Posted on

‘The Newsroom’: Aaron Sorkin And Cast Tip Plot Lines For Season 2 During ATAS Event

Ray Richmond contributes to Deadline’s TV coverage.
(SPOILER ALERT! This report outlines news events that are covered Season 2 of HBO’s The Newsroom.) Creator-showrunner Aaron Sorkin took the wraps off a chunk of the forthcoming second season of his controversial HBO journalism drama tonight as a gift to voting members of the TV Academy, hoping that a little sneak peek will help win them over just as Emmy balloting gets underway. During an event at the Academy of Television Arts & Sciences, Sorkin described that clip of The Newsroom as the first 15 minutes of the new campaign. “When I was wondering which clip to show, our costume designer said, ‘Well, you know nothing ever really happens in the first 15 minutes of everything you write’,” Sorkin quipped. That convinced him that he wouldn’t be leaking too many spoilers in what the packed house saw. However, it did reveal one or two.

SPOILER ALERT! The new season kicks off with a present-day deposition involving the lawyer portrayed by Marcia Gay Harden in a guest turn and features Jane Fonda returning as the CEO of the show’s fictional network parent company. It then flashes back to Aug. 23, 2011, and the beginning of Mohammar Gadhafi’s fall in Libya. If possible, the pacing is even faster rat-a-tat-tat and adrenalin-infused than it was in its inaugural season. Sample dialogue: Lawyer: “Fourteen months after you went on the air, you called the Tea Party ‘The American Taliban.’ What happened?” Anchor: “The Taliban resented it.”

Related: TV TEASER: HBO’s ‘The Newsroom’

Sorkin — appearing onstage with cast members Jeff Daniels, Emily Mortimer, Thomas Sadoski, Sam Waterston, Alison Pill, Olivia Munn, Dev Patel and John Gallagher Jr. — admitted right off the top that everyone was feeling “a little bit punchy” because they had just wrapped principal photography on Season 2 some 48 hours earlier. The season, which premieres July 14, will be framed by a lawsuit indicated by the deposition seen at the beginning of the clip, which is “our version of the present day.” The time frame covered in the second season will be Aug. 23, 2011, through Election Night 2012 — about 14 1/2 months.

Sorkin had said during a PaleyFest event in March that the events being tackled in season two would include “the Tea Party/American Taliban; the general election including the primaries and conventions; Trayvon Martin; the Affordable Care Act; and drones.” And with the season ending in November 2012, there would be no coverage of the Sandy Hook tragedy. SPOILER ALERT! But another real-life news story that will be covered slipped out courtesy of Mortimer, who praised Sorkin’s “incredible foresight” in having one of the season’s main themes surround chemical weapons warfare. Of course, it came out just this week that Syrian rebels have been charged with using exactly that in their conflict. “It’s frustrating because Aaron wrote that months ago,” Mortimer said, “but it will now seem as if he was simply following that story.” Sorkin emphasized, however, that the show is “hardly ever driven by a news event, anyway.”

At one point, a debate erupted among the panelists – spurred by castmate Sadoski – regarding the occasional irresponsibility exercised by real-life news organizations. Sadoski’s beef was specifically with CNN for early on misidentifying the Boston Marathon bomber and failing to apologize for it. “Is there any consequence for getting it wrong?” he asked “I certainly haven’t heard an apology that felt remotely sincere.” Sorkin chimed in, “And in the name of what? Being first? I’ve never gotten a good answer to the question of what the value is in being first, other than bragging rights.”

But at the same time, Sorkin denied that he has any sort of anti-journalist agenda on The Newsroom, despite what many journalists and critics have written. “I know there are real journalists who feel the show is an attack on them,” he said, “but that’s the last thing that’s intended.” He added that there’s an episode during season two that is “an absolute love letter” to the job reporters do. “I’m as infatuated by what reporters do as I am public servants,” he said.

Related: Constance Zimmer To Recur On Aaron Sorkin’s HBO Series ‘The Newsroom’

via Deadline.com http://www.deadline.com/2013/06/the-newsroom-aaron-sorkin-and-his-cast-tip-plot-lines-for-season-2-during-atas-event/

Posted on

Reports: Time Warner Cable Among Pay-TV Operators Mulling A Piece Of Hulu

The country’s No. 2 cable service is considering taking a piece of the ad-supported streaming-video service, Bloomberg reports. Slower growth in the pay-TV sector has the NY-based Time Warner Cable paying more attention to its broadband operations lately. Meanwhile, the Wall Street Journal says “at least two” cablers are eyeing Hulu. Disney, News Corp and Comcast own about a third each of the 6-year-old service, which recently topped the 4 million-subscriber mark.

via Deadline.com http://www.deadline.com/2013/05/time-warner-cable-hulu-stake/

Posted on

“Who Is Kickstarter For?”: Crowdfunding Site’s Founders Go On The Offensive

A day after Zach Braff took to the web in defense of his use of Kickstarter to finance his next project, the founders of the crowdfunding site posted a missive whose title asked a simple but controversial question: Who is Kickstarter for? Perry Chen, Yancey Strickler and Charles Adler note that their “mission is to help bring creative projects to life,” and they argue that goes for anyone. The trio deflected criticism aimed at their service — along with Braff and Veronica Mars creator Rob Thomas — saying that high-profile projects merely “bring new backers to other projects.” Agree or not, the trio is in spin-control mode amid the backlash as crowdsourcing continues to be the latest cyber-Wild West. Watch Braff’s lengthy video on why he loves Kickstarter below:

Related: Zach Braff’s ‘Wish I Was Here’ Kickstarter Hits $2 Million Goal In 3 Days

Related: ‘Veronica Mars’ Movie Kickstarter Closes Out At $5.7M

via Deadline.com http://www.deadline.com/2013/05/kickstarter-founders-defend-zach-braff-veronica-mars/

Posted on

‘Downton Abbey’ Adds Gary Carr As Jazz Singer For Season Four

post thumbnail

Downton Abbey executive producer Gareth Neame said today that Gary Carr’s addition to the ITV show “will bring interesting twists to the drama.” The actor has most recently been seen in BBC series Bluestone 42 and Death In Paradise. His Downton character, Jack Ross, is a jazz singer described as “a charming and charismatic” young man. The addition marks the first time Downton has had a black character. The show has in the past faced criticism that it lacks cultural diversity. In the fourth season, he’ll join previously announced new cast members Dame Kiri Te Kanawa, Tom Cullen, Julian Ovenden, Nigel Harman, Joanna David and Dame Harriet Walter. The fourth season is currently shooting for air later this year.

via Deadline.com http://www.deadline.com/2013/05/downton-abbey-adds-first-black-character-gary-carr-to-play-jazz-singer/

Posted on

Fitzgerald’s Film Loot For ‘The Great Gatsby’

post thumbnail

F Scott Fitzgerald‘s handwritten ledger chronicling his film payments 1919-1938 is now online just weeks before the release of Baz Luhrmann’s new film adaptation of The Great Gatsby. Which, according to these meticulous records, first earned Fitzgerald $16,666 from Hollywood. Including a 10% commission he paid. Twice. This fascinating document is part of the Matthew and Arlyn Bruccoli Collection of F Scott Fitzgerald held by the Irvin Department of Rare Books and Special Collections located in the Ernest F. Hollings Special Collections Library at the University of South Carolina in Columbia, S.C. The writer meticulously tracked his earnings. Here in chronological order is what the movie industry coughed up to him before commissions were taken out. Math wizards can computate what these numbers mean in today’s dollars. But, hey, isn’t that price for a treatment what MGM is still paying?

Head And Shoulders – $2,500.00
Myra Meets His Family – $1,000.00
The Off Shore Pirate – $2,250.00
‘Option on my output’ – $3,000.
The Beautiful And Damned – $2,500.00
This Side Of Paradise – $10,000.00
The Camel’s Back – $1,000.00
Grit – $2,000.00
Titles for Glimpses Of The Moon – $500.00
The Great Gatsby – $16,666.00
‘California work’ on Lipstick - $3,500 00
‘Additional Payment’ The Great Gatsby - $3,333.00
‘Treatment’ Metro Goldwyn Mayer – $6,000

via Deadline.com http://www.deadline.com/2013/04/f-scott-fitzgeralds-handwritten-ledger-chronicles-film-payments-1919-1938/

Posted on

Cannes: Full Lists Of The Festival’s 66th Official Selection

post thumbnail

Below are the full lists as of today for the Official Selection titles that will make up the 66th edition of the Cannes Film Festival. There were 1,858 submissions this year, with some even arriving as late as last night, according to fest chief Thierry Frémaux. As per norm, he will add some titles in the coming weeks:

Opening film: The Great Gatsby, dir: Baz Luhrmann
Closing film: Zulu, dir: Jérôme Salle

Competition
Only God Forgives, dir: Nicolas Winding-Refn
La Grande Bellezza, dir: Paolo Sorrentino
Behind The Candelabra, Steven Soderbergh
The Immigrant, dir: James Gray
Venus In Fur, dir: Roman Poalnski
Straw Shield, dir: Takashi Miike
Nebraska, dir: Alexander Payne
Jeune Et Jolie, dir: Francois Ozon
The Past, dir: Asghar Farhadi
Inside Llewyn Davis, dir: Joel & Ethan Coen
Jimmy P., dir: Arnaud Desplechin
Heli, dir: Amat Escalante
Grisgris, dir: Mahamat-Saleh Haroun
Like Father Like Son, dir: Hirokazu Kore-Eda
La Vie D’Adèle, dir: Abdellatif Kechiche
Borgman, dir: Alex Vann Warmerdam
A Touch Of Sin, dir: Zhangke Jia
Michael Kohlhaas, dir: Arnaud Despallières
Un Château En Italie, dir: Valeria Bruni-Tedeschi

Out of Competition
Blood Ties, dir: Guillaume Canet
All Is Lost, dir: J.C. Chandor

Un Certain Regard
The Bling Ring, dir: Sofia Coppola (Opening film)
Omar, dir: Hany Abu-Assad
Death March, dir: Adolfo Alix, Jr
Fruitvale: dir: Ryan Coogler*
The Bastards, dir: Claire Denis
Norte, Hangganan Ng Kasaysayan, dir: Lav Diaz
As I Lay Dying, dir: James Franco
Miele, dir: Valeria Golino*
L’Inconnu Du Lac, dir: Alain Guiraudie
Bends, dir: Flora Lau*
L’Image Manquante, dir: Rithy Panh
La Jaula De Oro, dir: Diego Quemada-Diez*
Anonymous, dir: Mohammad Rasoulof
Sarah Préfère La Course, dir: Chloé Robichaud*
Grand Central, dir: Rebecca Zlotowski

Midnight Screenings
Blind Detective, dir: Johnnie To
Monsoon Shootout, dir: Amit Kumar*

Homage To Jerry Lewis
Max Rose, dir: Daniel Noah

Special Screenings
Seduced And Abandoned, dir: James Toback
Weekend Of A Champion, dir: Roman Polanski
Muhammad Ali’s Greatest Fight, dir: Stephen Frears
Stop The Pounding Heart, dir: Roberto Minervini
Bite The Dust, dir: Taisia Igumentseva (Cinéfondation)*

Gala Screening in honor of India
Bombay Talkies, dirs: Anurag Kashyap, Dibakar Banerjee, Zoya Akhtar, Karan Johar

*Debut features that will compete for the Camera d’Or prize

via Deadline.com http://www.deadline.com/2013/04/cannes-full-lists-of-the-festivals-66th-official-selection/

Posted on

Delay At The Altar on Tina Fey-Steve Carell Comedy ‘Mail Order Groom’

Mike Fleming

post thumbnail

EXCLUSIVE: The Warner Bros comedy Mail Order Groom has been pushed to next year. The film, which will re-team Date Night stars Tina Fey and Steve Carell, has been postponed because of scheduling conflicts with other film commitments Fey and Carell have. Fey will next star for Warner Bros in This Is Where I Leave You, the adaptation of the Jonathan Tropper novel that Shawn Levy will direct in May. She has been filming The Muppets…Again! for Disney.

Carell will next star in Alexander And The Terrible, Horrible, No Good, Very Bad Day, the adaptation of the Judith Viorst children’s book that Miguel Arteta just committed to direct for Walt Disney. Carell is currently reprising his role as weatherman Brick Tamland in Anchorman 2: The Legend Continues. He and Fey will return to Mail Order Groom in 2014.

via Deadline.com http://www.deadline.com/2013/03/delay-at-the-altar-on-tina-fey-steve-carell-comedy-mail-order-groom/

Posted on

FX Orders Charlie Kaufman Comedy Pilot

Nellie Andreeva

FX Networks has greenlighted How And Why, a half-hour comedy pilot from Oscar winner Charlie Kaufman. It tells the story of a man who can explain how and why a nuclear reactor works, but is clueless about life.  Kaufman will write and direct the pilot and serve as executive producer.  FX Prods. will produce. How And Why joins another recently ordered FX comedy pilot, animated Chozen from Grant Dekernion, Danny McBride and the team behind Eastbound & Down. Dekernion is writing and executive producing Chozen, about a white rapper, recently out of prison, who uses his new survival skills in his quest for redemption. Danny McBride and Rough House Pictures, will executive produce along with Floyd County Prods. Characters will be voiced by Saturday Night Live’s Bobby Moynihan, Michael Pena, Hannibal Buress, Kathryn Hahn, Nick Swardson and Danny McBride.  FX Prods. is producing.

via Deadline.com http://www.deadline.com/2013/03/fx-orders-charlie-kaufman-comedy-pilot/

Posted on

FX’s ‘It’s Always Sunny’, ‘The League’ & ‘Legit’ Renewed, Will Move To FXX

Nellie Andreeva

Three of FX’s comedy series, flagship It’s Always Sunny In Philadelphia, The League and Legit, will help launch new sibling FXX (formerly Fox Soccer), along with late-night show Totally Biased with W. Kamau Bell. Sunny, The League and Legit have been renewed for Season 10, 6 and 2, respectively. Additionally, Totally Biased will expand to five nights a week when it moves to FXX when the network launches Sept. 2. The plan for FXX is to start with four original comedy series and one late-night show. The fourth original comedy will likely come from one of FX’s half-hour pilots, FX president John Landgraf said. The new network’s original offerings will go up to six comedy series by the second year and to gradually introduce dramas.

via Deadline.com http://www.deadline.com/2013/03/fxs-its-always-sunny-in-philadelphia-the-league-renewed-will-move-to-fxx/

Posted on

FX Greenlights ‘Fargo’ Limited Series, Lines Up Slew Of Event Series In Development

Nellie Andreeva

UPDATED: FX has given the green light to the first limited series under the cable network’s push in that programming area — an adaptation of Joel and Ethan Coen‘s 1996 comedic crime drama Fargo.

Additionally, FX president John Landgraf announced several high-profile limited/miniseries projects in development as the genre will become a cornerstone for FX’s sibling FXM (Fox Movie Channel): Grand Hotel from Sam Mendes, about a fictional terrorist plot in Paris; Sutton, from Alexander Payne, about the infamous band robber and Michael De Luca; Mad Dogs from The Shield‘s Shawn Ryan, based on the British black comedy/psychological thriller miniseries; and The Story Of Mayflower, from producers Paul Giamatti and Gil Netter (Life Of Pi).

The Coen brothers are exec producing Fargo, which was written/executive produced by The Unusuals and My Generation creator Noah Hawley. Warren Littlefield also executives the project, which will be co-produced by MGM Television and FX Prods. Production will begin in the winter for a spring debut. The Fargo movie starred Frances McDormand as a pregnant Minnesota police chief who follows the trail of two bumbling criminals (Steve Buscemi and Peter Stormare) hired by a car salesman (William H. Macy) to kidnap his wife. The indie earned seven Oscar nominations, winning two statuettes — for the Coen brothers’ script and McDormand’s performance. FX put the project in development in September.

via Deadline.com http://www.deadline.com/2013/03/fx-greenlights-fargo-limited-series/