By Kurt Balingit
Gloria Calderón Kellett has landed a deal with Amazon for her first series. Amazon has given the green light for the romantic-com series “With Love,” which follows Lily and Jorge Diaz, who are on a mission to find love and purpose. The siblings cross paths with seemingly unrelated residents during the holiday. The series will begin production in June with plans to launch it at the end of 2021. Kellet states…
“I started writing as a way to create characters and stories that represented myself and the community I love. After such a heavy year, there was nothing I wanted more than to see a happy, warm, loving family that looked like mine, celebrating trauma-free and falling in love. So, to be bringing that family to life as my first project with Amazon Studios feels especially personal and is incredibly exciting. I cannot wait to share ‘With Love’ this holiday season!”
Gloria Calderón Kellet
With Love is Calderon Kellett’s follow up series to the dramedy One Day at a Time which appeared on Netflix and was co-created by Gloria alongside Mike Royce. Kellett has sinced moved her deal from Sony TV to Amazon in 2019 following a multiple-studio bidding war. Marc Resteghini, the US and Global Head of Development for Amazon Studios had this to say about Gloria and her creativity
“With Love is a special project and Gloria at her best, creating a world with a vibrant family at its center, hysterical circumstances, and so much heart and soul. We’re so proud of what’s to come of this series and can’t wait for the world to fall in love with it,”
Marc Resteghini
by Emily Nagle
As part of their new multiyear deal, Turner Sports has recruited Wayne Gretzky to be a studio analyst for their new National Hockey League coverage, which will begin in October.
The agreement will last seven years, and cover the 2023, 2025, and 2027 Stanley Cups, as well as the regular seasons.
Previously the vice chairman of the Edmonton Oilers, Gretzky played in the NHL for 20 years before he coached the Phoenix Coyotes for 4 seasons. Having seen hockey from all different angles, he will apply these different perspectives to his new position to allow WarnerMedia to attract new customers to their channels, including TNT and TBS.
Gretzky announced regarding his upcoming position, “I’ll be honest and forthright, but I’m not, by any means, controversial. And just so we’re very clear,” Gretzky continued, “I’m going to be way more positive than I am negative. That’s just my nature. You can still be critical without going over the edge.”
Also on board for the next season are Kenny Albert and Eddie Olczyk as the announcers.
by Emily Nagle
Top 5 Highest Grossing Films For May 21-23, 2021:
5. Godzilla vs. Kong ($1.4 million)
4. Raya and the Last Dragon ($1.6 million)
3. Those Who Wish Me Dead ($1.8 million)
2. Wrath of Man ($2.9 million)
1. Spiral ($4.5 million)
Spiral, the eighth installment in the “Saw” horror film series, places an eerie spin on the franchise, following Detective Ezekiel “Zeke” Banks (Chris Rock) and his rookie partner, William Schenk (Max Minghella), as they investigate a Jigsaw copycat killer. Originally slated for release in May 2020, the pandemic pushed the theatrical release to May 14, 2021. So far it has mixed reviews from critics, who were unsure on how to feel about the different approach taken for the successful splatter film series, and criticized the storyline, particularly the film’s ending, describing that it felt too unoriginal and predictable.
Despite the mixed reviews, Lionsgate Television chairman Kevin Beggs stated in an interview with Deadline Hollywood last month that there is a possibility of a television series based on the new film. If this follows through, the show would be a collaboration with Twisted Television, an extension of Twisted Pictures, which is responsible for producing the “Saw” films.
by Emily Nagle
Hulu has released a first look at their upcoming comedy mystery series “Only Murders in the Building”. Slated for ten episodes, it is scheduled to premiere on August 31.
Written by John Hoffman and Steve Martin and starring the latter, Martin Short and Selena Gomez, the show follows three true crime fans: Charles, Oliver, and Mabel Mora. All of them being strangers to each other until someone dies inside their apartment building, the trio conducts their own investigation into the situation. In the process, they discover the hidden truth about the building and realize the murderer may live among them.
In addition to being available on Hulu this summer, “Only Murders in the Building” will be available worldwide on Star and Star+.
by Emily Nagle
“The Flight Attendant” star Kaley Cuoco has extended her partnership with Warner Bros. Television Group. The deal will result in Cuoco’s production company, Yes, Norman Productions, continuing to produce original content for all of WarnerMedia’s platforms and services.
“Warner Bros. has been my home away from home for as long as I can remember which makes this partnership so special on every level,” Cuoco said in a statement, having gotten her start with the company in 2007 starring as Penny in “The Big Bang Theory”. “I look forward to much continued success with my extended family!!!!!”
This deal marks Cuoco’s third partnership with Warner Bros. Television. After forming Yes, Norman Productions in 2017, she signed her first deal with them before starting to develop HBO Max drama “The Flight Attendant”. Two years later, in 2019, she signed another deal while continuing to work on the series, whose premiere date got delayed to Thanksgiving 2020 as a result of the pandemic.
by Emily Nagle
Amazon is currently in talks to acquire MGM, one of the oldest and most successful film studios in Hollywood. As the ongoing streaming wars escalate, the acquisition would give the company a competitive edge. If finalized, this deal would be worth more than $10 billion – almost as much as Amazon made in the first quarter of 2021.
Why a studio? If Amazon purchases MGM, the studio’s content will become available on Prime Video, expanding their already vast catalogue of more than 20,000 shows and movies. MGM owns 17,000 hours of content – including thousands of films – and is one of the most profitable studios in the world, raking in $1.5 billion in revenue last year. This library includes James Bond, the fifth most-profitable film franchise of all time.
A benefit to Prime Video that sets it apart from its competitors is that it is included in Amazon’s Prime plan, which offers exclusive benefits like discounts and faster delivery. With the plan already being fairly popular, the content on Prime Video is easily accessible to millions. The platform is best known for original programming that includes “The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel” and “The Boys”, and also has digital content available to purchase.
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