fx
‘Ponzi: The Series’ Brings Drama, Thrills of Economic Collapse to FX
8:15AM STV | Been checking the trades for news of a Bernie Madoff movie in development? Oh. Maybe Michael Chiklis can interest you in something more modest, but with all the scintillating twists the word “Ponzi” implies. More »
Trade Roundup: Desperate Academy Begs WGA For Oscar Answers
7:30AM Mark | · Anxious that the Oscars are approaching and he still has no real idea of whether or the WGA–obviously a little preoccupied with their own issues–intends to grant a waiver for their awards ceremony, Academy president Sid Ganis begs the Guild for answers so that complicated logistical issues can be resolved. “We’re running out time! [desperate punctuation ours],” wails Ganis, pleading for the sweet release of either a simple “yes” or “no.” [Variety] · Hard-to-kill Heroes cheerleader and Official Friend of the Dolphins Hayden Panettiere joins the cast of teen comedy Daydream Nation, possibly opposite a Culkin. [Variety] More »
Trade Roundup: Who Will Cross The Picket Lines To Pick Up Their Golden Globes?
6:10AM Defamer Hollywood | Golden Globes producers await a decision on whether or not the WGA will grant their (probably doomed) waiver request to allow striking writers to whip them up a script, a wish that they’ve already granted for their supportive bretheren in SAG’s upcoming awards show. Meanwhile, the industry wonders who’ll be willing to cross the picket line to attend the Globes ceremony. [Variety] · Fox pushes back Avatar, director James Cameron’s much-anticipated return to theatres, to December 18th, then spackles that mid-year holiday weekend hole with Ben Stiller’s Night a the Museum sequel. [THR] More »
Trade Roundup: Spats, Mall Cops, And Dad Brawls
4:00AM Defamer Hollywood | NBC angers its network rivals by working some technically allowed, but “morally” questionable, Nielsen voodoo by repeating its Heroes premiere on Saturday night and adding that showing’s ratings to the series’ original Monday night number. We think. This developing feud over ratings-reporting gamesmanship is as confusing as it is scintillating. [Variety] · In simpler Nielsen-related news, House is still huge, averaging 18.1 million viewers in its best-ever performance not artificially enhanced by an American Idol lead-in [THR] · Creative triple-threat Kevin James will write, produce, and star in Mall Cop. We’ll refrain from relating the logline and let your imaginations run wild with the comedic possibilities evoked by the combination of America’s most beloved schlub and that offbeat occupation. [Variety] · Fox calls up Nip/Tuck creator Ryan Murphy from its FX basic-cable farm team to their network major league club, giving a series commitment to Murphy’s female workplace drama Queen B. [THR] · NBC will bottle up eight midseason episodes of Mark Burnett’s latest reality TV brain fart, My Dad Is Better Than Your Dad, which seeks to combine “the family fun and kid empowerment of ‘[Are You Smarter Than A] 5th Grader’ with the universally relatable concept of bragging that your dad is best.” It’s still unclear whether or not the proud fathers in question will be required to beat each other senseless at the end of each show to truly prove their paternal supremacy. [Variety] More »
Trade Roundup: Pre-Strike Surge In Movie Production Causing Acute Director Shortage
7:05AM Defamer Hollywood | Hollywood Out of Directors: “Dimension Films has set a November 26 start date for Comeback, an inspirational sports drama that Ice Cube will star in and produce. Fred Durst will direct.” [Variety] 13.9 million viewers tuned in to watch The Hoff declare the guy with his hand up a turtle puppet’s ass the Most Talented Man in America. [THR] FX greenlights Nip/Tuck creator Ryan Murphy’s transsexual drama 4 oz., but since the pitch was bought in the room by president John Landegraf, the central tranny’s vocation has been changed from sportswriter to gynaecologist. (Was it originally too close to the story of the LAT’s Mike Penner/Christine Daniels?) Murphy ambitiously envisions his protagonist’s journey from male ladydoctor to lady ladydoctor to unfold over four seasons. [Variety] A study claims that people’s internet-time is now rivalling their TV-time, a finding that the studios will do their best to ignore during their fight with the various guilds over online residuals. [THR] · Joey Fatone is trying to become TV Guide Channel’s budget-friendly answer to Ryan Seacrest. [Variety] More »
