After dominating the Oscars in 2021, Nomadland writer-director Chloé Zhao looks to be building out her future slate. Sources tell Deadline that she is set to direct an adaptation of Hamnet for Amblin Partners, Hera Pictures, Neal Street Productions and Book of Shadows. The film is based on the novel by Maggie O’Farrell, who will adapt the script with Zhao. The New York Times bestselling historical fiction novel imagines the story of Agnes – the wife of the world’s most famous writer, William Shakespeare – as she struggles to come to terms with the loss of her only son, Hamnet. The novel charts the emotional, familial and artistic consequences of that loss, bringing to life a human and heart-stopping story as the backdrop to the creation of Shakespeare’s most famous play, Hamlet. >>>Next On Deck? |
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Bob & ‘Bobby’ - Robert De Niro is attached to star in Bobby Meritorious, a Billy Ray-penned crime drama in the works at Paramount+. The series is set amid the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of New York, a sovereign kingdom with seemingly unlimited power and scope. But an informant in its biggest case, Avery “The Sage” Accomando (De Niro), is poised to tear this storied institution apart. Only one man can stop him, a fabled ex-cop-turned prosecutor affectionately known as Bobby Meritorious. >>> Former U.S. AD Among E
UK News Heavyweight: We caught up with ITN Editorial Director Chris Shaw on his last day at the ITV, Channel 4 and Channel 5 news maker following a decorated 40-year career. Chris talked Harry and Meghan, taking on the UK government with ice sculptures and rival GB News. >>>Valedictory Chat
Memorabilia Mockumentary - NBA legend Steph Curry is to star alongside Adam Pally in Mr. Throwback, which comes from Happy Endings creator David Caspe and writing duo Matthew Libman and Daniel Libman. The series follows a down-on-his-luck memorabilia dealer looking for redemption by reuniting with his sixth-grade teammate (Curry). It comes from Universal Television in association with Curry’s Unanimous Media. >>> ”Natural Transition”
Drama In Koreatown - Amazon Studios is developing Koreatown, a one-hour drama set in the titular L.A. neighborhood from writer-executive producer Gene Hong (Magnum P.I.), Alan Yang (Loot) and Universal Television. Written by Hong, the story centers on two Korean-American brothers — a savvy nightclub owner and a recovering addict — who must put aside their complicated past and run a drug operation in order to keep their dying mother alive. >>> Universal Television Producing With Amazon
‘Thor: Love And Thunder’ Profits - Despite not being a favorite among fans and critics, Thor 4 still profited after ancillaries. The movie set a series record with its $302M worldwide debut but, while Love and Thunder grossed more than Thor: Ragnarok at the domestic box office, it was lower worldwide than the third installment. A key factor behind this was the lack of Russia and China. >>> 2022 Most Valuable Blockbuster Tournament
In Brief - In a competitive situation, Screen Gems has acquired The Rule of Three, an upcoming horror novel by Sam Ripley, a pseudonym for a well-established author… South African psychological thriller drama DAM is the latest in Deadline’s Global Breakouts strand. |
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Jesse Spencer returns to NBC’s Chicago Fire on Wednesday night as Matt Casey, the firefighter with a huge heart who can’t seem to stay away since moving to Portland. In this week’s episode, titled “Danger Is All Around,” Casey goes home for both professional and personal reasons. Professionally, he’s leading a top-secret task force and he needs to pick a local representative — someone he trusts — to hold things down in Chicago while he remains committed to the Portland FD. “He’s also back because he wants to see everyone at Firehouse 51, and obviously, catch up with Brett, see if she’s single or not,” Spencer tells Deadline. “He’s not told her he’s coming so it’s a bit of a shock to her but they get talking and he finds out that she’s dating someone. He’s in Oregon, of course, but it feels like his time there is coming to an end. The Darden boys are getting older, doing really well, and are moving on. It feels like he’s there to sniff around Chicago and his old flame and maybe rekindle that fire.” >>>Read the interview |
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QUOTABLE
"We met with him. He was lovely. What a wonderful guy. But at the end of the day, he really felt like he wanted to go off and do the movies that he ended up doing, which were sort of darker." - 'The Little Mermaid' director Rob Marshall on why Harry Styles wasn't cast as Prince Eric in the live-action Disney film |
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Exclusive Dexter Darden, Chloe Bridges and Robert Buckley have joined the cast of NBC comedy pilot Non-Evil Twin. The multi-camera pilot stars Amber Ruffin, who plays the dual roles of twin sisters Angie and Amber. Angie is the ruthless CEO of AngieCorp, who is as heartless as she is rich. She instills fear in everyone she meets, except her caring sister, Amber, who only sees the good in her. Exclusive Kelvin Harrison Jr. and Murray Bartlett have closed deals to star opposite Stranger Things breakout Sadie Sink in Searchlight Pictures’ original rock opera O’Dessa from Patti Cake$ filmmaker Geremy Jasper. Pic is heading into production in Croatia in May. Exclusive Deadline has learned that Kit Harington is joining season 3 of the BBC and HBO's Industry. The Game of Thrones star will recur as as Henry Muck, the CEO and Founder of Lumi, an exciting green tech energy company that’s about to go public. Exclusive Beverly D’Angelo, Dennis Haysbert, Nicole Richie and Josh Peck are among the newest additions to the indie comedy Summer Camp from writer-director Castille Landon. I n Brief - Cameron Britton is the latest name we can reveal to be attached to director Na Hong-Jin’s Korean thriller Hope… André Holland and Gemma Chan will top Neon‘s The Actor, the second feature (and first live-action) from Oscar-nominated Anomalisa helmer Duke Johnson |
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BY THE NUMBERS
136 - Number of years in prison Donald Trump faces if convicted on all charges in Tuesday's indictment. |
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More News
🎞️ Jack Houston and Abbie Cornish have been cast in the film I'm Beginning to See the Light. The drama marks the English-language debut of Russian filmmaker Konstantin Khudyakov.
📺 Ana Cabrera is joining MSNBC's daytime lineup, hosting Ana Cabrera Reports beginning April 10.
🎭 Oscar Isaac and Rachel Brosnahan are heading to Broadway later this month in Lorraine Hansberry’s The Sign in Sidney Brustein’s Window. Set in Greenwich Village during the early 1960s, the revival - the first time the Hansberry play has been produced on Broadway in more than 50 years - focuses on the troubled marriage of idealistic writer Sidney (Isaac, in his Broadway debut) and aspiring actor Iris (Brosnahan).
🩰 Lionsgate’s John Wick spinoff The Ballerina will be hitting theaters on June 7, 2024. Ana de Armas stars as an assassin trained in the traditions of the Ruska Roma with franchise dramatis personae Keanu Reeves, Ian McShane and the late Lance Reddick returning in addition to Anjelica Huston, Gabriel Byrne, Catalina Sandino Moreno and Norman Reedus.
💰 With two weeks left in its 35-year Broadway run, Andrew Lloyd Webber’s The Phantom of the Opera posted a huge box office gross last week of $3,247,106, nearly 10% of Broadway’s total take for the seven-day period ending April 2. The beloved musical also topped the Broadway roster in average ticket price ($248.57) and top premium price ($697). There wasn’t a close second. |
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Trending  The Night Agent – The sophomore drama series starring Gabriel Basso and Luciane Buchanan is quickly making its way to becoming one of Netflix’s most popular English-language series of all time.
🔻 The L Word: Generation Q is no longer available on Showtime’s streaming service and the Showtime Anytime app. The removal comes fresh off the back of the series’ cancellation by the network after three seasons. |
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On the Radar
Wed - Passover; Chris Pratt on Seth Meyers
Thu - The Masters golf tournament starts
Fri - Star Wars Celebration Europe begins
Sun - Easter |
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Two-Step - Lada Gaga and Joaquin Phoenix (with his back to the camera) shooting Joker: Folie à Deux in New York. The production returned to a familiar location in the Highbridge section of the Bronx. The long staircase became a tourist attraction after the original Joker's Arthur Fleck (Phoenix) was shown dancing down the steps in brightly colored attire, announcing his transformation into the title character. |
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