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You may know Mark Wahlberg from his recent turn as a crazy bald pilot in Flight Risk, or you may know him as Marky Mark, Dirk Diggler, the guy who isn't Ted in Ted, or the Entrouage dude. You may not know Wahlberg as a valuable force in the documentary filmmaking scene thanks to Unrealistic Ideas, his production studio with Archie Gips and Stephen Levinson. The studio has produced McMillion$, MoviePass, MovieCrash, Gold, Lies and Videotape, Murders at Starved Rock, and other documentaries. Unrealistic Ideas' latest is the Prime Video docuseries Spy High, a quirky but disturbing look at a spy ring orchestrated by Lower Merion High School in what would become known as WebCamGate. It's a wild but intimate documentary that feels like Citizenfour Jr.

The series is directed by Jody McVeigh-Schultz, who has worked with Wahlberg and Unrealistic Ideas before. "I mean, as you can imagine, Mark Wahlberg...

The tragic 2009 boating accident that claimed the lives of former University of South Florida football player Will Bleakley and ex-Tampa Bay Buccaneers teammates Marquis Cooper and Corey Smith is now being depicted onscreen by survivor Nick Schuyler.

The new documentary “Four Down” is based on Schuyler’s bestselling 2010 memoir “Not Without Hope,” which details his rescue at sea in the Gulf of Mexico. Schuyler was found near-death 43 hours after the accident, clinging to the engine mount of the capsized vessel 70 miles offshore. Oscar nominee Steven Cantor directs the hybrid documentary, which includes reenactment sequences featuring U.S. Coast Guard members and officers. “Four Down” is executive produced by Mark Wahlberg and Snoop Dogg.

The film includes interviews with Schuyler, members of the NFL community, and the U.S. Coast Guard, which was involved in the massive search and rescue effort. The feature was filmed on location in St. Petersburg, Clearwater,...

Today, Prime Video released the official trailer for the new docuseries Spy High, from Mark Wahlberg’s Unrealistic Ideas and acclaimed director Jody McVeigh-Schultz.

All four binge-worthy episodes will premiere exclusively on Prime Video in more than 240 countries and territories worldwide on April 8.

Spy High is a four-part docuseries that explores the story of 15-year-old Blake Robbins, who filed a lawsuit claiming that his prestigious public school was spying on him when he was accused of selling drugs.

Beneath this juicy suburban scandal lie more troubling revelations, with implications in a larger war over digital privacy being waged in schools today.

“Spy High isn’t just a story about digital privacy. It’s about how we make decisions as communities, how we decide what’s best for our kids, and who makes those decisions,” said director Jody McVeigh-Schultz.

“It’s about what we prioritize and value, as our schools mold...

SXSW on Monday said that Matthew Shear’s Fantasy Life, Ben Affleck and Jon Bernthal’s reteam The Accountant 2 and Paige Bethmann’s documentary Remaining Native were among the big winners of the 32nd annual festival’s Audience Awards.

The news of the honors across the Austin fest’s competition, narrative, documentary, shorts, TV and Xr Experience sidebars comes after the 2025 edition revealed its juried awards last week, with honors going to Amy Wang‘s thriller Slanted for Best Narrative Feature among others.

Fantasy Life, Shear’s feature writing and directorial debut, won the marquee Narrative Feature Audience Award. It stars Shear as a man who suffers a panic attack and stumbles into a job babysitting his psychiatrist’s three granddaughters, where he begins to fall for the girls’ mother, played by Amanda Peet. Peet earlier won a special jury prize for acting.

The Headliners section audience prize went to The Accountant 2,...

“Four Down,” a documentary based on Nick Schuyler and Jere Longman’s best-selling book “Not Without Hope,” will open the 20th edition of the Sunscreen Film Festival on April 24 in St. Petersburg, Fla.

Directed by Steven Cantor, the docu examines Schuyler’s harrowing 2009 rescue by the U.S. Coast Guard, 43 hours after a tragic boating accident in the Gulf of Mexico claimed the lives of former Tampa Bay Buccaneers Marquis Cooper and Corey Smith, and Schuyler’s best friend and former University of South Florida teammate Will Bleakley. Schuyler was found near death, clinging to the engine mount of the capsized vessel 70 miles offshore in the Gulf of Mexico.

The 95-minute hybrid doc was filmed on location in St. Petersburg, Clearwater, Tampa, and at Lantica Studios in the Dominican Republic. For the film’s reenactment sequences, Cantor enlisted current commissioned U.S. Coast Guard members and officers. Interviews with Schuyler, members of the NFL community,...

Prime Video is partnering up with Mark Wahlberg’s Unrealistic Ideas for a new docuseries, titled “Spy High.”

The four-part series, which is set to debut at SXSW, follows 15-year-old Blake Robbins, who filed a lawsuit claiming that his prestigious public school was spying on him when he was accused of selling drugs, per the official logline. Through Robbins’ story, the docuseries will explore the larger war over digital privacy being waged in schools today.

After debuting at South by Southwest in March, “Spy High” will begin streaming on Prime Video in April.

Wahlberg will executive produce alongside Unrealistic Ideas’ Archie Gips and Stephen Levinson. Aliza Rosen (“The Case of: JonBenét Ramsey”), Jody McVeigh-Schultz and David Wendell will also serve as EPs for the series, which is produced by Amazon MGM Studios.

“We’re proud to bring this important and thought-provoking docuseries, which explores the events that unfolded in 2010, to our global Prime Video customers,...

“Spy High,” a documentary project following the 2010 class action lawsuit Robbins v. Lower Merion School District, has been ordered to series at Amazon Prime Video following its inclusion in the SXSW 2025 lineup.

The official logline for the four-part series reads, “‘Spy High’ explores the story of 15-year-old Blake Robbins, who filed a lawsuit claiming that his prestigious public school was spying on him when he was accused of selling drugs. Beneath this juicy suburban scandal lie more troubling revelations, with implications in a larger war over digital privacy being waged in schools today.”

After its SXSW premiere in March, “Sky High” will begin streaming in April.

Mark Wahlberg executive produces the series alongside Archie Gips and Stephen Levinson via their Unrealistic Ideas banner. Executive producers also include Aliza Rosen, Jody McVeigh-Schultz and David Wendell. Amazon MGM is the studio.

“We’re proud to bring this important and thought-provoking docuseries, which...

Prime Video has ordered a four-part docu-series on Blake Robbins, the Pennsylvania student who filed a lawsuit against his prestigious public school for allegedly spying on him when he was accused of selling drugs.

Spy High, which will delve not only into the 2010 lawsuit but also into the larger implications of digital privacy in schools, is set to debut at SXSW in March. Mark Wahlberg is set to executive produce via his Unrealistic Ideas banner.

After its festival debut, the series will be available on Prime Video in April. No specific release date has been announced.

Additional executive producers are Archie Gips and Stephen Levinson also via Unrealistic Ideas, Aliza Rosen, Jody McVeigh-Schultz and David Wendell. The series is produced by Amazon MGM Studios.

“We’re proud to bring this important and thought-provoking docuseries, which explores the events that unfolded in 2010, to our global Prime Video customers,” Lauren Anderson, head of brand and content innovation,...

The Vietnamese American Arts and Letters Association (Vaala) is excited to announce the highly anticipated return of Viet Film Fest 2024, the largest international Vietnamese film festival in the diaspora. This year’s festival, with designs inspired by the surrounding Californian landscape, promises to be a must-visit destination festival. Celebrating over 20 years of Vietnamese cinema, Viet Film Fest 2024 will take place virtually on your home screens from October 5 to 20, and with a three-day in-person festival on October 11,12, and 13.

With its first screening in 2003 at University of California, Irvine, Viet Film Fest was created by Ysa Le and Tram Le to fill the void of underrepresented films centering around the Vietnamese experience. Now running successfully for over two decades, the festival has attracted thousands of national and international attention for its stunning showcase of shorts and features submitted from many corners of the world, including Australia, Cambodia, Canada, France, Germany, Israel, Japan,...

A documentary feature is set to focus on the dramatic highs and lows for the BlackBerry smartphone.

Filmmaker Eddie Schmidt (Ugly Delicious) is helming the movie that is currently in production. It aims to offer a deep dive into the real story behind the smartphone brand that was developed by Research In Motion and became ubiquitous in the 2000s. Canadian-based marketing company Viral Nation brought the project to Unrealistic Ideas, the unscripted production company known for HBO’s McMillions and founded by Mark Wahlberg, Stephen Levinson and Archie Gips.

The untitled project is set to tell the story of how a technology giant came out of a small Canadian town and would go on to outpace major corporations in the smartphone race before ultimately flaming out. A planned release date has not yet been announced.

This film has been given exclusive access to the Research In Motion (BlackBerry) Alumni Association,...

Creators are coming back to New York City’s most prominent film festival. The Tribeca Festival is partnering with influencer marketing firm Whalar Group to establish a creator-oriented vertical, beginning with this year’s event.

According to Deadline, the vertical will launch with a talk that will take place at the 2024 Tribeca Festival. On June 8, filmmaker Archie Gips will sit down with Brandon Edelman and Coco Mocoe. Both of those creators are Whalar partners who entertain millions of TikTok followers with comedic and trendy takes.

Deadline notes that the talk will span a diverse cross-section of topics that matter in the creator economy. Attendees can expect Gips, Edelman, and Mocoe to touch on engagement, fandoms, and storytelling, among other subjects.

Whalar will continue the conversation at the “creator campuses” it has set up through an initiative called The Lighthouse. At Lighthouse spaces in New York and Los Angeles, Whalar will...

Exclusive: Tribeca Festival announced plans for an all-new festival vertical dedicated to Creators, in partnership with Whalar Group, adding to its programming slate of Film, TV, Music, Audio Storytelling, Games and Immersive verticals. The new Creator vertical will bridge Hollywood with the growing creator space.

The vertical is set to launch with a talk at the 2024 Tribeca Festival, featuring filmmaker Archie Gips and creators Brandon Edelman and Coco Mocoe. The conversation will explore creators as the next wave of entrepreneurs, storytellers, community builders and publishers, and how they are redefining the entertainment industry. The talk will tackle topics such as engagement, fandom interaction, and authentic storytelling. Beyond the annual festival, the Creator vertical will also include a year-round talks series, taking place at The Lighthouse, Whalar Group’s physical campus for creators in New York and Los Angeles.

“Tribeca goes where our audiences go,” said co-founder and CEO of Tribeca Enterprises Jane Rosenthal.

The 2024 Tribeca Festival jury has been announced with a star-studded filmmaker lineup.

This year, David O. Russell, Selma Blair, Asghar Farhadi, Kim Cattrall, Francesca Scorsese, and more will select the winning projects in the film, games, and audio storytelling sections across the 17 competition categories. In addition to the awards in competition categories, the Nora Ephron Award, created to honor the spirit and vision of the legendary filmmaker and writer, will be presented.

The festival, presented by Okx, will take place from June 5 through 16.

“We are thrilled to once again welcome a diverse group of remarkable filmmakers, creatives and industry players as jurors for the 2024 Tribeca Festival,” executive vice president at Tribeca Enterprises Nancy Lefkowitz said. “We look forward to their wide-ranging perspectives across storytelling genres and mediums coming together to honor the extraordinary group of submissions this year.”

The winning films, projects, filmmakers, storytellers, and actors in each category will...

The rise and fall of theater subscription service MoviePass is captured in new HBO documentary “MoviePass, MovieCrash.”

Dubbed “the Netflix of the movie theater” in the trailer, MoviePass was founded by Stacy Spikes and Hamet Watt in 2011 before former CEOs Mitch Lowe and Ted Farnsworth allegedly utilized fraudulent business tactics; the duo were charged by the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) in a 2022 lawsuit. The lawsuit additionally named ex-MoviePass Vice President Khalid Itum as a defendant, with Itum being accused of submitting false invoices for the company.

MoviePass filed for bankruptcy in 2020 after launching a $9.99 per month subscription in 2017 allowing people to see a movie a day. Upon moving to the $9.99 one movie per day model, subscriptions went from 20,000 to 100,000 users within two days, ultimately capping at more than 3 million subscribers in 2018. Yet the company still lost more than $150 million in 2017 alone. MoviePass filed for bankruptcy in 2019.

The company later...

Boxer Oscar De La Hoya opens up and shares his personal struggles for the first time in HBO’s The Golden Boy. In the first trailer for the two-part documentary, the Olympic gold medalist reveals the last 45 years of his life have been pretty dark, and now he’s ready to address his true emotions and lay out his story without any sugarcoating.

The Golden Boy premieres on HBO on July 24, 2023 at 9pm Et/Pt, followed by part two on July 25.

Fernando Villena directed the documentary and Mark Wahlberg, Stephen Levinson, Archie Gips, Mario Lopez, Jeffrey Stearns, and David Wendell executive produce. Additional executive producers include HBO’s Nancy Abraham, Lisa Heller, and Bentley Weiner.

The Plot:

By the age of 19, Oscar De La Hoya was an Olympic boxing gold medalist, a multi-world title-winning professional boxer, a hometown hero and a role model to his Mexican-American community in East Los Angeles.

HBO Original two-part documentary The Golden Boy, directed by award-winning filmmaker Fernando Villena (HBO’s “Dear Rider” and “Any One of Us”), debuts Monday, July 24 (9:00 p.m. Et/Pt), followed by part two on July 25 at the same time on HBO. Both episodes will be available to stream on Max beginning July 24. The Golden Boy will celebrate its world premiere at the 2023 Tribeca Festival.

Synopsis: By the age of 19, Oscar De La Hoya was an Olympic boxing gold medalist, a multi-world title-winning professional boxer, a hometown hero and a role model to his Mexican-American community in East Los Angeles. Nicknamed “The Golden Boy,” De La Hoya – with his good looks, electric charisma, and heartfelt story of winning Olympic gold for his dying mother — rocketed to national prominence as a superstar both in and outside the ring. But all was not what it appeared to be behind that polished facade.

Fitness personality and television icon Jack Lalanne is getting the biopic treatment, both in nonfiction and narrative forms.

Mark Wahlberg and his Unrealistic Ideas banner will partner with Wonderfilm Media and Lalanne’s widow, Elaine, and the Lalanne family on a documentary feature and a narrative film about the fitness pioneer.

Before wellness was christened an industry and fitness deemed a lifestyle, Lalanne was an exercise and nutrition guru. After opening a gym in Oakland in the 1930s (often credited as the nation’s first fitness club), he began to evangelize the benefits of personal health, later hosting the fitness TV show The Jack Lalanne Show from 1951 to 1985. A longtime bodybuilder, Lalanne also became synonymous with his feats of strength, including, at 60 years old, swimming to Alcatraz while handcuffed.

“It doesn’t matter where you go, there is a health club and it all started with Jack Lalanne,” said bodybuilder...

Fortune and Mark Wahlberg’s Unrealistic Ideas are getting into the scrum of Ftx projects, planning a doc focused on the relationship between embattled Ftx founder Sam Bankman-Fried and Binance founder and CEO Changpeng “Cz” Zhao, one of Bankman-Fried’s most vocal critics.

The project is described as a “personal examination of the relationship between Sbf, who grew up in a prominent politically connected family of academics and Cz, who came from more modest circumstances having fled from China to Canada with his family when he was twelve. The two became dominant figures in the cryptocurrency scene and developed a unique association that positioned them alternately as allies and rivals. Bankman-Fried sought a high profile for Ftx that hinged on celebrity endorsements and political influence while Zhao focused on a more austere approach to building Binance.”

Bankman-Fried and Zhao both rose to prominence in the cryptocurrency boom and quickly established an adversarial back-and-forth.

HBO's The Murders at Starved Rock investigates the trial of Chester Weger, the only suspect considered in the 1960 Illinois case involving the brutal bludgeoning deaths of three Chicago women, Mildred Lindquist, 50, Frances Murphy, 47, and Lillian Oetting, 50.

While Weger was convicted, there have been questions about the case in the decades following his conviction, which deeply divided the nearby residents.

We had the chance to chat with director Jody McVeigh-Schultz to get insight into his process and much more.

Hi, Jody. It's nice to meet you.

Hi. Good to meet you, too.

How long have you been interested in the documentary film process?

For a long time, probably since my brother showed me Roger and Me, way back when I was a kid. Yeah. I've always been interested in documentaries, and I was lucky enough to get shown some really offbeat documentaries early on by people older than me.

And yeah,...

Exclusive: Former Paramount exec Jared Sleisenger has joined emerging production company CrossCheck Studios as its head of television.

CrossCheck, which focuses on Gen Z content creators from various sectors, is a joint venture with Unrealistic Ideas, a production company founded by Mark Wahlberg, Archie Gips and Stephen Levenson. Entrepreneur and social media influencer Josh Richards runs CrossCheck, and Michael Gruen and Chris Sawtelle are its co-presidents.

As VP of television, Sleisenger will oversee all scripted and unscripted TV projects.

“We’re excited to have Jared leading our television division,” Richards said. “Jared is a creative force who has led marquee projects across multiple platforms. We can’t wait to see all that he’ll accomplish.”

In a three-year run at Paramount Television Studios, Sleisenger contributed to the development of American Gigolo for Showtime, The Devil in the White City for Hulu, The Talisman for Netflix, and the untitled Justin Timberlake/Chuck Barris project for Apple.

Exclusive: ICM agent Chris Sawtelle is wrapping up a three-year stint at the firm and transitioning to the role of co-president at agency client Josh Richards’ CrossCheck Holdings.

CrossCheck was founded by Richards, who has a following of tens of millions across digital platforms and is active as an influencer, entrepreneur, musician and actor, among other disciplines. He heads up CrossCheck Studios, a joint venture production company launched with partners including Mark Wahlberg. He is also co-founder of TikTok management and production company TalentX and co-hosts the BFFs Podcast with Dave Portnoy, founder of Barstool Sports.

Sawtelle will help lead CrossCheck alongside Richards’ business partner, Michael Gruen, who is also co-president. ICM will continue to rep the company and its principals and expressed support for Sawtelle’s move.

“We’re excited to continue working with Chris in this new capacity,” Gruen said. “Not only is Chris one of the most ambitious,...

The creator and entrepreneur Josh Richards has announced a new hire for his just-formed content studio, CrossCheck.

CrossCheck was founded by Richards (who serves as CEO) and his business partner, Michael Gruen (president), and marks a joint venture with Unrealistic Ideas -- the production company founded by the actor Mark Wahlberg, his longtime manager Stephen Levinson, and filmmaker Archie Gips. CrossCheck will focus on creating content focused for Gen Z, with Unrealistic providing development and production resources.

The one-month-old company has now hired Brianna Solo as its director of development. In this role, Solo will help source and develop content ideas to bring to market. Once a project is sold, she’ll work with network partners to further development and production.

Visit Tubefilter for more great stories.

Unrealistic Ideas — the production company led by Mark Wahlberg, Stephen Levinson and Archie Gips — is expanding its interests by aligning with social media phenom Josh Richards and his business partner Michael Gruen to launch CrossCheck Studios.

The new production company will focus on Gen Z content creators across all sectors of entertainment with an eye on becoming the go-to company for internet-native creatives. Per today’s announcement, the team has put together a slate of material that is being kept under wraps for now while, at the same time, scouting new projects. Richards, 19, tells The Hollywood Reporter that the ...

Unrealistic Ideas — the production company led by Mark Wahlberg, Stephen Levinson and Archie Gips — is expanding its interests by aligning with social media phenom Josh Richards and his business partner Michael Gruen to launch CrossCheck Studios.

The new production company will focus on Gen Z content creators across all sectors of entertainment with an eye on becoming the go-to company for internet-native creatives. Per today’s announcement, the team has put together a slate of material that is being kept under wraps for now while, at the same time, scouting new projects. Richards, 19, tells The Hollywood Reporter that the ...

Mark Wahlberg’s production company is setting its sights on a docuseries that will detail the rise and fall of MoviePass, the ill-fated subscription service for theater tickets that shut down in 2019.

Deadline reported on Thursday that Wahlberg’s Unrealistic Ideas, Assemble Media, and Insider (formerly Business Insider) were teaming up to develop the limited docuseries. Per Deadline, the untitled show is based on Insider reporter Jason Guerrasio’s coverage of the rise and fall of the company. Guerrasio’s reports chronicled MoviePass’ explosive growth in 2017 after offering unlimited theatrical movies for just $9.95 a month, through its public downfall.

“Employing a sexy price to turbo-charge subscriber growth, the investors who took over the company sought the rapid success experienced by high-flying startups like WeWork and Uber. But through over-the-top parties, inexplicable mismanagement, and questionable behind-the-scenes deals, the new leadership of MoviePass slowly alienated its customers and shuttered its service just...

Exclusive: Mark Wahlberg’s Unrealistic Ideas, the company behind HBO’s Emmy-nominated McMillions, is taking another deep dive into the absurdities of greed with the story behind the rise and fall of MoviePass. Unrealistic Ideas has teamed with Assemble Media and Insider (formerly Business Insider) to develop a premium limited docuseries chronicling the demise of the famed movie-ticket subscription service.

The docuseries is based on Insider reporter Jason Guerrasio’s award-winning coverage of the rise and fall of the company. Guerrasio’s reports chronicled MoviePass’ explosive growth in 2017 after offering unlimited theatrical movies for just $9.95 a month, through its downfall.

“Employing a sexy price to turbo-charge subscriber growth, the investors who took over the company sought the rapid success experienced by high-flying startups like WeWork and Uber. But through over-the-top parties, inexplicable mismanagement, and questionable behind-the-scenes deals, the new leadership of MoviePass slowly alienated its customers and shuttered its service...

HBO's doc series about the rigging of the McDonald's Monopoly game, helmed by James Lee Hernandez and Brian Lazarte, was so fascinating to Mark Wahlberg that he signed on as an executive producer. The series, which premiered on Feb. 3 on HBO, reveals the FBI's investigation into the McDonald's Monopoly game scam, which resulted in more than $24 million worth of fraud and almost all rigged winners during the 1990s.

How did you first become involved with the series?

My partner at [Wahlberg’s production company] Unrealistic Ideas, Archie Gips, told me and Stephen Levinson about the ...

Exclusive: UTA has signed McMillion$ filmmakers Brian Lazarte and James Lee Hernandez as well as their company Fun Meter Productions for worldwide representation in all areas.

Lazarte and Hernandez’s critically acclaimed six-part docuseries McMillion$ bowed in February. The project, which was from Unrealistic Ideas and Fun Meter Productions, chronicles the true story of how $24 million was stolen from the McDonald’s Monopoly game of the 1990s, the mystery mastermind who orchestrated the scam, and the FBI agents who pursued the criminal. The pair created, directed, wrote and edited the docuseries. They also served as executive producers alongside Mark Wahlberg, Stephen Levinson, and Archie Gips.

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Lazarte’s previous credits include Katy Perry: Part of Me 3D,...

HBO Max has announced an 8-episode series order for Wahl Street, a new premium documentary series that offers fans a glimpse into global star Mark Wahlberg's life as he juggles the demands of a rigorous film schedule coupled with an ever-growing network of diverse businesses. Along the way, viewers will learn about his successes and failures and glean powerful business and life lessons while also getting to know the cast of colorful characters that make up Wahlberg's real-life entourage. The series began production in December.

"This series will be an intimate exploration behind the drive that makes Mark Wahlberg one of the most unique stars in entertainment," said Jennifer O'Connell, executive vice president of original non-fiction and kids programming, HBO Max. "Mark's entrepreneurial spirit is fun to watch and we hope to show both the struggle and triumphs of what it takes to succeed."

Each episode of Wahl Street...

HBO Max has given an eight-episode series order to Wahl Street, a docuseries that takes an inside look at the life of Mark Wahlberg, starring and produced by Wahlberg.

Per HBO Max, Wahl Street “offers fans a glimpse into global star Mark Wahlberg’s life as he juggles the demands of a rigorous film schedule coupled with an ever-growing network of diverse businesses. Along the way, viewers will learn about his successes and failures and glean powerful business and life lessons while also getting to know the cast of colorful characters that make up Wahlberg’s real-life entourage.” The series began production in December.

“This series will be an intimate exploration behind the drive that makes Mark Wahlberg one of the most unique stars in entertainment,” said Jennifer O’Connell, executive vice president of original non-fiction and kids programming, HBO Max. “Mark’s entrepreneurial spirit is fun to watch and we...

Mark Wahlberg is making an HBO Max docuseries about, well, himself.

The nascent streamer has issued an 8-episode series order for “Wahl Street,” which will follow Wahlberg as he juggles his acting schedule with growing his business empire. News of the show comes less than a week after the release of Wahlberg’s latest action-comedy feature “Spenser Confidential” on Netflix.

Per HBO Max’s description of the series, “viewers will learn about his successes and failures and glean powerful business and life lessons while also getting to know the cast of colorful characters that make up Wahlberg’s real-life entourage.” Production on the show began in Dec. 2019.

“This series will be an intimate exploration behind the drive that makes Mark Wahlberg one of the most unique stars in entertainment,” said Jennifer O’Connell, executive vice president of original non-fiction and kids programming at HBO Max. “Mark’s entrepreneurial spirit is fun...

HBO Max has ordered a docuseries about the life of Mark Wahlberg called “Wahl Street,” the upcoming streaming service announced Tuesday.

According to HBO Max, the eight-episode show, which began production in December, “offers fans a glimpse into global star Mark Wahlberg’s life as he juggles the demands of a rigorous film schedule coupled with an ever-growing network of diverse businesses. Along the way, viewers will learn about his successes and failures and glean powerful business and life lessons while also getting to know the cast of colorful characters that make up Wahlberg’s real-life entourage.”

Here’s the official description for the series, courtesy of HBO Max:

Each episode of “Wahl Street” will follow Wahlberg as he navigates his expansive business portfolio, spanning all sectors of commerce ranging from a line of activewear, all-natural, high-performance sports nutrition supplements, television and film production companies, and even a Chevrolet dealership.

The entertainment industry’s newest streaming service is nearly here: Quibi, the mobile-only short-form video platform launches April 6, and IndieWire is exclusively announcing the upcoming platform’s slate of launch day documentaries.

“Run This City” is a newly-announced Quibi launch documentary that will follow Jasiel Correia II as he navigates his role as the youngest mayor ever elected to office. When the FBI indicts him for his former company, Correia vows to fight the charges and be vindicated. The series is executive produced by Mark Wahlberg, Stephen Levinson, Archie Gips, and Brent Hodge. Javier Quintana serves as co-executive producer, while Brent Hodge serves as director.

Quibi is also getting into the world of food — specifically pasta. The previously announced “Shape of Pasta,” executive produced by Tim and Mike Duffy and April Jones, will premiere on Quibi April 6 and focus on chef Evan Funke’s pursuit of pasta perfection. “NightGowns,” another...

How many people does it take to defraud McDonald’s out of $24 million?

Directors James Lee Hernandez and Brian Lazarte dropped by TheWrap studio at Sundance to discuss the six-part docuseries “McMillion$,” which made its world premiere at the Sundance Film Festival and premiered on HBO on Feb. 3. It examines the $24 million that was stolen from the McDonald’s Monopoly game between 1989 and 2001, in which there were “almost no legitimate million-dollar winners” in the contest.

“It’s a fascinating thing,” Hernandez explained, “because it spanned this huge amount of time and even the FBI agents said on all the years working cases, how do you keep this many people quiet for that many years?”

Also Read: 'Black Bear' Writer, Director 'Experimented' With New Techniques: 'I Meditated and Let Images Come to Me' (Video)

Hernandez gave a little insight into how the crime took place (without giving too much...

In today’s TV news roundup, AMC has announced a premiere date for “The Walking Dead: World Beyond” and Netflix released a trailer for “Chilling Adventures of Sabrina” Season 3.

Dates

TV One is celebrating Martin Luther King, Jr. Day with its annual two-hour broadcast of “Urban One Honors” on Jan. 20 at 8 p.m. This year’s honorees include Jamie Foxx, Missy Elliott, Sylvia Rhone, Chance the Rapper and Ryan Jamaal Swain, and the special will also feature performances by Ne-Yo, Wale, Brandy, Eric Benet, Al B. Sure!, Chante Moore, Pastor Charles Jenkins and Jac Ross. The show will be co-hosted by Cathy Hughes and Chris Tucker.

Docuseries “McMillions” is set to debut on Feb. 3, HBO announced. The six-parter will reveal the true story of the $24 million McDonald’s Monopoly game fraud. It is executive produced by Mark Wahlberg, Stephen Levinson, Archie Gips, James Lee Hernandez, Brian Lazarte and written and directed by Hernandez and Lazarte.

If you ever thought you had a chance to win big back in the day with McDonald’s Monopoly million dollar contest, you wasted a lot of time eating french fries. The new documentary series “McMillion$” coming to HBO uncovers the 12-year long gangster scam that fixed the game.

“McMillion$” is a six-part documentary series that will make its world premiere at the Sundance Film Festival and then premiere on HBO on Feb. 3. It examines the $24 million worth of fraud that corrupted the McDonald’s Monopoly game between 1989 and 2001, in which there were “almost no legitimate million dollar winners” in the contest.

The FBI got involved and found that a gangster by the name of “Uncle Jerry” would steal winning tickets for prizes and would sell them to undeserving winners. It led to a sting operation as tasty as a Big Mac that involved dirty dealings by ex-cons, mafia mobsters and of course Ronald McDonald.

Exclusive: Mark Wahlberg’s Unrealistic Ideas has signed on to produce Hoodwinked: The James Hart Stern Story, an original docuseries that chronicles the life of the African-American activist.

Unrealistic Ideas, the nonscripted production company launched by Wahlberg, Stephen Levinson and Archie Gips, is partnering with producer Paul Sadowski on the docuseries. Wahlberg, Levinson, Gips, and Sadowski will executive produce. Producers plan to shop the project, which is in development, to broadcast and cable networks.

Hoodwinked details the life of the Rev. James Hart Stern, who shrewdly seized control of two of the most powerful, violent and hateful white supremacist groups in the U.S.

“James Stern’s life story is so far-fetched it seems like pure fiction. But it all really happened — twice,” Gips said. Added Sadowski, “This is an incredible, ripped-from-the-headlines saga that will also take a gripping look at bigotry in America.”

The docuseries will cover the life and exploits of Stern,...

Exclusive: Mark Wahlberg’s Unrealistic Ideas has signed on to produce McMillions, a true crime original documentary series that chronicles the extraordinary story of the rigged McDonald’s monopoly game.

The limited docuseries, which producers plan to shop to broadcast and cable networks and is in development, reveals the entire outrageous account of the McDonald’s Monopoly game scam as told by the participants in the case, including the prizewinners and the FBI agents who nabbed Jerry Jacobson, a former police officer, who was found to be at the heart of the complicated scheme. It also will include archival footage shot by the agents as part of their sting operation.

Last week, as Deadline exclusively reported, Fox won the ferocious bidding war for film rights to Jeff Maysh’s Daily Beast article that chronicled the scam, with Ben Affleck attached to direct and Matt Damon to star.

Unrealistic Ideas, the...

Unrealistic Ideas, the non-scripted production company recently launched by Mark Wahlberg, Stephen Levinson and Archie Gips, has hired Jonty Nash as Evp and Head of Development.

He will be responsible for driving development for the company across feature documentaries, documentary series and formats.

Nash, who received two Emmy nominations for his work as a producer on ABC’s Dancing with the Stars, most recently served as Svp of Development at Magical Elves where he developed Netflix’s breakout, Nailed It.

“We could not be more excited to welcome Jonty to the team,” said Gips, who serves as the Unrealistic Ideas’ president. “As we continue to build our business in the non-scripted space, we’re looking forward to tapping into Jonty’s expertise and working with him to create disruptive content.”

Following their successful foray into reality TV with the long-running A&E series Wahlburgers, Wahlberg and his longtime producing partner Levinson...

Following their successful foray into reality TV with the long-running A&E series Wahlburgers, Mark Wahlberg and his longtime producing partner Stephen Levinson are looking to build up their presence in the unscripted space. The duo has partnered with former Wahlburgers executive producers/showrunner Archie Gips to form Unrealistic Ideas, a full-service production company for non-scripted content. Gips will serve as the company’s president. "We've really enjoyed working…...

44 Blue Productions has inked an overall first-look deal with Wahlburgers producer Archie Gips. He will develop unscripted TV formats for 44 Blue under his Glad I Thought of It Productions banner. Gips serves as an executive producer and showrunner for 44 Blue-produced Wahlburgers on A&E and was an executive producer on its companion show, Donnie Loves Jenny. Gips' other producing credits include A&E's Duck Dynasty, Bravo's Top Chef, We tv's Braxton Family Values, NBC's La…...

Katy Perry (far left) made a surprise appearance with fans at a special sneak preview of her new 3D film Katy Perry: Part Of Me at the Apollo West End on June 7th, 2012 in London, England. Check out the video below.

Said Katy, .I am so excited to paint the silver screen in 3D color with help from our friends at Paramount and Imagine. For the last year and a half, I have intimately documented my life both on and off the stage of The California Dreams Tour. I want to take you behind the cotton candy clouds and reveal the highs and lows and nuts of bolts of this extraordinary ride. I promise you, after seeing this film, you will truly know me..

Check out the latest clip from the film.

A 3D motion picture event movie, Katy Perry: Part Of Me is a backstage pass, front row seat...

On Wednesday, Katy Perry (center) showed her stars and stripes as she performed for the troops during Fleet Week in New York City. Check out the video below.

Katy Perry with serviceman at the “Katy Perry: Part of Me” performance for Pepsi.s Fleet Week in New York on Wednesday.

Paramount Pictures has released this first clip from the film.

A 3D motion picture event movie, Katy Perry: Part Of Me is a backstage pass, front row seat and intimate look at the fun, glamorous, heartbreaking, inspiring, crazy, magical, passionate, and honest mad diary of Katy. To be released on July 5, 2012, Katy Perry: Part Of Me will be a first-ever big-screen look at the international superstar.s life both on- and off-stage.

Directed by the Magical Elves team of Jane Lipsitz and Dan Cutforth (Justin Bieber: Never Say Never), Katy Perry: Part Of Me is produced by Katy, along with Martin Kirkup,...

Here’s the brand new motion poster for Katy Perry: Part Of Me – in theaters July 4th weekend. Paramount.s Insurge Pictures has partnered with Katy Perry, Direct Management, Imagine Entertainment, Aeg and co-financing partner Emi on the 3D feature film starring Perry. To be released on July 5, 2012, Katy Perry: Part Of Me will be a first-ever big-screen look at the international superstar.s life both on- and off-stage.

A 3D motion picture event movie, Katy Perry: Part Of Me is a backstage pass, front row seat and intimate look at the fun, glamorous, heartbreaking, inspiring, crazy, magical, passionate, and honest mad diary of Katy.

Said Katy, .I am so excited to paint the silver screen in 3D color with help from our friends at Paramount and Imagine. For the last year and a half, I have intimately documented my life both on and off the stage of The California Dreams Tour.

Paramount Pictures has released the official Katy Perry: Part Of Me movie poster. A 3D motion picture event movie, Katy Perry: Part Of Me is a backstage pass, front row seat and intimate look at the fun, glamorous, heartbreaking, inspiring, crazy, magical, passionate, and honest mad diary of Katy. Here’s another look at the trailer.

Paramount.s Insurge Pictures has partnered with Katy Perry, Direct Management, Imagine Entertainment, Aeg and co-financing partner Emi on the 3D feature film starring Perry. To be released on July 5, 2012, Katy Perry: Part Of Me will be a first-ever big-screen look at the international superstar.s life both on- and off-stage.

Said Katy, .I am so excited to paint the silver screen in 3D color with help from our friends at Paramount and Imagine. For the last year and a half, I have intimately documented my life both on and off the stage of The California Dreams Tour.

Here's the note I received from Paramount:

Here.S Your Opportunity To Be A Part Of Katy.S Movie!

There Are 3 Ways You Can Participate:

1. Submit A Video Of You Singing Along To "Firework"

2. Submit A Video Of How Katy Inspires You

3. Upload A Photo Of You From One Of Katy's Concerts

Submit Here: WWW.Katyperrypartofme.Com/Submit

Official Site: WWW.Katyperrypartofme.Com

Here's the official press release and good luck!

Hollywood, CA (April 3, 2012) . Paramount.s Insurge Pictures today announced they have partnered with Katy Perry, Direct Management, Imagine Entertainment, Aeg and co-financing partner Emi on a 3D feature film starring Katy. To be released on July 5, 2012, Katy Perry: Part Of Me will be a first-ever big-screen look at the international superstar.s life both on- and off-stage.

Said Katy, "I am so excited to paint the silver screen in 3D color with help from our friends at Paramount and Imagine.

The first full-length trailer has arrived for Katy Perry: Part of Me, a 3D documentary which hits theaters July 5. Take an intimate look at the life of pop star Katy Perry, and read the official press release for more information.

Katy Perry Part Of Me: Trailer 2

Paramount's Insurge Pictures today announced they have partnered with Katy Perry, Direct Management, Imagine Entertainment, Aeg and co-financing partner Emi on a 3D feature film starring Katy. To be released on July 5, 2012, Katy Perry: Part of Me will be a first-ever big-screen look at the international superstar's life both on- and off-stage.

Said Katy, "I am so excited to paint the silver screen in 3D color with help from our friends at Paramount and Imagine. For the last year and a half, I have intimately documented my life both on and off the stage of The California Dreams Tour. I want to take you...

Paramount.s Insurge Pictures today announced they have partnered with Katy Perry, Direct Management, Imagine Entertainment, Aeg and co-financing partner Emi on a 3D feature film starring Katy. To be released on July 5, 2012, Katy Perry: Part Of Me will be a first-ever big-screen look at the international superstar.s life both on- and off-stage.

Said Katy, “I am so excited to paint the silver screen in 3D color with help from our friends at Paramount and Imagine. For the last year and a half, I have intimately documented my life both on and off the stage of The California Dreams Tour. I want to take you behind the cotton candy clouds and reveal the highs and lows and nuts of bolts of this extraordinary ride. I promise you, after seeing this film, you will truly know me.”

President of Paramount Film Group, Adam Goodman, said, .Katy.s one-of-a-kind story, and...

These costumed characters have always been one of my favorite parts of the touristy part of Hollywood Boulevard. I always loved watching the ridiculous and strange costumed superheroes pose for photos with tourists near the Grauman's Chinese Theater. Jimmy Kimmel regularly featured these performers on his show, and a documentary was even made about the characters called Confessions of a Superhero (watch it on Hulu for free). In June, Los Angeles police launched an effort to clear Hollywood Boulevard of unlicensed Hollywood character impersonators, making dozens of arrests. In recent years tourists and shop-owners have complained that the costumed characters had become more aggressive and pestered some of the tourists for money/tips. I've been around the area a couple times over the Summer, and aside from one lightpole climbing Spider-man, the superheroes were no where to be seen. Archie Gips and Matthew Hunt decided to make a documentary about...

Sure why not, in the midst of all the pomp around TV upfront season with networks announcing their fall lineups, web TV network Atom.com unveiled its shiny new slate of comedy web series today. There’s a lot to digest here, so we’ll start with just the news. As we reported earlier Atom’s flagship comedy The Legend of Neil returns for its 7-episode third season this summer and Nytvf-winning series Johnny B. Homeless has a 9-episode pickup starting June 15. The slate actually begins today, with the premiere of M'Larky from creator Dan Fogler who stars as detective Black in a cop show well past its prime. Josh Warren stars as Detective John M’Larky, who with “his maniacal colleagues who go undercover in their pursuit of booze, broads and Colombian drug runners.” Also set to appear in the series are Gilbert Gottfried, Jeffrey Ross and Tony Hawk.