News

Here come The Brides!

ABC on Wednesday announced that it has handed a pilot order to The Brides, a “sexy contemporary reimagining” of Dracula with “strong horror elements.” The potential series, from Riverdale exec producer Roberto Aguirre-Sacasa, is described as “a vampire soap about empowered, immortal women and the things they do to maintain wealth, prestige, legacy,” with “a trio of powerful female leads at its heart.”

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“ A man can lie, steal… and even kill. But as long as he hangs on to his pride, he’s still a man. All a woman has to do is slip – once. And she’s a “tramp!” Must be a great comfort to you to be a man. “

Webster University presents “The Other St. Nick”, a six-film Nicholas Ray Film Festival that runs December 27th-January 5th at the University’s Moore Auditorium(470 E Lockwood Ave). The films screen Friday, Saturdays, and Sundays at 7:00pm the weekends of Dec 27-29th and Jan 3-5th. The series continues Friday night, January 3rd at 7pm with Johnny Guitar (1954). A Facebook invite for the film can be found Here

A revisionist Western made at a time when a large section of the population didn’t recognize that the Western genre could use some revising, Nick Ray’s Johnny Guitar focuses on female...

” The city can be lonely too. Sometimes people who are never alone are the loneliest. “

Webster University presents “The Other St. Nick”, a six-film Nicholas Ray Film Festival that runs December 27th-January 5th at the University’s Moore Auditorium(470 E Lockwood Ave). The films screen Friday, Saturdays, and Sundays at 7:00pm the weekends of Dec 27-29th and Jan 3-5th. The series continues tonight, December 29th at 7pm with On Dangerous Ground (1951)

A film noir more often compared to the work of Carl Theodor Dreyer than its American contemporaries, On Dangerous Ground concerns the hot-headed detective Jim Wilson (Robert Ryan), who partners up with Walter Brent (Ward Bond), the father of a murdered young girl, in the solving of the crime. Along the way they encounter a blind woman, Mary Malden (Ida Lupino), who may offer a key to the case. Featuring a memorable score from master Bernard Herrmann.

” This boy… and this girl… were never properly introduced to the world we live in… To tell their story… They Live by Night. “

Webster University presents “The Other St. Nick”, a six-film Nicholas Ray Film Festival that runs December 27th-January 5th at the University’s Moore Auditorium(470 E Lockwood Ave). The films screen Friday, Saturdays, and Sundays at 7:00pmthe weekends of Dec 27-29th and Jan 3-5th.The series kicks off tonight, December 27th at 7pm with They Live By Night – 1948

After seven years in prison, 23-year-old Bowie (Farley Granger) escapes alongside some bank robbers. Once out, he runs into new love Keechie (Cathy O’Donnell), and makes it a priority to prove his innocence, or at least escape to the mountains with Keechie in tow. With this, his film debut, Nicholas Ray already exhibits future preoccupations with young underdogs and offers a fine contribution to the film noir canon.

” I’ve got the bullets! “

Webster University has announced “The Other St. Nick”, a six-film Nicholas Ray Film Festival that runs December 27th-January 5th at the University’s Moore Auditorium(470 E Lockwood Ave). The films screen Friday, Saturdays, and Sundays at 7:00pm the weekends of Dec 27-29th and Jan 3-5th.

Jean-Luc Godard once famously wrote that “Cinema is Nicholas Ray.” Champion of the underdog, one of the earliest masters of Cinemascope, forward thinking in depictions of the aligned and marginalized, Mr. Ray’s contributions to film continue to resonate with modern filmmakers and audiences. Sure, you can spend the holiday season with an old man in a red suit, but Nicholas Ray is the one giving the gifts that keep on giving.

Here’s the lineup:

They Live By Night (1948) Friday, December 27 at 7:00pm

After seven years in prison, 23-year-old Bowie (Farley Granger) escapes alongside some bank robbers.

Men and women with “a particular set of skills” really need to learn to beef up the security around their family and loved ones! After several such kidnappings that, in afterthought, turn out to be a bad deal for the antagonists, including that of Ma Dong-seok’s wife in “Unstoppable” last year, this time it is Vietnamese superstar Veronica Ngo who has her daughter snatched from her in director Le Van Kiet’s “Furie”. The film made history by becoming the first Vietnamese film to receive a wide release in United States.

“Furie” is screening at Five Flavours Asian Film Festival

Hai Phuong is a mysterious resident of a quiet fishing village in the Vietnamese countryside. A martial arts expert, who has moved to the village not too long ago with her clever school-going daughter Mai. Money is hard to come by as Hai works as a debt collector for...

CBS has given a pilot production commitment to The Equalizer, a reimagining of the classic series with Queen Latifah set to star and executive produce. The project hails from Take Two creators Andrew Marlowe & Terri Miller, Davis Entertainment, Flavor Unit, Martin Chase Productions, Universal Television and CBS TV Studios.

Written by Marlowe and Miller, who will serve as showrunners, The Equalizer stars Queen Latifah as an enigmatic figure who uses her extensive skills to help those with nowhere else to turn. This is a new take on the character played by Edward Woodward on the original series and by Denzel Washington in the movie franchise.

Marlowe and Miller executive produce alongside John Davis and John Fox of Davis Entertainment; Debra Martin Chase of Martin Chase Productions; Richard Lindheim, co-creator of the original Equalizer TV series; and Queen Latifah (real name Dana OWens) and Shakim Compere of Flavor Unit.

This marks Equalizer’s return to CBS.

“Grey’s Anatomy” showrunner Krista Vernoff is teaming up with the real-life Erin Brockovich to bring her story to the small screen.

ABC confirmed to TheWrap that it has given a put-pilot commitment to the series, called “Rebel,” which will follow Brockovich over the years since Julia Roberts played her in the 2000 feature film “Erin Brockovich” that shot her to fame.

Here is ABC’s official logline: “‘Rebel’ is inspired by the life of Erin Brockovich today. Twenty years after a movie made her famous, Annie “Rebel” Rebelsky is still working as a legal consultant without a law degree. A funny, messy, brilliant and fearless real-life super hero who cares desperately about the causes she fights for and the people she loves, when Rebel applies herself to a fight she believes in, she will win at almost any cost.”

Also Read: ABC Communications Boss Jori Arancio Exits Company

Vernoff executive...

Grey's Anatomy showrunner Krista Vernoff is bringing activist Erin Brockovich's life to the small screen. 

Vernoff is teaming with Brockovich for an ABC drama called Rebel that focuses on what life has been life for the legal consultant some 20 years after Julia Roberts brought her story to the big screen in 2000's Erin Brockovich.

Rebel, which has received a put-pilot commitment from the Disney-owned network, is inspired by Brockovich's life today. Two decades after the Steven Soderbergh and Susannah Grant feature film made her famous, Annie "Rebel" Rebelsky is still working as a legal ...

In today’s film news roundup, a Stephen King horror movie is in the works, “Downton Abbey” is seeing strong sales and a project about Revolutionary War soldier Deborah Sampson is in development.

King Adaptation

Stephen King’s “The Girl Who Loved Tom Gordon” has been set up as a movie at George A. Romero’s Sanibel Films, Vertigo Entertainment and Origin Story.

Vertigo partners Roy Lee and Jon Berg will produce the film alongside Chris Romero and Ryan Silbert. Andrew Childs will executive produce.

“The Girl Who Loved Tom Gordon,” published in 1999 and tells the story of a 9-year-old girl who gets lost on the Appalachian Trail. As she stumbles through the woods for nine days, she wanders farther and farther from civilization as she tries to make her way back home. The late George Romero had been developing the movie more than a decade ago.

“I’m thrilled...

Kayti Burt Aug 14, 2019

We have an exclusive look at the next novel in Marie Lu's Legend series: Rebel.

We loved what Marie Lu did with Batman canon in her young adult book Batman: Nightwalker, and we can't wait to see what she comes up with for Rebel, the next installment in her bestselling Legend series.

read more: An Interview with Marie Lu

Rebel, which comes out on October 1st, plunges readers back into the world of Legend, catching back up with brilliant inventor Eden, his famous revolutionary brother Daniel (aka Day), and June, 10 years after the war. As the official synopsis tells us:

Eden Wing has been living in his brother’s shadow for years. Even though he’s a top student at his academy in Ross City, Antarctica, and a brilliant inventor, most people know him only as Daniel Wing’s little brother.

A decade ago, Daniel was known as Day,...

Exclusive: Bet Networks has put into development Black Mambas a one-hour drama from Rebel creator Amani Walker.

Black Mambas is the journey of four powerful women who are bikers and grow tired of the violent crimes and injustice in their hometown of New Orleans and decide to take justice into their own hands.

Salli Richardson-Whitfield is attached to direct the pilot and will executive produce along with Dallas Jackson (Rebel), Erwin More and Brian Medavoy. The project will be overseen by the network’s head of programming Connie Orlando and Svp Rose-Catherine Pinkney.

Walker created the Bet series Rebel, which was executive produced by the late John Singleton.

Jackson executive produced Rebel, and is the writer/producer/director of the Blumhouse/Netflix feature Thriller.

More and Medavoy’s past credits include Dharma And Greg,...

It’s clear Jac Schaeffer is going to be a writer we’re following for a long time, since she wrote a screenplay for Black Widow and is running Marvel’s WandaVision for Disney+. Even now, her current film captures the hearts of ‘80s movie buffs like me. The Hustle is a remake of Dirty Rotten Scoundrels with Rebel […]

The post ‘The Hustle’ Screenwriter Jac Schaeffer on Her Female Con Artist Comedy and the Upcoming ‘WandaVision’ Series [Interview] appeared first on /Film.

“At heart, I’m a dude from South Central Los Angeles. We roll the way we roll because we had survival tactics — we had to learn how to adapt. That’s just me.” — John Singleton (1968-2019)

Sometimes the label of trail-blazer is too easily tossed around. But as an African-American who hailed from South Los Angeles, Singleton broke down several barriers when he became the first black filmmaker — as well as the youngest person at age 24 — to be nominated for a directing Academy Award. His 1991 debut, the inner-city drama “Boyz n the Hood,” arrived the same year that motorist Rodney King was severely beaten by Lapd officers during his arrest for fleeing the police that would lead to riots after the cops were acquitted the next year.

SEECelebrity Deaths 2019: In Memoriam Gallery

Singleton is now dead at age 51 on Monday after a fatal stroke. Several notable talents took to...

John Singleton (Gina Ferazzi/Los Angeles Times)

Oscar-nominated director John Singleton has died. Singleton had been on life support at Cedars-Sinai Hospital in Los Angeles, CA after suffering a stroke. He was 51.

Despite reports early Monday morning that the famed writer, director, and producer had died, Singleton’s spokewoman Shannon Bar confirmed to USA Today that he was alive and “still on life support.” She added that any report to the contrary “is inaccurate.”

Later Monday morning, Singleton’s family confirmed to Fox News that they had taken him off life support. They said it was an “agonizing decision” that they made “over a number of days, with the careful counsel of John’s doctors.” The family of Singleton released a full statement about him.

“John Singleton is a prolific, ground-breaking director who changed the game and opened doors in Hollywood, a world that was just a few miles away,...

John Singleton, writer-director of “Boyz n the Hood” and industry pioneer, who was the first African American to earn an Oscar nomination for best director, has died. He was 51.

Singleton suffered a stroke after experiencing weakness in his legs, and was admitted to the hospital on April 17. He was taken off life support Monday and died a few hours later at Cedars-Sinai Hospital in Los Angeles.

His family issued a statement, saying: “We are sad to relay that John Singleton has died. John passed away peacefully, surrounded by his family and friends. We want to thank the amazing doctors at Cedars-Sinai Hospital for their expert care and kindness and we again want thank all of John’s fans, friends and colleagues for all of the love and support they showed him during this difficult time.” — The Singleton Family.

John Singleton’s Movie-Making Mantra:

He grew up in South-Central Los Angeles,...

John Singleton, the Oscar-nominated filmmaker behind “Boyz n the Hood,” has died at the age of 51. The director was hospitalized April 20 because of the stroke and was put into a medically-induced coma several days after. The director’s mother, Sheila Ward, requested a judge to appoint her temporary conservatorship at the time because Singleton was “unable to properly provide for his personal needs for physical health, food, clothing, or shelter.” Singleton was taken off life support today, April 26. The director’s family confirmed the decision to Deadline.

“It is with heavy hearts we announce that our beloved son, father and friend, John Daniel Singleton will be taken off of life support today,” a spokesperson for the family said in a statement. “This was an agonizing decision, one that our family made, over a number of days, with the careful counsel of John’s doctors… We are grateful to his fans,...

John Singleton (Gina Ferazzi/Los Angeles Times)

John Singleton is on life support at Cedars-Sinai Hospital in Los Angeles, CA after suffering a stroke. Despite reports early Monday morning that the famed writer, director, and producer had died, Singleton’s spokewoman Shannon Bar confirmed to USA Today that he is alive and “still on life support.” She added that any report to the contrary “is inaccurate.”

On April 20, Singleton’s family revealed that he had suffered a stroke on April 17. “We ask that privacy be given to him and our family at this time and appreciate all of the prayers that have been pouring in from his fans, friends and colleagues,” they said in a statement.

Singleton is best known for writing and directing the 1991 breakout film Boyz n the Hood. The movie earned him two Oscar nominations, making him the youngest best director and first black nominee in the category.

“Boyz n the Hood” writer-director John Singleton was hospitalized earlier this week for what’s being described as “mild” stoke, reports Variety. The filmmaker checked himself into the hospital after experiencing pain his leg following a flight from Costa Rica to the United States, which, also per Variety, potentially contributed to the medical incident.

Singleton burst onto the scene with “Boyz” in 1991, for which he earned Academy Award nominations for both Best Original Screenplay Best Director — the first black filmmaker to receive the latter nod, as well as the youngest at just 23 years old. Now 51, he has since directed the films “Shaft,” “2 Fast 2 Furious,” and “Four Brothers,” among others, in addition to episodes of “Empire,” “American Crime Story: The People v. O.J. Simpson,” and “Rebel.” Singleton also created the FX drama “Snowfall.”

He also supervised the production of the documentary “L.A. Burning: The Riots 25 Years Later...

Debra Bergman and Ken Basin have been promoted to executive VP rank at Paramount Television.

Bergman will serve as head of physical production, reporting to Paramount Television president Nicole Clemens. Basin has advanced in business affairs, reporting to David Goldman, Paramount Television’s president of business operations.

In addition, Robert West has been named VP of production.

“I am thrilled to have this talented stable of executives bringing their remarkable tastes, business acumen and visions to Paramount Television as we position it for continued growth and success,” said Clemens, who joined the studio in September. “I am confident that each member of this team brings a depth of experience and relationships that will produce a unique alchemy to continue to evolve this company for the future.”

Bergman, previously senior VP, has been with Paramount since 2017. She was responsible for overseeing production for such series as Netflix’s “Maniac,” Epix’s...

Sam Neill and Bryan Brown.

Bryan Brown will receive this year’s Longford Lyell Award, the highest honour bestowed by the Australian Academy of Cinema and Television Arts (Aacta).

Director Ian Dunlop was the first recipient of the honour named after film pioneers Raymond Longford and Lottie Lyell at the 1968 AFI Awards.

The roll call of honorees includes Peter Weir, Geoffrey Rush, Fred Schepisi, Jan Chapman, David Stratton, Don McAlpine, Al Clark, Jacki Weaver, Andrew Knight, Cate Blanchett and, last year, Phillip Noyce.

“In the 38 years since Bryan received his first AFI Award we have seen him firmly established as one of Australia’s most respected actors. As one of our earliest performance winners it is fitting that we honour Bryan this year as AFI | Aacta celebrates its 60th anniversary,” said AFI | Aacta CEO Damian Trewhella.

“We are full of admiration for Bryan’s commitment to his craft, his role...

Giancarlo Esposito made a much-hyped and rightly heralded return to the “Breaking Bad” universe in 2017, but now is not the time to discuss a certain chicken-peddling, drug-pushing Albuquerque crime lord. No, now is the time to talk about a name you don’t know because the character doesn’t have one.

On “Dear White People,” astute viewers may have noticed the story of racial unrest at a predominantly white Ivy League university was framed by a distinct personality. Far from overwhelming, but certainly influential, the omniscient storyteller had a bit of an attitude (like the series itself) and that attitude came not only from the pen of creator Justin Simien, but from the mind — and voice — of Giancarlo Esposito.

As much can be gleaned from the series’ opening lines:

“Ah, Winchester University. Hello,” Esposito says with a calm tone and a touch of curiosity. “The writers of this program are...

As scary as a cabin in the woods can be, one of the most disturbing backdrops for a film can be the college culture, where horrors that are all too real sometimes take place. Such is the case in Natalie Leite’s M.F.A., which made its world premiere at the SXSW Film Festival (read Heather's review here) and has now been acquired for Us distribution by Dark Sky Films.

Press Release: New York, NY (June 8, 2017) - Mpi Media Group announced today that it has acquired all rights in the U.S. to M.F.A., a critically acclaimed powerful thriller starring Francesca Eastwood in a stand out role. The film, from female director and female screenwriter, takes on the searing current issue of sexual violence on campus. M.F.A will be released domestically this fall under the company's Dark Sky Films banner.

The distribution agreement was negotiated by Nicola Goelzhaeuser, Mpi's...

Today we learned that iZombies executive producer Diane Ruggiero-Wright Misfits reboot Was given a pilot order at Freeform. Deadline reported that the American version of The British show has already cast 4 of the 5 members of the show's original juvenile delinquents. Let's check it out below.

In 2009 British Channel E4  launched a TV series called,The Misfits, a science fiction show about a group of juvenile offenders sentenced to work in a community service program. On the first day of the program, there's a freak electrical storm that causes them to gain superpowers. The show lasted five years and by the end had replaced every original character on the show.

 

The Original cast of the British series was:

Curtis Donovan played by Nathan Stewart-Jarrett. Curtis had been sentenced to community service after being caught in possession of cocaine. Curtis's power is to rewind time whenever he experiences the men's regret enabling...

Exclusive: Freeform has given a pilot order to Misfits, a supernatural drama inspired by the British series. It comes from Josh Schwartz and Stephanie Savage’s Fake Empire and Diane Ruggiero-Wright (iZombie, Veronica Mars), who wrote the adaptation and serves as showrunner. Cast as four of the five leads in the pilot are Ashleigh Lathrop (Sirens), Tre Hall (Rebel), Allie MacDonald (Orphan Black) and Jake Cannavale (Nurse Jackie), son of actor Bobby Cannavale. Victoria…...

Vulture WatchCan Rebel Knight cleanse Oakland of corruption? Has the Rebel TV show been cancelled or renewed for a second season on Bet? The television vulture is watching all the latest cancellation and renewal news, so this page is the place to track the status of Rebel season two. Bookmark it, or subscribe for the latest updates. Remember, the television vulture is watching your shows. Are you? What's This TV Show About?Airing on the Bet cable channel, Rebel stars Danielle Moné Truitt, Giancarlo Esposito, Mykelti Williamson, Cliff “Method Man” Smith, Latanya Richardson Jackson, Brandon Quinn, Angela Ko, Mikelen Walker, and Tamala Jones. Oakland P.D. Detective Rebecca “Rebel” Knight (Truitt) is wired to play by the rules. In a failed attempt to keep him from gunning down her little brother, Malik (Walker), Rebel ends up shooting her partner, Michael “Mack” McIntyre (Quinn). Following an intense Internal Affairs and criminal...

Following its premiere at the Sundance Film Festival, Bitch has been acquired by Mpi Media Group and Dark Sky Films, with a Us release planned for later this year.

Press Release: New York (May 9, 2017) - Mpi Media Group announced today that it has acquired multi-territory rights to Bitch, a dark and unsettling dramedy from writer-director Marianna Palka, who also stars alongside Jason Ritter. The film, which premiered to critical raves at the 2017 Sundance Film Festival, is one of the boldest in the growing body of work by new female directors. Mpi Media Group will be handling international territory sales of the film in Cannes and will release Bitch domestically under the company's Dark Sky Films banner later this year.

The distribution agreement was negotiated by Nicola Goelzhaeuser, VP of Digital and International Sales at Mpi along with Giles Edwards, Mpi's Head of Acquisitions and Development, Mpi Europe and

Peter Van Steemburg...

Giancarlo Esposito can’t seem to say no. The critical favorite has a long and varied resume on the stage and screen, and his skills as an actor and singer have put him in high demand constantly. In fact, this TV season alone he’s appeared on five different series. And while he may be best known as a certain peddler of poultry, his range extends far beyond that menacing “Breaking Bad” role.

Below, we’ve ranked Esposito’s current roles in order of increasing level of scariness:

5. Sidney Glass/Magic Mirror on “Once Upon a Time” (ABC)

Although he once used to be a Genie of Agrabah, he gave away all of his power and freedom when he decided to stay with his emotional abuser, the Evil Queen, for love. That’s right. He was a fool for love. Now he’s trapped in the mirror and doesn’t...

It has been a while since we were given a "dance it out" scene and we were long overdue. 

There is no time like the present given everything that had transpired with Diane.

We got a healthy dose of humor on Grey's Anatomy Season 13 Episode 19 too, which was a pleasant surprise, given the fact that we were coming off of the difficulty on Grey's Anatomy Season 13 Episode 18.

The hour mostly revolved around Maggie's first day back at the job, but fortunately, it wasn't the only thing we were given this hour. 

You know what I love about Grey's Anatomy? I love when it can acknowledge just how ridiculous it is and when it doesn't take itself too seriously. It can laugh at itself. It gives us, as viewers, license to laugh at just how absurd it can be, too. 

It has been 13 seasons of some of everything imaginable thrown at us.

Director John Singleton is primarily known for his work in feature films. Will he also find success on the small screen? Will his new Rebel TV show be cancelled or renewed for season two on Bet? Stay tuned.A scripted TV series drama airing on the Bet cable channel, Rebel stars Danielle Moné Truitt, Giancarlo Esposito, Mykelti Williamson, Cliff “Method Man” Smith, Latanya Richardson Jackson, Brandon Quinn, Angela Ko, Mikelen Walker, and Tamala Jones. Oakland P.D. Detective Rebecca “Rebel” Knight (Truitt) is wired to play by the rules. In a failed attempt to keep him from gunning down her little brother, Malik (Walker), Rebel ends up shooting her partner, Michael “Mack” McIntyre (Quinn). Following an intense Internal Affairs and criminal investigation, Knight ultimately leaves the force. As a newly-minted private investigator, she continues to wage war on crime and corruption.Read...

Network: BetEpisodes: Ongoing (hour)Seasons: OngoingTV show dates: March 28, 2017 — presentSeries status: Has not been cancelledPerformers include: Danielle Moné Truitt, Giancarlo Esposito, Mykelti Williamson, Cliff “Method Man” Smith, Latanya Richardson Jackson, Brandon Quinn, Angela Ko, Mikelen Walker, Tamala Jones, Lauren London, Michael Masini, Jerry Kernion, Mandy Jane Turpin, Tom Ohmer, West Lian, and Tre Hall.TV show description:From creator and director John Singleton, Rebel is a gritty and morally ambiguous, "ripped from the headlines," scripted police drama. The TV series explores the complex, dynamic relationship between the African-American community and the police, from the perspective of officers of color.Oakland P.D. Detective Rebecca "Rebel" Knight (Truitt) is wired to play by the rules. Being both black and female, she has had to be better, smarter, and harder...

Let's just call it now. Elliot Fletcher was the Mvp of the hour.

It's a tough task, drawing attention away from all the family shenanigans that go on in The Foster home. There were plenty of them to go around throughout the hour.

Some of the very best moments of The Fosters Season 4 Episode 18, were when we were at the Baker home, dealing with Aaron and his parents who were still trying to accept that they have a son, not a daughter.

Of course, The Fosters did it again, taking on another social justice issue, with heart and aplomb. The show quietly solidifies itself as one of the most groundbreaking shows presently on air, especially as far as family shows go, each and every week. 

This installment was no exception.

Aaron has been one of those characters who can either bug you or endear you. If you're like me, then he does both.

Bet has set a March 28th at 10/9c premiere date for its new primetime scripted drama series, “Rebel,” which tackles the unique and complicated relationship the Black community faces with police officers. Directed by John Singleton, the series follows Rebel… Continue Reading →...

In advance of the March 28th premiere of director John Singleton’s new Bet series, “Rebel,” the network’s digital arm (Bet Digital) has launched an adjunct web series titled “I Need a Rebel.” All six episodes were made available online simultaneously last night… Continue Reading →...

In advance of the March 28th premiere of director John Singleton’s new Bet series, “Rebel,” the network’s digital arm (Bet Digital) will launch an adjunct web-series titled “I Need a Rebel.” All six episodes will be made available simultaneously, on… Continue Reading →...

Bet has set a March 28th at 9:00Pm Et/Pt premiere date for its new scripted drama series, “Rebel,” which tackles the unique and complicated relationship the Black community faces with police officers. Directed by John Singleton, the series follows Rebel… Continue Reading →...

John Singleton is headed to Bet. Today, the network announced the filmmaker's new series Rebel will debut in March.The drama "follows Rebel (Danielle Moné Truitt), a police officer who leaves the force after being under an intense Internal Affairs/criminal investigation for shooting her partner in the hopes of stopping him from gunning down her little brother." The cast also includes Giancarlo Esposito, Mykelti Williamson, Cliff "Method Man" Smith, Latanya Richardson, and Brandon Quinn.Read More…...

Bet has set a March 28th at 9:00Pm Et/Pt premiere date for its new scripted drama series, “Rebel,” which tackles the unique and complicated relationship the Black community faces with police officers. Directed by John Singleton, the series follows Rebel… Continue Reading →...

John Singleton is developing hour-long drama “Straight Outta Heaven,” which has landed at The CW, TheWrap has learned. The storyline is being kept under wraps, but is being described as a faith-based, hip hop-infused guardian angel project. Singleton is writing and executive producing with Dallas Jackson. Also Read: 'Dynasty' Reboot in Works at The CW With 'The Oc' Creators The duo recently shot drama pilot “Rebel” for Bet. Also in development at The CW are a “Dynasty” reboot, “Casa,” a family drama revolving around immigration, from Greg Berlanti, as well as “Mata Hari,” based on the life of Margaretha Geertruida “Margreet” MacLeod,...

John Singleton‘s BET drama series “Rebel” has added Angel Parker to the cast, TheWrap has learned exclusively. “Rebel” follows Oakland police officer Rebecca “Rebel” Cole, who has always excelled by playing by the rules. She has always known that she must be better and smarter on the job because she is both black and female. After her brother is slain by police, Rebel soon becomes disillusioned with the system and is forced to take matters into her own hands and become a private investigator and a champion for her community. Also Read: John Singleton Drama 'Rebel,' Gary Owen Reality Series Set at.

The Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences hosted a 25th anniversary screening of John Singleton’s “Boyz N the Hood” at the Sva Theatre in New York City last Sunday as part of their “Spotlight on Screenwriting” series. This followed an event in Los Angeles the Academy hosted for the film on Friday.

After the screening, Oscar-nominated writer and director Singleton sat down with acclaimed author Walter Mosley to discuss what “Boyz” means 25 years later, including how it launched its career, how time has shifted its cultural weight and, for Singleton, how film increasingly struggles to mean anything culturally. Read five highlights from the talk below:

Read More: John Singleton Channels August Wilson – Pens Op-ed On White Directors Helming Black Films

Singleton uses two words to describe the current state of black cinema: “Dismal” and “abysmal.”

At the discussion, Singleton repeatedly discussed his interest in films specific to culture and afro-centric experiences. Yet he lamented that films like that are not being made by other minority directors, especially in the studio system.

“It doesn’t matter how many hits and how much money the movies are making,” said Singleton. “They don’t have any cultural consciousness to them now. They have smatterings and little bits here and there, but it’s abysmal. It’s not like every movie has to make a statement at all. Movies don’t have to preach, they’re entertainment first.”

“But in terms of cultural weight – if we have cultural weight, it will be entertaining. And that’s what I feel I try to go for. I just try to rep hard for Spike [Lee], when he was starting he was trying to get people to say ‘hey listen, we can have our own idiom in film. We can have a black film aesthetic. We can have a thing that’s unique.’ When I do whatever I’m trying to do, I’m still trying to rep that,” he said.

This lack of personal voices in film is a result of a studio culture that he doesn’t think would support “Boyz N the Hood” today.

Mosley and Singleton broke down how unlike government-sanctioned international cinema that “gives artists free reign to have dissenting views,” said Singleton, cultural specificity is lost in commerce-driven american cinema.

“There are so many stories that have yet to be chronicled about what really went on in Los Angeles in the early 80s,” said Singleton. “Yet our film culture is all based on commerce. You have a paucity of personal voices in film. Yes, you have a lot of independent films that are getting made, but even so they’re not what they were. You don’t have as many anachronistic true voices that are different from the norm. You have that at a lower level where people are making films on their iPhones now, doing new stuff.”

“There used to be a time where you had a support of these acrostic voices. These films that were really specific…you don’t have that with the studios right now,” Singleton added. “That’s why American cinema is really suffering right now. It’s sort of like the small movies are the farm stuff for the big films. If George Lucas didn’t make ‘American Graffiti,’ he wouldn’t have ‘Star Wars.’ And ‘American Graffiti’ is specific to a sort of time and place that was changing and evolving. You could never make those films now. You could never make ‘Boyz N the Hood’ now.”

Morris believed in spite of media attention from Black Lives Matter, the push for awareness of minority voices will not translate directly to more prominence for black artists.

“In truth, Black Lives Matter says we’re paying attention to everything because if our lives don’t matter then your lives don’t matter,” said Morris. “And they’ve done a lot of work and they are doing a lot of work. But I think it’s a long journey from that to those 25, 35, 135 million dollar movies.”

“Boyz N the Hood” came from a young USC grad making an identity as “a black filmmaker repping Los Angeles.”

Singleton describes his first feature as a bridge between what he saw and grew up with in Los Angeles and his study of Italian neorealism (films like “The Bicycle Thieves” and “Open City”). Yet there was one figure in Singleton’s life who started the whole quest.

“I look at it as a time capsule of what I was thinking and feeling at the time,” said Singleton. “I was 20 years old and I went and saw ‘Do the Right Thing,” which came out in the summer of 1989. Spike [Lee] has always been my cinematic big brother. Before I went to school and he visited La he pushed other people out of the way to shake my hand. I told him I was going to USC Film School and for him to watch out for me. So I went to school for four years rapping black cinema. I was one of the only black filmmakers and students in a predominantly white film culture. It was a continued marginalization – the attitude was there was only one Spike Lee. I was like, ‘I’m not the next Spike Lee, I’m the next John Singleton.’”

The need to create “Boyz” was driven by Singleton’s desire to write a film about what he knew: to go back to his family and figure out this story.

“I was at USC, which was still adjunct to the neighborhood I was growing up in,” said Singleton. “And I wouldn’t say I was having Ptsd because I was still in the environment, but I was having dreams like that. Having dreams about the stuff I’d seen in my childhood and teenage years. But I’m on an island – if you step off the campus, you’re in the mix. This is the 80s still. The script for ‘Boyz’ came out of that.”

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There are promising movies to Singleton that are immersed in a time and place. A favorite of his? “Beasts of the Southern Wild.”

Singleton and Mosley lavished praise on Benh Zeitlin’s 2012 film, which Mosley helped foster when Zeitlin brought the script to Sundance Labs in 2008.

“Beautiful, beautiful film,” said Singleton. “Benh [Zeitlin] did a great job on that. There a scene where she goes over on that ferry and goes to that place, and it’s a questionable place…you don’t know if she’s seeing her mother or a vision of her mother, and the woman fries that alligator tail. And she’s telling this quasi-sexual story. But that never could’ve been done if the filmmakers didn’t live down there. And he’s not black, but he’s a brother, you know? If you see that movie, he takes you somewhere special and different, and he does it in an interesting, lyrical kind of way.”

The two took inspiration from how Zeitlin and his crew went spent several months in Louisiana taking in the culture of a world that would become The Bathtub. “They lived with the film,” said Mosley. Singleton thought other filmmakers should take note.

“I’m interested in doing a quasi-sort of thing with Chinese kids. I’m not Chinese. But I’m going to immerse myself in what these kids are going for,” said Singleton. “There’s not enough of that. And you can be from a certain culture and not know anything about where you’re from, too. That’s why a lot of black filmmakers are making marginal films right now. Because they’re not really astute at what the weight is that came before them. If you’re making gumbo, and the base is bad, it’s not going to taste good.”

Singleton wants his work to serve as a “conduit” for the voiceless.

Director of eight films and three TV shows since “Boyz,” Singleton has kept himself busy in the past 25 years. Yet the work that interests him to this date remains small, personal, ostracized stories.

“I always wanted to be the kind of storyteller that was still accessible to folks,” said Singleton. “I’m doing Snowfall [the upcoming series for FX], I have another show called Rebel which just got announced… I’m interested in continuing the foundation that was set with ‘Boyz.’ Near my office there’s a park I go to, and I see people who just got released, people who are schizophrenic, people who are living from halfway house to halfway house. When you’re in and around folks, you get stories.”

“Everyone has stories to tell, but not everyone has a way to tell it. Not everyone can sit down and write it, damn near make a movie about it. But what I feel is that I’m a conduit for those folks,” he said. “And I’m not so visible that I’m not accessible. I’m not on TV all the time, I’m not doing the celebrity thing. I’d like to think I work like Ernest Hemingway. He would travel to different places, and he would write about his experiences. I love listening and talking to folks, and that’s how I get the rhythm and cadence of language.”

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