Apple TV+ has officially picked up Murderbot, a 10-episode sci-fi drama series starring and executive produced by Emmy winner Alexander Skarsgård (Succession). Based on Martha Wells’ bestselling Hugo- and Nebula Award-winning book series The Murderbot Diaries, the project hails from Chris and Paul Weitz (About a Boy) and Paramount Television Studios.
FX Orders Untitled Comedy Pilot From Lauren Ludwig →
FX has ordered the pilot of an untitled half-hour comedy written by Lauren Ludwig (American Auto, Rob Riggle’s Ski Master Academy). — Ludwig, Academy Award nominees Chris & Paul Weitz (About a Boy) under their Depth of Field banner, Andrew Miano, Dan Balgoyen, and Aaron Kogan are executive producing. The pilot will be produced by FX Productions.
Lily Tomlin, Jane Fonda Re-Team For Paul Weitz-Directed ‘Moving On;’ Limelight & Boies/Schiller Funding →
Lily Tomlin and Jane Fonda have committed to a big screen reteam in Moving On, a comedy written and to be directed by Paul Weitz. — Malcolm McDowell and Richard Roundtree join them in a film about two old friends who reconnect at a funeral, and decide to exact revenge on the widower who wronged them decades before. Production will begin this fall in Los Angeles. The film’s co-financed by Limelight and Boies/Schiller Film Group.
Robert De Niro to Star in Lionsgate Comedy ‘About My Father’ →
Robert De Niro has joined the cast of “About My Father,” an upcoming film that’s loosely based on the life of standup comic Sebastian Maniscalco.
Box Office: ‘The Farewell’ Surpasses ‘Avengers: Endgame’ For Biggest Theater Average of the Year →
“Avengers: Endgame” has broken just about every box office record this year, but there’s at least one film that has managed to surpass a benchmark set by the superhero blockbuster: A24’s “The Farewell” now holds the best per-screen-average of 2019.
Solstice Studios On ‘Manhunt;’ Will Remake Japanese Cult Classic ‘Shield Of Straw’ This Year →
Solstice Studios has acquired and is fast-tracking late summer or early fall start Manhunt, the working title of an action film based on the Kazuhiro KiuchiJapanese novel and the Takashi Miike-directed cult classic film Shield of Straw. The American remake is produced in association with Depth of Field, Nippon TV and Anew. Andrew Miano, Dan Balgoyen and Naoaki Kitazima are the producers, with Paul & Chris Weitz, Sanford Climan, and Naomi Hatta the exec producers.
Weitz Brothers’ Depth Of Field Inks First-Look Deal With Paramount Television →
Chris and Paul Weitz’s production company, Depth of Field, has closed a two-year first-look deal with Paramount Television for TV and digital series. The deal went into effect on February 1.
Sundance: A24 Nabs Awkwafina’s ‘The Farewell’ →
Kevin Hart to Star in Paul Weitz’s ‘Fatherhood’ →
Kevin Hart is ready to show off his serious side. The comedian will star in Sony Pictures’ “Fatherhood,” a big-screen adaptation of the Matt Logelin bestseller “Two Kisses for Maddy: A Memoir of Loss & Love.” The film, which centers on a widower who must raise his daughter after his wife dies in childbirth, is directed by Paul Weitz (“About a Boy”).
‘Bel Canto’ With Julianne Moore, Ken Watanabe Sells to Screen Media →
Screen Media has acquired North American rights to “Bel Canto,” Paul Weitz’s adaptation of the acclaimed Ann Patchett novel. The drama about a hostage crisis stars Julianne Moore and Ken Watanabe. Opera legend Renée Fleming contributes vocals to the film. A national theatrical release is planned for September.
Gunpowder & Sky Buys Global Rights to ‘Prospect’ →
Gunpowder & Sky has acquired worldwide rights to “Prospect.”
The Zeek Earl and Chris Caldwell directed the sci-fi Western had its world premiere at SXSW.
Gunpowder & Sky will release the film theatrically in the U.S. later this year through its sci-fi label Dust. Independent will handle sales outside the U.S. The London-based sales firm will screen the film for buyers in Cannes.
Blake Lively to Star in Thriller ‘The Husband’s Secret’ From ‘Big Little Lies’ Author →
Blake Lively is set to star in CBS Films’ thriller “The Husband’s Secret.”
Lively will also executive produce the film, with Chris Weitz, Paul Weitz, and Andrew Miano producing via their Depth of Field production company.
Oscar Isaac In Final Negotiations To Star And Produce MGM’s ‘Operation Finale’ For Director Chris Weitz →
Oscar Isaac, who just starred in The Promise about the Armenian genocide with Christian Bale, is taking to another historical drama — this one about the hunt for one of the most hated men of WWII. Isaac is sealing a deal to star in Operation Finale (previously known as Eichmann) for MGM and director Chris Weitz.
John Cho, Parker Posey Starring in Drama ‘Columbus’ →
John Cho, Parker Posey, Haley Lu Richardson, Michelle Forbes, and Rory Culkin are starring the Indiana-set drama “Columbus.”
“Columbus” marks the feature directorial debut of Kogonada, who has been noted for his visual work and film criticism commissioned by the Criterion Collection and Sight & Sound.
The movie is being produced by Superlative Films and Depth of Field in association with Nonetheless Productions. Chris Weitz, Andrew Miano, Danielle Renfrew Behrens, Aaron Boyd, Ki Jin Kim, and Giulia Caruso serve as producers. Superlative Films is financing the pic.
‘Mozart in the Jungle’ Showrunner, ‘Star Wars: Rogue One’ Writer Sign Two-Year Deal With Amazon Studios →
Paul and Chris Weitz’s production company Depth of Field has signed a two-year, first-look deal with Amazon Studios, Variety has learned.
The Amazon deal extends to Depth of Field president Andrew Miano. The company produced director Tom Ford’s film “A Single Man” and is producing Judy Greer’s upcoming directorial debut “A Happening of Monumental Proportions.”
Paul Weitz & Chris Weitz Ink Deal With Amazon Studios →
Amazon Studios has signed a deal with a key creative auspice behind another critically praised comedy series: Mozart In The Jungle‘s executive producer, showrunner and director Paul Weitz. Amazon Studios has signed a two-year first-look deal with Weitz and his brother Chris Weitz’s production company Depth of Field. Under the pact, the duo will develop new projects for the streaming company.
Golden Globes Winner: 'Mozart In The Jungle' Scores Best TV Series – Musical Or Comedy →
The Hollywood Foreign Press Association went classical tonight at the 73rd annual Golden Globes in awarding Mozart In The Jungle as Best Television Series – Musical Or Comedy. Winning its first Golden Globe, the Amazon series about the backstage and onstage shenanigans of an NYC orchestra is also up tonight for a Best Performance award for its lead Gael Garcia Bernal.
Judy Greer to Make Directorial Debut With Dramedy Starring Common →
Chris Weitz, Paul Weitz and Andrew Miano are producing via their Depth of Field banner
Takashi Miike’s Cannes Pic ‘Shield Of Straw’ Getting English-Language Redo →
All Nippon Entertainment Works and Japanese partner Nippon TV are teaming with Chris and Paul Weitz’s Depth of Field to develop and produce an English-language remake of Takashi Miike’s action thriller Shield Of Straw, which played in competition at the 2013 Cannes Film Festival. Olympus Has Fallen and London Has Fallen husband-and-wife scribes Creighton Rothenberger and Katrin Benedikt have been tapped to adapt the screenplay. No director has been set.
Sundance: 'Grandma' Sells to Sony Classics (Exclusive) →
Sony Classics has closed a deal for worldwide rights to the road trip comedy Grandma.