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Verve, the literary and talent agency, is the latest Hollywood company to undergo belt-tightening as the industry weathers what’s shaping up to be a year of economizing.

Verve agents and employees who have earnings that hit a certain threshold will now see salary adjustments on a temporary basis, The Hollywood Reporter has learned. Additionally, the agency is cutting overtime expenses for assistants, who are hourly workers that generally work 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. shifts.

The measures arrive amid a new wave of cost-cutting across the entertainment industry in response to studios’ content spending pullback on feature films and television series. Namely, episode counts on series that have gone into production have fallen steeply over the last few years as big broadcast-style orders have given way to streaming era shorter season runs.

The number of television episodes produced fell from 13,300 episodes in 2023 to 11,069 last year, a nearly 17 percent decline,...

Exclusive: In a competitive situation, Amazon MGM Studios has secured film rights to “Code Black,” a new short story by Harrison Query, for seven figures guaranteed, sources tell Deadline. The deal is believed to be one of the biggest of all time for a short story.

Scott Glassgold of 12:01 Films brought the package into Jake Gyllenhaal’s Nine Stories, which will develop the political thriller as a starring vehicle for the Oscar nominee, under its first-look deal with the studio.

In Code Black, the country’s top heart surgeon is flown to D.C. to perform a high-stakes operation, finding himself led into a trap where his guile and genius become the only way to stop a plot that threatens both his family and the nation.

In addition to Gyllenhaal and Josh McLaughlin for Nine Stories, producers in talks include Lynn Harris and Matt Reeves for 6th & Idaho, and...

Fan-favorite filmmaker Andy Muschietti has found his next project. As he waits for DC Studios to lock in a screenplay for The Brave and the Bold, Muschietti has become attached to direct Drift.

Per Deadline, Muschietti will also produce Drift with his sister Barbara Muschietti via their production company Double Dream. Skydance quickly moved to acquire Drift after Muschietti expressed interest in helming the grounded sci-fi project. The project, based on an unpublished 38-page short story by Ben Queen & Jason Shuman, was on the market for less than 24 hours before Skydance snatched it up. Queen and Shuman will now adapt their short story for the big screen.

Described as Gravity meets Arrival, the upcoming sci-fi movie's logline reads as follows: "When his estranged son vanishes during a space mission, a once-legendary, now fallen from grace shuttle commander is pulled into a high-stakes hostage exchange in space to get his boy...

It director Andy Muschietti is attached to helm Drift, based on an unpublished short story by Ben Queen and Jason Shuman (“Acapulco”).

The grounded science fiction film is described as “Gravity meets Arrival.”

Deadline reports that it was on the market for less than 24 hours, inciting a bidding war in which Skydance came out on top. It sold for around $2 million against higher if the movie gets made.

In the 38-page story, when his estranged son vanishes during a space mission, a once-legendary, now fallen from grace shuttle commander is pulled into a high-stakes hostage exchange in space to get his boy back from captors who are not from Earth.

Queen and Shuman, who made a splash last year with the sale of their Cola Wars pitch to Sony with Judd Apatow on board to direct, will pen the script.

Andy & Barbara Muschietti’s Double Dream producing alongside Scott Glassgold’s 12:01 Films.

Exclusive: Skydance won a weekend auction for Drift, an unpublished short story by Ben Queen & Jason Shuman that has It! helmer Andy Muschietti attached to direct. Deadline hears that the project sold for around $2 million against higher if the movie gets made. Andy & Barbara Muschietti’s Double Dream and Scott Glassgold’s 12:01 Film’s will produce.

The 38-page short story has all the makings of a big sci-fi mission film, and numerous other bids came in with other creative attachments. When his estranged son vanishes during a space mission, a once-legendary, now fallen from grace shuttle commander is pulled into a high-stakes hostage exchange in space to get his boy back from captors who are not from Earth. The comp is Gravity meets Arrival.

Queen & Shuman will be adapting their own short story which was on the market for less than 24 hours before selling. Skydance jumped into action quickly...

Glen Powell’s passion for working with acclaimed directors continues with a buzzy, yet untitled comedy alongside Judd Apatow.

Powell will star in the next film as directed by Apatow in which Powell will portray “a country western star in free fall,” which is giving real “A Star Is Born” vibes. Powell will also co-write the script alongside Apatow, and the project is being fast-tracked by Universal Pictures.

Both Apatow and Powell will also produce the comedy, as will former Universal Pictures President of Production Kevin Misher via his Misher Films banner.

Powell, who previously penned “Hit Man” with auteur Richard Linklater and is writing a Broadway musical with Ryan Murphy, will produce alongside Dan Cohen through their Barnstorm banner’s newly minted first look deal with Universal. Powell first collaborated with Universal for “Twisters,” and his company Barnstorm is also producing the recently announced “The Natural Order” for the studio,...

Colman Domingo, recently nominated for an Academy Award for his role in the Netflix political docudrama, Rustin, is in preliminary talks to join a yet-untitled film from Steven Spielberg, Amblin and Universal. According to Deadline, a source says the Fear the Walking Dead actor could join the in-the-works film, which is based on a story by Spielberg and his collaborator David Koepp. The cast is already said to include Emily Blunt, Colin Firth and Eve Hewson.

Universal and Amblin had no comment, per Deadline, as details on the movie's plot have been kept under wraps. Although the film doesnt have a title, Universal has dated its release for May 15, 2026. The coveted summer release is something Spielberg is known for, as he released films like Jaws and Raiders of the Lost Ark in the summer, even though the filmmaker hasnt released a movie during the summer in a while.

Related Fear the Walking Dead...

Iconic filmmaker Steven Spielberg has unveiled his next feature film, Cola Wars, which has been in development at Sony Pictures under his label, Amblin Entertainment. The film follows the attempt by Pepsi to challenge Coca-Cola for the soda throne during the 1980s. Spielberg is producing the movie, while Judd Apatow, known for his work on The 40-Year-Old Virgin and Girls, is on board as director.

As Deadline reported in April 2024, Sony spent over $1 million on the project, with Jason Shuman and Ben Queen writing the pitch. While Shuman co-created the hit Apple TV series Acapulco and executive produced HBO's Winning Time: The Rise of the Lakers Dynasty, Queen is well-known for his scripts for Cars 2, 3, and NBC's A to Z. Since the project is still in the early stages of development, no cast members have been announced, nor has the first look been presented. However, it should...

Noting the recent trend of Ben Affleck’s “Air,” Matt Johnson’s “Blackberry,” Eva Longoria’s “Flamin’ Hot,” and, though perhaps a bit on the silly side, Jerry Seinfeld’s “Unfrosted,” there seems to be an increasing market for stories about consumer goods and marketing. Deadline announced Wednesday that the latest to get in the act are Judd Apatow and Steven Spielberg with a picture called “Cola Wars,” all about the rivalry between Coca-Cola and Pepsi.

“Cola Wars,” which Spielberg will produce and Apatow will direct, is written by Jason Shuman and Ben Queen. Shuman is best known for co-creating the series “Acapulco” on Apple TV + and was an executive producer on “Winning Time,” another nostalgia-soaked based-on-reality project about the peak years of the Los Angeles Lakers. Queen’s credits include “Cars 2” and “Cars 3.” The project is set up at Sony.

The story of “Cola Wars,” much like “Air,...

Judd Apatow and Steven Spielberg are to team up for 'Cola Wars'.The 'Knocked Up' filmmaker is to direct the movie about Pepsi's attempts to challenge Coca-Cola during the 1980s with the legendary 'Jaws' helmer on board as a producer through his Amblin Entertainment company.The movie delves into the Cola Wars as Pepsi tried to challenge Coca-Cola's long reign as the world's top cola with key events including Michael Jackson's hair being set on fire when a stunt for a Pepsi advert went awry in 1984 as well as Coca-Cola's disastrous introduction of 'New Coke' the following year.'Cola Wars' is in development at Sony and is being written by Jason Shuman and Ben Queen and it is thought to be similar to the film 'Air', which was directed by Ben Affleck and told the story of how Nike were able to transform their...

Hollywood loves a good rivalry, and this one’s been fizzing since the ’80s. And now, it’s getting its time in the spotlight on the big screen. Director Steven Spielberg is taking the producer chair to bring the legendary Cola vs. Pepsi showdown to the cinemas.

Steven Spielberg Credit: Gage Skidmore licensed under Cc By-sa 2.0, via Wikimedia Commons.

Although not much is known about the plot of the movie showcasing the full-scale clash of corporate titans, fans are already expecting plenty of fizz and a lot of messy drama.

Steven Spielberg and Judd Apatow Are Bringing the Iconic “Cola Wars” to the Big Screen!

Judd Apatow is on board to direct Cola Wars, a film that will explore the intense competition that went on between Pepsi and Coca-Cola during the 1980s and is still prevalent. Steven Spielberg is producing the project through his Amblin Entertainment banner.

Related“We want...

Judd Apatow directs, Steven Spielberg produces, as Sony moves ahead with Cola Wars, a movie about Coca Cola and Pepsi’s battle.

Just recently, we covered a report which looked at how Judd Apatow, the one-time king of Hollywood comedies, was struggling to get original projects off the ground. It’s been a few years since Apatow’s period as a director and ‘super-producer’, during which he shepherded lots of popular comedies through the studio system.

According to The Hollywood Reporter, Sony has selected Apatow to direct Cola Wars. It’s a drama that will recount the fierce battle between industry titan Coca Cola and upstart Pepsi in the 1980s.

We first learned of the project back in February, along with the claim that Sony had paid more than a million dollars for a pitch. Not the script mind, just the pitch. Jason Shuman and Ben Queen will be drafting the screenplay.

Legendary filmmaker Steven Spielberg's next feature film has been revealed. With Judd Apatow on board to direct, Spielberg will produce Cola Wars, a new movie that's now in the works at Sony, under his Amblin Entertainment banner.

Per Deadline, Cola Wars was acquired by Sony when the studio spent upwards of $1 million for the pitch in April. Jason Shuman and Ben Queen wrote the screenplay. Maia Eyre will overse the project for Sony.

Related The History Behind the Steven Spielberg and Julia Roberts Feud

Hollywood has too many feuds to count, but what made critically acclaimed director Steven Spielberg not want to work with Julia Roberts again?

The film will delve into the feud between Pepsi and Coca-Cola, specifically focusing on the former's attempt to become a major competitor despite the latter's longevity in the soda pop industry. It will reportedly highlight the "Cola Wars" of the 1980s, with...

Judd Apatow has been attached to direct the upcoming movie Cola Wars about the battle between Coke and Pepsi for market share in the 1980s, reports Deadline. Steven Spielberg will produce.

The project is currently in the early stages of development at Sony, which reportedly acquired it for over $1 million in April. Ben Queen and Jason Shuman are set to write Cola Wars. Shuman co-created the Apple TV+ series Acapulco and served as an executive producer on Winning Time, the HBO series about the 1980s Showtime era of the Los Angeles Lakers.

Deadline previously described the movie as a behind-the-scenes account of “Pepsi’s attempt to challenge Coca-Cola’s century-long reign as the world’s top cola, sparking the unforgettable ‘Cola Wars’ of the mid-1980s.” This could include the filming of a 1984 Pepsi commercial during which Michael Jackson’s hair caught on fire and the disappointing introduction of New Coke.

Deadline reports that Judd Apatow has been tapped to direct Cola Wars for Sony, who shelled out $1 million in April for the pitch. The film is based on the true story of “Pepsi’s attempt to challenge Coca-Cola’s century-long reign as the world’s top cola” in the mid-1980s. Steven Spielberg is also on board and will produce the project through his Amblin Entertainment production company.

The Cola Wars brought us many memorable events, including the disastrous launch of New Coke and the Pepsi commercial that left Michael Jackson with severe burns. The film is billed as “the ultimate underdog tale of history’s most iconic second-place contender (Pepsi) vying for the No. 1 spot (Coca-Cola).” Jason Shuman (Acapulco) and Ben Queen (Cars 2) are penning the script for the project, and while it’s still in the early stages, it could be a fun flick.

Related Seth Rogen...

Judd Apatow has signed on to direct “Cola Wars,” a film recounting the ’80s battle between Coca-Cola and Pepsi, with Steven Spielberg producing through Amblin Entertainment, TheWrap has learned.

Jason Shuman, co-creator of the Apple TV+ show “Acapulco,” is co-writing the screenplay with “Cars 3” co-writer Ben Queen.

The film will recount Pepsi’s challenge to Coca-Cola’s decades of rule as the world’s top soda, infamously leading to Coke changing its recipe to sell “New Coke,” which led to widespread horror.

The project is said to be in very early development, as Sony only just acquired the film as a pitch back in April.

Apatow most recently directed the 2022 Netflix comedy “The Bubble” and the HBO documentary “George Carlin’s American Dream.” He is repped by WME and Mosaic.

The project was first reported by Deadline.

The post Judd Apatow to Direct, Steven Spielberg to Produce ‘Cola Wars’ for Sony appeared first on TheWrap.

Here's something you probably didn't expect to hear today: Judd Apatow and Steven Spielberg are making a movie together! That's right. The director of "The 40-Year-Old Virgin" is making a movie with the director of numerous classics such as "Jurassic Park," not to mention one of the more prolific producers to ever do it. So, what are these two very unique titans working on together? What tale could possibly warrant such a collaboration? The tale of Coke vs. Pepsi, of course. We're not joking. This is real.

According to Deadline, Apatow is set to direct "Cola Wars," a film that will chronicle Pepsi's challenge of Coca-Cola as the number one soda in the marketplace, which began in the '80s. Spielbeg's Amblin Entertainment is set to produce the film, which is set up at Sony Pictures. The studio paid $1 million for the project earlier this year, which included a complete pitch.

Progress on Cola Wars is bubbling up, as the Sony Pictures feature has attached Judd Apatow to direct with Steven Spielberg to produce, The Hollywood Reporter has confirmed.

Apatow is set to helm the film that is still in its initial stages of development after the studio bought a pitch for the project earlier this year. Cola Wars is set to focus on the battle for soda supremacy that kicked off in the mid-1980s as Pepsi aimed to challenge Coke’s longtime dominance in the soft drink space.

Jason Shuman and Ben Queen are working on the script. Spielberg is producing Cola Wars through his company Amblin Entertainment, with Maia Eyre overseeing the film for Sony.

Shuman co-created the Apple TV+ series Acapulco and served as an executive producer on the HBO show Winning Time. Queen earned credits for his writing work on the animated sequel The Addams Family 2...

We’re guessing Judd Apatow isn’t a Dr. Pepper fan. The “Knocked Up” filmmaker is attached to direct “Cola Wars,” a film about the battle for market share between Coca Cola and Pepsi to become America’s favorite soda, an individual with knowledge of the project told IndieWire.

Tag-teaming with him on the project is none other than Steven Spielberg, who will produce the film through his Amblin Entertainment production banner.

The individual adds that at this point, “Cola Wars” is in very early development stages, with Apatow and Spielberg joining based on a pitch that Sony acquired back in April.

The writers for the film are Ben Queen and Jason Shuman, who co-created and writes the Apple TV+ series “Acapulco” and was also a producer on the canceled HBO series “Winning Time.”

Few other details are available at this early stage of development, but Deadline, which first reported the news,...

Brand-based movies are big business in Hollywood right about now. From Air to Blackberry, and from The Beanie Bubble to Flamin' Hot to Unfrosted, there's something about getting the inside track on the stories behind the world's biggest enterprises that studios just can't get enough of. And now, per Deadline's reporting, it looks like Steven Spielberg and Judd Apatow are the latest lining up to drink the company pic Kool-Aid — or rather sup the soda-y stuff. The cinema juggernauts are teaming up to respectively produce and direct Sony's upcoming Cola Wars, a new movie that's set to pop the can on Pepsi's efforts to dethrone Coke as the kings of cola back in the late 70s to mid 80s.

Acapulco co-creator and writer Jason Shuman is tooling up to pen Cola Wars alongside Cars 2 and 3 scribe Ben Queen, with the initial pitch for the movie having...

Cola Wars has found a producer and director. The movie, which is in early development at Sony, was bought for more than $1 million from a pitch by Jason Shuman and Ben Queen. The movie is set during the mid-1980s during the time when Pepsi and Coca-Cola were battling for supremacy in the beverage marketplace.

Per Deadline, Cola Wars has drawn A-list talent as development continues. Steven Spielberg has signed on to produce via Amblin Entertainment, the same banner through which he has produced such recent movies as Twisters, The Color Purple, Maestro, and The Fabelmans, the latter of which he also directed. The upcoming movie is also now set to be directed by Judd Apatow, who is known for helming comedies including The 40-Year-Old Virgin, Knocked Up, and, more recently, The King of Staten Island and Netflix's The Bubble.

What Spielberg And Apatow Signing On Mean For Cola Wars...

Exclusive: Judd Apatow has attached to direct and Steven Spielberg has come aboard to produce Cola Wars, the film in development at Sony. Spielberg will produce through his Amblin Entertainment banner.

Deadline revealed back in April that the studio bought the project for $1 million-plus as a pitch, telling the true story of Pepsi’s attempt to challenge Coca-Cola’s century-long reign as the world’s top cola. It uncapped the “Cola Wars” of the mid-1980s, which included everything from Michael Jackson’s fiery mishap to the New Coke debacle, as the ultimate underdog tale of history’s most iconic second-place contender (Pepsi) vying for the No. 1 spot (Coca-Cola).

The Cola Wars pitch is being written by Jason Shuman and Ben Queen. Shuman is the co-creator/writer of Apple’s hit show Acapulco and was executive producer on HBO’s Winning Time, and the producer of 2022’s Oscar-nominated indie To Leslie.

We've all been wondering what the next big capitalism origin story film would be, and now we have our answer: Cola Wars, directed by Judd Apatow and produced by none other than Steven Spielberg. The film has been in development since April, when Sony picked up the pitch for a reported $1 million,...

On October 16, 2023, Disney celebrated 100 years of magic, from movies, television shows, theme parks, and an improbable corporate identity that has become beloved all on its own. Disney's most significant impact is the cinematic canon that defined the company, and as is to be expected from such an iconic company, it has gone through a lot of changes in its century-long history.

Disney has had eight distinct eras that shaped the company and altered the course of its vaunted animation. Each generation has had highs and lows some more than others but each has had its clear place in the Disney timeline. Despite facing various hardships, Disney has continued to delight fans of all ages with its timeless takes on classic fairy tales and original stories that resonate just as deeply. Every Disney fan has their favorite film and era, but some rank better than others in performance and quality.

Updated...

Exclusive: Sony Pictures and Picturestart won an auction and will pay mid-six against high six-figures for Yeti, a Peter Gaffney spec script that will be produced by Jon Silk through his first look deal at Picturestart.

Gaffney last year sold the horror spec Don’t Go Into The Water to Universal. Yeti takes place deep in the mountains, where an avalanche unleashes something primeval from the glacial ice. A father and his daughter battle to survive a merciless predator who blends in with the snow.

Erik Feig and Jessica Switch championed the project for Picturestart and Brittany Morrissey spearheaded deal for Sony. Verve held the auction and reps the writer. It’s the agency’s second material sale to Sony in a week after the 7-figure deal for Cola Wars, the Jason Shuman Ben Queen pitch.

Silk most recently produced The Black Demon and Nightride, latter of which premiered at...

The battle between Coca-Cola and Pepsi is heading to cinemas, as Sony pays seven figures for movie pitch on the subject.

As Hollywood’s tectonic plates continue to rearrange themselves in the wake of a disruptive few years, one type of film that seems to be rising to prominence is that of the product movie. In the last year or so we’ve seen Tetris, Air, Flamin’ Hot (the Cheetos origin story) and Barbie all land with varying degrees of impact upon our shared cultural consciousness.

Obviously, Barbie is something of a special case, distinguishable from the other films as it treats its product in an entirely distinct fashion and found great success doing so. The other films on that list told a more straightforward story about the origin of an iconic product and as we’ve already predicted, they won’t be the last to do so.

According to Deadline,...

Exclusive: Sony has stepped up with a seven figure bid to uncap Cola Wars, a movie pitch that tells the true story of Pepsi’s attempt to challenge Coca-Cola’s century-long reign as the world’s top cola, sparking the unforgettable “Cola Wars” of the mid-1980s. This behind-the-scenes account, from Michael Jackson’s fiery mishap to the New Coke debacle, tells the ultimate underdog tale of history’s most iconic second-place contender vying for the No. 1 spot. Sources said it was around $1.5 million while Sony said it was $1 million, still a whopping deal for a pitch.

It falls into place alongside films about products like the Ben Affleck-directed Air, about the battle by Nike to win Michael Jordan for a shoe line that transformed the company. There were rival bids massing with elements attached, but Sony stepped up. Maia Eyre, the exec who oversaw the hit Anyone But You,...

Exclusive: Anonymous Content is elevating longtime literary managers and producers Ryan Cunningham, David Kanter and Nicole Romano to partner.

Cunningham joined Anonymous Content in 2019 from Madhouse Entertainment where he had been a manager and producer for a decade. On the management side, his clients include filmmakers Scott Beck & Bryan Woods (65), Derek Tsang (The Three Body Problem), Daniel Goldhaber and Isa Mazzei (How to Blow Up a Pipeline); showrunners and writers Steven DeKnight (Spartacus), Jewel Coronel (The Chi), Seamus Fahey (Walker: Independence) and Sonya Winton & Jonathan Kidd (Lovecraft Country), Darnell Metayer and Josh Peters (Transformers: Rise of the Beasts), Neil Uliano and Bryan Schulz (The Peanuts Movie), and Ben Queen (The Addams Family 2). Cunningham most recently produced the Sky/Relativity feature The Independent, and executive-produced Stephen King adaptation The Boogeyman, which will be released in June by 20th Century Studios and Disney.

Kanter is a producer and manager at Anonymous...

Exclusive: Verve has made several key promotions this week across the motion picture and television literary teams with Partners Felicia Prinz and Chris Noriega being upped to Co-Heads overseeing the Television Literary Team, Parker Davis and Liz Parker will assume the Co-Head mantle of the Motion Picture Literary Team, and Tyler Reynolds has been promoted to head the Television Director Team. Reynolds will report to Prinz and Noriega. In these newly created positions, Prinz, Noriega, Davis, Parker, and Reynolds will be responsible for the day-to-day management of their respective teams while working alongside the Partnership to streamline decision making, communication and to provide strategic support.

“As Verve continues to scale, we realize that empowering our valuable colleagues is the best way to maintain our unique work culture while providing the best creative representation in the business,” said the Partnership. “Felicia, Chris, Parker, Liz, and Tyler are highly respected by their colleagues,...

Exclusive: Fox is continuing its adult cartoon push and is looking at new ways to move the storyboard.

The network is set to launch a number of high-profile animated series over the coming months including Dan Harmon’s Krapopolis and Jon Hamm-voiced Grimsburg as part of a four-show, two-hour animated block on Monday nights from May 2023.

Fox Day @ TCA: Deadline’s Complete Coverage

But it’s also got a couple of other irons in the fire including a push on animated drama series, a slew of animated comedy projects in the works and is in the middle of renewal talks over its long-running series The Simpsons, Family Guy and Bob’s Burgers.

Krapopolis, the ancient Greek comedy from Rick and Morty co-creator Harmon, is to launch with a preview on November 27 ahead of its full roll-out next May. The series, which is Fox’s first fully owned animated series, centers on Tyrannis,...

The devil is in the details — or, in “The Addams Family 2,” a digitally animated sequel aimed at ages six and over, in the demented ghoulish sparkle of jokes that are just macabre and kiddie witty enough to tickle you. Take, for instance, Uncle Fester, voiced by Nick Kroll with an extreme goofy lisp, sizing up the creaky brown wood camper in which the Addams family are about to take a three-week cross-country trek and saying, “Oh, it’s a hybrid — half car, half eyesore!” Or the way that Morticia, voiced by Charlize Theron in the most musical of aristocratic purrs, doesn’t just walk but glides around in her cadaverous skin-tight dress that drapes over the floor in trails that look like black silk octopus legs. Or Gomez (Oscar Isaac), in his Igor-as-head-waiter hodgepodge of an Old World accent, saying, “Tell that Billie Eilish she’s a little too sunny for my taste.

The Addams Family 2 Trailer: "Everyone’s favorite spooky family is back in the animated comedy sequel, The Addams Family 2. In this all new movie we find Morticia and Gomez distraught that their children are growing up, skipping family dinners, and totally consumed with “scream time.” To reclaim their bond they decide to cram Wednesday, Pugsley, Uncle Fester and the crew into their haunted camper and hit the road for one last miserable family vacation. Their adventure across America takes them out of their element and into hilarious run-ins with their iconic cousin, It, as well as many new kooky characters. What could possibly go wrong?"

Directed By: Greg Tiernan

Directed By: Conrad Vernon

Story By: Dan Hernandez & Benji Samit

Screenplay By: Dan Hernandez & Benji Samit and Ben Queen and Susanna Fogel

Producers: Gail Berman, p.g.a., Conrad Vernon, p.g.a., Danielle Sterling, p.g.a., Alison O'Brien,...

Exclusive: Netflix has acquired rights to a pitch from Ben Queen that is loosely based on the novel A Note of Explanation, to be adapted by Queen into a feature film.

A Note of Explanation, a previously unknown work by famed writer Vita Sackville-West and written in 1922, was recently rediscovered as a miniature book in Queen Mary’s dollhouse in Windsor Castle, and tells the story of a time-travelling sprite who inhabits the dollhouse.

Liza Chasin will produce for 3dot Production under her overall deal with Netflix. 3dot’s Margaret Chernin will oversee for the company.

Queen is currently writing The Addams Family sequel for MGM and Long Distance for Netflix with Aggregate attached to produce. He is also co-writing a pilot with Rashida Jones and Will McCormack for MRC. Previously, he wrote Cars 2 and Cars 3 for Pixar and created the TV series A to Z at NBC.

Verve has elevated agent Felicia Prinz to partner, The Hollywood Reporter has learned.

A member of THR's Next Gen class of 2017, Prinz has helped build the agency's television team from four to 14 agents. She works with a diverse roster of clients, including Toy Story 4 co-writer Stephany Folsom (now a consulting producer on Amazon's The Lord of the Rings series); Hidden Figures co-writer Allison Schroeder; The Bold Type creator Sarah Watson; All American creator April Blair; A to Z and Powerless creator Ben Queen; Jane the Virgin co-executive producer Katie Wech (now adapting Liane Moriarty's The Hypnotist's Love Story for ABC); Deputy scribe Kimberly A....

Exclusive: Verve has promoted agent Felicia Prinz to partner, bringing the total number of partners at the Los Angeles agency to seven. Prinz is credited with developing Verve’s television team, which during her tenure over the past seven-plus years, has grown from four agents to 14.

Prinz works with Stephany Folsom, Allison Schroeder, Sarah Watson (The Bold Type), April Blair (All American), Ben Queen, Katie Wech, Kim Harrison (Deputy) and Olatunde Osunsanmi (Star Trek: Discovery).

In a joint statement, the partnership said, “Ten years ago, Verve was created as a company where interns could become assistants, assistants become agents, and agents become partners. We are thrilled to welcome Felicia Prinz into the partnership of Verve.”

She joins partners Bryan Besser, David Boxerbaum, Adam Levine, Amy Retzinger, Adam Weinstein and Bill Weinstein.

Exclusive: Verve has signed Powerless and A to Z creator producer Ben Queen for representation.

Queen’s hourlong Heart of Life, inspired by the John Mayer song, was picked up to pilot by ABC during the 2018-19 season and currently is being redeveloped at the network. Written by Queen, Heart of Life follows two sets of adult siblings from wildly different worlds who discover they’re related and must reassess everything they thought they knew about their shared father. Queen, Mayer, Paul Weitz and Melvin Mar executive produce for 20th Century Fox TV and ABC Studios.

Queen previously created comedies A to Z and Powerless, both of which aired for one season on NBC. He also served as executive producer on A to Z.

On the film side, Queen wrote the screenplay for Pixar’s Cars 2, which grossed $562M worldwide, and co-wrote the story for Cars 3, which grossed $383M worldwide.

ABC in May delayed a decision on its Bermuda Triangle-themed sci-fi drama Triangle, which was a late, international shoot, until the pilot was finished. The pilot starring Mike Vogel will be wrapping editing this weekend.

There had been speculation the project would not be going forward. But ABC Entertainment president Karey Burke is reserving judgment on its fate until she sees the final product. “I want to wait and make a final decision when the editing of the show is completed, and it has all special effects,” she told Deadline on Monday.

Another ABC hourlong pilot from this past cycle, Heart of Life, which was inspired by the John Mayer song, was not picked up to series in May but was put in redevelopment.

Ben Queen, who wrote the original pilot, has been paired with All American creator April Blair.

“Ben Queen and April Blair are doing a rewrite to the pilot that was shot,...

Exclusive: Heart of Life, ABC’s drama pilot inspired by the John Mayer song, is no longer in fall 2019 consideration and will undergo redevelopment. I hear that will likely include a new take on the concept and a new script. ABC also will be reworking the NYPD Blue pilot for midseason consideration.

Written by Ben Queen and directed by Anne Fletcher, the current soapy Heart of Life pilot was a crowd pleaser and had solid buzz, though I hear some felt that there were issues with the execution.

It followed two sets of adult siblings from wildly different worlds who discover they’re related and must reassess everything they thought they knew about their shared father. As they explore the mystery of their separate childhoods, they’ll experience the difficulty in overcoming the sins of the past and learn the joys of reuniting with long-lost family.

Queen, Mayer, Paul Weitz...

TV producers are taking inspiration from unexpected places these days - including music. Dolly Parton has an anthology series, Heartstrings, in development at Netflix that's based on her catalog of songs, and she's not the only musician whose songs are inspiring new shows. Heart of Life, which was ordered by ABC, is inspired by a John Mayer song. Other than lending his song to the show's title and inspiration, though, is Mayer involved in any official capacity?

The series is based on Mayer's 2006 song by the same name, which was part of his Continuum album. Mayer serves as an executive producer on the show, alongside Ben Queen, Paul Weitz, Melvin Mar, and Jake Kasdan. According to Deadline, the show was developed internally at 20th Century Fox Television for a while, with a spec script written by Queen; the project went into development in part because of Mar's friendship with Mayer.

Director-producer Jake Kasdan and his producing partner Melvin Mar have signed a new four-year overall with 20th Century Fox Television. Under the pact, the duo will continue to develop and produce and Kasdan will continue to direct projects for network, cable and streaming platforms through their company The Detective Agency.

Kasdan and Mar have been under an overall deal with the studio since 2012, shortly after the studio’s single-camera comedy New Girl, whose pilot was directed by Kasdan, became a breakout hit for Fox. Kasdan served as an executive producer for the well received comedy’s entire 146-episode run.

Kasdan and Mar serve as executive producers on three 20th TV series for new corporate sibling ABC, Fresh Off the Boat, which just crossed the 100 episode mark; Speechless, currently in its third season; and the upcoming Bless This Mess, which premieres in April.

Kasdan and Mar are in production on their...

Jake Kasdan and Melvin Mar, the producing team behind “Fresh Off the Boat” and “Speechless,” have signed a new, multi-year overall deal with 20th Century Fox Television. Under the deal, the two will develop, produce and direct projects for network, cable and streaming platforms through their production company The Detective Agency.

Kasdan and Mar have been under an overall deal with the studio since 2012. The list of projects they will executive produce include the upcoming ABC series “Bless This Mess” premiering in April, and “Heart of Life,” a new drama based on John Mayer’s hit song. ABC has ordered the pilot, which is currently in production, with Ben Queen as screenwriter and Anne Fletcher directing.

“Jake and Melvin have been a dream team to this studio for years, and keeping them here was a huge priority for Howard [Kurtzman] and me,” Jonnie Davis, president of creative affairs at 20th Century Fox Television,...

Exclusive: Comedian/actor Nick Thune (Dave Made A Maze) is set for a key series-regular role in the ensemble cast of Heart of Life, ABC’s drama pilot inspired by the John Mayer song.

Written by Ben Queen and directed by Anne Fletcher, Heart of Life follows two sets of adult siblings from wildly different worlds who discover they’re related and must reassess everything they thought they knew about their shared father. As they explore the mystery of their separate childhoods, they’ll experience the difficulty in overcoming the sins of the past and learn the joys of reuniting with long-lost family.

Thune will play Jimmy, a wiry, aloof, singer/guitar player and aging rock star who drank too much, partied too much, and enjoys the lifestyle. But he’s surprisingly sweet, thoughtful, and a good listener.

Queen, Mayer, Paul Weitz and Melvin Mar executive produce for 20th Century Fox TV and ABC Studios.

Exclusive: Jessica Stroup is set for a key series-regular role in the ensemble cast of Heart of Life, ABC’s drama pilot inspired by the John Mayer song.

Written by Ben Queen and directed by Anne Fletcher, Heart of Life follows two sets of adult siblings from wildly different worlds who discover they’re related and must reassess everything they thought they knew about their shared father. As they explore the mystery of their separate childhoods, they’ll experience the difficulty in overcoming the sins of the past and learn the joys of reuniting with long-lost family.

Stroup will play Alexandra Reid, Wes’ (Dave Annable) sister, one of the two sets of adult siblings. The other set is played by Harry Shum Jr. and Katie Findlay.

Queen, Mayer, Paul Weitz and Melvin Mar executive produce for 20th Century Fox TV and ABC Studios.

Stroup most recently...

If asked to name your top five favorite John Mayer songs (or probably even your top 20 . . . ), chances are "The Heart of Life" wouldn't make the cut, and that's not because it isn't a good song - it's because you probably have never heard it. Taken from Mayer's third studio album, Continuum, the song was never even released as a single, but that's not stopping ABC from developing a drama series of the same name, with Mayer at the helm. Yeah, we're confused, too, but definitely intrigued.

Heart of Life will follow two sets of adult siblings from vastly different worlds who discover they share a father, forcing them to revisit everything they thought they knew about their shared parent and their separate childhoods. Mayer will serve as executive producer alongside writer Ben Queen (the guy behind NBC's Powerless), and though little has been revealed aside from the premise, we...

Image Source: Getty / Kevin Winter

If a TV network asked you to base a new series on one of John Mayer's songs, which would you pick?

Maybe "Your Body Is a Wonderland" could be turned into a rom-com? "Say" could be about a young progressive politician navigating her new role in DC? Even "Daughters" seems rife with familial drama. But in what might be today's most unexpected piece of entertainment news, ABC has decided to base a new series on a track off Mayer's Continuum: "The Heart of Life."

Image Source: Getty / Jb Lacroix / Rachel Luna

The song from the Grammy winner's third studio album was never even released as a single, and Mayer didn't bother to make a music video for it. Still, the network has clearly been inspired by its emotional lyrics - "Pain throws your heart to the ground / Love turns the whole thing around / Fear...

Exclusive: Dave Annable is set as a lead in ABC’s Heart of Life drama pilot inspired by the John Mayer song of the same name.

Written by Ben Queen and directed by Anne Fletcher, Heart of Life follows two sets of adult siblings from wildly different worlds who discover they’re related and must reassess everything they thought they knew about their shared father. As they explore the mystery of their separate childhoods, they’ll experience the difficulty in overcoming the sins of the past, and learn the joys of reuniting with long-lost family.

Annable will play Wesley “Wes” Reid, the brother in one of the two sets of adult siblings. The other set is played by Harry Shum Jr. and Katie Findlay.

Queen, Mayer, Paul Weitz and Melvin Mar executive produce for 20th Century Fox TV and ABC Studios.

Annable, who co-starred on ABC’s Brothers & Sisters for five seasons,...

Glee alum Harry Shum Jr. and former Man Seeking Woman co-star Katie Findlay are set as leads in ABC’s Heart of Life drama pilot from Ben Queen, Paul Weitz, Melvin Mar, 20th Century Fox TV and ABC Studios.

Inspired by the John Mayer song of the same name, Heart of Life is written by Queen and directed by Anne Fletcher. It follows two sets of adult siblings from wildly different worlds who discover they’re related and must reassess everything they thought they knew about their shared father. As they explore the mystery of their separate childhoods, they’ll experience the difficulty in overcoming the sins of the past, and learn the joys of reuniting with long-lost family.

Shum and Findlay will play one of the two sets of siblings at the center of the show, Brendan and Sydney Winter.

Queen, Mayer, Mar, Kasdan and Weitz executive produce.

Shum...

Veteran multi-camera comedy director Andy Ackerman and The Proposal helmer Anne Fletcher have been tapped to direct two of ABC’s recently ordered pilots from 20th Century Fox TV.

Ackerman will direct and executive produce Nana, a multi-cam hybrid starring and co-executive produced by Sons of Anarchy alum Katey Sagal, from writer Lon Zimmet, Ted Melfi and Kimberly Quinn’s Goldenlight Films, Alcon Entertainment, 20th Century Fox TV and ABC Studios.

Written by Lon Zimmet, Nana centers on an obsessive, overprotective dad, who after the death of his wife, is forced to invite his brash and bawdy mother-in-law – Nana (Sagal) – into his home to help raise the two granddaughters she barely knows.

Zimmet executive produces with Melfi and Quinn for Goldenlight Films, and Andrew Kosove, Broderick Johnson and Laura Lancaster for Alcon Entertainment. Sagal is a co-executive producer.

Fletcher will direct Heart of Life, a drama from Powerless and A to Z creator Ben Queen,...

ABC has nabbed Heart of Life, a drama from Powerless and A to Z creator Ben Queen, director Paul Weitz, Fresh Off the Boat executive producer Melvin Mar and 20th Century Fox TV.

The project, inspired by singer-songwriter John Mayer’s song of the same name, had been developed internally at 20th TV for the past several months and written on spec by Queen. It stems from Mar’s friendship with Mayer. Mar’s longtime producing partner Jake Kasdan, was originally eyed to potentially direct but was not available as he is directing the Jumanji sequel. Weitz then joined to executive produce and potentially direct The package was taken out to broadcast, cable and streaming networks earlier this month.

I hear Mar, who, along with Kasdan executive produces three comedy series on ABC — all from 20th TV where the duo have a deal — Fresh Off the Boat, Speechless and the upcoming Bless This Mess,...

ABC has given a pilot order to the drama “Heart of Life,” based on the song by singer-songwriter John Mayer.

Written by “Drive” and “A to Z” creator Ben Queen, the pilot follows two sets of adult siblings from wildly different worlds who discover they’re related and must reassess everything they thought they knew about their shared father. As they explore the mystery of their separate childhoods, they’ll experience the difficulty in overcoming the sins of the past, and learn the joys of reuniting with long-lost family.

Mayer will serve as an executive producer on the project alongside Melvin Mar, Jake Kasdan and Paul Weitz. The drama hails from 20th Century Fox Television and ABC Studios.

Also Read: TV Pilot Season 2019: TheWrap's Complete Guide

First released in 2006, Mayer’s “Heart of Life” was included on his third studio album, “Continuum,” which also included singles “Waiting on the World to Change,...