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Magnum, P.I. was a huge hit in the 1980s, giving star Tom Selleck his big break in Hollywood. Despite enjoying his time on the show, Selleck shared in his new memoir, You Never Know, that he disliked the show's title for one specific reason.

Per TVLine, Selleck wrote in his memoir that the beloved crime drama series, created by Donald P. Bellisario and Glen A. Larson, was originally titled Magnum. At that time, the title character's full name was also different, being Harry Magnum instead of Thomas Magnum. However, over concerns that Magnum and Harry Magnum were too similar to Clint Eastwood's Dirty Harry in Magnum Force, CBS and Bellisario opted to re-title the show Magnum, P.I., since Selleck's title character worked as a private investigator. Although a minor change, Selleck thought Magnum, P.I. "was a shitty title" because he knew, from his brief time in Hawaii, that "P.

Peter McGuigan, who co-created the New York literary agency Foundry Literary + Media with Yfat Reiss Gendell, has launched a new agency dubbed Ultra Literary.

The move comes after the news last week that Gendell exited Foundry to form Yrg Partners, taking Foundry agents Tanusri Prasanna, Peter Steinberg and Adriann Ranta Zurhellen and their clients with her. That agency will focus on representing publishing rights for writers and consumer brands.

McGuigan’s client include Trevor Noah, Patrick deWitt, April Ryan, Ben Jealous, Bret Witter, Pamela Des Barres, Ellis Henican, Mike Massimino, Wesley Snipes, Andy Richter, Jeff Foxworthy, Robin Gaby Fisher and Frank Figliuzzi among others. His producer credits include adaptations of the No. 1 bestseller Dewey, as well as Stronger, Dopesick and others.

Foundry agent Kirsten Neuhaus, whose clients include Shark Tank shark Daymond John, is joining McGuigan and will be a part of the management team. Alička Pistek, who worked with McGuigan at Sanford J.

Exclusive Ballantine Books has acquired world English rights to Into The Dark, a book that the publisher says will, for the first time, chronicle last summer’s rescue of the Wild Boars soccer team from a flooded Thai cave in the actual words of everyone directly involved.

Susanna Porter is Ballantine’s acquiring editor, and journalist, author and frequent TV pundit Ellis Henican will serve as author along with the principals telling their stories.

Subtitled The Dramatic Story of the Thai Cave Rescue, the book uses alternating first-person accounts to recount how the ordeal played out day by day. Included in the narrative are divers Dr. Craig Challen and Dr. Richard Harris, Wild Boars coach Ekkapol Chantawong and each of the boys on the team.

Ballantine says Universal Pictures has optioned feature film rights to Into The Dark.

Ballantine says the Into The Dark book is the only account to...

Craig Schmell spent his youth crashing every major event he laid his eyes on — and now he’s telling his story.

From crashing the Grammy’s stage to smoking marijuana at the Kremlin and riding in President Ronald Reagan’s motorcade, the now-finance executive is telling all in his new book, The Uninvited: How I Crashed My Way into Finding Myself, cowritten with Ellis Henican and out Nov. 14 — and shares how he found redemption after years of troubling behavior.

“It’s the story of my life and how I had everything backwards and I didn’t know it,” Schmell, 55, tells People.

Black Swan writer Mark Heyman has bagged scripting duties on upcoming adaptation, How To Catch A Russian Spy. The movie will be adapted from the forthcoming novel, How to Catch a Russian Spy: The True Story of an American Civilian Turned Double Agent by Naveed Jamali and Ellis Henican, which is slated to hit store shelves this June.

The true story book follows Jamali’s three-year experience as a double agent. During that period, he spied on America for the Russians and traded sensitive intel for great financial rewards, or so the Russians believed. In actual fact, Jamali was a covert double agent working with the FBI. It’s a gripping story that could have been yanked from a Robert Ludlum novel.

Fox procured the rights to the novel some time ago with a 2014 release initially on the calendar. (500) Days Of Summer‘s Marc Webb was – and still is – attached to direct.

(Cbr) Deadline reports the "Amazing Spider-Man" and "(300) Days of Summer" director is attached to helm "Cold Comfort", Fox’s adaptation of the novel "How to Catch a Russian Spy", co-written by Ellis Henican. It’s based on the true story of an American civilian who trains himself to become a spy, working with the FBI to take down a Russian intelligence operative working within the United States. There’s no word on when production on "Cold Comfort" will begin. Remember that Webb has been confirmed by Sony to direct "The Amazing Spider-Man 3", due out in theaters in 2016.

Franchises are now in the process of trapping directors. Want to make anything other than sequels? You.re S.O.L. dude. You can only hope that the consistency that.s being developed involves quality control: if you.re going to trap a director in your web (Pun Intended), it might as well be a capable one. Is Marc Webb that guy? Sony thinks so, because the man who reinvented The Amazing Spider-Man has a second installment coming this summer and is now attached to direct the third. Fortunately for him, he.s looking to diversify. Deadline reports that Webb is attached to Cold Comfort, a true-life spy story written by Ellis Henican and a mysterious second writer who cannot reveal his identity. Fox will be producing the film, and they hope to find a way to pluck Webb from Sony.s clutches before the studio can lock him into...

Marc Webb will direct Cold Comfort.

The Amazing Spider-Man 2 director has signed on for 20th Century Fox's comedy spy thriller, reports Deadline.

It will be based on Ellis Henican's upcoming non-fiction book Cold Comfort (aka How To Catch A Russian Spy), written alongside a currently anonymous American civilian who became a self-taught spy.

The individual worked with the FBI to bring down a Russian intelligence agent on Us soil.

Webb's next release will be the Andrew Garfield and Emma Stone-starring Amazing Spider-Man 2.

The director was announced this week to have signed on for The Amazing Spider-Man 3, with Sony Pictures planning a new film in the franchise every year.

Watch a trailer for The Amazing Spider-Man 2 below:...

"The Amazing Spider-Man" series director Marc Webb is attached to helm "Cold Comfort," an adaptation of the upcoming book "How to Catch a Russian Spy" for 20th Century Fox.

The book chronicles the true story of an American civilian who became a self-taught spy and helped bring down a Russian agent operating on American soil. Despite the serious sounding subject matter, the film is actually seen as a vehicle for a comedic actor.

Journalist Ellis Henican and a real-life civilian-turned-spy penned the book, the latter set to reveal their true identity upon the book's publication.

Bard Dorros, Michael Sugar and Marc Webb are producing. No writer is presently attached and how this will fit in with Webb's 'Spider-Man' commitments is unknown at this time.

Source: THR...

20th Century Fox has acquired Cold Comfort (aka How to Catch a Russian Spy) today for The Amazing Spider-Man director Marc Webb to helm. Based on the yet-to-be-published novel of the same name by Ellis Henican, the project is said to be a star vehicle for “a comic actor in the vein of Jonah Hill.” The comedic spy flick will tell the true story of an average everyday U.S. citizen who taught himself how to be a spy and worked with the FBI to bring down a Russian intelligence officer.

With his current commitment to Sony’s The Amazing Spider-Man franchise, it might be some time before Webb gets this project off the ground. Hopefully it’s not too long though. While I didn’t love the director’s take on the webslinger, I’m a huge fan of (500) Days of Summer and I’m eager to see Webb...

At one time, Marc Webb was the guy who directed some music videos and the charming rom-com "(500) Days Of Summer." And the next thing he knew, he was caught in the web of "The Amazing Spider-Man," directing two films of the franchise so far, and recently confirmed for the third. But it looks like he's getting an exit strategy together. Fox has snapped up the rights to the upcoming book "Cold Comfort (aka How To Catch A Russian Spy)" co-written by journalist Ellis Henican, with the material being developed for Webb to direct. The comedy, which is said to have a lead role perfect for a Jonah Hill type, tells the story of a self-taught spy who works with the FBI to track down a Russian agent in the United States. Sounds cool bro, but with Webb tied up through 2016 with Spidey, this is a long way off. [Deadline] Polish filmmaking...

In a bit of a bidding battle, 20th Century Fox has acquired the Soviet spy thriller Cold Comfort for Marc Webb to direct. Deadline reports that plenty of other studios and directors were in the mix given that the material lends itself to a strong comedic performance for a lead actor in the vein of Jonah Hill, and Fox will develop the property as a directing vehicle for Webb, who will also produce. The pic is an adaptation of the upcoming novel Cold Comfort (aka How to Catch a Russian Spy) by columnist Ellis Henican and follows an American civilian who convinced the FBI to allow him to help bring down a Russian agent on American soil. Hit the jump for more on when Webb might be able to tackle the material. Webb most recently directed The Amazing Spider-Man 2 and he was just confirmed as the director of The Amazing Spider-Man...

20th Century Fox has acquired the rights to the upcoming book How to Catch a Russian Spy for an adaptation entitled Cold Comfort, with Marc Webb attached to direct.

The book chronicles the true story of an American civilian who became a self-taught spy and helped bring down a Russian agent operating on American soil. The book was co-written by journalist Ellis Henican alongside this real-life civilian-turned-spy, who will reveal his true identity upon the book's publication, although it isn't known when the book will be released.

Several studios and directors were vying for the rights to How to Catch a Russian Spy, since the project is being viewed as a starring vehicle for a strong comedic actor such as Jonah Hill. Bard Dorros, Michael Sugar and Marc Webb are producing, with Ashley Zalta co-producing. No screenwriter is attached at this time.

Marc Webb's superhero sequel The Amazing Spider-Man 2...

Exclusive: In the second big material deal of the day, Fox has acquired Cold Comfort (aka How To Catch A Russian Spy), a film that will be developed as a directing vehicle for Marc Webb. The subject of the book is keeping his name under wraps, and it is being co-written by Ellis Henican, a longtime pal of mine from Newsday who’s still a columnist there and a bestselling author. Several studios and directors were in the mix on this one, because it’s such a strong star vehicle for a comic actor in the vein of Jonah Hill. This is the true account of an American civilian-turned-self-taught spy, who worked with the FBI to bring down a Russian intelligence agent on American soil. Anonymous Content’s Michael Sugar and Bard Dorros are producing, with Webb also serving as producer. Fox’s Emma Watts and Kira Goldberg negotiated this...

Fox has acquired Cold Comfort (aka How to Catch a Russian Spy) with Marc Webb attached to direct. The upcoming book is from Ellis Henican, a columnist at Newsday and Fox News Channel political analyst. Scribner will publish the book. Story: SXSW: Marc Webb Added to Keynote Lineup The story follows a man who convinces the FBI to let him conduct a sting against a top Russian spy. Michael Sugar, Webb and Bard Dorros are producing. Henican co-wrote Home Team, a New York Times best-seller recounting the story of the New Orleans Saints' rise to a Super Bowl

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Though his life is dominated by his commitment to the Amazing Spider-Man film series (he was recently confirmed as director for the third outing), Marc Webb still owes 20th Century Fox another film on his contract following (500) Days Of Summer. The studio is now developing another project, spy book Cold Comfort, as a potential directing vehicle.Journalist Ellis Henican is co-writing the non-fiction book, which boasts the subtitle How To Catch A Russian Spy. It’s an account of an American citizen fascinated with spy craft who taught himself the art of espionage and worked with the FBI to bring down a Russian intelligence agent. It certainly sounds like the basis for a compelling film, but of course it’s still early days. There’s no writer attached yet, so don’t expect this one to rush into cinemas.Webb remains busy with Peter Parker and co, finishing up the second Amazing Spider-Man and,...

Following word earlier this week that he'll be continuing his Marvel franchise with Columbia Pictures' The Amazing Spider-Man 3 , comes word, via Deadline , that Marc Webb will also helm 20th Century Fox's upcoming true spy thriller Cold Comfort , based on the upcoming book "How to Catch a Russian Spy." "How to Catch a Russian Spy" is officially described at Publisher's Marketplace as being, "the true account of an American civilian turned self-taught spy, who worked with the FBI to bring down a Russian intelligence agent on American soil (and who will reveal his identity at publication), co-written by Newsday columnist and Nyt bestselling author Ellis Henican." Outside of his work in the Marvel Universe, Webb is best known for his debut...

FoxNews.com has a feature they call "Skype Gripe" in which two talking heads discuss news of the day from different political angles: Ellis Henican represents a left-of-center point of view and Jim Pinkerton comes from a right-of-center perspective. Today's topic was the new Howard Kurtz Daily Beast report on the "war" between Keith Olbermann and MSNBC president Phil Griffin, a great piece filled with lots of interesting details.

In a comparison that is sure to upset nearly everyone involved, Fox News contributor and Newsday columnist Ellis Henican compared the mysterious whistleblower site Wikileaks to the mysterious right-wing aggregation site the Drudge Report on Fox News Watch yesterday. His comparison was in response to the description of Wikileaks as a "collection bin," but this is probably a more remarkably apt analogy than Henican initially realized.

What is it about prostitution that turns everyone into a 12-year-old boy? Today's Fox News Watch was particularly giggly, as they were discussing the possibility of former New York governor Eliot Spitzer, whose claim to fame is having slept with a prostitute once, getting his own TV show on CNN. After a bout of ineptly-suppressed laughter, Newsweek columnist Ellis Henican suggests a plan so perfectly crazy, it might just work: an Ashley Dupre-hosted show on CNN, instead.