Zero Gravity Management (Beasts of No Nation) has optioned A’Lelia Bundles’ bestselling biography On Her Own Ground, the story of legendary African American entrepreneur and philanthropist Madam C.J. Walker, to develop as a limited series. Oscar winner Octavia Spencer is attached to star as Walker and also will produce the project, written by Nicole Asher (Coco) and to be directed by Kasi Lemmons (Shots Fired). The series will be taken out to networks shortly.
Leonard Roberts Joins TNT’s ‘Major Crimes’ As Recurring
Leonard Roberts (American Crime Story: The People v O.J. Simpson) has joined the cast of TNT’s drama series Major Crimes. The key role is recurring for Season 5 with an option to become a regular if the series is picked up for a sixth season.
AFM: Ryan Phillippe, Elisabeth Rohm Join Thriller ‘Wish Upon’
Ryan Phillippe and Elisabeth Rohm have joined the cast of Broad Green Pictures’ thriller “Wish Upon,” opposite Joey King and newly cast Shannon Purser.
The film, directed by John Leonetti from a script written by Barbara Marshall, is being produced by Sherryl Clark of Busted Shark Prods. Mister Smith Entertainment is selling “Wish Upon,” which is currently in pre-production, to buyers for the first time at this year’s American Film Market.
King, who starred in “The Conjuring,” plays a 16-year-old misfit who finds a magic box that promises a chance at the life she’s always wanted — only to discover that each wish demands a deadly payment.
‘Hatchet Men’ Book About Chinatown Tong Wars To Get Feature Treatment
EXCLUSIVE: In a week when numerous bigwigs from China’s entertainment companies have descended on Los Angeles for various U.S.-China summits, word comes that Hatchet Men: The Story of the Tong Wars in San Francisco’s Chinatownis being developed as a feature film. Richard H. Dillon’s 2012 book is being adapted by Michael Thomas (The 33), who will produce and co-write with Australian writer Morgan Duncan. The film will star Falling Water‘s Will Yun Lee, who will also produce.
Google & The Black List Unveil Media Fellowship Winners
The Black List and Google have named Gabriel Mizrahi (Accelerator) and writing teams Selyna Warren and Marissa Shields (Hazed) and Alex Greenfield and Ben Powell (The Vessel) as the first recipients of the Google Computer Science in Media Fellowship. Chosen from nearly 500 applicants, the winners were selected based on their sample scripts uploaded to the Black List website as well as an additional project pitch made to Google.
The fellows will receive educational support from Google engineers and computer scientists and a $15K grant to support their screenplays with the potential to change the image of computer science and computer scientists in popular culture.
“As an organization dedicated to leveraging technology to celebrate great screenwriting and the writers who do it, we at the Black List couldn’t be happier with this partnership with Google that allows us to do exactly that and transform the image of computer science and computer scientists in popular culture,” said Franklin Leonard, founder of the Black List. “I look forward to reading the scripts that the Gabriel, Selyna, Marissa, Alex and Ben write during their time supported by Google, and I very much hope the industry seeks them out to put them on the big and small screen once they’re done.”
Google announced this program during the Tribeca Film Festival as part of an initiative to encourage and inspire young people to not only use technology but also to create it.
Exclusive first look: Andrew Scott in crime-thriller ‘Steel Country’
EXCLUSIVE: First look at Sherlock and Pride star in AFM-bound thriller from The King’s Speech producer.
Screen can reveal the first look at AFM-bound crime-thriller Steel Country, starring Andrew Scott.
Scott, known for his villainous roles in Sherlock and Spectre, leads cast in the movie, which shot in the US last month.
Written by Brendan Higgins and directed by Simon Fellows (Malice In Wonderland), the film is produced by The King’s Speech producer Gareth Ellis-Unwin. Editor is Oscar-winner Chris Dickens (Slumdog Millionaire), DoP is Michael Winterbottom regular Marcel Zyskind (The Killer Inside).
Bankside Films will be touting the project on promo at the AFM.
In Steel County, Scott plays a small town truck driver who turns detective when a young boy is found dead in a sleepy part of Western Pennsylvania. His investigations turn into an obsession to prove the boy has been murdered, leading to harrowing consequences.
The BAFTA-winner will co-star alongside Bronagh Waugh, who starred in TV crime series The Fall, and Denise Gough (’71), who recently won an Olivier Best Actress award for her performance in stage play People, Places And Things.
UK financier Motion Picture Capital is producing and fully financed Steel Country, joining Bedlam Films’ Ellis-Unwin. Other producers include Leon Clarance (Sense8), Mark Williams (The Accountant) and Tai Duncan (The Air I Breathe).
Executive producers for Motion Picture Capital are Laure Vaysse and Jo Monk. Lee Vandermolen also serves as an exec with Vandermolen Films partnering on the early development of the project.
Scott recently starred alongside Rachel Weisz, Tom Wilkinson and Timothy Spall in Holocaust drama Denialand also played in kids movie Swallows And Amazons, alongside Kelly Macdonald, Rafe Spall and Jessica Hines.
EXCLUSIVE: First look at Sherlock and Pride star in AFM-bound thriller from The King’s Speech producer. Screen can reveal the first look at AFM-bound crime-thriller Steel Country, starring Andrew Scott. Scott, known for his villainous roles in Sherlock and Spectre, leads cast in the movie, which shot in the US last month. Written by Brendan Higgins and directed by Simon Fellows (Malice In Wonderland), the film is produced by The King’s Speech producer Gareth Ellis-Unwin. Editor is Oscar-winner Chris Dickens (Slumdog Millionaire), DoP is Michael Winterbottom regular Marcel Zyskind (The Killer Inside). Bankside Films will be touting the project on promo at the AFM. In Steel County, Scott plays a small town truck driver who turns detective when a young boy is found dead in a sleepy part of Western Pennsylvania. His investigations turn into an obsession to prove the boy has been murdered, leading to harrowing consequences. The BAFTA-winner will co-star alongside Bronagh Waugh, who starred in TV crime series The Fall, and Denise Gough (’71), who recently won an Olivier Best Actress award for her performance in stage play People, Places And Things. UK financier Motion Picture Capital is producing and fully financed Steel Country, joining Bedlam Films’ Ellis-Unwin. Other producers include Leon Clarance (Sense8), Mark Williams (The Accountant) and Tai Duncan (The Air I Breathe). Executive producers for Motion Picture Capital are Laure Vaysse and Jo Monk. Lee Vandermolen also serves as an exec with Vandermolen Films partnering on the early development of the project. Scott recently starred alongside Rachel Weisz, Tom Wilkinson and Timothy Spall in Holocaust drama Denialand also played in kids movie Swallows And Amazons, alongside Kelly Macdonald, Rafe Spall and Jessica Hines.
Paramount Picks Up Spec ‘Northeast Kingdom’ For Platinum Dunes; Alex R. Johnson Attached To Direct
ABC Sets ‘Equity’ Female Wall Street Drama Based On Movie From Regina Corrado & Amy Pascal
EXCLUSIVE: The 2016 financial thriller feature Equity is headed to the small screen as a drama series, which has landed at ABC with a script commitment plus penalty. The adaptation hails from The Strain executive producer Regina Corradoand film and TV producer Amy Pascal. Sony TV’s TriStar Television is the studio.
‘The Frontier’ Exclusive Trailer: A Female Drifter Hatches a Plan To Steal Stolen Cash From a Gang o
Oren Shai’s short films have played festivals across the world and garnered praise along the way, but now his debut film will soon receive a theatrical and VOD release. “The Frontier” stars Jocelin Donahue (“The House of the Devil”) as Laine, a drifter on the run from crimes she has committed who lands in a deserted motel on the outskirts of Phoenix. She acquires a job from the owner Luanne (Kelly Lynch) to work in the diner but soon discovers that the regular clientele are all accomplices in a million-dollar heist. Laine plans to steal from the gang of thieves before they discover her true identity. The film co-stars Jim Beaver (“Deadwood”), Izabella Miko (“Coyote Ugly”), Jamie Harris (“Knight of Cups”), AJ Bowen (“The Sacrament”), and Liam Aiken (“Ned Rifle”).