Hollywould: Del Toro, Documentaries, and Douchebags
The film and television business moves at a mile a minute, so keeping up with the latest news can be a little daunting. Not to worry— we have your back. In Hollywould, we’ll round up the industry developments you need to know. Here’s what you may have missed:
Del Toro and Dreamworks Join Forces
Fresh off of his deal with Fox Searchlight, Guillermo del Toro has signed on with Dreamworks Animation to write, produce, and direct family-friendly animated films. From the press release:
“Animation is an art form that has influenced my work greatly since childhood. To me, it’s the perfect medium to bring to life any and all ideas, no matter how outlandish or wild. I am eager to work with [DWA President] Chris [deFaria] and the talented artists at DreamWorks – some of the most talented people in the business – to make these images a reality. I have worked with DreamWorks for about a decade and the horizon just keeps getting wider.”
Netflix Orders Fast & Furious Animated Series
Speaking of Dreamworks, Netflix has ordered an animated version of Fast & Furious. Yup. The series follow’s Dom’s teenage cousin, Tony Toretto, whose skills lead him to be recruited by the government to take down a racing league that wants to control the world. I did not make any of that up.
Melissa Cobb, Vice President of Kids and Family for Netflix, had this to say:
“The ‘Fast & Furious’ franchise is a global phenomenon beloved by audiences of all ages, and we can’t wait to get started on the new animated series that will capture the action, heart, humor and global appeal of the feature films.” No word if Vin Diesel will reprise his role, but he doesn’t seem too busy.
BuzzFeed Partners with Netflix
Netflix is busy. Having also picked up a documentary series from BuzzFeed, the streaming giant has ordered twenty 15-minute episodes of Follow This— which will follow the site’s reporters on short weekly stories.
It’s not BuzzFeed’s only foray into programming. They’ve also have an upcoming series on Oxygen, a talk show on Twitter, and a program on Spotify. Additionally, BuzzFeed has been shopping ideas to cable networks and Facebook Watch, which you probably already forgot about.
Lethal Weapon in Trouble
Turns out everyone who plays Martin Riggs turns out to be a dick. Lethal Weapon star, Clayne Crawford, put the show in hot water, and renewal is on the line. Word is, Crawford’s going full Mel Gibson and has been repeatedly reprimanded for “bad behavior,” including “emotional abuse.” Warner Bros TV and Fox haven’t said anything, but sources say a recasting is in the cards. If Crawford gets the boot and his replacement goes for the asshole hat trick, we can safely assume the role of Martin Riggs is cursed.
Dark Phoenix Last Call for X-Men?
Rumor has it that due to the Disney/Fox deal, X-Men: Dark Phoenix will be the final film in Fox’s take on the Marvel franchise. Producer Kevin Feige has been described as “hovering up” Fox’s properties, which are: X-Men, Deadpool, and Fantastic Four, and plans to integrate them in Marvel Studios next wave of releases.
Dark Phoenix is currently mired in reshoots, and word is the studio isn’t happy with director Simon Kinberg. Disney having a new take might be a blessing for mutant lovers, and what this means for projects like New Mutants and X-Force is still up in the air. If they cancel Legion— I riot.
Amazon Picks Up Two New Sci-Fi Series
According to Deadline, Amazon is developing two new dramas from writer Jonathan Hickman, which are: East of West and Transhuman. Hickman is set to write East of West, but Transhuman appears to be looking for outside input. Fellow comics scribe, Robert Kirkman, will be the executive producer through his company, Skybound Entertainment, which has a first look at the deal with Amazon.
East of West is a sci-fi Western set in an alternate America that’s been carved into seven nations, and the Apocalypse is right around the corner. The series follows Death, Horseman of the Apocalypse, as he works against his fellow Horsemen and theocratic realpolitik. Transhuman is set in a world where genetic and robotic enhancements are freely available for purchase, and where a divorced couple run rival corporations dealing in upgrades.
Steph Curry Signs On with Sony
NBA star Steph Curry just closed a multiyear development deal with Sony Pictures. Curry told the Hollywood Reporter:
“I’ve been blessed to have this platform and I want to use it to affect the world positively. Partnering with Sony to share inspiring content with a global audience was a foregone conclusion.”
Sony Pictures Motion Picture Group chairman, Tom Rothman, said:
“Steph is a transcendent figure in current culture. His wide-ranging content creation interests overlap well with our varied businesses and we have been equally impressed with his team. We are honored to have been drafted and now we know how lucky Golden State feels every day.”
As for what’s on the horizon— Curry is known for his devout Christianity, and his company, Unanimous Media, is looking to focus on family-friendly, faith-based projects, as well as sports-related content.
That’s this week’s roundup. See you next time.
-Jackson Sutliff