See what else is happening in film & TV industries around the world.
MGM to Reboot ‘The Pink Panther’ as a Live-Action Animation Hybrid
Feature film franchise ‘The Pink Panther’ is being developed into a live-action/animated hybrid that will take its cues from the tone set by the original Friz Freleng and David De Patie cartoons and Blake Edwards’ films.
MGM announced that the pic will not focus the famous Inspector Jacques Clouseau played by Peter Sellers and later by Roberto Benigni and Steve Martin, but rather on the animated panther that appeared in the opening credits and eventually had its own animated show. ‘The Pink Panther’ movie franchise is one of the longest-running series with 11 feature films, countless cartoons and shorts spanning five decades.
Walter Mirisch, exec producer of the original movies and TV series, will produce along with Edwards’ widow Julie Andrews. David Silverman (The Simpsons Movie, Monsters Inc.) will direct and MGM’s SVP Production Cassidy Lange will oversee the film for the studio. The Academy Award and Golden Globe winning franchise was created over 50 years ago by Edwards, Freleng and Hawley Pratt and will once again united with the world- famous cartoon character in a new hybrid feature film.
Endemol Acquires ‘The Fall’ Producer Artists Studio
TV production company Artists Studio, which produces ‘The Fall’ starring Jamie Dornan, has been acquired by Endemol.
Endemol, the world’s largest independent production company, has also taken on global distribution rights to season two of the serial-killer thriller with Dornan and Gillian Anderson playing lead roles. ‘The Fall’ is BBC Two’s most successful drama to date, averaging more than 4 million viewers per episode across its first season in 2013.
Endemol will globally distribute Artists Studio productions, including the second season of ‘The Fall’, as well as numerous projects commissioned and in development for U.K. and U.S. broadcasters such as ‘Combat Hospital’ for ABC and ‘Thorne’ for Sky UK. Based in South Wales and with offices in London, the Artists Studio was founded in 2009 by producer Gub Neal (Prime Suspect, Cracker), Justin Thomson-Glover and Patrick Irwin, all three of whom formerly ran drama producer Box TV. Artists Studio will become part of Endemol UK, which has drama credits including ‘Peaky Blinders’ starring Cillian Murphy, Element Pictures ‘Ripper Street’, ‘Black Mirror’, ‘Prisoners’ Wives’ and ‘The Mill’.
‘Spanish Affair’ Breaks Box Office Records
Spain’s ‘Ocho apellidos vascos’ (Spanish Affair), distributed by Universal Pictures International Spain, on its way to becoming the second biggest Spanish-made box-office hit of all time behind Juan Antonio Bayona’s ‘The Impossible’.
Emilio Martinez Lazaro’s romantic comedy grossed €5.5 million in Spain, 24% up on its second weekend, and 95% up on its opening three days, per Rentrak provisional figures. As a comedy, this tale of a young southerner seeking to win the heart of a Basque girl is indeed a very Spanish affair. Director Martinez-Lazaro is joined by scriptwriters Diego San Jose and Borja Cobeaga.
‘Spanish Affair’ is produced by Telecinco Cinema, the film production arm of broadcast network group Mediaset Espana, LaZona films, Kowalski Films and Snow Films. Film Factory Entertainment handles international sales rights. A follow-up to ‘Spanish Affair’ looks set to be on the cards in the near future.
And finally……..
New ‘Dawn of the Planet of the Apes’ Teaser
20th Century Fox have released a teaser trailer for the new movie ‘Dawn of the Planet of the Apes’, directed by Matt Reeves.
The new film features the voice of an unknown human character outlining the major advantage their primate adversaries have over mankind. ‘Rise of the Planet of the Apes’ grossed $481 million worldwide and received well critically, nabbing a nomination for visual effects at the Academy Awards. The sequel, starring Serkis, Gary Oldman, Jason Clarke and Keri Russell, will hit cinemas this summer.
