News

David Ozer, the president of Strong Studios, has agreed to plead guilty to defrauding an investor in the TV show “Safehaven” out of $214,486.

Ozer has admitted to defrauding Ravenwood Productions by creating false invoices and a forged letter purportedly from his accountant in an effort to make expenditures appear legitimate, according to the plea agreement.

“In reality, Ozer’s accountant did not write the letter, the contents of the letter were false, and Ozer used his accountant’s name without his accountant’s authorization,” the U.S. Attorney’s Office in Los Angeles stated in a release.

Under the plea agreement, Ozer agreed not to appeal if his prison sentence is less than 27 months.

Ozer previously worked at Sony, Starz and as president of Idw Entertainment. Ravenwood sued him in April for siphoning funds from the show to pay his personal expenses, including his mortgage.

The lawsuit also named several other defendants,...

The producer of “Safehaven,” an unreleased TV show, has been accused in a lawsuit of siphoning funds from the show’s budget to pay his personal expenses, including payments to keep his house out of foreclosure.

David Ozer, the president of Strong Studios, is alleged in the complaint to have fabricated invoices and created fake vendors in order to hide the theft.

The plaintiff, Kevin V. Duncan, is a producer and investor in the series. The pair earlier produced the Nicolas Cage horror film “Willy’s Wonderland.”

Ozer is a veteran entertainment executive, having previously worked at Sony, Starz and as president of Idw Entertainment.

According to the complaint, Duncan and Ozer sought to produce “Safehaven” as a 10-episode supernatural series for Crackle, the free ad-supported streaming service. The show is based on a 2017 graphic novel by James Seale.

Duncan alleges that the show ran into financial difficulty as production was...

South African crime writer Rudie Van Rensburg’s “Piranha” is set to be adapted into a new crime drama series from Strong Studios. Titled “Endangered,” the project is being shopped as a six-episode limited series written by screenwriter Jake Riddell and directed by BAFTA award winner Stuart Urban (“The Mystery of Suzy Lamplugh”).

“Endangered” follows the story of Montgomery Smith, a rich but exiled Englishman who is being pursued for smuggling endangered rhino horn, and also tells the tale of the veteran detective Captain Kassie Kasselman, who’s after him.

“While researching rhino poaching, I became increasingly aware of how serious of a problem it is,” said Van Rensburg in a statement. “It’s a great honour to have such renowned filmmakers helming the production of ‘Endangered,’ and I’m delighted that this issue will be brought to the attention of a wider audience.”

The Van Rensburg tale is set...

Strong Global Entertainment has acquired branded short form content company Unbounded Media Corporation, which will now operate as a part of Strong Studios. Under the deal, Strong Studios is aiming to get into the production services business in addition to its work developing content for film and TV.

Umc develops, creates and produces film, advertising, and branded content for a broad range of clients; according to its website, that has included Draft Kings, Reebok, Maestro Dobel Tequila, NBA All World and Ibm.

Umc was founded by Peter Odiorne, Larry Swets and Hassan Baqar; the company has been acquired in an all-stock transaction. Sge said its deal for Umc is part of a “broader strategy to acquire a portfolio of multi-disciplined content and services companies.”

Under the deal, Swets will oversee acquisitions for the combined company as chairman of the studio and production division. Odiorne will serve as chief content officer...

Exclusive: Strong Studios will develop and produce a feature based on the biographical novel 4th & Goal: One Man’s Quest to Recapture His Dream, examining the life of corporate executive, author and football coach Joe Moglia.

The 2012 book penned by New York Times bestselling author and Forbes contributing editor Monte Burke follows Moglia from his roots growing up in a rough-and-tumble neighborhood in New York City to his rise through the high school and college football ranks to become the defensive coordinator at Dartmouth, and his dream of becoming a head coach of a college football team.

Often, life has a way of interfering with dreams, and with a family on the way, Joe was at one time forced to abandon his, entering corporate America to make ends meet. With no Mba but through a fundamental belief that he could succeed with grit and determination, he landed a job at...

Jon Hamm will be featured as the celebrity guest in the premiere of game show revival “Password,” NBC has announced.

Based on the original show, which ran from 1961 to 1975 (and has been revived in several forms since then), “Password” pits two teams compete against each other as they solve word puzzles using one-word clues. The team that solves for the password ultimately takes home 25,000. Each team consists of a contestant and a celebrity player, with executive producer Jimmy Fallon leading one team and a rotating guest leading the other. The series premiere will see Fallon compete against Hamm in an episode dedicated to Betty White, a frequent player on the original “Password” and the wife of the show’s original host Allen Ludden.

In addition to Hamm, Yvette Nicole Brown, Tony Hale, Chelsea Handler, Heidi Klum, Joel McHale, Chrissy Metz, Martin Short, J.B. Smoove and Meghan Trainor have been confirmed...

The Reef: Stalked: " In an effort to heal after witnessing her sister’s horrific murder, Nic travels to a tropical resort with her friends for a kayaking and diving adventure. Only hours into their expedition, the women are stalked and then attacked by a great white shark. To survive they will need to band together and Nic will have to overcome her post-traumatic stress, face her fears and slay the monster."

Starring:

Teressa Liane, Ann Truong, Saskia Archer, Kate Lister, Tim Ross

Directed By:

Andrew Traucki

Written By:

Andrew Traucki

In Theaters, On Digital, On Demand and Streaming on Shudder July 29, 2022

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Production Starts on New Supernatural Thriller Series Savehaven, Created by & Based on James Seale's Graphic Novel: "New York, NY – June 30, 2022 – Strong Studios, Inc. (“Strong Studios”), a subsidiary of Ballantyne Strong, Inc.’s (“Ballantyne” or the “Company”; NYSE American: Btn) Strong Entertainment segment, and The Cartel announced today...

The recently-launched Strong Studios has acquired rights to Alec Sokolow’s script The Tank Job, setting the Oscar nominee as the film’s director.

The Ballantyne Strong, Inc. subsidiary’s first original feature film adapts Norman Miller’s book, The Great Salad Oil Swindle. It’s a true-life crime drama that watches as ex-butcher turned salad oil exporter Anthony “Tino” DeAngelis and his Bayonne, New Jersey blue collar crew nearly destroy American Express and eventually crash Wall Street in their bid to corner the market on salad oil futures in the early 1960s.

Award-winning business journalist, CNBC contributor, author and former hedge fund manager Ron Insana, who heads up Insana Entertainment Group as CEO, brought the idea for The Tank Job to Ballantyne Chairman Kyle Cerminara in January of last year, and they have been collaborating on it ever since. Cerminara and Insana are former colleagues, having worked together in...

Strong Studios has tapped Scott Weinstock to serve as exec VP of development and production, while Melissa Traub has joined as vice president of marketing and development. Both will report to Strong Studios president David Ozer, who announced the hires on Tuesday.

Weinstock’s credits include serving as a senior producer, and later VP, executive creative director/supervising producer for the NBA, where he helped create “NBA Inside Stuff” and managed the league’s advertising and marketing campaigns while also helming much of the NBA’s internal and external creative branding efforts. He also worked at the NHL, writing and directing the “This is My Stanley Cup” campaign. He has also worked on projects for MTV, Disney, American Express, TNT, NFL, Sony Pictures, Att, Southwest Airlines, Ford, Kia, Marriott and more.

Traub joins Strong Studios from Landmark Studio Group, where she served as director of development and marketing. Previously, she managed the digital,...

Diversified holding company Ballantyne Strong has launched Strong Studios, a new wing of its entertainment division, with two scripted series already in the works for 2022.

Supernatural horror outing Safehaven and Michael Rapaport dramedy Flagrant have been greenlit by Chicken Soup for the Soul Entertainment’s Screen Media subsidiary, which will distribute them. The company’s ad-supported streaming services, Crackle, Popcornflix and Chicken Soup for the Soul have premiere rights.

Cementing the connection between Strong and Chicken Soup for the Soul is David Ozer, who has been appointed president of Strong Studios. Ozer formerly was CEO of Landmark Studio Group, a division of Chicken Soup. In part because of the familiar executive relationship, the companies said “many additional collaborations are expected” down the line.

Based in New York, Strong Studios will develop and produce original film and TV projects as well as acquiring distribution rights to third-party productions. Along with investments in forest management,...

Tech-centric holding company Ballantyne Strong has launched Strong Studios to create content under the company’s Strong Entertainment division. David Ozer, formerly CEO of Chicken Soup for the Soul Entertainment’s Landmark Studio Group, will serve as president of the new studio.

Based in New York, Strong Studios will develop and produce original feature films and television series, as well as acquire third party rights to content for global multiplatform distribution. At launch, the new studio has set an initial distribution agreement with Chicken Soup for the Soul Entertainment’s Screen Media that will see Strong Studios produce two new scripted series, supernatural horror show “Safehaven” and Michael Rapaport dramedy “Flagrant,” for Screen Media this year. Both series will be launched through Screen Media’s streaming services Crackle, Popcornflix and Chicken Soup for the Soul, which have first rights to premiere.

“The launch of Strong Studios is a natural but...

Netflix announced Tuesday that it will be premiering Ali Wong’s new comedy special, “Don Wong,” on Valentine’s Day, Feb. 14.

The special is Wong’s third with Netflix, following 2016’s “Ali Wong: Baby Cobra” and “Ali Wong: Hard Knock Wife” in 2018. “Don Wong” was filmed at the Count Basie Center for the Arts in New Jersey in November 2021, and features Wong discussing her deepest fantasies, the challenges of monogamy and her feelings about single people.

The project is the latest addition to a slate of projects between Wong and Netflix, including the 2019 film “Always Be My Maybe” and the upcoming series “Beef.” Wong also voices characters on animated shows including Netflix’s “Ask the StoryBots,” “Ada Twist,” “Scientist” and the Emmy-winning adult comedy “Big Mouth.”

“Don Wong” is directed by Nahnatchka Khan, with Wong serving as executive producer alongside Ravi Nandan, Inman Young, Alli Reich and Corey Deckler for A24.

Exclusive: After nearly five years at Idw Entertainment, Lydia Antonini is stepping down as President to return to producing. Although she is exiting her current role at Idw Entertainment, Idw expects that Antonini will continue as a producer on several projects. The announcement was made Monday in a joint statement from Idw Media Holdings, Idw Entertainment’s parent company, and Antonini.

“For the almost five years that I have been with Idw Entertainment I have been fortunate to work with the best talent and creators in the world, and I am forever thankful for that honor,” said Antonini. “The team at Idw Entertainment is one of the best around and I’m delighted to continue my journey with them as a producer. In the aftermath of a year that has affected all of us, I am looking forward to returning to my producing and storytelling roots by supporting diverse creators,...

Starz announced that Romola Garai, Jessica Raine, Tom Cullen and Bella Ramsey are joining the cast of “Becoming Elizabeth.”

The eight-episode series, centered on the early life of Queen Elizabeth, also features the previously announced Alicia von Rittburg as Elizabeth, starring alongside Oliver Zetterström, John Heffernan, Jamie Parker, Jamie Blackley, Jacob Avery, Alexandra Gilbreath, Leo Bill, Ekow Quartey, Alex Macqueen and Olivier Huband.

“Becoming Elizabeth” is created and written by Anya Reiss, who executive produces with George Ormond and George Faber, with Lisa Osborne producing. The series is produced for Starz by Lionsgate Television and The Forge.

Also in today’s TV news roundup:

Dates

Netflix announced that “Lupin Part 2” will premiere on June 11. The series’ five-episode second installment follows Assane in search of a new plan after his quest for revenge against Hubert Pelligrini tears his family apart. Omar Sy stars alongside Hervé Pierre, Nicole Garcia, Clotilde Hesme, Ludivine Sagnier,...

Exclusive: Landmark Studio Group, a Chicken Soup For The Soul Entertainment company, is developing Heartbeat (working title), a 10-episode one-hour original drama series, from husband-and-wife DJ couple Kiss (Jakissa Taylor-Semple) and M.O.S. (Masud Semple), loosely based on the couple’s own rise to celebrity DJ status. Production is expected to begin in Q4 2021.

In Heartbeat (wt), the money is flowing, the bottles are popping and music is cranking. The coming-of-age drama tells the story of two up-and-coming DJs falling in love while hustling their way to the top of NYC nightlife. A DJ, (M.O.S.), and a former corporate exec, (Kiss), share an instant connection and bond over music at the popular NYC nightclub where they both work. The two start a romance as M.O.S. takes Kiss under his wing and teaches her the art of deejaying. As their...

Landmark Studio Group will put the entertainment industry’s most notable Bipoc artists in the spotlight with its new series Inside the Black Box, created and hosted by Emmy-winning actor Joe Morton and Tracey Moore.

Set to premiere on Crackle Plus on Juneteenth, June 19, Inside the Black Box will see Morton and Moore share deep conversations with industry names including Debbie Allen, Ta-Nehisi Coates, Phylicia Rashad, Shonda Rhimes, Sherri Shepherd, Tamara Tunie. Named after an industry reference to an experimental theatre space, the new series will feature hour-long episodes of performance, workshops and discussions about the role race plays in the entertainment world.

“Inside The Black Box is an innovative, interactive, interview show that brings fresh perspectives and insights of the entertainment industry through the experiences of people of color,” said Joe Morton.

“I’m grateful and excited to have a phenomenal team to produce Inside the Black Box, a...

Exciting news has come in from Shudder, revealing that David Cronenberg will be starring in the latest installment of Slasher. Titled Slasher: Flesh & Blood, the series will head to Shudder in 2021:

New York, NY – November 12, 2020 – Shudder, AMC Networks’ premium service for horror, thriller and the supernatural, announced today that it has teamed up with award-winning production company Shaftesbury to make a new eight-episode installment of the hugely popular horror series, Slasher. Hailed by Bloody Disgusting as “top-notch horror storytelling”, Slasher: Flesh & Blood will stream exclusively on horror platform Shudder in the US, Australia and New Zealand in 2021. Shudder will also be the streaming home for Flesh & Blood in Canada, the UK and Ireland following its linear premieres in those countries. The series will be broadcast exclusively on Hollywood Suite in Canada. Production is underway now in Ontario, Canada.

Slasher: Flesh & Blood follows a wealthy but dysfunctional family gathering...

Scanners and Videodrome director David Cronenberg is to star in a new series of horror anthology Slasher for AMC streaming service Shudder.

The streamer has ordered a new eight-episode instalment of the series, which has run for three seasons on platforms including Chiller and Netflix.

Slasher: Flesh & Blood, produced by Canadian production company Shaftesbury, will air exclusively on Shudder in the U.S., Australia and New Zealand in 2021 with second window runs in the UK and Ireland and Canada, where it will first air on Hollywood Suite. Production is underway now in Ontario, Canada.

Slasher: Flesh & Blood follows a wealthy but dysfunctional family gathering for a reunion on a secluded island. Their old wounds and competitive rivalries flare up when the family realizes a masked killer is on the island, intent on cruelly picking them off one by one.

Cronenberg, who has acted in other projects including Jason X,...

Exclusive: True Blood alum Stephen Moyer, Belle Shouse (Queen America) and Antonio Cipriano (Broadway’s Jagged Little Pill) lead the cast of Safehaven, a supernatural horror series from Chicken Soup for the Soul Entertainment’s Landmark Studio Group and Orwo Studios (Twilight).

Created by James Seale (30 Below) and directed by Brad Turner (Homeland), who also serve as showrunners, the ten-episode Safehaven is slated to begin production in January 2021 in Louisiana. Landmark will market the series, which will be distributed by Screen Media Ventures.

Safehaven follows Jenna Frost (Shouse), a fierce, complicated high school comic book artist who must fight to uncover hidden truths after horrifying visions from her drawings come to life threatening everyone around her. Moyer plays John Rayburn, the mysterious new school counselor determined to save her, even if it endangers both of their lives and unearths his own personal demons. Complicating matters is Will (Cipriano), a...

Exclusive: Landmark Studio Group, a Chicken Soup for the Soul Entertainment company, has partnered with District 33 (BlackBalled) to develop and produce Shadows in the Vineyard, a limited event drama series based on journalist Maximillian Potter’s bestselling book Shadows in the Vineyard: The True Story of the Plot to Poison The World’s Greatest Wine, with Noah Wyle and Judith Light attached to star and executive produce. Production is expected to begin in Q1 2021 in Europe.

Written by John Newman, Peter Cambor and Potter, Shadows in the Vineyard is set against the backdrop of the gorgeous, rolling countryside of the Côte-d’Or in Burgundy, France. The series is based on the true story of the outlandish 2010 plot-by-poison extortion scheme, a sinister criminal conspiracy that targeted the most sought-after and expensive wine in the world – the legendary Romanée-Conti — as featured in Potter’s book.

Exclusive: Chicken Soup for the Soul Entertainment’s Landmark Studio Group has partnered with Louisiana-based production studio Orwo to greenlight Safehaven, a 10-episode hourlong supernatural thriller series based on James Seale’s graphic novel, from Seale and Michael Bay’s 451 Media Group. Brad Turner is attached to direct and executive produce.

Casting is underway on the series, which is targeting a late August/early September production start date and is believed to be one of the first projects heading into production in Louisiana since the coronavirus pandemic halted filming in mid-March.

The production will be filming on virtual sets, implementing a slew of safety measures. They include temperature checks and using full body scans, weekly Covid testing for everyone and more frequent testing, three times a week, for those who jobs require close contact, like hair and makeup. There also will be...

Nicolas Cage thriller “Willy’s Wonderland” has sold to most international territories, including the U.K., Canada, Australia, Italy, Germany and Latin America, by Foresight Unlimited at the Cannes virtual market.

Cage portrays an out-of-towner forced to clean a family entertainment center in exchange for having his car serviced after it breaks down. He, along with some locals, must then survive a hellish night trapped inside with animatronic characters that have turned evil.

The film also stars Emily Tosta, Beth Grant, Ric Reitz and Chris Warner and is directed by Kevin Lewis. The screenplay, which was on the Blood List, was written by G.O. Parsons.

Foresight Unlimited Chairman Mark Damon said, “Certainly, part of the reason Willy’s Wonderland is selling so well, is the spike in demand for mid-range genre thriller titles with a name actor attached. But particularly since this film has the makings to become a cult classic,...

Foresight Unlimited has announced key international territory sales for the Nicolas Cage-led thriller Willy’s Wonderland (working title), including U.K., Canada, Australia, Italy, Germany and Latin America. Directed by Kevin Lewis, the film follows The Janitor (Cage), an out-of-towner, who is forced to clean a family entertainment center in exchange for having his car serviced after it breaks down. He, along with some locals, must then survive a hellish night trapped inside with the stars of the center – animatronic characters that have turned evil.

Emily Tosta, Beth Grant, Ric Reitz, and Chris Warner also star in the pic, which was penned by G.O. Parsons.

The list of foreign territories includes; UK (Signature Entertainment), Germany & Benelux (Splendid), Latin America (CDC), Cis (Central Partnership), Canada (Vvs), Australia (Madman), Italy (Eagle Pictures), Scandinavia (Sf Studios), Middle East (Salim Ramia), Portugal (Nos Lusomundo), Poland (M2), Hong Kong (Pegasus), Taiwan (MovieCloud), Thailand (Sahamongkol...

UK, Germany, Australia enter twisted amusement park.

Foresight Unlimited has announced during the Cannes virtual market it has closed the bulk of international sales on Nicolas Cage genre feature Willy’s Wonderland.

Rights have gone in the UK (Signature Entertainment), Germany and Benelux (Splendid), Australia (Madman), Latin America (CDC), Cis (Central Partnership), Canada (Vvs), Italy (Eagle Pictures), Scandinavia (Sf Studios), and Middle East (Salim Ramia).

Deals also closed in Portugal (Nos Lusomundo), Poland (M2), Hong Kong (Pegasus), Taiwan (MovieCloud), Thailand (Sahamongkol), Philippines (Pioneer), Vietnam (Rapture Lions), India and Singapore (Viswass), Bulgaria and former Yugoslavia (Fifth Element/Blitz), Iceland (Myndform), and...

Ashton Kutcher’s unscripted series Going From Broke has been handed a second season by Crackle Plus as the AVOD service unveils its latest slate of originals.

The digital platform is leaning heavily on scripted and non-scripted series from its sister company, Landmark Studio, which was set up by owner Chicken Soup for the Soul Entertainment and former Idw Entertainment President David Ozer last year.

The slate was announced as part of its NewFronts advertising presentation.

Going From Broke, which the company said has scored 16M views, will return for a second ten-part run in the first quarter of 2021. From executive producer Kutcher, the series sheds light on the national crisis of student debt and offers practical solutions for young people to go from broke. Produced by Chicken Soup for the Soul Entertainment, it is hosted by Chegg CEO Dan Rosensweig.

On the scripted side, Crackle Plus has unveiled four originals.

Landmark Studio Group has announced that it is developing “The Operative,” an international spy drama series that will star Craig T. Nelson.

Per Landmark, Nelson will play a retired intelligence operative named John Straw, who was mysteriously forced to end his career following The Cold War but re-emerges to warn of an upcoming attack on American soil. A young analyst named Emma, sent by the CIA to interview him about his claims, uncovers that John is full of stories, some pointing to a decades-old conspiracy with ties to the Kremlin. In her search for the truth, Emma and John soon become allies as they work together to try to stop a skilled, cunning, and formidable enemy before it’s too late.

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“The Operative” is loosely based...

Exclusive: Father/son duo Craig T. Nelson and Noah Nelson have partnered with nascent producer Landmark Studio Group to develop spy thriller The Operative, loosely based on Harvey Gomberg’s book Code Name Stinger.

Noah Nelson, who has written on shows including Hawaii Five-0 and Secrets and Lies, has created the drama, which is being eyed as a ten-part series, with his Coach and Parenthood star father set to star in the leading role of retired intelligence operative John Straw.

More from DeadlineLandmark Studio Group & Michael Rapaport Team On Original Dramedy Series 'Flagrant'Chicken Soup For The Soul Entertainment Teams With David Ozer On New StudioUK Jewish Film Festival To Host Nazi Satire 'JoJo Rabbit' & Diane Kruger-Martin Freeman Thriller 'The Operative'

The father and son team has echoes of Eugene and Dan Levy, whose Schitt’s Creek bowed out this week, albeit in drama.

Straw...

Two of Netflix’s freshman drama series will not see a second season. The streaming giant has canceled vampire drama series V Wars starring Ian Somerhalder, based on Jonathan Maberry’s bestselling book, and October Faction, based on the Idw comics by Steve Niles, Deadline has confirmed.

V Wars, published in 2012 by Idw Publishing, debuted as a collection of prose stories that chronicles the first Vampire War. Somerhalder starred as Dr. Luther Swann, who enters a world of untold horror when a mysterious disease transforms his best friend, Michael Fayne, into a murderous predator who feeds on other humans. As the disease spreads and more people are transformed, society fractures into opposing camps pitting normal people against the growing number of these “vampires.” Swann races against time to understand what’s happening, while Fayne rises to become the powerful underground leader of the vampires.

More from DeadlineHost of 'Joe Exotic...

Both “V-Wars” and “October Faction” have been canceled at Netflix after airing just one season apiece, Variety has confirmed.

The two shows are both produced by Idw Entertainment, which is also behind the Netflix series adaptation of “Locke & Key.” News of the twin cancellations comes just after Netflix announced a season 2 pick up for the third series.

In “V-Wars,” Dr. Luther Swann (Ian Somerhalder) enters a world of untold horror when a mysterious disease transforms his best friend, Michael Fayne (Adrian Holmes), into a murderous predator who feeds on other humans. As the disease spreads and more people are transformed, society fractures into opposing camps pitting normal people against the growing number of these “vampires.” The first season debuted on Dec. 9, 2019.

According to sources, Netflix and Somerhalder are in talks to collaborate on more projects in the future.

William Laurin and Glenn Davis served as showrunners on “V-Wars.” Brad Turner...

Exclusive: Party Of Five and Mayans M.C. star Emily Tosta is joining Nicolas Cage in genre thriller Wally’s Wonderland, which is now underway in Atlanta, Georgia.

Tosta will play the rebellious teenage lead in the movie from director Kevin Lewis (The Drop). Tosta’s character Liv joins Cage’s character The Janitor in their bid to survive a hellish night trapped inside an abandoned family entertainment center populated by possessed animatronics.

Also joining are Beth Grant (No Country For Old Men), Ric Reitz (The Resident) and Chris Warner (Machete). The screenplay, which was high on the Blood List, is written by G.O. Parsons.

Foresight Unlimited is handling world sales and will be looking to scare up deals on the film at the European Film Market later this month.

Landmark Studio Group has joined Landafar Entertainment, Jd Entertainment, Saturn Films, and Screen Media Ventures to produce the film in association...

Are you ready to enter the Keyhouse? Netflix is. Following the reveal of a February 7th premiere date and motion poster for Locke & Key, a brief and fiery teaser video has been revealed for the adaptation of Joe Hill and Gabriel Rodríguez's Idw graphic novels of the same name.

Shared on the official Twitter account for Locke & Key, the teaser video offers a brief peek at the 10-episode first season of the adaptation of the Lovecraftian Idw comic book series that follows three siblings and their mother as they move into a creepy mansion in Maine that is home to more than just cobwebs and creaky floorboards.

As previously reported by Deadline, the new cast includes Darby Stanchfield, Emilia Jones, Connor Jessup and Jackson Robert Scott as the Locke family who moves into the mansion, with Scott reportedly being the only actor to carry over from the core...

Are you ready to enter the Keyhouse? Netflix is. Last year the streaming service gave a series order to the long-in-development Locke & Key adaptation (based on Joe Hill and Gabriel Rodríguez's Idw comic book series of the same name) after it was passed on by Hulu, and now an official premiere date and motion poster have been revealed!

Shared by Joe Hill on Twitter, the new motion poster for Locke & Key reveals a February 7th premiere date for the 10-episode first season of the adaptation of the Lovecraftian Idw comic book series that follows three siblings and their mother as they move into a creepy mansion in Maine that is home to more than just cobwebs and creaky floorboards.

While a pilot episode of the Locke & Key series had already been created for Hulu with It director Andy Muschietti at the helm, Netflix wanted to take the...

Exclusive: Landmark Studio Group has put in development Flagrant, an original dramedy series with Michael Rapaport set to star and executive produce. Peter Hoare and Pete Correale will serve as co-writers and showrunners. The project is among the first set at Landmark, co-funded by Chicken Soup For the Soul Entertainment and Cole Strategic Partners, following its launch last month.

In Flagrant, twenty years after he was caught throwing a game and gambling on his own team, a disgraced college basketball player gets an unlikely shot at redemption. He fled Queens, NY decades ago to get away from the stigma of the scandal, but he’s now asked to come home and fill in as coach for a currently-failing team, at the same school he famously sold down the river decades ago.

Landmark...

Exclusive: Chicken Soup for the Soul Entertainment has acquired Mark Damon’s film sales and production company Foresight Unlimited and as part of the deal has brought the international film vet into the fold.

Foresight will become a wholly-owned subsidiary of Chicken Soup’s distribution wing Screen Media but will continue to operate under its current name. The company will still be run by Damon, who remains chairman, and president and COO Tamara Birkemoe, in close association with Screen Media President David Fannon. Kyle Bellinger, Foresight’s director of sales and development, is also moving across.

The new relationship will kick off on the ground at Afm this week, where the company will be shopping two upcoming projects: Best Sellers starring Michael Caine, set to go into production next month, and Wally’s Wonderland starring Nicolas Cage, set to start filming in January.

Screen Media has also bolstered its library through the deal,...

Ian Somerhalder may be done with The Vampire Diaries, but he's not leaving the world of vampires behind. 

The Damon Salvatore actor will lead the cast of Netflix's V Wars, which has just scored a December 5 premiere date on the streamer. 

There are also some photos!

V Wars, based on the Idw novel of the same name, landed a straight-to-series order back in April 2018, si it's been a while since we've heard of it. 

V-Wars focuses on Dr. Luther Swann (Somerhalder), who finds himself in a world of horror and uncertainty when a virus transforms his best friend into a vampire who feeds on the human race.

Related: V Wars Starring Ian Somerhalder Ordered at Netflix

With the disease spreading at an alarming rate, Swann has to keep his wits about him in this new world as he tries to find a way to save the world before it's too late.

Chicken Soup for the Soul Entertainment has teamed with former Idw Entertainment President David Ozer to launch Landmark Studio Group. The new company will be focused on the ownership, development and production of entertainment franchises in both TV and film. Ozer will serve as CEO for the company, which will be headquartered in New York with offices in Los Angeles.

Landmark content will be funneled through outlets such as Crackle, which Chicken Soup took majority control of last spring in a new arrangement with Sony. The company also owns Screen Media, which will distribute Landmark titles.

Landmark will develop, produce, distribute and own all of the intellectual property it creates. The studio will be independent, having the ability to sell its content to any network or platform, while hanging onto worldwide rights.

Cole Strategic Partners will co-fund Landmark with Chicken Soup for the Soul. “We are thrilled to join forces...

Chicken Soup for the Soul continues its push into entertainment programming.

The entertainment-focused company has launched its own film and TV studio, Landmark Studio Group, and appointed former Idw Entertainment president David Ozer as its CEO.

As part of its launch, Landmark — which will create and develop franchises for multiple platforms — has set its first development slate, teaming with the likes of Ellen Pompeo, Ice-t and Michael Bay for two scripted series and a docuseries. Like Chicken Soup for the Soul Entertainment, Landmark and its development slate is being funded by Cole Strategic Partners.

Landmark will develop, produce ...

Felix Mallard has been cast in a recurring role on the upcoming Netflix adaptation of “Locke & Key,” Variety has learned exclusively.

Mallard will plays Lucas Caravaggio, a charming teenager in the town of Matheson whose exposure to magic leads to serious complications.

The Australian actor is currently starring in the CBS comedy “Happy Together” and later this year he will appear opposite Elle Fanning in the Netflix film “All The Bright Places.” He is represented by Echo Lake Entertainment, Australia’s Linsten Management and Stone Genow.

He joins a cast which includes Petrice Jones, Jackson Robert Scott, Connor Jessup, Emilia Jones, Griffin Gluck, Darby Stanchfield, and Laysla De Oliveira.

“Locke & Key” is based on the Idw Publishing comic book franchise of the same name by Joe Hill and Gabriel Rodriguez. It centers around three siblings who move to their ancestral home after their father is gruesomely murdered. However,...

One of Syfy’s series with most devoted following, Wynonna Earp, appears to be in danger despite the July announcement at Comic-Con that it has been renewed by the NBCU cable network for a fourth season.

The series’ fandom was whipped into a frenzy over the last 24-hours after Melanie Scrofano, who plays the title role, replied to a fan question on Twitter that the show was not filming at the moment and they had not been a reason why, indicating that Wynonna Earp should’ve been in production.

Meanwhile, in a since-deleted tweet from Wynonna Earp exec producer/showrunner Emily Andras, sited by comicbook.com, she asked fans if they were ready to fight for the show before tweeting, “don’t f–k with my family.”

As a result, Wynonna Earp started trending worldwide with the battle cry #FightForWynonna.

The attention initially focused on Syfy, which was quick to...

Petrice Jones has been cast in the Netflix adaptation of “Locke & Key” in a series regular role, Variety has learned exclusively.

Jones has been cast in the role of Scot. Scot is described as a massive horror movie nerd and the ringleader of the “Savini Squad” — a group of teen misfits named for famed special effects artist Tom Savini. He becomes Kinsey Locke’s first friend at the Academy.

He joins previously announced cast members Jackson Robert Scott, Connor Jessup, Emilia Jones, Griffin Gluck, Darby Stanchfield, and Laysla De Oliveira.

Jones currently also stars in the YouTube Premium series “Step Up: High Water,” and will remain on that show in addition to appearing in “Locke & Key.” The English actor has also appeared in films like “iBoy” and “Play the Devil,” as well as shows like “Doctors” and “Holby City.” He is repped by Gersh, Echo Lake Entertainment, and...

Calling all “Vampire Diaries” fans! Ian Somerhalder is officially back in the bloodsucker game and teasing his new character on the upcoming Netflix series “V-Wars.” But spoiler, alert, he’s not playing a vampire — at least we don’t think.

“Here he is… @drlutherswannofficial aka Dr. Luther Swann,” Somerhalder captioned a shot of himself wearing a white doctor’s coat and sporting some bloody knuckles, which he posted to Instagram Wednesday. “Would you trust this man?” Yes? Possibly?

Somerhalder’s first dip into the vamp world ended last year, when “The Vampire Diaries” wrapped its eight-season run on The CW last spring.

Also Read: Ian Somerhalder to Lead Netflix Vampire Drama Series 'V-Wars'

Netflix gave a 10-episode, straight-to-series order to “V-Wars,” back in April, which is an adaptation of the Idw comic series of the same name.

“V-Wars” tells the story of Dr. Luther Swann, who enters a...

Idw Entertainment president David Ozer is stepping down. His exit was announced Friday by Kerry McCluggage, CEO of Idw Entertainment parent company Idw Media Holdings, who says Ozer will be leaving the company to become an independent producer.

“David has been with Idw Entertainment from the beginning and, along with his team, helped build Idw Entertainment into a thriving independent production company and we wish him well in his future endeavors,” said McCluggage in a statement. “We look forward to building on the solid foundation of our entertainment division by developing and delivering even more quality productions to the television and film markets.”

Said Ozer: “This was a difficult decision to make, as I am extremely proud of what we have achieved with Idw Entertainment, but also incredibly excited by the opportunities in the independent producing market today.”

Ozer’s exit comes at a busy time for the company. Idw...

Are you ready to enter the Keyhouse? Back in May, it was reported that Netflix was looking to give a series order to the long-in-development Locke & Key adaptation (based on Joe Hill and Gabriel Rodríguez's Idw comic book series of the same name) after it was passed on by Hulu, and now the news is official, as Netflix has confirmed that they are moving forward with a 10-episode first season based on the Lovecraftian tale.

While a pilot episode of the Locke & Key series had already been created for Hulu with It director Andy Muschietti at the helm, Netflix wants to take the adaptation in a different creative direction with a new cast.

Joe Hill will executive produce along with Carlton Cuse and Meredith Averill, who will also serve as co-showrunners. Additionally, Andy Muschietti and Barbara Muschietti are among the executive producing team for the adaptation of the...

The TV adaptation of Idw comic book franchise “Locke & Key” has been ordered to series at Netflix, close to two months after it was reported the streamer picked it up when Hulu — which ordered the pilot — passed.

However, there are a few changes being made by Netflix to the long-gestating Carlton Cuse-run project, including redeveloping the scripts and re-casting, a person with knowledge of production told TheWrap.

According to the project’s logline, “Locke & Key” is a horror/fantasy series that revolves around three siblings who, after the gruesome murder of their father, move to their ancestral home in Massachusetts only to find the house has magical keys that give them a vast array of powers and abilities. Little do they know, a devious demon also wants the keys, and will stop at nothing to attain them.

Also Read: Netflix Unveils Slate of 8 New Shonda Rhimes Shows...

Netflix has officially picked up “Locke & Key” to series, nearly two months after it was first reported the project had moved to the streaming giant from Hulu.

The series is based on the Idw Publishing comic book franchise of the same name by Joe Hill and Gabriel Rodriguez. It is a horror/fantasy series that revolves around three siblings who, after the gruesome murder of their father, move to their ancestral home in Massachusetts only to find the house has magical keys that give them a vast array of powers and abilities. Little do they know, a devious demon also wants the keys, and will stop at nothing to attain them. Netflix has ordered a 10-episode first season for the hour-long series.

“Locke & Key” had originally been ordered to pilot at Hulu, who passed on it earlier this year. Netflix is redeveloping the show with new scripts and a new cast.

It’s official: Four months after Hulu opted not to go forward with its Locke & Key pilot, the project — an adaptation of Joe Hill’s comic Locke & Key, from Carlton Cuse and Idw Entertainment — has closed a deal for a 10-episode series order at rival Netflix. Talks between Netflix and the Locke & Key producers started shortly after Hulu surprisingly passed on the pilot in March.

As we previously reported, Netflix is not picking up the existing Hulu pilot, written by Joe Hill, to series but will be redeveloping the scripts and re-casting the new series.

Joining Hill and Cuse on the creative team of the new version are Aron Eli Coleite and Meredith Averill.

The Netflix series was created by Hill and developed by Cuse, Coleite and Averill; the new first episode will be written by Hill and Coleite; Cuse and Averill will serve as showrunners.

It director Andy Muschietti,...

Just days after its Season 3 premiere, Syfy has ordered a fourth season of cult favorite supernatural Western series Wynonna Earp, Deadline has confirmed. Keeping up its tradition, the news was to be announced during the show’s panel Saturday at San Diego Comic-Con.

Adapted from the IDW Publishing comic book created by Beau Smith, the show follows Wyatt Earp’s great-granddaughter (Melanie Scrofano) as she battles demons and other supernatural beings and uses her unique abilities and a dysfunctional posse of allies to bring the paranormal to justice.

In Season 3, reckless and reluctant warrior hero Wynonna (Scrofano) will lead her team of outmatched outsiders to face monsters, revenants, and their biggest fears as they fight to take down Bulshar before he destroys the Ghost River Triangle – and the world.

Emily Andras developed the series for television and serves as executive producer and showrunner.

Andras, along with stars Scrofano, Shamier Anderson,...

Laura Vandervoort (Supergirl), Kyle Breitkopf (The Whispers) and Kimberly-Sue Murray (Crimson Peak) have been cast opposite Ian Somerhalder, Adrian Holmes, Jacky Lai and Peter Outerbridge in Netflix’s upcoming vampire drama V-Wars.

The book, published in 2012 by Idw Publishing, debuted as a collection of prose stories that chronicles the first Vampire War. In the series, Somerhalder will star as Dr. Luther Swann, who enters a world of untold horror when a mysterious disease transforms his best friend, Michael Fayne (Holmes), into a murderous predator who feeds on other humans. As the disease spreads and more people are transformed, society fractures into opposing camps pitting normal people against the growing number of these “vampires.” Swann races against time to understand what’s happening, while Fayne rises to become the powerful underground leader of the vampires.

Vandervoort will play Mila, Breitkopf is Dez and Murray will portray Danika.

Brad Turner will direct the pilot episode and executive produce. William Laurin and Glenn Davis will serve as showrunners. Eric Birnberg and Thomas Walden will executive produce for High Park, with David Ozer and Ted Adams for Idw Entertainment and James Gibb for Marada Pictures. V-Wars is produced by High Park in association with Idw.

Actress, writer and producer Vandervoort is known for her roles on Supergirl, Smallville, V and Bitten, among others. She’s repped by Abrams Artists Agency, Industry Entertainment and Noble Caplan Abrams.

Breitkopf had a lead role in ABC’s summer drama series The Whispers and will next be seen in Netflix’s upcoming feature film The Silence. He’s repped by Innovative Artists and Noble Caplan Abrams.

Murray’s credits include My Perfect Romance for Netflix, Guillermo del Toro’s Crimson Peak and Lifetime’s The Lizzie Borden Chronicles. She’s repped by Amanda Rosenthal Talent Agency and Van Johnson Company.

Zoo alum Peter Outerbridge is set as a series regular opposite Ian Somerhalder and Adrian Holmes in Netflix’s upcoming vampire drama V-Wars, based on Jonathan Maberry’s bestselling book, from Idw Entertainment and High Park Entertainment.

The book, published in 2012 by Idw Publishing, debuted as a collection of prose stories that chronicles the first Vampire War. In the series, Dr. Luther Swann (Somerhalder) enters a world of untold horror when a mysterious disease transforms his best friend, Michael Fayne (Holmes), into a murderous predator who feeds on other humans. As the disease spreads and more people are transformed, society fractures into opposing camps pitting normal people against the growing number of these “vampires.” Swann races against time to understand what’s happening, while Fayne rises to become the powerful underground leader of the vampires.

Outerbridge will play Calix Niklos an elegant, malicious science expert on the Homeland Security Team.

Adrian Holmes (Arrow) is set to co-star opposite Ian Somerhalder in Netflix’s upcoming vampire drama V-Wars. In addition, Jacky Lai (Beyond) has booked a key role in the series based on Jonathan Maberry’s bestselling book, from Idw Entertainment and High Park Entertainment.

The book, published in 2012 by Idw Publishing, debuted as a collection of prose stories that chronicles the first Vampire War. In the series, Somerhalder will star as Dr. Luther Swann, who enters a world of untold horror when a mysterious disease transforms his best friend, Michael Fayne (Holmes), into a murderous predator who feeds on other humans. As the disease spreads and more people are transformed, society fractures into opposing camps pitting normal people against the growing number of these “vampires.” Swann races against time to understand what’s happening, while Fayne rises to become the powerful underground leader of the vampires.

Holmes’ Fayne is the...