COULD disney KING KILLER BECOME QUEEN?
cfo Christine McCarthy, WhoSE BOLD MOVES HELPED TAKE DOWN Bob Chapek, Emerges As a leading Contender To Succeed Ceo Bob Iger |
Christine McCarthy and Bob Iger (Disney/Getty) |
|
When Bob Iger returned for another shift at the helm of Disney last month, at the top of his "To Do" list -- beyond righting the listing corporate supertanker -- was finding a more seaworthy successor than the recently decommissioned Bob Chapek. Multiple insiders tell Deadline the entertainment giant’s veteran chief financial officer Christine McCarthy has emerged as a leading contender to take over the top job. Beyond her steady hand at the tiller over the past seven years, McCarthy proved her mettle by going directly to Disney's board in November and threatening to quit if Bob No. 2 wasn't thrown overboard. >>> Ended Chapek's Reign Of Error |
|
| Deadline Exclusives & Originals |
|
'Ghostbusters: Afterlife' Columbia Pictures/courtesy Everett Collection) |
|
Reconjured - Sony Pictures is brewing up a sequel to its 2021 franchise reboot Ghostbusters: Afterlife. The previous film’s writer and exec producer Gil Kenan is set to take over directing with Jason Reitman, who directed the previous pic, moving into the writer-producer role alongside co-scribes Kenan and Jason Blumenfeld >>>High Priority
Hire & Hire - New Sony Pictures Television President Katherine Pope has made several new hires and promotions as she continues to build her executive team. They include Lauren Miller and Craig Kurland, who join the studios as Heads of Business Affairs, effective today. >>>More Moves
Nick Knack - Former longtime Nickelodeon President Cyma Zarghami’s family and kids-focused MIMO Studios has teamed with leading kids producer Tom Lynch Co. to develop two live-action projects: a screen adaptation of Brittany Geragotelis’ popular novel series, The Infamous Frankie Lorde and Code Club, an original property. The duo worked together for decades on some of the most popular live-action programs in children’s television including The Secret World of Alex Mack, The Journey of Allen Strange, and Caitlin’s Way. >>> Plot Details
The Princess Diaries- Bend It Like Beckham director Gurinder Chadha tells Deadline that her project for Disney about a dynamic princess from Indian history is "a very hard thing to do because there are certain rules you have to follow and you also don’t want to repeat yourself. I don’t want to make Mulan again for example, I want to do my own thing." >>>Watch The Video Interview
Crime Stories - Blue Bloods mainstay Donnie Wahlberg has set up two cop dramas at CBS through his pact at CBS Studios. Dubbed Samaritan and Harbor Blue, the projects take different looks at crime and punishment. >>>The 'NCIS' Connection |
|
Deadline’s Co-Editor-in-Chief, Film, Mike Fleming Jr., goes in-depth with the two-time Oscar nominee Robert Downey Jr. about the actor's new documentary, Sr. The film chronicles the elder Downey’s struggle with Parkinson’s Disease toward the end of his life. Topics include the often-difficult father-son relationship; Robert Downey Sr.'s films and checkered past; Paul Thomas Anderson; the Iron Man star's audition for Jon Favreau; what his dad thought of that career-defining film; and what RDJ misses the most about being the center of the Marvel Cinematic Universe. >>> Read The Full Interview |
|
In Cold Blood - Riley Keough is set to star in and EP Under the Bridge, Hulu’s limited series based on Rebecca Godfrey’s book, in which writer Godfrey (Keough) returns to her hometown of Victoria, BC, to plumb the hidden world of the seven teenage girls and a boy accused of a savage murder. >>>True Story
Metal Gods - Paramount’s upcoming Transformers: Rise of the Beasts has added Peter Dinklage (as the voice of Scourge), Liza Koshy (as the voice of Arcee), John DiMaggio (as the voice of Stratosphere), David Sobolov (as Rhinox/Battletrap), Michaela Jaé Rodriguez (as Nightbird), Cristo Fernández (as Wheeljack), and Tobe Nwigwe (as Reek). The movie will introduce a whole new breed of Transformer – the Maximals – to the existing battle on earth between Autobots and Decepticons. >>> Full Cast |
|
More News
🤝HBO Max is returning to Amazon Prime Video Channels in a new distribution agreement that reverses the streaming strategy of former WarnerMedia CEO Jason Kilar.
⚡️ Warner Bros. is speeding up the release of The Flash by a week, moving it up to Father's Day 2023, where it will face Pixar's Elementals. One observer calls the DC pic Spider-Man: No Way Home-level good.
🌪 While expressing confidence in the "seasoned executive leadership team" at AMC Networks, Chairman James Dolan has stepped in as "interim executive chairman" in the wake of the departure of CEO Christina Spade -- who herself took over about three months ago from then-interim CEO Matt Blank.
👀 A first look teaser for Oscar-winner Bong Joon Ho's next feature, Mickey 17 starring Robert Pattinson, dropped along with a release date for the adaptation of Edward Ashton's sci-fi novel.
😈 Margarita Levieva (The Deuce) and Sandrine Holt (American Gigolo) are set for major roles opposite Charlie Cox and Vincent D’Onofrio in Marvel's upcoming Daredevil: Born Again for Disney+.
💃🕺 Diane Warren's life and work are headed to Broadway in Obsessed, The Story of Diane Warren…So Far. The musical will include Warren-penned hits "Rhythm of the Night," "Nothing's Gonna Stop Us Now," "If I Could Turn Back Time," "Unbreak My Heart" and "I Don't Want To Miss A Thing." EGOT, anyone?
🦊 Fox CFO Steven Tomsic sought to paint concerns about a recombination of assets under a single umbrella as premature given the state of corporate contemplation. "When the announcement came out in October, it was probably closer to the start of the process than the end of the process," he said. |
|
On the Radar Wed - Pearl Harbor Day
Thu - National Board of Review winners announced; Trevor Noah’s final Daily Show
Sat - LA3C festival; Steve Martin & Martin Short host SNL; MPTF TV fundraiser
Sun - Deadline Contenders Film at LA3C festival; “Guillermo del Toro: Crafting Pinnochio” opens at MoMA |
|
Happiest Place On Earth - Newly-returned Disney CEO Bob Iger made a surprise trip to Disneyland this weekend to the delight of guests who not only applauded Bob No. 1 as he walked down Main Street, but also got to chat him up. Video of the moment was posted by @jaysquivel on Twitter. Iger, who toured Disneyland with Chairman of Disney Parks, Experiences and Products Josh D'Amaro, has been relishing his return of late, sharing an "excited to be back" post last Monday, a video about Oswald the Rabbit's return after a 95-year absence, a "so nice to be back" message featuring Disneyland's Candlelight Processional on Saturday and a Happy 121st Birthday, Walt tribute yesterday. |
|
|
