltd in Korea, Amediateka in Russia, Israel’s Yes and Voot Select in India.

“The Stand” unspools in a post-apocalyptic version of a world torn asunder by plague and a mystic fight between good and evil. Its high profile cast includes Alexander Skarsgård, Whoopi Goldberg, James Marsden and Odessa Young.

Exclusive: German studio Leonine has hired former NBCU and Sky exec Patrick Phelan as Director of World Sales.

Phelan will oversee all international sales activities of the growing studio’s licensing unit and will report to Senior Vice President License Sales, Christiane Goldberg.

Previously, Phelan was Director of Sales Liaison at NBCU, Vice President of Sales at Sky Vision, Vice President of Sales at Sonar Entertainment, Senior Sales Manager at Tandem Communications/Studiocanal, as well as Senior Sales Manager at Em.Entertainment.

He has sold series including Emmy-winner Chernobyl, Tom Hardy starrer Taboo and Ken Follet adaptation The Pillars Of The Earth, and at Leonine will work across film and TV.

Christiane Goldberg, SVP License Sales, said: “With Patrick Phelan, we are pleased to welcome a colleague with such outstanding international market experience to our team. With him we will further expand our international presence in the licensing business and...

Seven drama series play at the 2020 San Sebastian Film Festival, a historic record. Three series, Movistar Plus’ “Riot Police” and HBO Europe’s “Patria” and “We Are Who We Are,” screen in their entirety in San Sebastián’s Official Selection, another first.

None of this seems a coincidence. Traditionally the highest-profile film event in the Spanish-speaking world, San Sebastian is fast becoming one of its most important drama series showcases as well.

This year the San Sebastián Film Festival’s TV cup runneth over. Why is another matter. Following, five suggestions:

San Sebastian Festival’s Backers

The Festival’s two major sponsors, Telefonica pay TV division Movistar Plus and public broadcaster Radio Televisión Española (Rtve), are TV companies. In Spain, local series have mesmerized local audiences for the last 25 years. Over 2011-16, only three U.S. shows – “The Pillars of the Earth,” “The Witch” and ABC’S “Resurrection” – made the...

Producer Rola Bauer has been named president of international TV production for MGM.

Bauer will spearhead new projects and co-productions designed for the international market. She’ll be based in Munich and split her time between MGM’s European and U.S. offices. She reports to MGM Television Group chairman Mark Burnett.

“Rola is an important member of the scripted creative community with exceptional taste in material and deep long-term relationships with many talented creators, directors and actors across Global television,” Burnett said. “We are thrilled to continue building on our successful lineup of programming with Rola, while tapping into new markets and audiences and further expanding our international growth.”

Bauer comes to MGM after most recently serving as a partner at Canal Plus’ Studiocanal TV, which absorbed her Tandem Productions banner in 2012. Last month, StudiocanalTV bought out the remaining interest in Tandem, which made Bauer a free agent.

“Mark...

MGM has hired Studiocanal TV vet Rola Bauer as president of international television productions.

In her new role, the award-winning producer will oversee development, production and co-productions for MGM’s international television scripted content for international markets around the world, reporting directly to MGM Television Group chairman Mark Burnett.

Bauer is based in Munich, she will split her time between MGM’s European and Us offices.

Also Read: New 'Fiddler on the Roof' Movie in the Works at MGM From 'Hamilton' Director Thomas Kail

“Rola is an important member of the scripted creative community with exceptional taste in material and deep long-term relationships with many talented creators, directors and actors across Global television,” Burnett said. “We are thrilled to continue building on our successful line-up of programming with Rola, while tapping into new markets and audiences and further expanding our international growth. Rola will be leading that growth.

Long-time Studiocanal executive Rola Bauer is joining MGM as President, International Television Productions.

Bauer will oversee development, production and co-productions for MGM’s international scripted TV content, reporting to MGM TV Group Chairman Mark Burnett.

Based in Munich, she will split her time between MGM’s European and U.S. offices.

A highly respected veteran of international TV production, Bauer previously steered Studiocanal’s TV content, including Years And Years and War Of The Worlds, while also spearheading acquisitions for Midnight Sun, The Last Panthers, and Below the Surface. On the international co-production and distribution front, she handled ZeroZeroZero as well as Harlan Coben’s Safe, her third Coben series, for Netflix and the Canal+ Group.

She led the development and orchestrated the funding of detective series Take Two, the U.S./European co-production from Tandem, Milmar Pictures and ABC Studios. She has also been instrumental in shaping numerous international productions,...

International television veteran Rola Bauer has been named the new head of international television productions at MGM Television Group.

Bauer, an acclaimed producer and TV exec whose credits include the Emmy-winning miniseries The Pillars of the Earth, pan-European procedural Crossing Lines and the upcoming thriller series Shadowplay, will oversee development, production and co-productions for MGM's International Television scripted content for international markets around the world. Based in Munich, she will split her time between MGM's European and U.S. offices and report directly to group chairman Mark Burnett.

"Rola is an important member of the scripted creative community with exceptional ...

Studiocanal is buying the remaining shares that it does not own in European producer Tandem Productions/Studiocanal. The company is acquiring the shares owned by partners Rola Bauer, Tim Halkin and Jonas Bauer.

The Canal Plus Group-owned TV and film firm will now 100% of the company that it first bought a 51% stake in in 2012.

The move will see Bauer gear up to leave the business but she will continue to work on a number of TV projects for the company through a non-exclusive consulting deal. These include Shadowplay, written by The Bridge’s Måns Mårlind, produced by Tandem Productions and Bron Studios for Zdf, Viaplay and Canal+, and On The Verge, written by and starring Julie Delpy and Elisabeth Shue for Canal+ and Netflix.

Canadian Bauer and U.S.-born Halkin established Tandem in 1999, producing big-budget European co-productions, often in English language. Tandem projects included The Pillars of the Earth and World Without End,...

Period dramas rarely break the fourth wall, but for Mans Marlind, the creator-writer-director of Tandem’s “Shadowlands,” “we don’t have to be traditional. Especially with period, you need to be even more modern, to avoid the stiffness of costume drama,” he says.

“Television’s development [is] creating audiences that are smarter, meaning we can be more and more daring, which is what audiences are looking for,” says “Shadowplay” co-director Bjorn Stein. The show has been shooting since April 29 in and around Prague.

“Shadowplay’s” edge and moral ambiguities have attracted more talent. Star Taylor Kitsch recalls his agent, CAA’s Jack Whigham, passing him the first two episodes’ scripts.

“We’re always looking for something different. I pride myself on taking risks,” he told Variety.

“Shadowplay” is set on a large-scale canvas, the bombed-out Berlin of 1946, one year after World War II, as the war’s former Allies, the U.S and Russia,...

In 2008, when Tandem’s Rola Bauer and Tim Halkin began financing “The Pillars of the Earth,” allying with Ridley Scott’s Scott Free, they stood nearly alone in Europe in making grand-scale English-language limited series.

Now Bauer and Halkin are in the vanguard of a global TV revolution at the Munich-based company.

The Canadian Bauer and U.S.-born Halkin met when he reported to her at ProSieben in Germany. In 1999, the pair founded Tandem. Bauer wanted to pursue her interest in creating content while Halkin is a marketing whiz. Having him as a business partner allowed her to raise her two children while still working, she has said.

In early 2012, Studiocanal, owned by Vivendi’s Canal Plus Group, bought a 51% share in Tandem. That deal helped the boutique company, which makes international programming usually with U.S. partners, move ahead.

Run by Halkin, Tandem still makes its own series,...

Team Experience will be sharing FYCs as the Television Academy votes on Emmy nominations over the next two weeks. Here's Abe Fried-Tanzer...

Last year, Counterpart won exactly the number of Emmy Awards it was nominated for – one. Its Main Title Design victory, while deserved, is hardly indicative of its tremendous quality. Starz has struggled generally to find a footing in the non-technical categories, earning only Best Limited Series mentions in the past decade, for The Pillars of the Earth and The White Queen. Golden Globes enthusiasm for Outlander, Boss, and Blunt Talk didn’t translate to Emmy love, and so there’s little hope that Counterpart, which was cancelled back in February by Starz, will break through in the way it should this year.

Season two represented the opposite of a sophomore slump for this sci-fi political thriller. The ideas presented in season one were expanded upon and the show transformed into something completely different.

The “Deadwood” reunion movie premiered May 31, the last day to qualify for Emmy eligibility, and according to the combined predictions of thousands of Gold Derby readers (make or update your own right here), it’s a strong contender to win Best TV Movie. It’s neck-and-neck with “Black Mirror: Bandersnatch.” But what about the race for Best Movie/Mini Actor? As of this writing Ian McShane looks like an underdog in a race against Oscar winners Mahershala Ali (“True Detective”), Sam Rockwell (“Fosse/Verdon“) and Benicio Del Toro (“Escape at Dannemora”). Might we be underestimating him?

McShane was lauded during the series’s original run (2004-2006) for his performance as Al Swearengen, the ruthless, foul-mouthed owner of a saloon in the title town. But he only earned a single Emmy nomination for Best Drama Actor (2005), which he lost to James Spader (“Boston Legal”). Since then he has appeared in a number...

Exclusive: Ridley Scott’s Scott Free is restructuring its TV operation, promoting longtime Us-based President of Television David W. Zucker to Head of Worldwide TV. In his expanded new role, he will oversee both Scott Free’s Us and UK TV divisions as the company is looking for stronger integration of its creative efforts on both sides of the pond and plans to more actively pursue co-productions.

In the new structure, Marina Brackenbury has been brought in as Head Film and TV in the UK, reporting to Zucker and working alongside Zucker’s top lieutenants in the Us, EVPs Jordan Sheehan and Clayton Krueger, with the three working across the company’s slate, domestically and internationally. Brackenbury succeeds Ed Rubin, who recently stepped down as Managing Director of Scott Free London as the company was getting ready to implement the reorganization.

Also promoted is Carina Sposato to VP in the company’s Los Angeles office,...

Exclusive: Tully producer Bron Studios has teamed up with Studiocanal’s Tandem Productions on a global television thriller created by The Bridge co-creator Måns Mårlind.

The two companies are co-producing gritty, eight-part series Shadow Play for a slew of European broadcasters including France’s Canal+, Scandinavian digital platform Viaplay, Canal+ in Poland and Dutch public broadcaster Npo.

The character-driven period thriller is set in Berlin and centres on the story of Max McLaughlin, an American cop who arrives in the city in the summer of 1946 to help create a police force in the chaotic aftermath of the war. Max’s goal is to take down “Englemacher” Gladow, the Al Capone of post-war Berlin. At the same time, Max undertakes a secret crusade to find his missing brother, who is killing ex-Nazis in hiding. However, Max is completely unaware that he is being used as a pawn in what is...

Who will be nominated for Best Movie/Mini Actress at the 2018 Emmys? Gold Derby has hosted exclusive video interviews with nine of this year’s contenders, including Emmy veterans and others who could be nominated for the first time. Click the links below to be taken to their full interviews.

Hayley Atwell (“Howards End”): Atwell plays Margaret Schlegel, who decides to marry the wealthy but emotionally distant Henry Wilcox (Matthew Macfadyen) in this new adaptation of E.M. Forster‘s novel. She previously received a Golden Globe nomination for Best Movie/Mini Actress for “The Pillars of the Earth” (2011), but she has yet to be nominated for an Emmy. (Click here to be taken to her full interview)

Jodi Balfour (“Rellik”): Balfour plays Elaine Shepard, a detective hunting down a serial killer with her partner and lover (Richard Dormer). She’s also on the Emmy ballot this year for...

Sam Heughan is more than just a pretty face. He’s a skilled and talented actor whose portrayal of Jamie on “Outlander” should not be overlooked again by the Emmys, though he missed the cut in the first two seasons of Starz’s popular time-travel romance. Can he overcome the Emmys’ “Slap the Stud” curse?

The Emmys have had a long history of slapping handsome leading men — it took them eight years to finally give Best Drama Actor to Jon Hamm for “Mad Men” and six years to even nominate Kit Harington for “Game of Thrones.” But could the tide be turning? Sterling K. Brown (“This Is Us”) won Best Drama Actor just last year and his co-star Milo Ventimiglia was nominated alongside him. And relative youth didn’t stop actors like Aaron Paul (“Breaking Bad”), Rami Malek (“Mr. Robot”) and Riz Ahmed (“The Night Of”) from collecting trophies. Heughan deserves similar consideration.

Starz is looking for an Emmy breakthrough for its four-hour adaptation of E.M. Forster‘s novel “Howards End” written by Oscar-winner Kenneth Lonergan (“Manchester by the Sea”) and directed by Hettie Macdonald. Gold Derby recently spoke with stars Matthew Macfadyen, Hayley Atwell, and Philippa Coulthard, as well as producer Colin Callender about the limited series. Scroll down and click their names below to be taken to their full interviews.

Atwell had some mighty shoes to fill playing headstrong Margaret Schlegel: the role brought Emma Thompson the Best Actress Oscar for the 1992 Merchant Ivory adaptation. “I know Em and spoke to her about it, and she was adamant … not to watch other people’s interpretations of the work you’re about to do,” Atwell explains. “You don’t want to get lost or confused impersonating someone else.” Atwell previously earned a Golden Globe nomination for her work in “The Pillars of the Earth...

Emmy voters know a good bargain when they see one, so they’re often eager to reward two performances for the price of one. Sally Field (“Sybil”) and Toni Collette (“United States of Tara”) won for playing multiple personalities. And Tatiana Maslany (“Orphan Black”) prevailed as a combo platter of identical clones. Now Emmy voters could give the nod to J.K. Simmons for playing two versions of the same man in the Starz sci-fi thriller “Counterpart.”

The series premiered in December 2017 and stars Simmons as Howard Silk, a United Nations bureaucrat in Berlin who works for an agency whose purpose he doesn’t quite understand. It turns out his agency oversees a gateway to a parallel world with another version of Howard who crosses between worlds on dangerous field missions.

Now Simmons is an Emmy contender for Best Drama Actor for his performance. He has never been nominated for an...

Expect to see the Starz program “Howards End” reap a Best Limited Series Emmy nom on July 12, along with nominations across the board for its actors and below-the-line talent. The series debuted stateside in May, 26 years after the acclaimed 1992 film adaptation that garnered nine Oscar nominations including Best Picture and Best Director (James Ivory) and won three including Best Actress for Emma Thompson.

Based on the acclaimed 1910 novel by E.M. Forster, this new spin on the timeless classic was adapted by Oscar champ Kenneth Lonergan (“Manchester by the Sea”). It stars Hayley Atwell and Philippa Coulthard as the independent and unconventional Schlegel sisters navigating their way through turn-of-the-century England, whose lives become intertwined with the wealthy Wilcox family and the working-class Bast family. The series also stars Emmy winners Julia Ormond and Tracey Ullman, alongside Matthew Macfadyen, Joseph Quinn and Alex Lawther.

See Emmys 2018 exclusive: Starz categories for ‘Outlander,’ ‘Counterpart,...

“The trick is not to make it a history lesson,” explains Ridley Scott about producing “The Terror.” This AMC limited series is a fictionalized account of a lost expedition to the Arctic from 1845-1848, during which the Hms Terror and Hms Erebus become stuck and their crews are stalked by an elusive menace. “When something as remarkable and inordinately courageous as this” happens Scott is compelled to bring it to the screen. He served as an executive producer on the series, which was developed by David Kajganich and stars Jared Harris, Tobias Menzies, and Ciarán Hinds. Watch our exclusive video interview with Scott above.

See Jared Harris (‘The Terror’): Horror limited series succeeds because of ‘patience and restraint in the storytelling’ [Exclusive Video Interview]

With its exotic setting and period details, “The Terror” was a massive undertaking, but the key is to work with “good people,” explains Scott. “You get bad people,...

Hayley Atwell could be in the Emmy game for the first time this year for her role in the Starz limited series “Howards End.” Adapted by Oscar-winning screenwriter Kenneth Longergan, she plays the role of Margaret Schlegel, which won an Academy Award for Emma Thompson in the original 1992 feature film.

Before this project Atwell was best known for her Golden Globe-nominated role in the 2010 limited series “The Pillars of the Earth” and for playing Agent Peggy Carter for TV and film in the Marvel Universe. She will next be seen in the movie “Christopher Robin” later this year.

Gold Derby senior editor Daniel Montgomery recently interviewed Atwell about “Howards End.” Watch that video above and read the complete interview transcript below.

SEEEmmys 2018 exclusive: Starz categories for ‘Outlander,’ ‘Counterpart,’ ‘Howards End’ and more

Gold Derby: Hayley Atwell, you star in the new “Howards End” miniseries as Margaret Schlegel. It’s based,...

Hayley Atwell may have made a name for herself among American television audiences when she joined the Marvel universe as Peggy Carter in “Agents of Shield” and “Agent Carter,” but that is far from the London-born actress’ only period drama. In 2010 she starred in “The Pillars of the Earth” and now she is taking on the role of Margaret Schlegel in “Howards End.” But for Atwell, who also will soon appear on the big screen in “Christopher Robin,” as well, the concentrated effort is not to focus on historical periods but just to chase the strongest writing.

How familiar were you with the book or film version of “Howards End” and were either a big part of the draw to the Starz limited series?

I hadn’t read the book but I had seen the film, and I had very strong memories of Merchant Ivory and Emma’s [Thompson] role in it,...

Starz’s new limited series adaptation of “Howards End” is positioning itself to do very well at the 2018 Emmys, much like the 1992 film of the same name. The movie “Howards End” won three Oscars and was also nominated for Best Picture. The limited series has rave reviews and could easily rack up multiple nominations at this year’s Emmys.

Based on the novel “Howards End” by E.M. Forster, the limited series tells the story of Margaret of the bourgeoisie Schlegel family, who is bequeathed the titular country home by Ruth, an aging member of the wealthy Wilcox family, which causes an uproar between the families. Hayley Atwell is cast as Thompson’s Oscar-winning role of Margaret, while Julia Ormond plays Ruth, for which Vanessa Redgrave was nominated for an Oscar.

See‘Howards End’ reviews: Will it go from Oscars to Emmys thanks to ‘delightful,’ ‘sumptuous’ limited series on Starz?

Ormond...

E.M. Forster‘s classic 1910 novel “Howards End” was most famously adapted into a 1992 Merchant Ivory film starring Anthony Hopkins and Emma Thompson. It earned nine Oscar nominations including Best Picture and Best Director (James Ivory), and it won three including Best Actress for Thompson. That’s a tough act to follow, but now, 26 years after that film, Forster’s novel has now been adapted into a four-part limited series on Starz that is garnering its own rave reviews. It’s rated 89% fresh on Rotten Tomatoes and has scored 89 on MetaCritic, indicating near-universal acclaim. So now it has the potential to be as big a hit at the Emmys as the film was at the Oscars.

The series stars Hayley Atwell in the role that won Thompson the Oscar. She plays Margaret Schlegel, who seeks love and purpose in turn-of-the-century England. It’s directed by Hettie Macdonald, a BAFTA TV Award...

“Game of Thrones” has never won an Emmy for its lensing, but it has won three awards from the American Society of Cinematographers, which shares members with the cinematographers’ branch of the TV academy. This fantasy series is a two-time nominee at this year’s Asc Awards, which will be handed out on Feb. 17. Click through our gallery of screenshots from all 15 episodes nominated in the three television categories this year, supplemented with each nominee’s awards history and odds to win.

“The Crown” contends for the same episode that was in the running at last summer’s Emmys. It lost then to “The Handmaid’s Tale,” which was snubbed by the Asc, despite being eligible in an additional category: Best Movie/Mini/Pilot Cinematography.

“The Crown” and “The Man in the High Castle” are the only dramas that were nominated for their cinematography at the most recent Emmys that...

“Game of Thrones” has never won an Emmy for its lensing, but it has won three awards from the American Society of Cinematographers, which shares members with the cinematographers’ branch of the TV academy. This fantasy series is a two-time nominee at this year’s Asc Awards, which will be handed out on Feb. 17.

“The Crown” contends for the same episode that was in the running at last summer’s Emmys. It lost then to “The Handmaid’s Tale,” which was shut out by the Asc, despite being eligible in an additional category: Best Movie/Mini/Pilot Cinematography.

“The Crown” and “The Man in the High Castle” are the only dramas that were nominated for their cinematography at the most recent Emmys that are also up for Asc Awards this year; all seven series were eligible. The omissions of popular Emmy nominees like “Stranger Things” and “Westworld” cannot quite be counted as “snubs,...

Welcome to The Water Cooler, a feature where the /Film staff is free to go off-topic and talk about everything except the movies and TV shows they normally write about. In this edition: Chris Evangelista starts the Martin Scorsese MasterClass, Hoai-Tran Bui reads The Pillars of the Earth, Jacob Hall plays Fiasco, and Ben Pearson reads A Knight of the […]

The post The Water Cooler: The Martin Scorsese MasterClass, Pillars of the Earth, and a Coen Brothers Simulator appeared first on /Film.

FX is placing their Trust in Donald Sutherland.

The prolific actor will star in FX’s 10-episode limited series Trust as J. Paul Getty, patriarch of the Getty family oil dynasty. Sutherland’s character is described as a mysterious and contradictory man, but is most notably famous for negotiating the release of his ransomed grandson.

RelatedRegina King, John Ridley Team for FX Series About Atlanta Child Murders

Set in 1973, Getty’s grandson, John Paul Getty III, is kidnapped and held for ransom by the Mafia while visiting Rome. The show follows the struggle of Paul Getty at the hands of his bewildered captors.

Production started on Paramount's Transformers: The Last Knight back in June, although very little has been released regarding the plot. Director Michael Bay has been posting photos and video from the set ever since filming started, without revealing any story details. Today we have word that Once Upon a Time star Liam Garrigan has been cast as the mythical character King Arthur, which essentially confirms months of rumors swirling around the sequel.

Mashable broke the news earlier today, with the actor surprisingly playing the same role in this movie, King Arthur, as he did in the ABC fantasy series Once Upon a Time. Back in June, plot rumors surfaced that the story centers on Optimus Prime returning to Earth in search of a mysterious artifact, which has ties to both King Arthur and the magician Merlin. This report also reveals that Santiago Cabrera, who had previously been cast, is playing Merlin.