Sean Gallagher, one of the founders of Say Yes to the Dress producer Half Yard Productions who spent over a decade at Discovery, died July 19 of cancer. He was 57..
Gallagher was heralded as a “pioneer” of reality television and a “kingmaker” as the industry took shape in its early years. Friends and colleagues including Warner Bros. Discovery boss David Zaslav and former A+E Networks CEO Nancy Dubuc paid tribute to Gallagher.
Gallagher founded Half Yard Productions in 2006 with Abby Greensfelder. In addition to TLC’s Say Yes to the Dress, the company made hundreds of hours of unscripted television including Bravo’s The Real Housewives of D.C., Animal Planet’s Hillbilly Handfishin’ and Discovery’s American Loggers and The Last Alaskans, Nat Geo’s Diggers and History’s How The States Got Their Shapes.
Before launching the Bethesda-based company, he spent over ten years working at Discovery. He started as an AP,...
Gallagher was heralded as a “pioneer” of reality television and a “kingmaker” as the industry took shape in its early years. Friends and colleagues including Warner Bros. Discovery boss David Zaslav and former A+E Networks CEO Nancy Dubuc paid tribute to Gallagher.
Gallagher founded Half Yard Productions in 2006 with Abby Greensfelder. In addition to TLC’s Say Yes to the Dress, the company made hundreds of hours of unscripted television including Bravo’s The Real Housewives of D.C., Animal Planet’s Hillbilly Handfishin’ and Discovery’s American Loggers and The Last Alaskans, Nat Geo’s Diggers and History’s How The States Got Their Shapes.
Before launching the Bethesda-based company, he spent over ten years working at Discovery. He started as an AP,...
- 7/22/2024
- by Peter White
- Deadline Film + TV
Jeannette Charles, the Queen Elizabeth II look-alike who played the British monarch for laughs in National Lampoon’s European Vacation, in the first Naked Gun movie and in the last Austin Powers film, has died. She was 96.
Charles died Sunday at a hospice facility in Great Baddow, Essex, England, her daughter, Carol Christophi, announced. “Mum was a real character and a force of nature. She had an amazing life,” she said. “She was always respectful of the queen and adored the royal family.”
Queen Elizabeth II died in September 2022, also at age 96.
Charles spent more than four decades doubling for the head of state before she wound down her career in 2014.
“I think the first time I was recognized [as the queen] was on a trip [in 1971] to Capri in Italy, with my Italian pen friend Florence,” she recalled in a 2012 interview. “Someone shouted ‘Princess Elizabeth’ in Italian, my friend explained her majesty had...
Charles died Sunday at a hospice facility in Great Baddow, Essex, England, her daughter, Carol Christophi, announced. “Mum was a real character and a force of nature. She had an amazing life,” she said. “She was always respectful of the queen and adored the royal family.”
Queen Elizabeth II died in September 2022, also at age 96.
Charles spent more than four decades doubling for the head of state before she wound down her career in 2014.
“I think the first time I was recognized [as the queen] was on a trip [in 1971] to Capri in Italy, with my Italian pen friend Florence,” she recalled in a 2012 interview. “Someone shouted ‘Princess Elizabeth’ in Italian, my friend explained her majesty had...
- 6/5/2024
- by Mike Barnes
- The Hollywood Reporter - Movie News
Exclusive: Gena McCarthy and her UNConventional Entertainment banner has new representation.
The company has signed with Buchwald. It was previously with A3.
This comes just over a year after the former Lifetime Head of Unscripted launched UNConventional at Sony Pictures Television.
At the end of last year, McCarthy announced her first series order; Hallmark Media greenlit Celebrations with Lacy Chabert, starring and exec produced by the Mean Girls star, which will launch on the network’s streaming service later this year.
UNConventional focuses on lifestyle and factual entertainment formats across relationships, home, food, survival, Americana, competition, and crime.
She has also sold projects to networks including Lifetime, weTV, TLC, OWN and Paramount+.
McCarthy previously spent ten years at A+E Networks, where she was EVP and Head of Programming at Lifetime Unscripted and Head of Programming at Fyi. Before that, she had been at Discovery Channel and weTV.
She has worked...
The company has signed with Buchwald. It was previously with A3.
This comes just over a year after the former Lifetime Head of Unscripted launched UNConventional at Sony Pictures Television.
At the end of last year, McCarthy announced her first series order; Hallmark Media greenlit Celebrations with Lacy Chabert, starring and exec produced by the Mean Girls star, which will launch on the network’s streaming service later this year.
UNConventional focuses on lifestyle and factual entertainment formats across relationships, home, food, survival, Americana, competition, and crime.
She has also sold projects to networks including Lifetime, weTV, TLC, OWN and Paramount+.
McCarthy previously spent ten years at A+E Networks, where she was EVP and Head of Programming at Lifetime Unscripted and Head of Programming at Fyi. Before that, she had been at Discovery Channel and weTV.
She has worked...
- 6/3/2024
- by Peter White
- Deadline Film + TV
"Ghostbusters: Frozen Empire" hits theaters this weekend (read our review here), and along with the returning casts of both the original "Ghostbusters" franchise and the new generation of specter catchers from "Ghostbusters: Afterlife," there's another ugly little spud making a comeback. That's right, Slimer is back on the scene, green and still kinda mean. Well, at least he's hungry, and if you interfere with his eating (even though he can't really consume the food), he gets super annoyed. Every time Slimer comes back, some of that ectoplasm comes with him, but this time, the visual effects department on "Frozen Empire" came up with some cool new movie magic that they've never achieved with this green ghoul before.
With a little help from Ivan Reitman, "Ghostbusters: Afterlife" perfected the recipe for the slime that is so often left behind by ghosts, so getting the ectoplasm residue right was the easy part.
With a little help from Ivan Reitman, "Ghostbusters: Afterlife" perfected the recipe for the slime that is so often left behind by ghosts, so getting the ectoplasm residue right was the easy part.
- 3/22/2024
- by Ethan Anderton
- Slash Film
From home improvement to baking competitions to true crime to 90-day fiances, discovery+ has something for every unscripted TV fan, and now you can save even more than normal on the service. Warner Bros. Discovery’s lean-back, lifestyle streamer is already one of the cheapest platforms on the market at $4.99 for the ad-supported option and $8.99 for the ad-free tier, but with this new deal, you can save 50% on your first three months of discovery+ via Prime Video Channels for whichever pricing plan you want.
How to Save 40% on Three Months of discovery+ Click here to get the deal. Click the “Get Started” button. Select whether you want the ad-supported plan for $2.50 per month or the ad-free plan for $4.50 per month. Verify your billing and account details. Click the “Confirm” button at the bottom of the page. Make sure to sign up by Wednesday, March 27. Save 50% on 3 Months Starting at $2.50 per...
How to Save 40% on Three Months of discovery+ Click here to get the deal. Click the “Get Started” button. Select whether you want the ad-supported plan for $2.50 per month or the ad-free plan for $4.50 per month. Verify your billing and account details. Click the “Confirm” button at the bottom of the page. Make sure to sign up by Wednesday, March 27. Save 50% on 3 Months Starting at $2.50 per...
- 3/18/2024
- by Matt Tamanini
- The Streamable
PlayStation, Warner Bros. Discovery Reach Licensing Agreement Allowing Users to Keep Purchased Shows
More than 1,300 titles were set to disappear from PlayStation libraries at December’s end, but a new deal means they’ll stay put for now.
There are still a few days before Christmas, but Sony and Warner Bros. Discovery are teaming up to give out early presents to PlayStation owners. Reversing an earlier announcement, Sony and Wbd agreed to a new licensing deal that will prevent titles like “Deadliest Catch,” “MythBusters” and 1,300 other Discovery shows from being deleted from PlayStation libraries.
Sony announced in early December that Discovery shows would be deleted from PlayStation libraries starting in late December. The titles were to be deleted thanks to an expired licensing agreement, even for users who had actually bought the shows from the PlayStation store. The new licensing agreement will keep those titles on PlayStation platforms for at least 30 months. 7-Day Free Trial $4.99+ / month discovery+ via amazon.com Why Were Wbd Shows...
There are still a few days before Christmas, but Sony and Warner Bros. Discovery are teaming up to give out early presents to PlayStation owners. Reversing an earlier announcement, Sony and Wbd agreed to a new licensing deal that will prevent titles like “Deadliest Catch,” “MythBusters” and 1,300 other Discovery shows from being deleted from PlayStation libraries.
Sony announced in early December that Discovery shows would be deleted from PlayStation libraries starting in late December. The titles were to be deleted thanks to an expired licensing agreement, even for users who had actually bought the shows from the PlayStation store. The new licensing agreement will keep those titles on PlayStation platforms for at least 30 months. 7-Day Free Trial $4.99+ / month discovery+ via amazon.com Why Were Wbd Shows...
- 12/22/2023
- by David Satin
- The Streamable
Exclusive: A round of layoffs has taken place at Banijay-owned MythBusters firm Beyond Productions in Australia and the U.S.
Deadline understands around two-dozen people have lost jobs across the production arm’s Sydney and LA sites, after the UK hub was shuttered several weeks ago.
The move comes almost exactly a year after Banijay bought decades-old firm Beyond International in a deal worth more than $30M, via what was described as a Scheme Implementation Deed.
“Banijay can confirm a number of redundancies have been implemented across the Beyond International production footprint,” a spokeswoman told Deadline. “The changes form part of the group’s overall reorganisation of the business following its acquisition earlier this year. No productions will be affected in the process.”
The layoffs comprise a sizeable chunk of Beyond Productions’ overall footprint. Overseen by President John Luscombe, the company launched in 1984 and has made the likes of long-running Discovery franchise Mythbusters,...
Deadline understands around two-dozen people have lost jobs across the production arm’s Sydney and LA sites, after the UK hub was shuttered several weeks ago.
The move comes almost exactly a year after Banijay bought decades-old firm Beyond International in a deal worth more than $30M, via what was described as a Scheme Implementation Deed.
“Banijay can confirm a number of redundancies have been implemented across the Beyond International production footprint,” a spokeswoman told Deadline. “The changes form part of the group’s overall reorganisation of the business following its acquisition earlier this year. No productions will be affected in the process.”
The layoffs comprise a sizeable chunk of Beyond Productions’ overall footprint. Overseen by President John Luscombe, the company launched in 1984 and has made the likes of long-running Discovery franchise Mythbusters,...
- 12/14/2023
- by Max Goldbart
- Deadline Film + TV
Shows like ‘Cake Boss’ and ‘Naked and Afraid’ will soon be disappearing from your PlayStation library, whether you paid for it or not.
One of the worst changes brought on by the streaming revolution is the lack of content ownership. Digital purchases are highly convenient, allowing users to have their favorite show or movie available on-demand anywhere. The flipside of this coin is that often, customers who “buy” a show or movie digitally don’t actually own that content permanently.
A long list of Warner Bros. Discovery shows are being removed from PlayStation Network and the libraries of users who paid for them. The list includes popular titles like “Cake Boss,” “Deadliest Catch,” “Mythbusters,” and many more. These series can still be viewed on Max or discovery+. 7-Day Free Trial $9.99+ / month Max via amazon.com
Get 20% Off Your Next Year of Max When Pre-Paid Annually
Which Wbd Shows Are Disappearing from PlayStation?...
One of the worst changes brought on by the streaming revolution is the lack of content ownership. Digital purchases are highly convenient, allowing users to have their favorite show or movie available on-demand anywhere. The flipside of this coin is that often, customers who “buy” a show or movie digitally don’t actually own that content permanently.
A long list of Warner Bros. Discovery shows are being removed from PlayStation Network and the libraries of users who paid for them. The list includes popular titles like “Cake Boss,” “Deadliest Catch,” “Mythbusters,” and many more. These series can still be viewed on Max or discovery+. 7-Day Free Trial $9.99+ / month Max via amazon.com
Get 20% Off Your Next Year of Max When Pre-Paid Annually
Which Wbd Shows Are Disappearing from PlayStation?...
- 12/5/2023
- by David Satin
- The Streamable
With the corporate-friendly copyright laws printed on current edition U.S. law books, film distribution and production companies are the default custodians of cinema. That doesn't mean they approach the responsibility of ensuring people can watch what they want, with the attitude it deserves. Quite the opposite; films and TV are devalued as mere "content," can linger in rights-holding limbo away from public exhibition, and in the streaming era, it's easier than ever to just destroy a film, as Warner Bros. Discovery CEO David Zaslav has proven.
Now, it's Sony's turn for some anti-consumer activism. Kotaku reports that Sony will, come December 31, be deleting Discovery reality TV programs from PlayStation 4 users' digital libraries. People who have already bought and paid for these Discovery shows will lose access to them; it's like returning an item to the store where you bought it, except you don't get your money back.
Herein...
Now, it's Sony's turn for some anti-consumer activism. Kotaku reports that Sony will, come December 31, be deleting Discovery reality TV programs from PlayStation 4 users' digital libraries. People who have already bought and paid for these Discovery shows will lose access to them; it's like returning an item to the store where you bought it, except you don't get your money back.
Herein...
- 12/2/2023
- by Devin Meenan
- Slash Film
Welcome to our rundown of the most-watched branded YouTube videos of the week.
We’re publishing this snippet of a larger Gospel Stats Weekly Brand Report in order to analyze sponsorship trends in the creator economy. Any video launched in tandem with an official brand partner is eligible for the ranking.
And – as the name up above would imply – all the data comes from Gospel Stats. If you’re interested in learning more about Gospel – and which brands are sponsoring what creators on YouTube – click here.
Welcome back to the Gospel Stats Weekly Brand Report! And never fear: if you were disturbed by last week’s MrBeast upset, he’s back on top this week, with his latest buried alive spectacle putting him firmly at spot numero uno.
Read on to see who sponsored him–plus catch up with five dudes from Texas, get a Mythbusters flashback, take a deep dive into how truly,...
We’re publishing this snippet of a larger Gospel Stats Weekly Brand Report in order to analyze sponsorship trends in the creator economy. Any video launched in tandem with an official brand partner is eligible for the ranking.
And – as the name up above would imply – all the data comes from Gospel Stats. If you’re interested in learning more about Gospel – and which brands are sponsoring what creators on YouTube – click here.
Welcome back to the Gospel Stats Weekly Brand Report! And never fear: if you were disturbed by last week’s MrBeast upset, he’s back on top this week, with his latest buried alive spectacle putting him firmly at spot numero uno.
Read on to see who sponsored him–plus catch up with five dudes from Texas, get a Mythbusters flashback, take a deep dive into how truly,...
- 11/28/2023
- by James Hale
- Tubefilter.com
About a decade ago, Netflix was sitting pretty, pulling in growing numbers of viewers with TV shows they had licensed from other networks. Some might remember how, in 2013, NBCUniversal licensed the streaming rights for "The Office" to Netflix, allowing it to become a frequently re-watched series for the streaming service. 2013 was when, some might say, early rumblings of what was to become the Streaming Wars began. Companies began keeping their own properties under their own umbrellas, each hoping that it could launch a successful streaming service of its own. Netflix also began making original content, a move that was considered risible at the time.
We all know the hoarding, overspending, and striking that the Streaming Wars ultimately begat, but just prior to the War, streaming seemed like a sustainable model. Studios would license their movies to a third-party streamer, they would earn revenue, and many older shows and movies were advertised as being more available.
We all know the hoarding, overspending, and striking that the Streaming Wars ultimately begat, but just prior to the War, streaming seemed like a sustainable model. Studios would license their movies to a third-party streamer, they would earn revenue, and many older shows and movies were advertised as being more available.
- 11/25/2023
- by Witney Seibold
- Slash Film
After watching the first trailer for the upcoming Jason Statham action thriller "The Beekeeper," I did what any reasonable person would do. I filled a plastic milk top to the brim with honey, put it in the sink (for safety), and tried to set the honey on fire.
For context, the climactic moment of the trailer sees Statham flinging a pot of honey at a chain-gun-wielding baddie to drench her in the sticky nectar by-product, then tossing a lighter at the spilled honey. Aforementioned baddie is enveloped in flames as the trailer cuts to another character explaining that honey is "flammable as f***."
Well, apparently no one told honey that it was supposed be "flammable as f***." After giving this trailer the "MythBusters" treatment, we can add "honey is natural napalm" to the list of things that Hollywood has lied to us about, along with "air vents are always large...
For context, the climactic moment of the trailer sees Statham flinging a pot of honey at a chain-gun-wielding baddie to drench her in the sticky nectar by-product, then tossing a lighter at the spilled honey. Aforementioned baddie is enveloped in flames as the trailer cuts to another character explaining that honey is "flammable as f***."
Well, apparently no one told honey that it was supposed be "flammable as f***." After giving this trailer the "MythBusters" treatment, we can add "honey is natural napalm" to the list of things that Hollywood has lied to us about, along with "air vents are always large...
- 10/4/2023
- by Hannah Shaw-Williams
- Slash Film
Since most of discovery+’s content is available on Max, some users might decide the time is now to upgrade.
The race to profitability is on, and streaming customers are facing the choice of getting out of the way or getting trampled. Ad-free streaming plans are rising in price all over the marketplace, and discovery+ got in on the game this week when it informed customers that effective immediately, its commercial-free plan was rising in price from $6.99 to $8.99 per month.
Ad-supported discovery+ brings in more money per subscriber than the ad-free plan, so its price is staying the same at $4.99 per month. But considering that much of the content from discovery+ is now available on Warner Bros. Discovery’s flagship streaming platform Max, some customers might be wondering if the time is now to make the switch.
7-Day Free Trial $9.99+ / month Max via amazon.com
Get 20% Off Your Next Year of...
The race to profitability is on, and streaming customers are facing the choice of getting out of the way or getting trampled. Ad-free streaming plans are rising in price all over the marketplace, and discovery+ got in on the game this week when it informed customers that effective immediately, its commercial-free plan was rising in price from $6.99 to $8.99 per month.
Ad-supported discovery+ brings in more money per subscriber than the ad-free plan, so its price is staying the same at $4.99 per month. But considering that much of the content from discovery+ is now available on Warner Bros. Discovery’s flagship streaming platform Max, some customers might be wondering if the time is now to make the switch.
7-Day Free Trial $9.99+ / month Max via amazon.com
Get 20% Off Your Next Year of...
- 10/3/2023
- by David Satin
- The Streamable
It now costs a bit more to stream Dr. Pimple Popper doing her thing.
Warner Bros. Discovery announced on Tuesday morning that, effective today (Oct. 3), the price of a new, ad-free subscription to Discovery+ in the U.S. will increase from $6.99 to $8.99 per month (plus applicable taxes).
More from TVLineApple TV+ Raising Prices 43%Netflix's Latest Price Hikes ExplainedHow to Get Discovery+ Free - Stream Deadliest Catch, Naked and Afraid and More
The streaming hub’s “ad-lite” subscription tier, however, will not change and instead remain a lean $4.99/month.
This marks the first time that Discovery+ has increased the price of...
Warner Bros. Discovery announced on Tuesday morning that, effective today (Oct. 3), the price of a new, ad-free subscription to Discovery+ in the U.S. will increase from $6.99 to $8.99 per month (plus applicable taxes).
More from TVLineApple TV+ Raising Prices 43%Netflix's Latest Price Hikes ExplainedHow to Get Discovery+ Free - Stream Deadliest Catch, Naked and Afraid and More
The streaming hub’s “ad-lite” subscription tier, however, will not change and instead remain a lean $4.99/month.
This marks the first time that Discovery+ has increased the price of...
- 10/3/2023
- by Matt Webb Mitovich
- TVLine.com
It was only a matter of time. As The Streamable predicted a month ago, NBCUniversal’s streaming platform Peacock announced on Monday night that it will be raising subscription prices beginning immediately for new customers, and starting Thursday, Aug. 17 for current subscribers.
Sign Up $5.99+ / month peacocktv.com
The increase will bring Peacock up to $5.99 per month for its ad-supported Premium tier and $11.99 per month for its ad-free Premium Plus plan. The annual plans of the service will rise in cost as well, moving from $49.99 for Premium and $99.99 for Premium Plus to $59.99 and $119.99 per year respectively. Peacock discontinued its free streaming tier in January.
If the price increases have you worried that there are more fee hikes to come from Peacock and you are now looking for alternatives, there are some excellent subscription services that might demand your attention, as well as some free platforms worth checking out.
What’s the...
Sign Up $5.99+ / month peacocktv.com
The increase will bring Peacock up to $5.99 per month for its ad-supported Premium tier and $11.99 per month for its ad-free Premium Plus plan. The annual plans of the service will rise in cost as well, moving from $49.99 for Premium and $99.99 for Premium Plus to $59.99 and $119.99 per year respectively. Peacock discontinued its free streaming tier in January.
If the price increases have you worried that there are more fee hikes to come from Peacock and you are now looking for alternatives, there are some excellent subscription services that might demand your attention, as well as some free platforms worth checking out.
What’s the...
- 7/18/2023
- by David Satin
- The Streamable
For this month’s installment of “TV Terrors” we revisit the horror reality special “Can You Survive a Horror Movie?” which aired on Chiller TV for Friday the 13th in July 2012.
By the early aughts, the horror cable network Chiller TV had reached the point to where they were trotting out their own original series’ and movies. Among them was their heavily advertised attempt at a reality series entitled “Can You Survive a Horror Movie?” The premise of the one off special was essentially “Fear Factor” and “Mythbusters” mixed with a hard shot of horror. The hosts would not only test certain situations in the horror genre, but also partook in “challenges” related to horror movies. It didn’t actually dissect the genre, or bring it down to reality as much as, say, “The Zombie Survival Guide.” Instead, it was unabashedly a horror reality show.
Filmed at Camp NoBeBoSco (where...
By the early aughts, the horror cable network Chiller TV had reached the point to where they were trotting out their own original series’ and movies. Among them was their heavily advertised attempt at a reality series entitled “Can You Survive a Horror Movie?” The premise of the one off special was essentially “Fear Factor” and “Mythbusters” mixed with a hard shot of horror. The hosts would not only test certain situations in the horror genre, but also partook in “challenges” related to horror movies. It didn’t actually dissect the genre, or bring it down to reality as much as, say, “The Zombie Survival Guide.” Instead, it was unabashedly a horror reality show.
Filmed at Camp NoBeBoSco (where...
- 6/29/2023
- by Felix Vasquez Jr
- bloody-disgusting.com
Netflix chief content officer Bela Bajaria used the platform of her keynote address Friday at the UCLA Entertainment Symposium to dispel a few myths that persist around the streamer that has transformed television viewing during the past decade.
During an hourlong, wide-ranging Q&a with veteran entertainment attorney Ken Ziffren at the school’s Schoenberg Hall, Bajaria made the forceful case that “algorithms don’t decide what we make” when it comes to how Netflix uses data to inform programming and strategic decisions.
“There’s not an algorithm that would probably say, you know what’s a great idea? A period show about a woman playing chess,” Bajaria said, pointing to 2021’s “The Queen’s Gambit,” which raked in 11 Emmys for the streamer including the trophy for best limited series. Nor would data analytics ever deliver a report instructing them to “do something thematically about connection and lonliness, and maybe throw...
During an hourlong, wide-ranging Q&a with veteran entertainment attorney Ken Ziffren at the school’s Schoenberg Hall, Bajaria made the forceful case that “algorithms don’t decide what we make” when it comes to how Netflix uses data to inform programming and strategic decisions.
“There’s not an algorithm that would probably say, you know what’s a great idea? A period show about a woman playing chess,” Bajaria said, pointing to 2021’s “The Queen’s Gambit,” which raked in 11 Emmys for the streamer including the trophy for best limited series. Nor would data analytics ever deliver a report instructing them to “do something thematically about connection and lonliness, and maybe throw...
- 6/10/2023
- by Cynthia Littleton
- Variety Film + TV
If you purchase an independently reviewed product or service through a link on our website, Rolling Stone may receive an affiliate commission.
Nearly three years after it was first announced, HBO Max — the streaming service from HBO and WarnerMedia — has officially become “Max“, merging their content library with Discovery+. They’re still the home of hit shows like Succession and Mare of Easttown, and films from Warner Bros. slate of premieres (think Dune and Zack Snyder’s Justice League).
But is Max still worth the price of admission? This streaming...
Nearly three years after it was first announced, HBO Max — the streaming service from HBO and WarnerMedia — has officially become “Max“, merging their content library with Discovery+. They’re still the home of hit shows like Succession and Mare of Easttown, and films from Warner Bros. slate of premieres (think Dune and Zack Snyder’s Justice League).
But is Max still worth the price of admission? This streaming...
- 5/23/2023
- by Brandt Ranj and Sage Anderson
- Rollingstone.com
On Tuesday, May 23, HBO Max is going away — when it will be reskinned as Max, stocked with more than twice the total amount of programming. Max’s expanded streaming menu includes the addition of hundreds of episodes of Discovery+ shows, and it’s set to get dozens of new TV shows and movies over the next month.
The new Max will feature 35,000 hours of programming, more than double what has been available on HBO Max. According to Warner Bros. Discovery, the service will be continuously updated with fresh content, averaging more than 40 new movie titles and TV seasons per month.
See Also: Max’s Priciest Plan Will Have 1,000-Plus Movies and Episodes in 4K Ultra HD
Max will continue to serve as the streaming home for HBO originals, Warner Bros. films, Max originals, the DC universe, the Wizarding World of Harry Potter, Adult Swim and Cartoon Network. On top of that,...
The new Max will feature 35,000 hours of programming, more than double what has been available on HBO Max. According to Warner Bros. Discovery, the service will be continuously updated with fresh content, averaging more than 40 new movie titles and TV seasons per month.
See Also: Max’s Priciest Plan Will Have 1,000-Plus Movies and Episodes in 4K Ultra HD
Max will continue to serve as the streaming home for HBO originals, Warner Bros. films, Max originals, the DC universe, the Wizarding World of Harry Potter, Adult Swim and Cartoon Network. On top of that,...
- 5/22/2023
- by Todd Spangler
- Variety Film + TV
Three years and a questionable company merger later, and HBO Max will soon cease to exist as we know it. After the merger of WarnerMedia and Discovery Inc. was finalized last year, a streaming service combining the offerings of HBO Max and Discovery+ was officially announced at the Warner Bros. Discovery Q2 earnings call on Aug. 4. In the months since, Warner Bros. Discovery has canceled projects at various stages of production and purged hours of original content from HBO Max as the company prepares to launch the recently dubbed “Max” this month.
Here’s everything you need to know about Max’s launch.
When Does HBO Max Become Max?
HBO Max will become Max on May 23 in the U.S. According to a press release from Warner Bros. Discovery, Max is set to launch later this year in Latin America and throughout 2024 in European and Asian countries that already have...
Here’s everything you need to know about Max’s launch.
When Does HBO Max Become Max?
HBO Max will become Max on May 23 in the U.S. According to a press release from Warner Bros. Discovery, Max is set to launch later this year in Latin America and throughout 2024 in European and Asian countries that already have...
- 5/18/2023
- by Brynnaarens
- Den of Geek
The Taps (The Atlantic Paranormal Society) team is back with all-new paranormal investigations. Ghost Hunters Season 16 premieres this week on discovery+, with new hauntings weekly and special guests. Read on to find out when and how to watch the new season, plus what to expect from the Taps team this time around.
Cody DesBiens, Satori Hawes, Shari DeBenedetti, Jason Hawes, Chandler Riggs, Steve Gonsalves, and Dave Tango prepare to investigate The Bastille on ‘Ghost Hunters.’ | discovery+ ‘Ghost Hunters’ Season 16 premieres on April 6
The new season of Ghost Hunters begins Thursday, April 6, at 9 p.m. Et/Pt. A new episode will be available every week, with eight episodes in total. Each installment will be an hour long. Here are the release dates for this season, per a Warner Bros. Discovery press release:
April 6 at 9 p.m. Et/Pt: “Dead Man Walking” April 13 at 9 p.m. Et/Pt: “Trapped in Terror” April 20 at 9 p.
Cody DesBiens, Satori Hawes, Shari DeBenedetti, Jason Hawes, Chandler Riggs, Steve Gonsalves, and Dave Tango prepare to investigate The Bastille on ‘Ghost Hunters.’ | discovery+ ‘Ghost Hunters’ Season 16 premieres on April 6
The new season of Ghost Hunters begins Thursday, April 6, at 9 p.m. Et/Pt. A new episode will be available every week, with eight episodes in total. Each installment will be an hour long. Here are the release dates for this season, per a Warner Bros. Discovery press release:
April 6 at 9 p.m. Et/Pt: “Dead Man Walking” April 13 at 9 p.m. Et/Pt: “Trapped in Terror” April 20 at 9 p.
- 4/5/2023
- by Elise Nelson
- Showbiz Cheat Sheet
Sony Pictures Television is adding to its roster of non-scripted production companies.
The studio’s non-fiction group has struck an overall deal with Unconventional Entertainment, the new label from former Lifetime exec Gena McCarthy.
It comes two years after A+E Networks veteran McCarthy left the company, where she was EVP and Head of Programming at Lifetime Unscripted and Head of Programming at Fyi. She was at the company for ten years, having previously been at Discovery Channel and weTV.
McCarthy’s company will develop and produce original formats across genres including relationships, home, food, survival, Americana, competition, and crime.
In her last gig she oversaw series such as Married At First Sight and was also responsible for Lifetime series including Project Runway and Dance Moms. She was also the original series exec producer of Dirty Jobs at Discovery and worked on Mythbusters and Deadliest Catch.
The move comes as Sony...
The studio’s non-fiction group has struck an overall deal with Unconventional Entertainment, the new label from former Lifetime exec Gena McCarthy.
It comes two years after A+E Networks veteran McCarthy left the company, where she was EVP and Head of Programming at Lifetime Unscripted and Head of Programming at Fyi. She was at the company for ten years, having previously been at Discovery Channel and weTV.
McCarthy’s company will develop and produce original formats across genres including relationships, home, food, survival, Americana, competition, and crime.
In her last gig she oversaw series such as Married At First Sight and was also responsible for Lifetime series including Project Runway and Dance Moms. She was also the original series exec producer of Dirty Jobs at Discovery and worked on Mythbusters and Deadliest Catch.
The move comes as Sony...
- 2/14/2023
- by Peter White
- Deadline Film + TV
The dealmaking feeding frenzy at Banijay will continue.
The international production giant has been on a buying spree these past few years, acquiring nearly a dozen companies in 2022 alone. On Monday, in a signal it is pushing forward with its acquisition-based growth strategy, Banijay named a head of mergers & acquisitions (M&a).
Stéphane Préfol, currently an associate director at French advertising and PR conglomerate Publicis Groupe, will join Banijay in the new role on March 6. Based in Paris, he will report to Banijay CEO Marco Bassetti and CFO Cédric Brignon. Préfol is an acquisitions wiz, having worked on more than 40 deals at Publicis. His background is in investment backing. Before joining Publicis, he worked as an analyst at Wagram Corporate Finance and was a senior associate at Kepler Corporate Finance.
“With over 10 acquisitions completed in 2022 alone, it was important for us to have a concentrated position in the team focused purely on M&a,...
The international production giant has been on a buying spree these past few years, acquiring nearly a dozen companies in 2022 alone. On Monday, in a signal it is pushing forward with its acquisition-based growth strategy, Banijay named a head of mergers & acquisitions (M&a).
Stéphane Préfol, currently an associate director at French advertising and PR conglomerate Publicis Groupe, will join Banijay in the new role on March 6. Based in Paris, he will report to Banijay CEO Marco Bassetti and CFO Cédric Brignon. Préfol is an acquisitions wiz, having worked on more than 40 deals at Publicis. His background is in investment backing. Before joining Publicis, he worked as an analyst at Wagram Corporate Finance and was a senior associate at Kepler Corporate Finance.
“With over 10 acquisitions completed in 2022 alone, it was important for us to have a concentrated position in the team focused purely on M&a,...
- 2/6/2023
- by Scott Roxborough
- The Hollywood Reporter - Movie News
Beyond Rights CEO David Smyth is leaving the UK-based distributor following its parent’s sale to Banijay.
Industry veteran Smyth joined Beyond International’s sales arm in December 2021, selling shows such as Mythbusters around the world.
Banijay swooped to buy Beyond International in October last year and completed the circa-30M deal early this month. Banijay has its own sales arm, Banijay Rights.
A Banijay Rights spokesman confirmed his exit. “David Smyth, CEO, Beyond Rights, will be leaving the business, with his last day being January 31,” he said.
“He joined Beyond Rights in December 2021 and made a significant contribution to the company through his strong and effective leadership. We’d like to thank him for his hard work and commitment to the business and wish him all the best with his future endeavours.
“The move comes as Banijay embarks on integrating Beyond International Limited into its existing group.”
Upon taking full control of Beyond,...
Industry veteran Smyth joined Beyond International’s sales arm in December 2021, selling shows such as Mythbusters around the world.
Banijay swooped to buy Beyond International in October last year and completed the circa-30M deal early this month. Banijay has its own sales arm, Banijay Rights.
A Banijay Rights spokesman confirmed his exit. “David Smyth, CEO, Beyond Rights, will be leaving the business, with his last day being January 31,” he said.
“He joined Beyond Rights in December 2021 and made a significant contribution to the company through his strong and effective leadership. We’d like to thank him for his hard work and commitment to the business and wish him all the best with his future endeavours.
“The move comes as Banijay embarks on integrating Beyond International Limited into its existing group.”
Upon taking full control of Beyond,...
- 1/26/2023
- by Jesse Whittock
- Deadline Film + TV
Titanic director James Cameron wasn’t kidding when he said he conducted a “scientific study” to debunk the theory that Kate Winslet and Leonardo DiCaprio could have both fit on a piece of floating debris at the end of the 1997 film.
In a new clip from the upcoming documentary Titanic: 25 Years Later, the filmmaker is on hand as stunt people reenact the tragic scene, proving once and for all that DiCaprio’s Jack and Winslet’s Rose couldn’t both survive the shipwreck.
For a quarter-century, fans have debated the sequence,...
In a new clip from the upcoming documentary Titanic: 25 Years Later, the filmmaker is on hand as stunt people reenact the tragic scene, proving once and for all that DiCaprio’s Jack and Winslet’s Rose couldn’t both survive the shipwreck.
For a quarter-century, fans have debated the sequence,...
- 1/15/2023
- by Daniel Kreps
- Rollingstone.com
Production giant Banijay on Wednesday signed a Scheme Implementation Deed to acquire Beyond International Limited, the scripted and nonscripted production company behind such shows as Discovery Channel’s Mythbusters, Hulu’s new dating series Back in the Groove, and the eight-part scripted series Troppo, co-produced with Eq Media, which screens on Freevee in the U.S and on ABC Australia.
Beyond has been publicly listed on the Australian Securities Exchange since 1987, but the deal will see the group become a wholly owned subsidiary of Banijay and be withdrawn from the market.
The agreement adds Beyond’s catalog of more than 8,000 hours of programming, including such titles as Highway Thru Hell, Heavy Rescue: 401, and Halifax: Retribution, to Banijay’s vast existing library of some 130,000 hours.
“As content demand continues to soar, catalogue remains key, and in acquiring Beyond, we would take our offering up considerably,” Banijay CEO Marco Bassetti said in a statement.
Beyond has been publicly listed on the Australian Securities Exchange since 1987, but the deal will see the group become a wholly owned subsidiary of Banijay and be withdrawn from the market.
The agreement adds Beyond’s catalog of more than 8,000 hours of programming, including such titles as Highway Thru Hell, Heavy Rescue: 401, and Halifax: Retribution, to Banijay’s vast existing library of some 130,000 hours.
“As content demand continues to soar, catalogue remains key, and in acquiring Beyond, we would take our offering up considerably,” Banijay CEO Marco Bassetti said in a statement.
- 1/4/2023
- by Scott Roxborough
- The Hollywood Reporter - Movie News
Lee’S Legacy Lauded
Lee Jung-jae, star of hit series “Squid Game,” and the show’s director Hwang Dong-hyuk were awarded the Geumgwan Order of Cultural Merit, South Korea’s highest cultural medal at a ceremony last week held at the office of Korean president Yoon Suk-yeol. Hwang was honored for his career efforts that included “Miss Granny” and “Silenced.” Lee was noted for being the first Asian the US critics’ Choice Award for best actor, the first Asian to win an Emmy for best actor in a drama series and for his SAG Award.
In a separate Korean honors list Lee, director Park Chan-wook, “Extraordinary Attorney Woo” star Park Eun-bin and star Don Lee (aka Ma Dong-seok) were named on a list of 10 cultural icons who received 2023 Visionary Awards from Cj Enm. In addition to his “Squid Game” success, Lee last year also made his feature directing debut “Hunt.
Lee Jung-jae, star of hit series “Squid Game,” and the show’s director Hwang Dong-hyuk were awarded the Geumgwan Order of Cultural Merit, South Korea’s highest cultural medal at a ceremony last week held at the office of Korean president Yoon Suk-yeol. Hwang was honored for his career efforts that included “Miss Granny” and “Silenced.” Lee was noted for being the first Asian the US critics’ Choice Award for best actor, the first Asian to win an Emmy for best actor in a drama series and for his SAG Award.
In a separate Korean honors list Lee, director Park Chan-wook, “Extraordinary Attorney Woo” star Park Eun-bin and star Don Lee (aka Ma Dong-seok) were named on a list of 10 cultural icons who received 2023 Visionary Awards from Cj Enm. In addition to his “Squid Game” success, Lee last year also made his feature directing debut “Hunt.
- 1/4/2023
- by Patrick Frater
- Variety Film + TV
An ill-advised tour of the snow-bound Overlook Hotel, as seen in Stanley Kubrick's 1980 horror classic "The Shining," can find menace in several of its nooks and crannies. The grim history of the hotel would leave supernatural traces behind –- Scatman Crothers' chef and telepath Dick Hallorann would liken the old hotel's malevolent presence to the scent of burnt toast –- in bloody elevators and time-warped ballrooms. However, one of the most intimidating places on the hotel grounds is a time-honored obstacle for fictional heroes: a towering labyrinthian maze, complete with its own axe-swinging monster.
Jack Torrance (Jack Nicholson) emerges as the Overlook's greatest weapon, prompting him to attack his family and chase his terrified child Danny (Danny Lloyd) into a nearby snow-flecked hedge maze in the film's climax (read more about the ending from /Film's Max Evry). An early scene in the film gives dimension to the maze without spoilers:
It's a dizzying sequence,...
Jack Torrance (Jack Nicholson) emerges as the Overlook's greatest weapon, prompting him to attack his family and chase his terrified child Danny (Danny Lloyd) into a nearby snow-flecked hedge maze in the film's climax (read more about the ending from /Film's Max Evry). An early scene in the film gives dimension to the maze without spoilers:
It's a dizzying sequence,...
- 1/1/2023
- by Anya Stanley
- Slash Film
Update: After Titanic director James Cameron revealed he has conducted a scientific test on whether Jack Dawson (Leonardo DiCaprio) could have survived the ship’s sinking if only Rose (Kate Winslet) had moved over on the door, the actress has responded.
Winslet, who previously opined that both possibly could have fit on the wooden door that served as a life raft, now has backtracked.
“I don’t f–king know. That’s the answer. I don’t f–king know,” said an exasperated Winslet. “Look, all I can tell you is, I do have a decent understanding of water and how it behaves.” Her remarks were made on the Happy Sad Confused podcast.
Winslet drew on her experiences paddleboarding, scuba diving, and kitesurfing to craft her answer.
“If you put two adults on a stand-up paddleboard, it becomes immediately, extremely unstable. That is for sure,” explained Winslet.
The key is...
Winslet, who previously opined that both possibly could have fit on the wooden door that served as a life raft, now has backtracked.
“I don’t f–king know. That’s the answer. I don’t f–king know,” said an exasperated Winslet. “Look, all I can tell you is, I do have a decent understanding of water and how it behaves.” Her remarks were made on the Happy Sad Confused podcast.
Winslet drew on her experiences paddleboarding, scuba diving, and kitesurfing to craft her answer.
“If you put two adults on a stand-up paddleboard, it becomes immediately, extremely unstable. That is for sure,” explained Winslet.
The key is...
- 12/18/2022
- by Bruce Haring
- Deadline Film + TV
Perhaps the most debated question in the last quarter century of movies is, Could Jack have climbed aboard the door and survived in Titanic? Now, James Cameron has put it to science to put an end to the madness.
According to Cameron, “We have done a scientific study to put this whole thing to rest and drive a stake through its heart once and for all…We have since done a thorough forensic analysis with a hypothermia expert who reproduced the raft from the movie.” So, should Rose have scooched over on the door after the Rms Titanic hit the iceberg?
“We took two stunt people who were the same body mass of Kate and Leo and we put sensors all over them and inside them and we put them in ice water and we tested to see whether they could have survived through a variety of methods and the answer was,...
According to Cameron, “We have done a scientific study to put this whole thing to rest and drive a stake through its heart once and for all…We have since done a thorough forensic analysis with a hypothermia expert who reproduced the raft from the movie.” So, should Rose have scooched over on the door after the Rms Titanic hit the iceberg?
“We took two stunt people who were the same body mass of Kate and Leo and we put sensors all over them and inside them and we put them in ice water and we tested to see whether they could have survived through a variety of methods and the answer was,...
- 12/17/2022
- by Mathew Plale
- JoBlo.com
James Cameron would very much like it if the discussion surrounding Jack's death in "Titanic" did not go on. After years of fans debating whether or not Jack and Rose both could have fit on that floating door in the ocean, the director commissioned a study to prove once and for all that Jack had to die. And not just for cinematic reasons.
While on tour to promote his latest film, "Avatar: The Way of Water," Cameron told the Toronto Sun that he conducted a scientific study to settle the debate once and for all. The experiment will air as a special on the National Geographic Channel in February, but the Oscar winner had no problem spoiling the study's findings.
"We have done a scientific study to put this whole thing to rest and drive a stake through its heart once and for all," Cameron said. "We have since done...
While on tour to promote his latest film, "Avatar: The Way of Water," Cameron told the Toronto Sun that he conducted a scientific study to settle the debate once and for all. The experiment will air as a special on the National Geographic Channel in February, but the Oscar winner had no problem spoiling the study's findings.
"We have done a scientific study to put this whole thing to rest and drive a stake through its heart once and for all," Cameron said. "We have since done...
- 12/17/2022
- by Sabienna Bowman
- Popsugar.com
No, Jack and Rose would not have been able to survive on the Titanic raft. In a recent interview with the Toronto Sun, director James Cameron revealed that he led a “scientific study” made to disprove a myth about the iconic scene between Leonardo DiCaprio and Kate Winslet.
“We have done a scientific study to put this whole thing to rest and drive a stake through its heart once and for all,” Cameron told the Canadian outlet. “We have since done a thorough forensic analysis with a hypothermia expert who...
“We have done a scientific study to put this whole thing to rest and drive a stake through its heart once and for all,” Cameron told the Canadian outlet. “We have since done a thorough forensic analysis with a hypothermia expert who...
- 12/17/2022
- by Tomás Mier
- Rollingstone.com
One very important question has been nagging at moviegoers for over two decades now: Could Jack have fit on the door with Rose at the end of “Titanic,” or was he always doomed to die? Kate Winslet is now weighing in, and while she had a hilarious initial response, she actually does have a real answer.
Happy Sad Confused podcast host Josh Horowitz showed Winslet a video of him asking this question to Leonardo DiCaprio a few years ago, to which DiCaprio declined with a grin on his face. Winslet’s initial reply after seeing the video? “I don’t f—ing know.”
“That’s the answer is that I don’t f—ing know,” Winslet said before launching into a real answer to the question. “One thing I can honestly tell you, if you put two adults on a stand-up paddle board, it becomes immediately unstable. I actually don...
Happy Sad Confused podcast host Josh Horowitz showed Winslet a video of him asking this question to Leonardo DiCaprio a few years ago, to which DiCaprio declined with a grin on his face. Winslet’s initial reply after seeing the video? “I don’t f—ing know.”
“That’s the answer is that I don’t f—ing know,” Winslet said before launching into a real answer to the question. “One thing I can honestly tell you, if you put two adults on a stand-up paddle board, it becomes immediately unstable. I actually don...
- 12/16/2022
- by Adam Chitwood
- The Wrap
Click here to read the full article.
Consolidation was the buzzword at MIPCOM, the international TV market that wrapped Oct. 20 in Cannes, with news of buyouts, both real and imagined, that could shape the future of the global production business. On the eve of the event, global production and sales juggernaut Banijay, producer of Big Brother, Peaky Blinders and Temptation Island, signed a deal to acquire Australian nonscripted giant Beyond International, makers of MythBusters and Highway Thru Hell.
And the two halves of Rupert Murdoch’s media business — News Corp and Fox Corp. — disclosed that they are considering reuniting nearly a decade after splitting. Once MIPCOM kicked off, rumors that British producer-distributor ITV Studios (Love Island, Night on Earth) was up for sale dominated cocktail conversations. Reported suitors Banijay and fellow Euro giant Fremantle (makers of the American Idol and X Factor franchises) said they weren’t interested, but ITV...
Consolidation was the buzzword at MIPCOM, the international TV market that wrapped Oct. 20 in Cannes, with news of buyouts, both real and imagined, that could shape the future of the global production business. On the eve of the event, global production and sales juggernaut Banijay, producer of Big Brother, Peaky Blinders and Temptation Island, signed a deal to acquire Australian nonscripted giant Beyond International, makers of MythBusters and Highway Thru Hell.
And the two halves of Rupert Murdoch’s media business — News Corp and Fox Corp. — disclosed that they are considering reuniting nearly a decade after splitting. Once MIPCOM kicked off, rumors that British producer-distributor ITV Studios (Love Island, Night on Earth) was up for sale dominated cocktail conversations. Reported suitors Banijay and fellow Euro giant Fremantle (makers of the American Idol and X Factor franchises) said they weren’t interested, but ITV...
- 11/3/2022
- by Scott Roxborough
- The Hollywood Reporter - Movie News
Click here to read the full article.
The return of MIPCOM, which wrapped up its 2022 edition Thursday, was an unqualified success.
The studios were back in force — the massive beachside stands for Disney, Paramount, Lionsgate and Warner Bros. Discovery were buzzing with business — and international production giants including Fremantle, Banijay, and All3Media were upbeat about their prospects and the continuing growth in demand for content worldwide.
Fox Entertainment Global, which launched its new worldwide content operation at MIPCOM this year, was the most relentlessly positive, with newly anointed Fox Entertainment CEO Rob Wade taking up the potential for the group, which bundles programming from Fox, Bento Box, MarVista and TMZ but is looking to partner with outside networks, producers and distributors world-wide “to get out content out there [and] we have our checkbooks with us,” he noted.
Lisa Kramer, President of international TV licensing at Paramount Global Content Distribution, talked up...
The return of MIPCOM, which wrapped up its 2022 edition Thursday, was an unqualified success.
The studios were back in force — the massive beachside stands for Disney, Paramount, Lionsgate and Warner Bros. Discovery were buzzing with business — and international production giants including Fremantle, Banijay, and All3Media were upbeat about their prospects and the continuing growth in demand for content worldwide.
Fox Entertainment Global, which launched its new worldwide content operation at MIPCOM this year, was the most relentlessly positive, with newly anointed Fox Entertainment CEO Rob Wade taking up the potential for the group, which bundles programming from Fox, Bento Box, MarVista and TMZ but is looking to partner with outside networks, producers and distributors world-wide “to get out content out there [and] we have our checkbooks with us,” he noted.
Lisa Kramer, President of international TV licensing at Paramount Global Content Distribution, talked up...
- 10/20/2022
- by Scott Roxborough
- The Hollywood Reporter - Movie News
Banijay Group CEO Marco Bassetti may be making a smart marketing move by delivering a Mipcom keynote on Oct. 18, but the Italian executive insists that “PR, for us, comes after.” At the first major TV market for the “Survivor” distributor since its 2.2 billion acquisition of Endemol Shine Group in 2020, Bassetti has a clear message: Producers, including Banijay, need a more equitable business model against the streamers.
“It’s the golden age of content, but I’m not sure it’s the golden age of revenue share for producers,” Bassetti tells Variety from Banijay Group’s Paris headquarters in late September. “We need to be careful if we want to continue creating value in the industry. We need to fight to allow producers to keep their model as it was before.”
That model, of course, refers to the rights and back-end revenue that keep Banijay’s 120-plus production companies around the world afloat.
“It’s the golden age of content, but I’m not sure it’s the golden age of revenue share for producers,” Bassetti tells Variety from Banijay Group’s Paris headquarters in late September. “We need to be careful if we want to continue creating value in the industry. We need to fight to allow producers to keep their model as it was before.”
That model, of course, refers to the rights and back-end revenue that keep Banijay’s 120-plus production companies around the world afloat.
- 10/17/2022
- by Manori Ravindran
- Variety Film + TV
Deal is super indie group’s biggest since acquiring Endemol Shine Group in 2020.
Banijay is set to acquire Australian producer and distributor Beyond International.
The deal will add more than 8,000 hours of IP to Banijay’s existing catalogue of over 130,000 hours of content.
In English-language markets, Beyond Productions’ titles include eight-part scripted series Troppo, co-produced with Eq Media, airing on Freevee USA and ABC Australia.
Beyond’s sales arm, Beyond Rights, represents titles including Highway Thru Hell, Heavy Rescue: 401, Massive Engineering Mistakes, Halifax: Retribution, MythBusters and Deadly Women.
The deal is Banijay’s biggest since it acquired Endemol Shine Group...
Banijay is set to acquire Australian producer and distributor Beyond International.
The deal will add more than 8,000 hours of IP to Banijay’s existing catalogue of over 130,000 hours of content.
In English-language markets, Beyond Productions’ titles include eight-part scripted series Troppo, co-produced with Eq Media, airing on Freevee USA and ABC Australia.
Beyond’s sales arm, Beyond Rights, represents titles including Highway Thru Hell, Heavy Rescue: 401, Massive Engineering Mistakes, Halifax: Retribution, MythBusters and Deadly Women.
The deal is Banijay’s biggest since it acquired Endemol Shine Group...
- 10/6/2022
- by Rebecca Leffler
- ScreenDaily
Banijay announced its plans to formally acquire scripted and non-scripted multi-territory content group Beyond International on Wednesday.
Under the terms of the agreement, Banijay would assume full control of the Beyond International group of companies and departments — as well as its more than 8,000 hours of IP — with all elements of the business boarding the Banijay production and distribution footprint. Beyond’s titles includes “Highway Thru Hell,” “Heavy Rescue: 401,” “Massive Engineering Mistakes,” “Halifax: Retribution,” “MythBusters” and “Deadly Women.”
The deal remains subject to certain conditions, including Beyond shareholders’ approval, court approval and other customary closing conditions. It is hoped the deal will close at the end of 2022 or the beginning of 2023. Once the deal is completed, Beyond International will become a wholly owned subsidiary of Banijay and its Australian Stock Exchange-listed shares will cease to be publicly traded.
Beyond International Managing Director and CEO, Mikael Borglund, will remain in his role through the acquisition.
Under the terms of the agreement, Banijay would assume full control of the Beyond International group of companies and departments — as well as its more than 8,000 hours of IP — with all elements of the business boarding the Banijay production and distribution footprint. Beyond’s titles includes “Highway Thru Hell,” “Heavy Rescue: 401,” “Massive Engineering Mistakes,” “Halifax: Retribution,” “MythBusters” and “Deadly Women.”
The deal remains subject to certain conditions, including Beyond shareholders’ approval, court approval and other customary closing conditions. It is hoped the deal will close at the end of 2022 or the beginning of 2023. Once the deal is completed, Beyond International will become a wholly owned subsidiary of Banijay and its Australian Stock Exchange-listed shares will cease to be publicly traded.
Beyond International Managing Director and CEO, Mikael Borglund, will remain in his role through the acquisition.
- 10/5/2022
- by BreAnna Bell
- Variety Film + TV
Click here to read the full article.
Production giant Banijay has struck a deal to acquire scripted and non-scripted producer/distributor Beyond International (MythBusters), the company said on Wednesday.
Beyond has been listed on the Australian Securities Exchange since 1987, but will become a wholly owned subsidiary of Banijay and its shares will cease to be publicly traded. Headquartered in Dublin, it operates internationally.
Banijay has grown through acquisitions over the years, including its takeover of Zodiak Media in 2016 and Endemol Shine Group in 2020. Banijay — owned by Fl Entertainment, which in July became listed on the Euronext Amsterdam stock exchange — said the deal would complement its existing content catalog of more than 130,000 hours of content.
Beyond Productions listed its recently announced titles as “Back in the Groove, a new dating series for Hulu, produced in partnership with Walt Disney Television Alternative; multi-territory franchise, Love It or List It Australia; the eight-part...
Production giant Banijay has struck a deal to acquire scripted and non-scripted producer/distributor Beyond International (MythBusters), the company said on Wednesday.
Beyond has been listed on the Australian Securities Exchange since 1987, but will become a wholly owned subsidiary of Banijay and its shares will cease to be publicly traded. Headquartered in Dublin, it operates internationally.
Banijay has grown through acquisitions over the years, including its takeover of Zodiak Media in 2016 and Endemol Shine Group in 2020. Banijay — owned by Fl Entertainment, which in July became listed on the Euronext Amsterdam stock exchange — said the deal would complement its existing content catalog of more than 130,000 hours of content.
Beyond Productions listed its recently announced titles as “Back in the Groove, a new dating series for Hulu, produced in partnership with Walt Disney Television Alternative; multi-territory franchise, Love It or List It Australia; the eight-part...
- 10/5/2022
- by Georg Szalai
- The Hollywood Reporter - Movie News
Banijay is set to acquire Australia’s Beyond International in a deal worth more than 30M.
The Big Brother and MasterChef firm has entered into what’s been described as a Scheme Implementation Deed to buy Beyond, which has been listed on the Australian Securities Exchange since 1987.
According to a filing to the Asx, shareholders will get A0.77 a share, a representing a 57 premium. This values the deal at an estimated A47M (30.7M).
Once the deal closes, Dublin-headquartered Beyond will cease being publicly traded and become a wholly owned subsidiary of Banijay. Financial details were not disclosed.
For the international TV community, the deal will likely be the talk of Mipcom later this month and represents France-based Banijay’s biggest M&a move since it closed its deal to acquire Endemol Shine Group in 2020. Prior to that, it had merged with Zodiak Media in 2016.
Banijay itself is now part of Fl Entertainment,...
The Big Brother and MasterChef firm has entered into what’s been described as a Scheme Implementation Deed to buy Beyond, which has been listed on the Australian Securities Exchange since 1987.
According to a filing to the Asx, shareholders will get A0.77 a share, a representing a 57 premium. This values the deal at an estimated A47M (30.7M).
Once the deal closes, Dublin-headquartered Beyond will cease being publicly traded and become a wholly owned subsidiary of Banijay. Financial details were not disclosed.
For the international TV community, the deal will likely be the talk of Mipcom later this month and represents France-based Banijay’s biggest M&a move since it closed its deal to acquire Endemol Shine Group in 2020. Prior to that, it had merged with Zodiak Media in 2016.
Banijay itself is now part of Fl Entertainment,...
- 10/5/2022
- by Jesse Whittock
- Deadline Film + TV
You know how it goes sometimes. A drug kingpin (Bryan Cranston's Walter White) and his partner in crime (Aaron Paul's Jesse Pinkman) narrowly manage to pull off the scheme of the century, plotting the downfall of their biggest benefactor-turned-foe (Giancarlo Esposito's Gus Fring) in as elaborate a hitjob as you'll ever see. But just as the coast seems clearer than it has in quite some time, with the maniacal killer out of the picture for good and his meth-making "superlab" burned to ashes (a location that a recent episode of "Better Call Saul" would retroactively add further layers to), the victors suddenly remember one pesky detail that could make all their desperate efforts for naught: the existence of incriminating surveillance footage on a single laptop hard drive.
Enter one of the most memorable (and meme-friendly) plots in the entire series, involving the show's quintessential knack for brilliant...
Enter one of the most memorable (and meme-friendly) plots in the entire series, involving the show's quintessential knack for brilliant...
- 8/15/2022
- by Jeremy Mathai
- Slash Film
Option
Transatlantic production powerhouse Sister (“Chernobyl”) has optioned the rights to adapt BAFTA and Emmy winning screenwriter and longtime collaborator Abi Morgan’s (“The Split”) “This is Not a Pity Memoir.” Morgan will adapt her book for screen, and also direct and executive produce, with Sister co-founder and chief creative officer, Jane Featherstone (“Landscapers”). The memoir follows Morgan’s family life after a tragic change in her family circumstance.
Morgan said: “Working with Jane and Sister over the last few tumultuous years, they have been my running partners, given a unique birds eye view on the unfolding drama. As producers of some of the best film and television out there, there is no one else I would trust to help bring the deeply personal ‘This is Not a Pity Memoir’ to the screen.”
Featherstone added: “Abi has such an extraordinary gift for words, so while it should be absolutely no...
Transatlantic production powerhouse Sister (“Chernobyl”) has optioned the rights to adapt BAFTA and Emmy winning screenwriter and longtime collaborator Abi Morgan’s (“The Split”) “This is Not a Pity Memoir.” Morgan will adapt her book for screen, and also direct and executive produce, with Sister co-founder and chief creative officer, Jane Featherstone (“Landscapers”). The memoir follows Morgan’s family life after a tragic change in her family circumstance.
Morgan said: “Working with Jane and Sister over the last few tumultuous years, they have been my running partners, given a unique birds eye view on the unfolding drama. As producers of some of the best film and television out there, there is no one else I would trust to help bring the deeply personal ‘This is Not a Pity Memoir’ to the screen.”
Featherstone added: “Abi has such an extraordinary gift for words, so while it should be absolutely no...
- 6/27/2022
- by Naman Ramachandran
- Variety Film + TV
Veteran communications executive Katherine Nelson has been named VP of Corporate Communications for Disney Branded Television.
Nelson will be taking on a newly created role in which she’ll be responsible for overall communications strategy for the division and its programming output targeting the Disney+ streaming platform and linear networks Disney Channel, Disney Xd and Disney Junior. Based in Burbank, CA, Nelson will report to both Ayo Davis, president, Disney Branded Television; and Charissa Gilmore, SVP, Corporate Communications, Disney General Entertainment.
“Storytelling is at the heart of everything we do, and Katherine is known throughout the industry as a master communicator,” Davis said. “As we build upon our legacy of success and broaden our scope to connect with kids and families around the globe, I’m delighted to welcome Katherine to the Disney Branded Television team.”
Added Gilmore, “When we created this new role, I asked colleagues in the industry and press for recommendations,...
Nelson will be taking on a newly created role in which she’ll be responsible for overall communications strategy for the division and its programming output targeting the Disney+ streaming platform and linear networks Disney Channel, Disney Xd and Disney Junior. Based in Burbank, CA, Nelson will report to both Ayo Davis, president, Disney Branded Television; and Charissa Gilmore, SVP, Corporate Communications, Disney General Entertainment.
“Storytelling is at the heart of everything we do, and Katherine is known throughout the industry as a master communicator,” Davis said. “As we build upon our legacy of success and broaden our scope to connect with kids and families around the globe, I’m delighted to welcome Katherine to the Disney Branded Television team.”
Added Gilmore, “When we created this new role, I asked colleagues in the industry and press for recommendations,...
- 5/12/2022
- by Nellie Andreeva
- Deadline Film + TV
It’s the dawning of a new day in Hollywood, as the now officially merged WarnerMedia and Discovery will open for business as Warner Bros. Discovery on Monday.
While little is known about the future of the new company, it’s clear what valuable brands, IP, executives and customers they will each be bringing to the table on their first day as a combined entity.
Founded in 1985, Discovery, Inc. has approximately 11,000 staffers at time of publication. WarnerMedia, first established as Warner Bros. in 1923, has roughly 25,000 employees.
For a detailed rundown of the Discovery side’s top leadership and org chart as it stands on Day 1, including CEO David Zaslav and his lieutenants, as well as its current development deals and talent partnerships, readers can consult this data, compiled via Variety Insight platform.
And here is the same for the WarnerMedia side, which accounts for several recent departures in top leadership,...
While little is known about the future of the new company, it’s clear what valuable brands, IP, executives and customers they will each be bringing to the table on their first day as a combined entity.
Founded in 1985, Discovery, Inc. has approximately 11,000 staffers at time of publication. WarnerMedia, first established as Warner Bros. in 1923, has roughly 25,000 employees.
For a detailed rundown of the Discovery side’s top leadership and org chart as it stands on Day 1, including CEO David Zaslav and his lieutenants, as well as its current development deals and talent partnerships, readers can consult this data, compiled via Variety Insight platform.
And here is the same for the WarnerMedia side, which accounts for several recent departures in top leadership,...
- 4/8/2022
- by Jennifer Maas
- Variety Film + TV
The Morning Watch: Seinfeld Gets A Different Lego Makeover, Grant Imahara's Grogu Animatronic & More
(The Morning Watch is a recurring feature that highlights a handful of noteworthy videos from around the web. They could be video essays, fan-made productions, featurettes, short films, hilarious sketches, or just anything that has to do with our favorite movies and TV shows.)
In this edition, watch Jerry Seinfeld get a wild, life-sized Lego treatment as a combined promo for both the arrival of "Seinfeld" on Netflix and the sitcom's very own Lego set. Plus, check out an animatronic Grogu that the later "Mythbusters" co-star Grant Imahara was working on before he passed away. Finally, take one more look behind...
The post The Morning Watch: Seinfeld Gets a Different Lego Makeover, Grant Imahara's Grogu Animatronic & More appeared first on /Film.
In this edition, watch Jerry Seinfeld get a wild, life-sized Lego treatment as a combined promo for both the arrival of "Seinfeld" on Netflix and the sitcom's very own Lego set. Plus, check out an animatronic Grogu that the later "Mythbusters" co-star Grant Imahara was working on before he passed away. Finally, take one more look behind...
The post The Morning Watch: Seinfeld Gets a Different Lego Makeover, Grant Imahara's Grogu Animatronic & More appeared first on /Film.
- 10/5/2021
- by Ethan Anderton
- Slash Film
As much as the incredibly long-running and fan-favorite Mythbusters series sought to entertain us through the power of science, viewers of the show can back me up when I say that the true stars were the hosts: Jamie Hyneman and Adam Savage, along with the “build team” surrounding them that would eventually be made up of Kari Byron, Tory Belleci, […]
The post ‘Mythbusters’ Prop Auction Will Benefit Grant Imahara Charity appeared first on /Film.
The post ‘Mythbusters’ Prop Auction Will Benefit Grant Imahara Charity appeared first on /Film.
- 7/29/2021
- by Jeremy Mathai
- Slash Film
Former Discovery commissioner and co-founder of Say Yes To The Dress producer Half-Yard Productions Abby Greensfelder is on a mission to create more female-led stories in the non-scripted space.
Greensfelder set up Everywoman Studios after she left Red Arrow-owned Half-Yard and is now in the middle of putting together a slate of projects, including a soccer doc for HBO Max, a cooking series featuring immigrant grandmothers and a cult doc series from Eva Orner.
“My plan is to create stories by and about women, especially in spaces where we don’t typically see women in content,” she told Deadline. “I programmed Discovery, which was a male skewing channel, and there were all of these spaces such as sports, the outdoors, science, exploration, space and none of them had any women in these shows. All these years later, I wanted to find stories that appealed to everyone, they’re very...
Greensfelder set up Everywoman Studios after she left Red Arrow-owned Half-Yard and is now in the middle of putting together a slate of projects, including a soccer doc for HBO Max, a cooking series featuring immigrant grandmothers and a cult doc series from Eva Orner.
“My plan is to create stories by and about women, especially in spaces where we don’t typically see women in content,” she told Deadline. “I programmed Discovery, which was a male skewing channel, and there were all of these spaces such as sports, the outdoors, science, exploration, space and none of them had any women in these shows. All these years later, I wanted to find stories that appealed to everyone, they’re very...
- 4/13/2021
- by Peter White
- Deadline Film + TV
After eight years at NBCUniversal, most recently as Group SVP Communications, USA Network & Syfy, Katherine Nelson will be leaving the company at the end of the month.
Nelson’s departure was expected in light of the major restructuring of NBCUniversal TV and streaming operations last fall that left no suitable senior role for her and led to the exits of the top programming executives she worked closely with, Chris McCumber, Bill McGoldrick and Dawn Olmstead.
A seasoned and well respected PR executive, Nelson has served in her most recent role since 2016, overseeing communications for corporate, publicity, talent relations, events and awards for USA and Syfy. From 2017-2020, Nelson also oversaw communications and marketing for UCP. She led national publicity for all scripted and unscripted series and specials, and oversaw live and digital events, including screenings, festivals, press conferences, junkets, red carpets, TCA, Comic-Cons and more.
Nelson previously served as SVP...
Nelson’s departure was expected in light of the major restructuring of NBCUniversal TV and streaming operations last fall that left no suitable senior role for her and led to the exits of the top programming executives she worked closely with, Chris McCumber, Bill McGoldrick and Dawn Olmstead.
A seasoned and well respected PR executive, Nelson has served in her most recent role since 2016, overseeing communications for corporate, publicity, talent relations, events and awards for USA and Syfy. From 2017-2020, Nelson also oversaw communications and marketing for UCP. She led national publicity for all scripted and unscripted series and specials, and oversaw live and digital events, including screenings, festivals, press conferences, junkets, red carpets, TCA, Comic-Cons and more.
Nelson previously served as SVP...
- 3/11/2021
- by Nellie Andreeva
- Deadline Film + TV
"Before the phenomenon, this icon started as an idea." Since he first appeared decades ago, Hellboy has helped transport readers into a fascinating world filled with monsters, mayhem, and mesmerizing magic, but even more fascinating is the inspiring story of the man who brought Hellboy to life: Mike Mignola.
Thankfully, filmmakers Jim Demonakos and Kevin Hanna, along with an all-star creative roster of interviewees, tell the story behind the iconic creator of Hellboy and the ever-expanding Mignolaverse in the new documentary Mike Mignola: Drawing Monsters, which has just launched an official Kickstarter campaign!
Featuring extensive interviews with notable creators such as Neil Gaiman, Rebecca Sugar, Doug Jones, Tara McPherson, Victor Lavalle, Christopher Golden, and Mignola himself, Mike Mignola: Drawing Monsters will show fans the positive influence Mignola's work has had on generations of creators, while also highlighting the brilliant mind behind the Mignolaverse like never before!
Mike Mignola: Drawing Monsters...
Thankfully, filmmakers Jim Demonakos and Kevin Hanna, along with an all-star creative roster of interviewees, tell the story behind the iconic creator of Hellboy and the ever-expanding Mignolaverse in the new documentary Mike Mignola: Drawing Monsters, which has just launched an official Kickstarter campaign!
Featuring extensive interviews with notable creators such as Neil Gaiman, Rebecca Sugar, Doug Jones, Tara McPherson, Victor Lavalle, Christopher Golden, and Mignola himself, Mike Mignola: Drawing Monsters will show fans the positive influence Mignola's work has had on generations of creators, while also highlighting the brilliant mind behind the Mignolaverse like never before!
Mike Mignola: Drawing Monsters...
- 3/1/2021
- by Derek Anderson
- DailyDead
Discovery Wednesday unveiled a long-term partnership with Saudi telecom’s group’s digital entertainment arm Intigral to provide broadcast and subscription-video-on-demand content to its flagship Ott service, Jawwy TV.
The deal gives Jawwy TV subscribers to access to select Discovery content in a Discovery+ branded area on Jawwy. New and existing Jawwy TV subscribers who sign up will be offered 12 months of Discovery+ content on Intigral.
Jawwy TV subscribers will also receive seven of Discovery’s international linear channels: Discovery Channel, Fatafeat, TLC, Discovery Family, Animal Planet, Discovery Science and Investigation Discovery, with more to follow.
Once available in region, the parties will collaborate on making the Discovery+ app available to the telecom group’s mobile customer base in Ksa, Kuwait and Bahrain. They be offered access to Discovery+ app as an additional value to their existing service, the partners said.
Discovery announced earlier this week its has passed 11 million...
The deal gives Jawwy TV subscribers to access to select Discovery content in a Discovery+ branded area on Jawwy. New and existing Jawwy TV subscribers who sign up will be offered 12 months of Discovery+ content on Intigral.
Jawwy TV subscribers will also receive seven of Discovery’s international linear channels: Discovery Channel, Fatafeat, TLC, Discovery Family, Animal Planet, Discovery Science and Investigation Discovery, with more to follow.
Once available in region, the parties will collaborate on making the Discovery+ app available to the telecom group’s mobile customer base in Ksa, Kuwait and Bahrain. They be offered access to Discovery+ app as an additional value to their existing service, the partners said.
Discovery announced earlier this week its has passed 11 million...
- 2/24/2021
- by Jill Goldsmith
- Deadline Film + TV
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