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Update, 1.45am P.T: Just as soon as his exit from Mbc was announced, Sam Barnett’s new role has emerged. He will lead Central European Media Enterprises (Cme) as CEO from May 1.

Barnett will succeed Didier Stoessel, current CEO and Chief Investment Officer of its media investor parent Pff, with Mike Sneesby becoming Chief Exec at Mbc Group in the Middle East. This will Stoeseel to focus on Pff, which has stakes in the likes of ProSiebenSat.1 Media along with its Cme ownership.

“After conducting a thorough succession process, we are confident that Sam’s global expertise and leadership experience make him the right person to lead Cme in the future,” said Stoessel.

Pff acquired Cme four years ago, afterwich the broadcast group as pivoted from linear to digital media. Its streaming service, Voyo, which has a Czech-Slovak consumer base, has grown from 30,000 to 950,000 subs, and an over-the-top video streaming and live TV platform,...

Jon Hamm auditioned multiple times for Mad Men? ( Photo Credit – Facebook )

Yes, Jon Hamm had to audition seven to eight times before landing the role. As he himself said, “I wasn’t going to have a bad audition.” When Mad Men creator Matt Weiner was assembling the cast for AMC’s first original series, he made a bold call: cast mostly unknown actors.

Why? He wanted audiences to see characters with fresh eyes—no baggage from previous roles. That decision turned into a high-stakes gamble for the network. AMC had to find actors who could carry the weight of these characters without any preconceived notions.

But finding Don Draper was make-or-break. According to Mad Men pilot director Alan Taylor, “It was all going to stand or fall based on Don.” In other words, if they didn’t get Don right, the whole show could collapse.

Trending When Keanu Reeves Revealed...

In the history of television and Hollywood, there have always been roles that have been perfectly cast. From Ryan Reynolds as Deadpool to Bryan Cranston’s Walter White, some characters could never be played by anyone else. One such role was Jon Hamm’s Mad Men stint as Don Draper. Fans all over the world fell head over heels in love with the charismatic and enigmatic ad executive. However, just two years after the series finale, some striking revelations were made about the fan-favorite show.

Jon Hamm as Don Draper in Mad Men | Credits: AMC

The 7-season series gave the world the star in his most iconic role. But it ended up being revealed that the network, AMC, had wanted to cast someone other than the now 53-year-old actor.

AMC was unsure about Jon Hamm being Don Draper

Long before Mad Men premiered in 2007, the fate of the show was rather uncertain.

UK’s Odeon Cinemas Expands Family Offer

In a bid to bolster its draw for families, the UK’s Odeon Cinemas is expanding the scope of its “adults pay kids prices” deal. The scheme will see admits for one adult and one child from as little as £10 for an Odeon Cinema and £15 for an Odeon Luxe throughout 2024. The AMC-owned chain says it’s making the investment into its family offerings as data has shown that affordability and convenience are the biggest concerns for families when considering activities, particularly over the summer holidays. With the opening weekend of Inside Out 2 marking Odeon’s busiest since National Cinema Day last September, turnstiles have been on fire. The UK gross for IO2 through Sunday stands at $40.2M while such titles with family appeal on deck include Despicable Me 4 on July 12 and Harold and the Purple Crayon on August 2. Later in the year,...

Mbc Studios has officially confirmed that Samar Akrouk will succeed the departing Christina Wayne as Managing Director.

Deadline recently revealed Wayne was leaving her Managing Director post at the Middle Eastern content giant after 15 months, as she was unable to move to Saudi Arabia full time.

Today, Riyadh-based Mbc Group confirmed veteran staffer Akrouk as Managing Director. She will also retain her role as Director of Production for the wider Mbc group.

Akrouk has spent nearly three decades at Mbc, most recently overseeing production on all non-scripted productions for Mbc TV channels, streamer Shahid and social media. This includes local adaptations of Idol, Project Runway, Top Chef, The Voice and X Factor. She also headed the team that produced Arab musical film Sukkar, which was a box office hit.

In her new role, she will focus on ensuring the firm’s non-English-language television content reaches for markets beyond Saudi and the Middle Eastern region.

Exclusive: After only one year in the role, Christina Wayne is out as Managing Director of Mena network Mbc Studios, we can reveal.

We hear Wayne and Mbc are negotiating the exit and she may segue to a deal of some kind with the network. Mbc and Wayne declined to comment and the succession plan isn’t immediately clear though we hear that a successor may already be in play.

Mbc Studios is the production arm of the Middle East and North Africa-focused Mbc Group, the Gulf’s biggest network, and former Amazon and AMC exec Wayne had been tasked with continuing the group’s push into premium non-English-language TV programs and sprinkling in some English-language content. Mbc operates 17 free-to-air satellite channels and streaming service Shahid.

A key priority for Mbc in the past couple of years has been moving much of the studio’s regionally based staff, operations and content output to Saudi Arabia.

“This really is soup to nuts - everything when it comes to doing a production on the ground,” says Mbc Studios’s Christina Wayne.

Mbc Studios, the production arm of Middle East broadcaster Mbc Group, has started offering production services to films and TV shows looking to shoot in Saudi Arabia.

Riyadh-based Mbc Studios Production is already working with two non-mbc films and a Korean TV series that are considering shooting in Saudi Arabia.

Given Saudi’s nascent industry, one of the key challenges for incoming productions is sourcing local talent and navigating legal, financial and business affairs. Productions looking...

In a country where women’s freedoms have historically been marginalized (a nationwide ban on female drivers was only lifted five years ago), new Mbc Studios boss Christina Wayne is determined to seek out the strongest female creative voices Saudi Arabia has to offer.

In her first major interview since replacing Peter Smith in February, American producer Wayne, who shepherded Mad Men and Breaking Bad for AMC Networks, tells Deadline how the Riyadh-based media giant is encouraging work from “across all genders” but lasering in on new female talent.

“We have lots of amazing female writers and directors in the region who are bringing us fabulous stories,” she says. “There are book series here with fanbases that are young and female, and they are surprisingly interested in fantasy and sci-fi.”

Despite being criticized for a litany of human rights abuses and ‘sportswashing’ claims, Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman has spearheaded...

US producer previously helped develop ‘Mad Men’ and ‘Breaking Bad’.

Former Amazon Studios executive Christina Wayne has been appointed managing director of Mbc Studios, the production arm of top Middle East broadcaster Mbc Group.

The US producer replaces Peter Smith, a former president of NBCUniversal International, who is stepping down after four years but will remain with the group in an advisory role.

During his tenure, Smith spearheaded major growth in Mbc’s production activity with titles such as Rashash, Rise of the Witches, and Devil’s Promise. The latter is a series created by Tony Jordan, the UK creator of Life Of Mars,...

Prominent U.S. producer Christina Wayne, who shepherded “Mad Men” and “Breaking Bad,” has been appointed managing director of Mbc Studios, the expanding production arm of top Middle East broadcaster Mbc Group.

Wayne will replace Peter Smith, the former president of NBCUniversal, who over the past four years has overseen a surge in the Saudi-owned broadcaster’s production activity while launching its Shahid VIP streaming service, alongside its linear channels. Mbc Studios is now pumping hundreds of millions of dollars in high-end productions in Saudi Arabia as part of the ongoing effort to help kickstart the kingdom’s nascent industry. To this end, Mbc significantly moved its headquarters from Dubai to Riyadh last year.

In her new role, Wayne will continue Mbc Studios’ “ongoing work in expanding the reach of its content to audiences around the world, leveraging the continuous trend for non-English-language television content to reach more global markets,...

Former Amazon Studios originals boss for Canada and Australia, Christina Wayne, will be the new Managing Director of Saudi Arabia-based Mbc Studios.

She will succeed Peter Smith, who we last week revealed was stepping down after four years. Smith will remain as an advisor.

Former AMC Networks exec Wayne and Smith are well known to each other. In 2012, Smith joined Cineflix Studios as CEO when Wayne was President.

At Mbc Studios, the production arm of the Middle East and North Africa-focused network Mbc Group, Wayne will look to continue a push into premium non-English-language TV programs.

Mbc operates 17 free-to-air satellite channels and streaming service Shahid.

Sam Barnett, Group CEO of Mbc Group, stated: “We’re incredibly excited to be welcoming Christina Wayne to the role of Managing Director at Mbc Studios. Christina brings with her a wealth of international expertise in content development and production where she has worked across...

Alfred Molina is starring in the upcoming Prime Video series "Three Pines." It's an adaptation of the beloved and best-selling mystery novel series by Louise Penny, focused on Chief Inspector Armand Gamache. There are eight episodes in the season, though the novel series is 17 books long. That's a lot of story to mine from. It's set in Canada, and the production was filmed in both Montreal and rural Quebec. 

This is the first Canada-based production for Left Bank, which is the production company behind the Netflix series "The Crown," about the royal family of the United Kingdom. Production began on the Canadian Amazon Original drama series in September 2021. If you haven't heard of Armande Gamache, it's time to start reading, and watching when the series premieres. The Washington Post named Gamache the most beloved fictional detective in a 2021 reader survey. That puts him ahead of both Hercule Poirot from Agatha...

Amazon Studios wants to beef up its content library in Canada. And the quickest way to do that, according to Brent Haynes, the studio’s head of originals in Canada, is with half-hour formats.

“With the exception of ‘Three Pines,’ we are doing half-hours and that’s because they help quickly build our library. But, that is also one of the gaps in our programming,” Haynes said recently during a Content Canada session in Toronto.

“A lot of our other territories are doing one-hours and crime dramas, so we don’t need to repeat that,” he continued. “We are aware of what’s coming out around the world and we try to each make something that would help our other territories.”

In order to achieve that robust library, Haynes revealed the goal is to have anywhere from 5 to 10 shows in development at a time. “In our minds, every single one...

Some go-to advice for scriptwriting is to pitch your work as "x meets y"; two things with proven success mashed together. Vince Gilligan, the creator of "Breaking Bad," famously pitched the series as "Mr. Chips becomes Scarface." The boldness of that pitch won over then Sony Pictures Television executives Zack Van Amburg and Jamie Erlicht. Once Gilligan had them on his side to produce the series, he needed to find a network that would air it. This proved a challenge, with most of the prestige networks saying no before AMC finally said yes.

The struggle to find a home for "Breaking Bad" is shocking considering how successful the show became. However, Gilligan's recounting of his efforts is a pretty great story itself. Here's every network he pitched "Breaking Bad" to, and why they all said no.

Start Pitching

In an interview with the Television Academy Foundation, Gilligan recalled that during...

Exclusive: Prime Video’s first scripted Canadian Amazon Original series, The Lake, is getting a second season. Amazon has greenlighted another cycle of the half-hour comedy written and executive produced by Julian Doucet (Killjoys) and executive produced by Karen Troubetzkoy. Michael Souther and Teza Lawrence also executive produce for Amaze (Carter).

Based in part on Doucet’s life experience, The Lake centers on the quintessential Canadian cottage experience. Season 1 began with Justin (Jordan Gavaris) returning from living abroad after a break-up with his long-term partner, in the hope of reconnecting with the biological daughter who he gave up for adoption in his teens. His plans to create new memories with his city-loving daughter Billie (Madison Shamoun) at the idyllic lake from his childhood went awry when he found out his father left the family cottage to his “picture-perfect” stepsister, Maisy-May (Julia Stiles).

Cancellations/Renewals Scorecard: TV Shows...

The “Kids in the Hall” cast — Dave Foley, Bruce McCulloch, Kevin McDonald, Mark McKinney and Scott Thompson — are unearthed from their burial plot and set loose on the world once again in the first trailer for the Prime Video revival of the beloved sketch comedy. The reboot will debut on May 13, the streamer announced on Wednesday at its Prime Video Presents Canada showcase event in Toronto.

Things are crushed from a distance, tasteless jokes are made and Queen Elizabeth spoofed in the trailer, which sees the comedians skeptical of their new streaming network, Amazon.

The upcoming season will feature eight episodes with all-new sketches and guest stars including Pete Davidson, Mark Hamill, Catherine O’Hara, Kenan Thompson, Will Forte, Paul Bellini, Brandon Ash-Mohammed, Catherine Reitman, Samantha Bee, Fred Armisen, Paul Sun-Hyung Lee, Jay Baruchel, Eddie Izzard, Tracee Ellis Ross and Colin Mochrie.

The original Emmy-nominated sketch show premiered in 1989 and become a cult comedy hit.

Amazon has commissioned a new Canadian original comedy series titled “The Sticky,” Variety has learned.

The series is inspired by the true story of “The Great Canadian Maple Syrup Heist.” The English language half-hour series will be set in Quebec.

It revolves around Ruth Clarke, a tough, supremely competent middle-aged Canadian maple syrup farmer who’s had it with being hemmed in by the polite, bureaucratic conventions native to her country’s identity. Especially now that that very bureaucracy is threatening to take away everything she loves: Her farm, her comatose husband, and her right to manifest destiny. With the help of Remy Bouchard, a pint-sized local blockhead and an aging and Mike Byrne, a low-level mobster, Ruth changes her fate—and transforms the future of her community with the theft of millions of dollars’ worth of maple syrup.

The real heist involved the theft of 18 million dollars (Cad) of...

The Great Canadian Maple Syrup Heist, which saw more than 14M of Quebec’s national maple syrup reserves stolen a decade ago, is the basis for a new comedy series.

Amazon has ordered Canadian original The Sticky, a half-hour series from Blumhouse Television, Jamie Lee Curtis’ Comet Pictures, Jonathan Levine’s Megamix and Sphere Media.

2022 Prime Video Pilots & Series Orders

The Sticky revolves around Ruth Clarke, a tough, supremely competent middle-aged Canadian maple syrup farmer who’s had it with being hemmed in by the polite, bureaucratic conventions native to her country’s identity. Especially now that that very bureaucracy is threatening to take away everything she loves: her farm, her comatose husband, and her right to manifest destiny. With the help of Remy Bouchard, a pint-sized local blockhead and an aging and Mike Byrne, a low-level mobster, Ruth changes her fate — and transforms the future of her community with...

Exclusive: Prime Video has set its first scripted Canadian Amazon Original series, The Lake. Jordan Gavaris (Orphan Black), Julia Stiles and Madison Shamoun star in the half-hour comedy, produced by Amaze (Carter). Set in cottage country, it will film in northern Ontario from August to September for a 2022 launch on Prime Video.

Amazon Studios’ The Lake is part of Prime Video’s investment in Canada. It is the fourth announced Canadian Amazon Original series overall, following the revival of the sketch comedy The Kids in the Hall, docu-series All or Nothing: Toronto Maple Leafs, and and comedy-variety series Lol: Last One Laughing Canada. Since 2015, Amazon Studios has filmed 24 original series and films in Canada, including The Man in the High Castle and Upload in Vancouver, The Boys and The Expanse in Toronto, Tales from the Loop in Winnipeg, as well as parts of Tom Clancy...

Sean Kleier (Ant-Man and the Wasp) and Greg Keller (The Last O.G.) are set as series regulars opposite Erin Darke in YouTube Premium’s dramedy pilot It’s a Man’s World (working title), from Smash creator Theresa Rebeck, Christina Wayne’s Assembly Entertainment and ITV Studios America.

Written by Rebeck and directed by Romeo Tirone, the story centers around Emma (Darke), a successful video game design executive and the sole breadwinner for her family, who is used to dodging the landmines that come with being a woman in a male-dominated field. When she gets fired without explanation and finds that she’s being blacklisted by everyone in her industry, Emma decides to dress as a man to get a new job and to continue supporting her family. As strange and politically incorrect as Emma’s new life may be, she starts to enjoy the newfound ease of access and...

Dietland alumna Erin Darke is set as the lead in YouTube Premium’s comedy pilot It’s a Man’s World (working title), from Smash creator Theresa Rebeck, Christina Wayne’s Assembly Entertainment and ITV Studios America. In addition, Romeo Tirone has been tapped to direct and executive produce the pilot. Production began February 25 in New York.

Written by Rebeck, the story centers around Emma (Darke), a successful video game design executive and the sole breadwinner for her family, who is used to dodging the landmines that come with being a woman in a male-dominated field. When she gets fired without explanation and finds that she’s being blacklisted by everyone in her industry, Emma decides to dress as a man to get a new job and to continue supporting her family. As strange and politically incorrect as Emma’s new life may be, she starts to...

The Peak TV bubble would seem to have been a bonanza for independent producers. But the sheer volume of TV content in production in recent years has made the traditional job of assembling and shepherding a television show that much more complicated in many instances.

In today’s edition of Variety‘s “Strictly Business” podcast, Assembly Entertainment CEO Christina Wayne speaks candidly about the challenges indie producers face in getting projects on the air even in a boom market.

The former AMC development executive who championed “Mad Men” and “Breaking Bad,” Wayne has been in the trenches as a producer for a decade. At present her projects include a drama series based on the “Mercury 13” female astronauts project from the early 1960s, with Jessica Chastain producing, and a YouTube comedy pilot “It’s a Man’s World,” penned by Theresa Rebeck. Wayne is also coming off a two-season run...

Showtime has canceled the Jim Carrey-produced “I’m Dying Up Here” after two seasons, the network announced on Friday.

Set in the 1970s Los Angeles stand-up comedy community, the show’s last episode aired in July.

Based on the non-fiction book of the same name by William Knoedelseder, “I’m Dying Up Here” was created by Dave Flebotte, who also served as executive producer alongside Michael Aguilar, Christina Wayne, Cindy Chupack, Adam Davidson and Carrey.

Also Read: 'I'm Dying Up Here' Cast Reveals Stand Up Advice Jim Carrey Gave Before Filming

Melissa Leo headlined the seres as the mentor at a comedy club to a group of comedians played by Ari Graynor, Michael Angarano, Clark Duke, Andrew Santino, Erik Griffin, Rj Cyler, Al Madrigal and Jake Lacy. Season 2 also featured recurring appearances by Jon Daly, Nicole Ari Parker, Xosha Roquemore, Stefania Lavie Owen and Brad Garrett.

The drama earned...

Showtime has canceled “I’m Dying Up Here” after two seasons.

The drama series, which boasted Jim Carrey among its executive producers, followed a fictionalized group of stand up comedians in La in the ‘70s. The cast was led by Oscar winner Melissa Leo, who played tough as nails comedy club owner Goldie. The cast also included Ari Graynor, Clark Duke, Michael Angarano, Rj Cyler, Andrew Santino, Erik Griffin, Al Madrigal and Jake Lacy. Jon Daly, Nicole Ari Parker, Xosha Roquemore, Stefania Lavie Owen and Brad Garrett joined the show in recurring roles in Season 2.

It was based on the non-fiction book of the same name by William Knoedelseder. Dave Flebotte, Carrey, Michael Aguilar, Christina Wayne, Cindy Chupack, Adam Davidson, and Endemol Shine Studios served as executive producers on Season 2. Showtime produced “I’m Dying Up Here.” Showtime confirmed the cancellation Friday evening.

The series never picked up any steam in the ratings,...

Showtime has canceled I'm Dying Up Here after two seasons.

The Jim Carrey-produced dramedy, which centered on Los Angeles’ famed 1970s stand-up comedy scene, will not be back for a third season. Melissa Leo and Ari Graynor led the ensemble cast, which also included Clark Duke, Michael Angarano, Rj Cyler, Andrew Santino, Erik Griffin, Al Madrigal and Jake Lacy.

I'm Dying Up Here, which first bowed in 2017, was created and executive produced by Dave Flebotte. From Endemol Shine Studios, the series also counted Michael Aguilar, Christina Wayne, Cindy Chupack, Adam Davidson and Carrey among its executive producers. Based ...

In today’s TV News Roundup, CBS will offer advanced access to “God Friended Me,” and “Lethal Weapon” actress Keesha Sharp will make her directorial debut.

Dates

CBS will offer advanced access to the pilot episode of “God Friended Me,” starting Aug. 31st at 2 p.m. Et/ 11 a.m. Pt on CBS.com, Facebook, Twitter and Instagram’s Igtv. The new CBS drama follows atheist Miles Finer (Brandon Micheal Hall) after he receives a Facebook friend request from God.

“Tracy Ullman’s Show” is set to return to HBO Sept. 28 at 12:00 a.m. for a third season with six new episodes. The comedy sketch series will also reprise several of the comedienne’s characterizations, including Judy Dench and Angela Merkel, as well as new characters such as Theresa May and Melania Trump.

The second annual Adam West Day celebration will take place Sept. 19 in the late Batman star’s home town of Walla Walla,...

Exclusive: YouTube has given a pilot order to It’s a Man’s World (working title), a provocative half-hour comedy taking on gender inequality in the gaming industry. It is written by Smash creator Theresa Rebeck and produced by Christina Wayne’s Assembly Entertainment in association with ITV Studios America.

It’s a Man’s World, written by Rebeck with an original script by Heidi Schreck (Billions), centers on Emma, a successful video game design executive and the sole breadwinner for her family who is used to dodging the land mines that come with being a woman in a male-dominated field.

When she gets fired without explanation and finds that she’s being blacklisted by everyone in her industry, Emma decides to dress as a man to get a new job and to continue supporting her family. As strange and politically incorrect as Emma’s new life may be, she...

“We haven’t decided yet,” Showtime boss David Nevins said Monday about whether there will be a Season 3 for I’m Dying Up Here, the network’s original series that follows the 1970s Hollywood stand-up scene.

Created by Dave Flebotte and based on William Knoedelseder nonfiction book, I’m Dying Up Here stars Melissa Leo, Ari Graynor, Clark Duke, Michael Angarano, Rj Cyler, Andrew Santino, Erik Griffin, Al Madrigal and Jake Lacy.

Among the actors set to recur in season-long arcs are Xosha Roquemore, Nicole Ari Parker, Stefania Lavie Owen and Brad Garrett as comedy legend Roy Martin, who arrives on the scene and drops bombs and wisdom on the comics at Goldie’s.

Flebotte executive produces with Jim Carrey, Michael Aguilar, Christina Wayne, Cindy Chupack, Adam Davidson and Endemol Shine Studio.

The North Fork TV Festival has set the judges panel for its upcoming installment.

Scheduled to take place Sept. 6-8 in Greenport, N.Y., the North Fork TV Festival screens independently produced pilots, plays host to industry panels, and provides networking opportunities for television professionals. This year’s judges panel will include Nicole Emanuele, scripted executive, YouTube Red; Roy Ashton, partner and head of TV literary department, Gersh Agency; Mark Armstrong, talent manager and producer, Armstrong, Caserta Management; Sally Habbershaw, Evp, sales and co-productions, Americas, All 3 Media; Dolly Turner, president and producer, the Turner Group; Katherine Oliver, principal, Bloomberg Associates and Bloomberg Philanthropies; Tony Spiridakis, founder, Manhattan Film Institute; Haleigh Raff, producer, “Late Night With Seth Meyers”; Theresa Ward, deputy county executive and commissioner, Suffolk County Economic; and Eben Davidson, Evp, scripted programming, Blumhouse Productions.

“I welcome everyone to come be a part of the audience that will change television,...

Showtime is renewing the drama series about comedy, “I’m Dying Up Here,” for a second season, the network announced Friday. The show, executive produced by Jim Carrey and partially inspired by his experiences as a budding stand-up comic, follows a group of Los Angeles comedians in the 1970s. It’s based on the non-fiction book of the same name by William Knoedelseder. It was created by Dave Flebotte, who also serves as executive producer, along with Michael Aguilar and Christina Wayne. The large ensemble cast includes Melissa Leo, who plays the mentor at a comedy club, Ari Graynor, Michael Angarano,...

Watch the official I'm Dying Up Here TV show trailer. The new series takes place in L.A.'s standup comedy scene. I'm Dying Up Here will premiere on Showtime on Sunday June 4, 2017 at 10:00pm Et/Pt.A scripted comedy-drama from creator David Flebotte, I'm Dying Up Here stars Melissa Leo, Ari Graynor, Michael Angarano, Clark Duke, Andrew Santino, Erik Griffin, Rj Cyler, Al Madrigal, and Jake Lacy. Flebotte executive produces the Showtime TV series with Michael Aguilar, Jim Carrey, and Christina Wayne.Read More…...

Updated: On the heels of the success of Hidden Figures about female African-American Nasa mathematicians’ contributions to Project Mercury, an event series is looking to shine a light on another little-known group of women in the early 1960s who were denied a chance to be part of the Mercury space program. In her first foray into TV producing, Oscar-nominated actress Jessica Chastain has teamed with Sully writer Todd Komarnicki and TV producer Christina Wayne (Showtime’s I…...

Melissa Leo‘s new gig is a laughing matter.

I’m Dying Up Here, the dark comedy starring the Oscar-winning actress, has been greenlit at Showtime.

The network announced the series order Tuesday at the Television Critics Association winter press tour in Pasadena.

RelatedTwin Peaks Premiere Date Narrowed Down to ‘Early 2017’ at Showtime

Based on the non-fiction book of the same name by WIlliam Knoedelseder, the hour-long Dying examines the “inspired and damaged psyches” of stand-up comedians in Los Angeles in the 1970s.

Leo (Treme, Louie) will be a series regular, a “brassy” comedy-club owner named Goldie. Sebastian Stan (Once Upon a Time,...

In one of his first major moves as ITV Studios America president, Philippe Maigret has inked an exclusive producer overall deal with Christina Wayne and her Assembly Entertainment, reuniting with the scripted series producer after first signing her into a pod deal while he was CEO of Endemol Studios. Wayne and her team will relocate to ITV Studios America's offices in New York and Los Angeles. "As I set my sights on identifying the best scripted programming for ITV…...

You can find Melissa Leo in da club for her next TV role — a comedy club, to be specific.

The Oscar-winning actress (The Fighter, Louie) has landed a major role in Showtime’s dark comedy pilot I’m Dying Up Here. If it’s picked up, Leo would be a series regular as Goldie, who’s described as “a brassy comedy-club owner who rules over her business with an iron fist and nurtures her comedians with tough love.”

Related2016 Renewal Scorecard: What’s Coming Back? What’s Getting Cancelled? What’s on the Bubble?

Sebastian Stan (Political Animals, Once Upon...

“Me and Earl and the Dying Girl’s” Rj Cyler has been cast in the Showtime pilot “I’m Dying Up Here.” Cyler will play struggling comedian Adam in the large ensemble comedy. Based on the book by William Knoedelseder, the project is set in Los Angeles during the 1970s. It is written and executive produced by former stand-up comedian Dave Flebotte (“Will & Grace”). Jim Carrey will executive produce, and Jonathan Levine (“50/50”) will direct. Michael Aguilar (“The Departed”) and Christina Wayne (“Copper”) serve as executive producers for the pilot from Endemol Shine Studios and Assembly Entertainment. Also read: Teddy Roosevelt Limited Series in Works.

In a competitive situation, WGN America has bought Debt, a spec script written by Ian MacDonald, which has Man Men alum Vincent Kartheiser set to star and Neil Labute set to direct. The project, from Endemol Shine Studios and Christina Wayne's Assembly Entertainment, is for straight-to-series consideration, with penalty attached if it doesn’t get a green light. Written by Ian MacDonald, Debt centers on a man who, having lost everything important to him, decides to partner…...

Rock legend Patti Smith is teaming with Showtime for a limited series adaptation of her 2010 memoir, Just Kids. Showtime president David Nevins announced the project Tuesday during the Television Critics Assocation's summer press tour, noting that Smith will co-write and co-produce the series with Penny Dreadful creator John Logan, according to The Hollywood Reporter.

Just Kids, which won a National Book Award in the nonfiction category, focuses on Smith's relationship with late photographer Robert Mapplethorpe during the late Sixties and early Seventies – and features stories of her encounters with pop culture giants like Jimi Hendrix,...

Showtime has ordered a pilot for Jim Carrey’s 1970s-set dark comedy-club series “I’m Dying Up Here.” The one-hour pilot will be directed by Jonathan Levine (“50/50”), and written and executive produced by Dave Flebotte. Carrey is also counted among the executive producers, as is Michael Aguilar and Christina Wayne. Based on the nonfiction book by William Knoedelseder, the series will be produced by Endemol Shine Studios and Assembly Entertainment. “I’m Dying Up Here” is set to shoot its pilot this fall. Also Read: 'Ray Donovan,' 'Masters of Sex' Renewed by Showtime “The 1970s L.A.

The man who created Supernatural has turned his attention to a superhero.

Eric Kripke’s Amped, a drama that follows a neurotic man who takes a pill and becomes incredibly strong and powerful, is one of several projects on USA Network‘s 2015-2016 development slate.

Kripke will pen both the Vertigo comic book on which Amped is based and the series itself, which he’ll also executive-produce.

Related Cable Renewal Scorecard: What’s Coming Back? What’s Getting Cancelled? What’s on the Bubble?

Other potential series the cable channel announced Tuesday include:

* The Tap, a 1969-set spy thriller set at Yale University,...

Matthew Weiner has always been more comfortable talking about the past of “Mad Men” rather than letting anyone know anything about the future — even when that future is only seven episodes long, starting Sunday, April 5 at 10 p.m. Having spent enough time over the years asking Weiner questions that he responded to with a very guarded, “Well, you’ve got to watch,” I knew enough to focus as much on the past as possible when we recently sat down for an hour-long interview to discuss the end of his Emmy-winning baby. We talked about the last days of production, looked back all the way to the show’s origins when Weiner was a staff writer on “Becker” looking for a different kind of career in television, the show’s long acting Emmy drought, and more. And I made it almost to the end without a single “You’ve got to watch.

Homeland

The season three finale of "Homeland" proved to be series' highest-rated episode and night ever. The series pulled in 2.4 million viewers at 9 p.m. and 2.9 million viewers for the night, an increase on the season three premiere by 12% for the night.

The show currently averages seven million weekly viewers to-date, surpassing its second season total by 18% and proving the show's highest-rated season ever - not to mention the first time a Showtime series has passed that weekly view count. [Source: THR]

The Inn

"Insidious" and "Sinister" producer Jason Blum, along with Christina Wayne ("Copper"), are developing the supernatural drama "The Inn" for NBC.

The classic ghost story series follows a group of strangers drawn to an isolated hotel by fate. Compelled to find the truth, they soon discovers The Inn is aware of their pasts and presents and is using them to force the guests to confront themselves and each other.

Powerhouse horror producer Jason Blum is looking to bring some more small scare terror to the tube with a new project called "The Inn" for NBC. What haunting horrors lay in wait? Read on for the first details.

According to Deadline, Blum (pictured; Paranormal Activity, Insidious, The Purge and Sinister franchises) has teamed with TV executive-turned-producer Christina Wayne ("Copper") for "The Inn," a supernatural drama project set up at NBC.

Written by Patrick Macmanus (Marco Polo) and produced by Universal TV Studios, "The Inn" is described as a classic ghost story that follows a group of strangers drawn to an isolated hotel by fate. Compelled to find the truth behind the horrors that haunt them and answer the question of why they were brought together, the ensemble soon discovers that The Inn is aware of their pasts and presents and is using them to force the guests to confront themselves and each other.

Exclusive: Top horror feature producer Jason Blum (Paranormal Activity, Insidious, The Purge and Sinister franchises) has teamed with TV executive-turned-producer Christina Wayne (Copper) for The Inn, a supernatural drama project set up at NBC. Written by Patrick Macmanus (Marco Polo) and produced by Universal TV Studios, The Inn is described as a classic ghost story that follows a group of strangers drawn to an isolated hotel by fate. Compelled to find the truth behind the horrors that haunt them and answer the question of why they were brought together, the ensemble soon discovers that The Inn is aware of their pasts and presents and is using them to force the guests to confront themselves and each other. Blum and Wayne will executive produce through their production companies, Blumhouse Prods. and Assembly Entertainment, along with their consultants on TV development, Gerard Bocaccio (Blumhouse) and Miura Kite (Assembly). Macmanus is co-executive producing.

Endemol Studios, Endemol North America’s scripted studio operation based in Los Angeles, has signed its first pod deal, bringing in Christina Wayne and her Assembly Entertainment shingle to develop and produce scripted projects for cable and other TV distribution platforms. “Christina’s taste in material, her relationships with top talent and her experience as a writer, director, producer and as a network and studio executive will be incredibly valuable as we expand our development slate,” said Endemol Studios CEO Philippe Maigret. Former AMC senior development executive Wayne most recently served as president of Cineflix Studios, Cineflix’s scripted television arm, since its 2010 launch, but the division was recently dissolved after the cancellation of its BBC America drama Copper as the unscripted producer decided to retreat from scripted series. Under Wayne’s deal with Endemol Studios, she will develop existing and new projects, including Mdx, an international medical disaster drama...

BBC America has renewed Copper, its freshman drama about a 19th-century New York City policeman. “Copper has proven to be a perfect fit for the channel,” said Perry Simon, BBC Worldwide America’s general manager of channels. “Production led by Tom Fontana, Will Rokos, Barry Levinson and Christina Wayne, along with the cast from both sides of the pond, truly captured the boiling pot that was New York City in 1864. We can’t wait to get started on the second season.”

The channel ordered 13 new episodes, three more than the show’s first-season run (which concludes this Sunday.) Copper’s...

Copper will live to fight more 19th century crimes in 2013.

BBC America has announced a Season 2 renewal for the Tom Weston-Jones-anchored drama. The first original series from this network, Copper premiere to just under two million viewers and has remained steady since.

Said Perry Simon, General Manager, Channels, BBC Worldwide America, in making the announcement:

"Copper has proven to be a perfect fit for the channel. Our viewers have made it our highest-rated series premiere ever and highest-rated drama series ever. Production led by Tom Fontana, Will Rokos, Barry Levinson and Christina Wayne, along with the cast from both sides of the pond, truly captured the boiling pot that was New York City in 1864. We can't wait to get started on the second season."

It will be comprised of 13 episodes and debut in the spring of next year.

The Copper Season 1 finale, meanwhile, airs Sunday night.

"Copper" has been renewed for a second season, BBC America announced today (Oct. 18).

The engrossing, critically acclaimed crime drama -- the network's first original series -- centers around detective Kevin Corcoran (Tom Weston-Jones), a former soldier fighting crime and corruption in New York City's dangerous Five Points neighborhood during the end of the Civil War.

"Copper has proven to be a perfect fit for the channel," said Perry Simon, BBC Worldwide America's general manager of channels. "Our viewers have made it our highest-rated series premiere ever and highest-rated drama series ever. Production led by Tom Fontana, Will Rokos, Barry Levinson and Christina Wayne, along with the cast from both sides of the pond, truly captured the boiling pot that was New York City in 1864. We can't wait to get started on the second season."

Season 2, which will air in 2013. will also be longer: BBC America ordered 13 episodes compared to its freshman run of 10.  

Anastasia Griffith,...

BBC America has made it official, renewing its first original scripted series, Copper, for a second season. The news comes ahead of the period drama’s Season 1 finale Sunday. The channel has ordered 13 episodes for Copper, which is produced by Cineflix Studios, vs. 10 for its freshman season. It marked BBC America and Cineflix’s first original scripted series. “Copper has proven to be a perfect fit for the channel,” said Perry Simon, General Manager, Channels, BBC Worldwide America. The series, which centers on an Irish immigrant cop (Tom Weston-Jones) in 1864 New York, premiered in August with 1.1 million total viewers, the largest audience ever for a BBC America series debut. It is the network’s highest-rated drama to date, averaging over one million viewers a week. The series is created by Tom Fontana and Will Rokos. Season one executive producers include Barry Levinson, Fontana, Rokos, Christina Wayne, Jim Finnerty, Sherri Rufh,...

Copper is going worldwide. Fox International Channels and Cineflix Studios have an agreement to show the upcoming BBC America Civil War era drama in Australia, Turkey, Italy, Spain, Portugal as well as across Latin America and the continent of Africa. The 10-episodes of Copper, which is BBC America’s first scripted commission and Cineflix Studios’ first scripted order, will debut internationally in the fall. Premiering on BBC America on August 19, Copper tells the tale of an Irish immigrent who becomes a New York City policeman during the turmoil of the 1860s. Tom Fontana and Will Rokos created the series. The duo executive produce the show as does Barry Levinson and Christina Wayne, President of Cineflix Studios. Tom Weston-Jones plays the lead character and is joined in the cast by Franka Potente, Kyle Schmid, and Anastasia Griffith. Related: BBC America on ‘Copper’: TCA...