Bob Ellison, the two-time Emmy Award winner who wrote for The Mary Tyler Moore Show and served as a game-saving creative/script consultant on Cheers, Wings, Becker and many other comedies, has died. He was 91.
He died April 8 at Cedars-Sinai Medical Center in Los Angeles, his business manager, Malcolm Orland, told The Hollywood Reporter. “He was a sweetheart and so good at what he did,” Orland said.
Ellison came from the world of variety shows, where he wrote and/or produced several specials that starred Julie Andrews and Burt Bacharach. He also co-developed the 1988-92 NBC sitcom Dear John, starring Judd Hirsch.
Ellison wrote 15 episodes and was an executive story editor during the last two of The Mary Tyler Moore Show’s seven seasons (from 1975-77). He shared an Emmy with Allan Burns, James L. Brooks, Ed. Weinberger, Stan Daniels and David Lloyd for the beloved series finale, “The Last Show.
He died April 8 at Cedars-Sinai Medical Center in Los Angeles, his business manager, Malcolm Orland, told The Hollywood Reporter. “He was a sweetheart and so good at what he did,” Orland said.
Ellison came from the world of variety shows, where he wrote and/or produced several specials that starred Julie Andrews and Burt Bacharach. He also co-developed the 1988-92 NBC sitcom Dear John, starring Judd Hirsch.
Ellison wrote 15 episodes and was an executive story editor during the last two of The Mary Tyler Moore Show’s seven seasons (from 1975-77). He shared an Emmy with Allan Burns, James L. Brooks, Ed. Weinberger, Stan Daniels and David Lloyd for the beloved series finale, “The Last Show.
- 5/11/2024
- by Mike Barnes
- The Hollywood Reporter - Movie News
BioShock creator Ken Levine has shown off some new gameplay details for his upcoming Judas to select outlets, and the old BioShock DNA is unmistakeable.
There’s an awful lot of chat about “narrative Lego” in the various news posts swirling around about Judas, the next game from BioShock designer Ken Levine. It’s a phrase Levine first brought up about a decade ago when he first started talking publicly about his first project since 2013’s BioShock Infinite, and is shorthand for the way Judas uses discrete blocks of plot to construct a unique story for each player.
Over the past few weeks or so, Levine’s new studio, Ghost Story Games, has invited a couple of journalists from big, posh outlets to sample Judas first-hand. Both IGN's Ryan McCaffrey and The Game Awards’ Geoff Keighley have made videos in which they interview Ken Levine and play through his ambitious-sounding action-adventure.
There’s an awful lot of chat about “narrative Lego” in the various news posts swirling around about Judas, the next game from BioShock designer Ken Levine. It’s a phrase Levine first brought up about a decade ago when he first started talking publicly about his first project since 2013’s BioShock Infinite, and is shorthand for the way Judas uses discrete blocks of plot to construct a unique story for each player.
Over the past few weeks or so, Levine’s new studio, Ghost Story Games, has invited a couple of journalists from big, posh outlets to sample Judas first-hand. Both IGN's Ryan McCaffrey and The Game Awards’ Geoff Keighley have made videos in which they interview Ken Levine and play through his ambitious-sounding action-adventure.
- 3/27/2024
- by Ryan Lambie
- Film Stories
When "Cheers" wrapped up in 1993, it looked a lot different from the show that began airing in 1982. The finale not only brought in almost 100 million viewers, it became one of the most-watched installments of any TV show ever made — even courting the attention of then-President Bill Clinton, who was eyeing up a cameo in the finale before forcing the writers to scrap those plans at the last minute.
But back when "Cheers" debuted, it almost crashed and burned with its very first season. In fact, it would take until the end of the third season for the show to really find its footing, ratings-wise. Sadly, one of the central characters who'd help solidify the series' huge success would no longer be around to enjoy the glory years to come.
Coach Ernie Pantusso (Nicholas Colasanto), affectionately known by the Cheers bar crew as "Coach," was a central part of the show since the off.
But back when "Cheers" debuted, it almost crashed and burned with its very first season. In fact, it would take until the end of the third season for the show to really find its footing, ratings-wise. Sadly, one of the central characters who'd help solidify the series' huge success would no longer be around to enjoy the glory years to come.
Coach Ernie Pantusso (Nicholas Colasanto), affectionately known by the Cheers bar crew as "Coach," was a central part of the show since the off.
- 3/9/2024
- by Joe Roberts
- Slash Film
Disclaimer: Crunchyroll is an independently operated joint venture between U.S.-based Sony Pictures Entertainment and Japan’s Aniplex. Today saw another PlayStation State of Play stream debut, bringing with it around 45 minutes of new and updated game info. Hideo Kojima was on hand for a double whammy—including more on Death Stranding 2 , which now sports the On The Beach subtitle, and a new espionage game called Physint . There's also a new Silent Hill game available to download for free. That's just scratching the surface, so let's take a look at some of the highlights from today's State of Play. Death Stranding 2 On The Beach is due out in 2025, and as usual you should expect more questions than answers in the extensive nine-minute cinematic trailer. If that's not enough Kojima for you, the Metal Gear Solid mastermind is returning to the action-espionage genre with Physint . In two years they'll be...
- 2/1/2024
- by Joseph Luster
- Crunchyroll
That rumour last week regarding Death Stranding 2 and Until Dawn proved to be correct, as Sony addressed both games during their State of Play today. Not only that, but we also finally got an update regarding Bloober Team’s upcoming Silent Hill 2 remake, the long-awaited Silent Hill: The Short Message, Judas and more!
After multiple leaks that Konami seemingly ignored, they’ve finally announced Silent Hill: The Short Message. Not only that, but you can grab it today for free on the PlayStation 5! A spin-off of the main Silent Hill series, The Short Message is set in modern-day Germany. You play as Anita, who after receiving messages from her friend Maya, ends up trapped in a crumbling apartment block known as The Villa. Unlike previous Silent Hill titles, The Short Message is played from a first-person perspective.
Following the reveal of The Short Message, Konami gave us a long-awaited...
After multiple leaks that Konami seemingly ignored, they’ve finally announced Silent Hill: The Short Message. Not only that, but you can grab it today for free on the PlayStation 5! A spin-off of the main Silent Hill series, The Short Message is set in modern-day Germany. You play as Anita, who after receiving messages from her friend Maya, ends up trapped in a crumbling apartment block known as The Villa. Unlike previous Silent Hill titles, The Short Message is played from a first-person perspective.
Following the reveal of The Short Message, Konami gave us a long-awaited...
- 1/31/2024
- by Mike Wilson
- bloody-disgusting.com
"Cheers" had just found its Nielsen ratings footing when the sitcom was dealt an unexpectedly tragic blow: Nicholas Colasanto, who'd become the heart of the series as kind-hearted bartender "Coach" Ernie Pantusso, died at the age of 61 of a heart attack.
Of the main cast, Colasanto might've been the most irreplaceable. He provided the show its first heartbreaking moment in the season 1 episode "Coach's Daughter," where he struggles to convince his only child (Allyce Beasley) to not marry her boor of a fiancé. From that moment forward, the writers deployed Coach as a lovably addled fount of accidental wisdom; though irreparably concussed by taking too many baseballs to the noggin during his major league career, the goofball always came through when it counted.
And suddenly, before the conclusion of the series' pivotal third season, he was gone.
"Cheers" still had a deep-bench ensemble with Sam, Diane, Carla, Norm and Cliff,...
Of the main cast, Colasanto might've been the most irreplaceable. He provided the show its first heartbreaking moment in the season 1 episode "Coach's Daughter," where he struggles to convince his only child (Allyce Beasley) to not marry her boor of a fiancé. From that moment forward, the writers deployed Coach as a lovably addled fount of accidental wisdom; though irreparably concussed by taking too many baseballs to the noggin during his major league career, the goofball always came through when it counted.
And suddenly, before the conclusion of the series' pivotal third season, he was gone.
"Cheers" still had a deep-bench ensemble with Sam, Diane, Carla, Norm and Cliff,...
- 1/26/2024
- by Jeremy Smith
- Slash Film
On May 20, 1993, NBC's ultra-successful sitcom "Cheers" aired its finale episode, and it was almost instantly entered into the history books. Approximately 93 million people nationwide tuned in to watch the episode in 42.4 million homes, and untold thousands more watched it in bars across the country. Those numbers were good enough to make it the second highest-watched program in TV history, according to The L.A. Times — only the series finale of "M*A*S*H" scored more viewers.
That same night, 15 million people tuned into "The Tonight Show," which went on the road to the Bull & Finch Bar in Boston, which served as the exterior of the bar in the show, and host Jay Leno interviewed cast members Ted Danson, Woody Harrelson, Rhea Perlman, Kelsey Grammer, John Ratzenberger, and George Wendt.
Well, at least he tried to interview them.
As "Cheers" writer Ken Levine remembered in a 2013 article for Vulture, "The [series finale] ended at eleven.
That same night, 15 million people tuned into "The Tonight Show," which went on the road to the Bull & Finch Bar in Boston, which served as the exterior of the bar in the show, and host Jay Leno interviewed cast members Ted Danson, Woody Harrelson, Rhea Perlman, Kelsey Grammer, John Ratzenberger, and George Wendt.
Well, at least he tried to interview them.
As "Cheers" writer Ken Levine remembered in a 2013 article for Vulture, "The [series finale] ended at eleven.
- 1/14/2024
- by Ben Pearson
- Slash Film
One of the most quoted pieces of Hollywood wisdom holds that 90 percent of directing is casting. You bring the right actors together, and you're off to the races. This is, of course, laughably simplistic. You could argue that 90 percent of directing is writing because there's no movie or show to make if there's nothing on the page. And many directors will tell you that their films don't truly come together until they're hunkered down with their editor in post-production.
The truth, obviously, is that film and television production is a collaborative process that requires numerous people with expertise in different disciplines to do what they do at the highest level possible. And when it comes to casting, there is absolutely an art to finding, after untold hours of reels and cold reads, the ideal actor for each role — especially if you're trying to launch a successful television series. Because no...
The truth, obviously, is that film and television production is a collaborative process that requires numerous people with expertise in different disciplines to do what they do at the highest level possible. And when it comes to casting, there is absolutely an art to finding, after untold hours of reels and cold reads, the ideal actor for each role — especially if you're trying to launch a successful television series. Because no...
- 1/13/2024
- by Jeremy Smith
- Slash Film
The current generation will likely know John Cleese for his Tweets and his Gb News project "The Dinosaur Hour," which recently saw him trading witticisms with Stephen Fry in a 12th-century castle for some reason. Which is a shame because at one time he was pretty much unanimously viewed as a British national treasure and comedy great. So much so that when he dropped in on the "Cheers" crowd back in the '80s, he basically caused the whole show to buckle under the weight of his reputation, at least until the writers managed to compose themselves enough to get his episode back on track.
Appearing in the season 5 installment "Simon Says," Cleese played Dr. Simon Finch-Royce, a renowned marriage counselor and friend of Kelsey Grammer's Frasier Crane, who at one time attended Oxford with the distinguished doctor. Presumably, in the "Cheers"-verse, Finch-Royce was also a friend of Alan Cornwall,...
Appearing in the season 5 installment "Simon Says," Cleese played Dr. Simon Finch-Royce, a renowned marriage counselor and friend of Kelsey Grammer's Frasier Crane, who at one time attended Oxford with the distinguished doctor. Presumably, in the "Cheers"-verse, Finch-Royce was also a friend of Alan Cornwall,...
- 1/1/2024
- by Joe Roberts
- Slash Film
"Cheers" is, by several measures, one of the most successful shows in the history of television. It ran for 11 seasons and 275 episodes — a number that is downright unthinkable in the modern age. It also remains beloved to this day, which is not something that can be said of many shows from that same era. So much of it can be boiled down to the lovable characters, and few were more lovable than Norm.
Played by George Wendt, Norm appeared on nearly every episode of the show and was always greeted with a warm welcome. Not just from the audience, but from the other patrons at the bar as well who would, in a running gag, yell "Norm!" in celebration every time he would enter, followed by a joke. It turns out that implementing this running gag all of the time ended up giving the writers a bit of a headache...
Played by George Wendt, Norm appeared on nearly every episode of the show and was always greeted with a warm welcome. Not just from the audience, but from the other patrons at the bar as well who would, in a running gag, yell "Norm!" in celebration every time he would enter, followed by a joke. It turns out that implementing this running gag all of the time ended up giving the writers a bit of a headache...
- 12/3/2023
- by Ryan Scott
- Slash Film
When you hear many actors talk, they often speak about wanting to play roles vastly different from who they are as people. Acting can be something of an escape that can challenge their everyday lives. However, when you usually hear about parts like this, they tend to exist in the extreme. Sometimes they involve playing a real-life person, or they're playing some fantastical creation in a genre piece. Rarely do you hear this kind of talk when they are just playing, like, a regular dude. Parts like those tend to go to people fairly similar to the characters they play who can imbue those regular folks with some kind of innate charisma within the actor.
Ted Danson's signature role of Sam Malone on the long-running hit sitcom "Cheers" would, on its face, appear to be this situation. He is an actor who exudes boundless charm and has excellent repartee...
Ted Danson's signature role of Sam Malone on the long-running hit sitcom "Cheers" would, on its face, appear to be this situation. He is an actor who exudes boundless charm and has excellent repartee...
- 11/25/2023
- by Mike Shutt
- Slash Film
Robert Altman's "M*A*S*H" was a New Hollywood sensation upon its release in 1970. It announced Altman as one of the most exciting filmmakers in Hollywood, and turned Elliott Gould and Donald Sutherland into A-list movie stars. Several of the supporting cast — namely Robert Duvall, Sally Kellerman, and Tom Skerritt — got a career boost as well. So when Larry Gelbart sold CBS on the idea of a sitcom adaptation of the material two years later, these actors were far too prominent to reprise their roles in the series (it's worth noting that television was considered small time in relation to movies back then).
Gary Burghoff was a different story. As Corporal Walter "Radar" O'Reilly, the diminutive Burghoff didn't pop on your first viewing of the movie. He darted to and fro in the background, but never strayed too far from his superior, Lieutenant Colonel Henry Blake (Roger Blake). Radar didn't participate in the company's shenanigans,...
Gary Burghoff was a different story. As Corporal Walter "Radar" O'Reilly, the diminutive Burghoff didn't pop on your first viewing of the movie. He darted to and fro in the background, but never strayed too far from his superior, Lieutenant Colonel Henry Blake (Roger Blake). Radar didn't participate in the company's shenanigans,...
- 11/14/2023
- by Jeremy Smith
- Slash Film
"Cheers," 30 years removed from its series finale, remains one of the most important and beloved shows in the history of television. It made several careers and even spawned the most successful spin-off in history with "Frasier," a show that was revived once again recently. The point is that the legacy of "Cheers" is still very much felt today. While many of the central and supporting cast members still benefit from that legacy, there's one who most certainly doesn't: Jay Thomas. The comedian and disc jokey played Eddie, the husband of Rhea Perlman's Carla on the show.
As fans may well recall, Eddie was killed off during "Cheers" season 8 in the episode "Death Takes a Holiday on Ice." But why did the creators decide to kill off Thomas' character? It had to do with public comments he made about Perlman. Thomas himself was responsible for sealing Eddie's fate.
The actor,...
As fans may well recall, Eddie was killed off during "Cheers" season 8 in the episode "Death Takes a Holiday on Ice." But why did the creators decide to kill off Thomas' character? It had to do with public comments he made about Perlman. Thomas himself was responsible for sealing Eddie's fate.
The actor,...
- 10/21/2023
- by Ryan Scott
- Slash Film
If you caught up with "M*A*S*H" sometime after the beloved wartime sitcom ended its much-lauded original run, you'd be forgiven for having no clue about the series' spinoffs. After all, 50 years after it first aired, "M*A*S*H" remains a major pillar of TV history -- for its rollicking anti-authority spirit and bleeding heart attitude, its genre-blending and experimental episodes, and its record-breaking finale telecast, which is still by some measures the most-watched in the history of television. "AfterMASH," though? Well, not so much.
It's a testament to the flagship series' strengths that decades after it ended, its bizarre and short-lived spinoffs haven't tainted its reputation at all. In fact, they've mostly been forgotten, in part because they're unavailable on streaming and tough to find on home video. Three "M*A*S*H" spinoffs were made in hopes of capitalizing on some of the original series' magic, but only one -- the...
It's a testament to the flagship series' strengths that decades after it ended, its bizarre and short-lived spinoffs haven't tainted its reputation at all. In fact, they've mostly been forgotten, in part because they're unavailable on streaming and tough to find on home video. Three "M*A*S*H" spinoffs were made in hopes of capitalizing on some of the original series' magic, but only one -- the...
- 10/16/2023
- by Valerie Ettenhofer
- Slash Film
In 2024, it will be 40 years since the character of Frasier Crane first debuted on TV. Appearing in the season 3 premiere of "Cheers" back in 1984, the character went on to become the protagonist of his own show, which ran from 1993 to 2004 and doubled down on Kelsey Grammer's remarkable knack for playing the lovably pretentious psychiatrist. Now, the character is once again back as part of the "Frasier" revival series that just hit Paramount+, and he's very much returned to his roots.
Whereas the original "Frasier" saw the titular psychiatrist return to his native Seattle, the new series is set back in Boston — home of the Cheers bar where his character first appeared. In the years between the original "Frasier" and this new series, the good doctor has been living in Chicago, but returns to Boston after his marriage ends and he feels compelled to become more involved in his son Freddy's (Jack Cutmore-Scott) life.
Whereas the original "Frasier" saw the titular psychiatrist return to his native Seattle, the new series is set back in Boston — home of the Cheers bar where his character first appeared. In the years between the original "Frasier" and this new series, the good doctor has been living in Chicago, but returns to Boston after his marriage ends and he feels compelled to become more involved in his son Freddy's (Jack Cutmore-Scott) life.
- 10/12/2023
- by Joe Roberts
- Slash Film
One picketer said it best: “The longer this strike goes, the more detailed these signs get.”
Judging by some of those Simpsons-themed placards, he’s not wrong. But there have also been lots of not-so-veiled references to some of the ongoing strike coverage. (Don’t recognize the reference to Carol Lombardini and The Cheesecake Factory? Read this story. Can’t remember the exact quote about putting people out of their homes? That notorious line originated here.)
Some of the signs also just show signs of fatigue. “I’m gonna be honest I’m running out of clever sign memes,” said one. “Cause, like, seriously?”
It’s now day 120 of the WGA strike and Day 47 of the SAG-AFTRA strike. Here’s what some picketers have to say these days about walking the line.
120 pic.twitter.com/ZqrnJcR8Wg
— Mike Royce (@MikeRoyce) August 29, 2023
Bad logistics as I attended the kid-friendly picket...
Judging by some of those Simpsons-themed placards, he’s not wrong. But there have also been lots of not-so-veiled references to some of the ongoing strike coverage. (Don’t recognize the reference to Carol Lombardini and The Cheesecake Factory? Read this story. Can’t remember the exact quote about putting people out of their homes? That notorious line originated here.)
Some of the signs also just show signs of fatigue. “I’m gonna be honest I’m running out of clever sign memes,” said one. “Cause, like, seriously?”
It’s now day 120 of the WGA strike and Day 47 of the SAG-AFTRA strike. Here’s what some picketers have to say these days about walking the line.
120 pic.twitter.com/ZqrnJcR8Wg
— Mike Royce (@MikeRoyce) August 29, 2023
Bad logistics as I attended the kid-friendly picket...
- 8/30/2023
- by Lynette Rice
- Deadline Film + TV
Eleven seasons. Two hundred and seventy-five episodes. Twenty-eight Emmy Awards. Yes, “Cheers” was one of the longest-running, most successful – and most beloved – situation comedies in television history. And a milestone is about to be reached this weekend: 30 years since the series finale aired on NBC. Saturday marks precisely 30 years since the show bid prime time adieu on May 20, 1993, the last time Sam (Ted Danson) poured Norm (George Wendt) a glass of beer at the famed Boston bar.
To celebrate the event, Pluto TV’s Sitcom Legends channel will be airing a marathon of the entire final “Cheers” season, which comprises a whopping 26 episodes in the era before streaming, this Saturday the 20th. It begins at 7 a.m. Pt/10 a.m. Et with the first episode of Season 11 and continues in order through the finale. The last episode was supersized as the length of three installments, so you might say...
To celebrate the event, Pluto TV’s Sitcom Legends channel will be airing a marathon of the entire final “Cheers” season, which comprises a whopping 26 episodes in the era before streaming, this Saturday the 20th. It begins at 7 a.m. Pt/10 a.m. Et with the first episode of Season 11 and continues in order through the finale. The last episode was supersized as the length of three installments, so you might say...
- 5/19/2023
- by Ray Richmond
- Gold Derby
The NBC comedy Cheers was the place “where everybody knows your name.” The staff and regulars at Cheers were all friendly amongst each other, and to any newbies who wandered in for a cold one. The show was so popular that lots of celebrities guest starred on Cheers, too. Most were lovely, but two stood out for their hostility.
L-r: Bill Medley not one of the bad guest stars, Woody Harrelson, Rhea Perlman, and Kelsey Grammer | NBCU Photo Bank via Getty Images
Cheers writer Ken Levine named those 2 on an episode of his Hollywood and Levine podcast about Cheers celebrity guest stars. Here’s why Ed McMahon and Wade Boggs were rude to Levine and the creators of Cheers.
Johnny Carson did ‘Cheers’ but his sidekick refused to guest star
Tonight Show host Johnny Carson appeared on a season 10 episode of Cheers shortly before his retirement. The show filmed on...
L-r: Bill Medley not one of the bad guest stars, Woody Harrelson, Rhea Perlman, and Kelsey Grammer | NBCU Photo Bank via Getty Images
Cheers writer Ken Levine named those 2 on an episode of his Hollywood and Levine podcast about Cheers celebrity guest stars. Here’s why Ed McMahon and Wade Boggs were rude to Levine and the creators of Cheers.
Johnny Carson did ‘Cheers’ but his sidekick refused to guest star
Tonight Show host Johnny Carson appeared on a season 10 episode of Cheers shortly before his retirement. The show filmed on...
- 4/1/2023
- by Fred Topel
- Showbiz Cheat Sheet
The NBC comedy Cheers had a number of memorable guest stars. There were celebrities like Alex Trebek and Tip O’Neill. There were actors who would become well known for other roles like Harry Anderson and John Mahoney. In fact, Mahoney guest starred on Cheers when another actor bailed forcing the Cheers producers to recast.
L-r: Kirstie Alley, Woody Harrelson, and Ted Danson | NBCU Photo Bank via Getty Images
Cheers writer Ken Levine discussed the show’s celebrity guest stars on an episode of his Hollywood & Levine podcast. Here’s why Mahoney had to fill in at the last minute.
The original Sy Flembeck guest star on ‘Cheers’ got really nervous
Levine didn’t out the original actor for the part, but he shared how nervous he was. This was a season 11 episode so Cheers must have been daunting. Levine was entirely sympathetic to the nervous actor, and did his best...
L-r: Kirstie Alley, Woody Harrelson, and Ted Danson | NBCU Photo Bank via Getty Images
Cheers writer Ken Levine discussed the show’s celebrity guest stars on an episode of his Hollywood & Levine podcast. Here’s why Mahoney had to fill in at the last minute.
The original Sy Flembeck guest star on ‘Cheers’ got really nervous
Levine didn’t out the original actor for the part, but he shared how nervous he was. This was a season 11 episode so Cheers must have been daunting. Levine was entirely sympathetic to the nervous actor, and did his best...
- 3/31/2023
- by Fred Topel
- Showbiz Cheat Sheet
While we’re waiting for that next BioShock entry, the mastermind behind the original game, Ken Levine, has something new up his sleeve with the folks at Ghost Story Games with Judas. The game was revealed at The Game Awards in a brand-new trailer.
While details are still forthcoming, the trailer for Judas definitely gives off that BioShock vibe. The game is being developed by Ghost Story Games, a Take-Two Interactive subsidiary, and this will serve as the studio’s first title.
In a press release, Levine states that Ghost Story Games was founded “to build upon the legacy of System Shock 2, BioShock, and BioShock Infinite“. Levine says that with Judas, the team has “created an entirely new world and set of characters while exploring different approaches to single-player, narrative first-person shooters.”
Judas will be headed to the PS5, Xbox Series, and PC via Steam and the Epic Game Store.
While details are still forthcoming, the trailer for Judas definitely gives off that BioShock vibe. The game is being developed by Ghost Story Games, a Take-Two Interactive subsidiary, and this will serve as the studio’s first title.
In a press release, Levine states that Ghost Story Games was founded “to build upon the legacy of System Shock 2, BioShock, and BioShock Infinite“. Levine says that with Judas, the team has “created an entirely new world and set of characters while exploring different approaches to single-player, narrative first-person shooters.”
Judas will be headed to the PS5, Xbox Series, and PC via Steam and the Epic Game Store.
- 12/9/2022
- by Mike Wilson
- bloody-disgusting.com
Kirstie Alley, the smokey-voiced actress who replaced Shelley Long in the ensemble cast of “Cheers” in 1987 and went on to establish herself and earn plaudits from critics along with a handful of Emmy nominations, died Monday after a short battle with cancer. She was 71 at the time of her death, and her illness had not been well-known outside of immediate family.
When Long departed “Cheers” after playing fussbudget intellectual waitress Diane Chambers for five seasons that generated an Emmy nomination every year (and a lone win in 1983) to pursue a film career in 1987, the press and industry were skeptical about the show’s ability to remain a ratings juggernaut and weren’t initially terribly impressed with Alley’s casting as the replacement. A relatively swift exit from the NBC schedule was considered a real possibility. Instead, “Cheers” thrived with Alley portraying the Boston bar’s brassy, ambitious and completely neurotic middle manager Rebecca Howe,...
When Long departed “Cheers” after playing fussbudget intellectual waitress Diane Chambers for five seasons that generated an Emmy nomination every year (and a lone win in 1983) to pursue a film career in 1987, the press and industry were skeptical about the show’s ability to remain a ratings juggernaut and weren’t initially terribly impressed with Alley’s casting as the replacement. A relatively swift exit from the NBC schedule was considered a real possibility. Instead, “Cheers” thrived with Alley portraying the Boston bar’s brassy, ambitious and completely neurotic middle manager Rebecca Howe,...
- 12/6/2022
- by Ray Richmond
- Gold Derby
Have you heard the tale of the video game curse? Every video game adaptation Hollywood greenlights always seems to be fated for failure in some way — a box office bomb, a flurry of unfortunate adaptational choices, or even worse, a fade into cultural obscurity.
Some say the curse is starting to break with the success of the live-action "Sonic the Hedgehog" films and "Detective Pikachu," the latter of which brought the colorful world of Pokémon to life in a family-friendly blockbuster format. Both films made an impressive amount of money and are generally liked by their target audience as well as critics, which means they're amongst the first of their kind. "The Last of Us," one of the most critically acclaimed games of all time, is now a highly anticipated HBO series premiering next January, and it aims to be "Game of Thrones"-level big. We're even getting an animated "Super Mario" movie in April.
Some say the curse is starting to break with the success of the live-action "Sonic the Hedgehog" films and "Detective Pikachu," the latter of which brought the colorful world of Pokémon to life in a family-friendly blockbuster format. Both films made an impressive amount of money and are generally liked by their target audience as well as critics, which means they're amongst the first of their kind. "The Last of Us," one of the most critically acclaimed games of all time, is now a highly anticipated HBO series premiering next January, and it aims to be "Game of Thrones"-level big. We're even getting an animated "Super Mario" movie in April.
- 11/15/2022
- by Tyler Llewyn Taing
- Slash Film
As the Emmys approach on Monday, there is an impressive roster of comedy series nominees like “Curb Your Enthusiasm,” “Abbott Elementary,” “Ted Lasso,” “Hacks,” “Barry,” “Only Murders in the Building.” What do they have in common, besides wit and delightful (or delightfully cranky or murderous) characters? As with virtually every top TV comedy of this millennium, the laughter you hear is your own!
It was not always that way. For decades beginning in the 1950s, TV comedies boosted their punchlines with the use of recorded laughter. In a a time when TV shows were primarily filmed in front of a studio audience (think “I Love Lucy”), CBS sound engineer named Charley Douglass thought that the audience’s organic reactions weren’t good enough. So, he started manipulating the audio levels in postproduction, developing a machine nicknamed the Laff Box.
Even when shows became more sophisticated, most used some form of laugh track for “sweetening.
It was not always that way. For decades beginning in the 1950s, TV comedies boosted their punchlines with the use of recorded laughter. In a a time when TV shows were primarily filmed in front of a studio audience (think “I Love Lucy”), CBS sound engineer named Charley Douglass thought that the audience’s organic reactions weren’t good enough. So, he started manipulating the audio levels in postproduction, developing a machine nicknamed the Laff Box.
Even when shows became more sophisticated, most used some form of laugh track for “sweetening.
- 9/12/2022
- by Mary Murphy and Michele Willens
- The Wrap
While next to nothing is known about the fourth installment, 2K Games’ confirmation earlier this year that BioShock 4 is in active development was all many fans needed to celebrate. A hardly surprising reaction, of course, considering Ken Levine and Irrational Games’ acclaimed third entry in the series – which traded the underwater art deco city of Rapture for the cloud-surfing Columbia – is inching ever closer to its eighth birthday, but such welcome news is only going to tide folks over for so long.
Unfortunately, the current period of radio silence shows no sign of abating anytime soon, as while the project now has a lead developer locked in, Cloud Chamber Games is far, far away from being ready to show anything of note. Indeed, we’ll no doubt be waiting a solid year just to learn of a projected release window for the franchise’s long-awaited continuation, though the discovery of...
Unfortunately, the current period of radio silence shows no sign of abating anytime soon, as while the project now has a lead developer locked in, Cloud Chamber Games is far, far away from being ready to show anything of note. Indeed, we’ll no doubt be waiting a solid year just to learn of a projected release window for the franchise’s long-awaited continuation, though the discovery of...
- 12/10/2020
- by Joe Pring
- We Got This Covered
While the original BioShock took the gaming world by storm way back in 2007, it’s fair to say that 2K Games’ dystopian sci-fi horror series has seen diminishing returns with its subsequent sequels.
BioShock 2, for example, was a decent-yet-uninspired trip back to Rapture, as you stepped into the diving boots of the first ever Big Daddy: Subject Delta. Indeed, though the second installment captured the authentic mood and atmosphere of the franchise, it also failed to live up to the narrative heights of its predecessor, while shoehorning in a competitive multiplayer component that nobody asked for.
2013’s BioShock Infinite fared better with both fans and critics, but still didn’t quite resonate with the series’ hardcore purists. Some fans consider the third title in Ken Levine’s acclaimed franchise to be a pretty mixed bag storytelling-wise and gameplay-wise. Personally, I found that limiting the amount of weapons you could carry...
BioShock 2, for example, was a decent-yet-uninspired trip back to Rapture, as you stepped into the diving boots of the first ever Big Daddy: Subject Delta. Indeed, though the second installment captured the authentic mood and atmosphere of the franchise, it also failed to live up to the narrative heights of its predecessor, while shoehorning in a competitive multiplayer component that nobody asked for.
2013’s BioShock Infinite fared better with both fans and critics, but still didn’t quite resonate with the series’ hardcore purists. Some fans consider the third title in Ken Levine’s acclaimed franchise to be a pretty mixed bag storytelling-wise and gameplay-wise. Personally, I found that limiting the amount of weapons you could carry...
- 12/26/2019
- by Dylan Chaundy
- We Got This Covered
BioShock is one of the most critically revered gaming franchises of the modern era, though since the Dlc for BioShock: Infinite wrapped up, there’s been no new developments in years. We’ve heard whispers that something might be in the works, with a news story from Kotaku mentioning that the franchise may yet see signs of life, but absent of any follow-up, many chalked it up to just rumor.
Well, that rumor has now become truth, as publisher 2K have announced that developers Cloud Chamber are officially working on a new BioShock. For those who don’t know, Cloud Chamber is a relatively new studio, but one that has some decent talent attached to it.
Leading it is Kelley Gilmore of Firaxis, who explained the following:
“We founded Cloud Chamber to create yet-to-be-discovered worlds – and their stories within – that push the boundaries of what is possible in the video game medium.
Well, that rumor has now become truth, as publisher 2K have announced that developers Cloud Chamber are officially working on a new BioShock. For those who don’t know, Cloud Chamber is a relatively new studio, but one that has some decent talent attached to it.
Leading it is Kelley Gilmore of Firaxis, who explained the following:
“We founded Cloud Chamber to create yet-to-be-discovered worlds – and their stories within – that push the boundaries of what is possible in the video game medium.
- 12/9/2019
- by David James
- We Got This Covered
John Saavedra Dec 9, 2019
A new BioShock game is finally on the way! Here's what we know about the sequel so far...
A new BioShock game is officially in the works at 2K, which has also announced the formation of Cloud Chamber, the new studio in charge of developing the sequel. The project will be headed by Kelley Gilmore, who comes from 2K's Firaxis Games. Little is known about just how far along the new game is and whether it'll be a direct sequel set on Rapture and/or Columbia, but Gilmore did reveal to IGN that his team is at "the earlier end of our process" in regards to development.
"We...hope that fans love our future plans for this environment. That said, it'll be a bit of a wait for more details, as the game will be in development for several years," Gilmore told IGN.
Rumors of a new...
A new BioShock game is finally on the way! Here's what we know about the sequel so far...
A new BioShock game is officially in the works at 2K, which has also announced the formation of Cloud Chamber, the new studio in charge of developing the sequel. The project will be headed by Kelley Gilmore, who comes from 2K's Firaxis Games. Little is known about just how far along the new game is and whether it'll be a direct sequel set on Rapture and/or Columbia, but Gilmore did reveal to IGN that his team is at "the earlier end of our process" in regards to development.
"We...hope that fans love our future plans for this environment. That said, it'll be a bit of a wait for more details, as the game will be in development for several years," Gilmore told IGN.
Rumors of a new...
- 12/9/2019
- Den of Geek
It’s been almost seven years since the last Bioshock game took us to the soaring highs of Columbia in a quest to find Elizabeth. Now, several new hints suggest that Bioshock 3 could be in development with an official announcement coming soon.
Take-Two, the parent company behind developers like Rockstar Games, Hangar 13 and 2K has had a very successful year with the release of Red Dead Redemption 2, and in their new earnings call for this financial year, the CEO Strauss Zelnick told us the company is preparing the strongest product lineup in the history of gaming.
Zelnick teased the fans by saying they can expect “sequels from our biggest franchises as well as exciting new IP,” which could have many implications considering the estimable number of products that the publisher owns. But our bets can safely be put on titles like GTA 6, Mafia 4 and a new Bioshock game.
Red...
Take-Two, the parent company behind developers like Rockstar Games, Hangar 13 and 2K has had a very successful year with the release of Red Dead Redemption 2, and in their new earnings call for this financial year, the CEO Strauss Zelnick told us the company is preparing the strongest product lineup in the history of gaming.
Zelnick teased the fans by saying they can expect “sequels from our biggest franchises as well as exciting new IP,” which could have many implications considering the estimable number of products that the publisher owns. But our bets can safely be put on titles like GTA 6, Mafia 4 and a new Bioshock game.
Red...
- 11/12/2019
- by Jonathan Wright
- We Got This Covered
The United Talent Agency has appointed six men and two women as new partners, the agency’s board of directors announced Friday.
Jacob Fenton, Ken Fermaglich, Susie Fox, Ben Jacobson, Ophir Lupu, John Sacks, Bec Smith and Mark Subias have been appointed from across UTA’s businesses, accounting for a 13 percent expansion of the company’s partnership. The agents come from the world of theatre, music, TV, movies, video games and more. Between them they have nearly 70 years of experience at the agency.
“These eight individuals from across our business have been a critical part of UTA’s growth over the past years,” the UTA Board of Directors said in a statement. “Their appointments reflect not just the longstanding contributions each has made, but their leadership, innovation and commitment to creating unique opportunities for our clients. We are proud to have them join our partnership.”
Also Read: Veteran Agent David Lubliner...
Jacob Fenton, Ken Fermaglich, Susie Fox, Ben Jacobson, Ophir Lupu, John Sacks, Bec Smith and Mark Subias have been appointed from across UTA’s businesses, accounting for a 13 percent expansion of the company’s partnership. The agents come from the world of theatre, music, TV, movies, video games and more. Between them they have nearly 70 years of experience at the agency.
“These eight individuals from across our business have been a critical part of UTA’s growth over the past years,” the UTA Board of Directors said in a statement. “Their appointments reflect not just the longstanding contributions each has made, but their leadership, innovation and commitment to creating unique opportunities for our clients. We are proud to have them join our partnership.”
Also Read: Veteran Agent David Lubliner...
- 1/25/2019
- by Brian Welk
- The Wrap
The UTA board of directors said Friday that the agency has promoted eight agents to partner, repping a 13% expansion of the group. The promotions come from across UTA’s businesses including theater, music, TV, movies and video games.
The new partners include two division heads — Video Games’ Ophir Lupu and Theatre’s Mark Subias — along with Jacob Fenton, Ken Fermaglich, Susie Fox, Ben Jacobson, John Sacks and Bec Smith.
“These eight individuals from across our business have been a critical part of UTA’s growth over the past years,” UTA said in a statement announcing the news. “Their appointments reflect not just the longstanding contributions each has made, but their leadership, innovation and commitment to creating unique opportunities for our clients. We are proud to have them join our partnership.”
More info her, per UTA:
Jacob Fenton, an 18-year UTA veteran who started in the mailroom in 2001 and rose through...
The new partners include two division heads — Video Games’ Ophir Lupu and Theatre’s Mark Subias — along with Jacob Fenton, Ken Fermaglich, Susie Fox, Ben Jacobson, John Sacks and Bec Smith.
“These eight individuals from across our business have been a critical part of UTA’s growth over the past years,” UTA said in a statement announcing the news. “Their appointments reflect not just the longstanding contributions each has made, but their leadership, innovation and commitment to creating unique opportunities for our clients. We are proud to have them join our partnership.”
More info her, per UTA:
Jacob Fenton, an 18-year UTA veteran who started in the mailroom in 2001 and rose through...
- 1/25/2019
- by Bruce Haring
- Deadline Film + TV
Spinoffs have long been a staple of the broadcast network landscape, but precious few have successfully captured an audience to such a degree that they lasted as long as the series that spawned them in the first place. “Frasier,” however, managed to defy the odds: it made its debut on NBC 25 years ago and ran for 11 seasons, which is the same length of time that its predecessor “Cheers” maintained its slot on the prime-time schedule.
“A lot of times shows really evolve a lot over the course of the first season, when you kind of discover what you have, but ‘Frasier’ was pretty solid going in,” Ken Levine tells Variety.
Levine wrote, directed and served as a creative consultant on the series at various points during its run. Some things, he admits, were discovered along the way, but he says there was never the need for “a real sea change.
“A lot of times shows really evolve a lot over the course of the first season, when you kind of discover what you have, but ‘Frasier’ was pretty solid going in,” Ken Levine tells Variety.
Levine wrote, directed and served as a creative consultant on the series at various points during its run. Some things, he admits, were discovered along the way, but he says there was never the need for “a real sea change.
- 9/14/2018
- by Will Harris
- Variety Film + TV
Shocking New Claim: Robert Wagner Wanted to Murder Natalie Wood’s Co-Star Warren Beatty! (Exclusive)
Aflame with jealousy, a gun-toting Robert Wagner allegedly stalked his wife Natalie Wood's Splendor in the Grass co-star Warren Beatty to his home — with the intention of committing cold-blooded murder! This eerie foreshadowing of Robert’s willingness to kill is just one of the chilling allegations to come from the third chapter of the new podcast Fatal Voyage: The Mysterious Death of Natalie Wood. “It was really driving him to a very dark place,” claimed Hollywood historian and entertainment journalist Scott Huver in an interview with Fatal Voyage. “He was prepared to kill Warren. He didn’t go through with that.” “He didn’t even confront him. He was parked outside. That shows you just how much he was falling apart because of the relationship was falling apart.” The 12-part audio documentary series, now available on iTunes, is the culmination of years of investigative reporting. It charts the rise...
- 7/31/2018
- by Editorial Staff
- In Touch Weekly
Shocking New Claim: Robert Wagner Wanted to Murder Natalie Wood’s Co-Star Warren Beatty! (Exclusive)
Aflame with jealousy, a gun-toting Robert Wagner allegedly stalked his wife Natalie Wood's Splendor in the Grass co-star Warren Beatty to his home — with the intention of committing cold-blooded murder! This eerie foreshadowing of Robert’s willingness to kill is just one of the chilling allegations to come from the third chapter of the new podcast Fatal Voyage: The Mysterious Death of Natalie Wood. “It was really driving him to a very dark place,” claimed Hollywood historian and entertainment journalist Scott Huver in an interview with Fatal Voyage. “He was prepared to kill Warren. He didn’t go through with that.” “He didn’t even confront him. He was parked outside. That shows you just how much he was falling apart because of the relationship was falling apart.” The 12-part audio documentary series, now available on iTunes, is the culmination of years of investigative reporting. It charts the rise...
- 7/31/2018
- by Editorial Staff
- Life and Style
Shocking New Claim: Robert Wagner Wanted to Murder Natalie Wood’s Co-Star Warren Beatty! (Exclusive)
Aflame with jealousy, a gun-toting Robert Wagner allegedly stalked his wife Natalie Wood's Splendor in the Grass co-star Warren Beatty to his home — with the intention of committing cold-blooded murder! This eerie foreshadowing of Robert’s willingness to kill is just one of the chilling allegations to come from the third chapter of the new podcast Fatal Voyage: The Mysterious Death of Natalie Wood. “It was really driving him to a very dark place,” claimed Hollywood historian and entertainment journalist Scott Huver in an interview with Fatal Voyage. “He was prepared to kill Warren. He didn’t go through with that.” “He didn’t even confront him. He was parked outside. That shows you just how much he was falling apart because of the relationship was falling apart.” The 12-part audio documentary series, now available on iTunes, is the culmination of years of investigative reporting. It charts the rise...
- 7/31/2018
- by Closer Staff
- Closer Weekly
Top talent agency UTA is plunging into the esports world today with two acquisitions: Press X, an esports talent and marketing agency, and its sister company Everyday Influencers, which furnishes management services for top gaming stars.
The acquisition will add 90 top esports athletes to UTA's illustrious digital talent roster -- including League Of Legends players Aphromoo (pictured above) and sOAZ, as well as Imaqtpie, Pokimane, and Disguised Toast. They will receive access to UTA’s guidance with respect to endorsements, book deals, speaking tours, and opportunities across film, television, and music. Additionally, UTA is launching a standalone esports division as a result of the acquisitions that will be led by Press X and Everyday Influencers co-founder Damon Lau. Lau will report to Ophir Lupu, head of UTA Games, and Sam Wick, head of UTA Ventures.
UTA has operated its UTA Games division seven years ago to represent top game publishers -- including Ken Levine,...
The acquisition will add 90 top esports athletes to UTA's illustrious digital talent roster -- including League Of Legends players Aphromoo (pictured above) and sOAZ, as well as Imaqtpie, Pokimane, and Disguised Toast. They will receive access to UTA’s guidance with respect to endorsements, book deals, speaking tours, and opportunities across film, television, and music. Additionally, UTA is launching a standalone esports division as a result of the acquisitions that will be led by Press X and Everyday Influencers co-founder Damon Lau. Lau will report to Ophir Lupu, head of UTA Games, and Sam Wick, head of UTA Ventures.
UTA has operated its UTA Games division seven years ago to represent top game publishers -- including Ken Levine,...
- 6/27/2018
- by Geoff Weiss
- Tubefilter.com
United Talent Agency (UTA) is expanding its foothold in the video game industry. The talent agency just acquired two esports companies — talent agency Press X and management company Everyday Influencers — it announced on Wednesday.
The acquisitions will add 90 top esports athletes and streamers to UTA’s portfolio, including “League of Legends” stars Aphromoo and sOAZ, along with streamers Imaqtpie, Pokimane, and Disguised Toast. This reportedly makes UTA the only talent and entertainment company currently representing both esports talent and streamers, as well as game developers.
“As we identify and adopt early trends within the digital ecosystem, we recognized that the acquisition of Press X and Everyday Influencers would be a forward-looking opportunity for us,” said UTA CEO Jeremy Zimmer. “The gaming sector is projected to reach over $135 billion this year and esports and streaming are critical components of any strategy for growth. For UTA, these categories are complementary to our...
The acquisitions will add 90 top esports athletes and streamers to UTA’s portfolio, including “League of Legends” stars Aphromoo and sOAZ, along with streamers Imaqtpie, Pokimane, and Disguised Toast. This reportedly makes UTA the only talent and entertainment company currently representing both esports talent and streamers, as well as game developers.
“As we identify and adopt early trends within the digital ecosystem, we recognized that the acquisition of Press X and Everyday Influencers would be a forward-looking opportunity for us,” said UTA CEO Jeremy Zimmer. “The gaming sector is projected to reach over $135 billion this year and esports and streaming are critical components of any strategy for growth. For UTA, these categories are complementary to our...
- 6/27/2018
- by Stefanie Fogel
- Variety Film + TV
Not to be outdone by Netflix and Black Mirror season 4, CBS All Access is moving forward with a new interpretation of The Twilight Zone.
The Hollywood Reporter has the scoop, confirming that Get Out helmer Jordan Peele and Simon Kinberg will oversee development of the sci-fi revival, though CBS stopped short of mentioning an episode count and/or a tentative release window. Common logic dictates that the network will let this announcement simmer for some time while it tends to Star Trek: Discovery, its other high-profile All Access series that’s poised to conclude its opening season on January 7th.
What we do know, however, is that The Twilight Zone reboot has appointed Marco Ramirez (Daredevil) as showrunner, and Peele is of the belief that there’s no better time to reintroduce the seminal classic:
Too many times this year it’s felt we were living in a twilight zone,...
The Hollywood Reporter has the scoop, confirming that Get Out helmer Jordan Peele and Simon Kinberg will oversee development of the sci-fi revival, though CBS stopped short of mentioning an episode count and/or a tentative release window. Common logic dictates that the network will let this announcement simmer for some time while it tends to Star Trek: Discovery, its other high-profile All Access series that’s poised to conclude its opening season on January 7th.
What we do know, however, is that The Twilight Zone reboot has appointed Marco Ramirez (Daredevil) as showrunner, and Peele is of the belief that there’s no better time to reintroduce the seminal classic:
Too many times this year it’s felt we were living in a twilight zone,...
- 12/6/2017
- by Michael Briers
- We Got This Covered
Looks like Star Trek: Discovery is about to have some company.
The Hollywood Reporter brings word that Jordan Peele, the creative mind behind 2017’s horror hit Get Out, is working to bring The Twilight Zone to a totally new dimension: the 21st century.
More than 50 years after the hugely influential sci-fi series ended its initial run, and after Bryan Singer’s (X-Men) failed attempts to launch a revival – for the record, BioShock mastermind Ken Levine also flirted with the idea of an interactive movie and/or series – The Twilight Zone is headed back to television, where it’ll join a whole host of TV comebacks from yesteryear (see: Twin Peaks).
It’s unclear as yet whether CBS has already handed out a series order to Jordan Peele’s revival, or if the reboot has merely entered the early stages of development, but we’ll be keeping a close eye on...
The Hollywood Reporter brings word that Jordan Peele, the creative mind behind 2017’s horror hit Get Out, is working to bring The Twilight Zone to a totally new dimension: the 21st century.
More than 50 years after the hugely influential sci-fi series ended its initial run, and after Bryan Singer’s (X-Men) failed attempts to launch a revival – for the record, BioShock mastermind Ken Levine also flirted with the idea of an interactive movie and/or series – The Twilight Zone is headed back to television, where it’ll join a whole host of TV comebacks from yesteryear (see: Twin Peaks).
It’s unclear as yet whether CBS has already handed out a series order to Jordan Peele’s revival, or if the reboot has merely entered the early stages of development, but we’ll be keeping a close eye on...
- 11/2/2017
- by Michael Briers
- We Got This Covered
A good a fork in the tale is an art form. It’s that ah-ha moment in which those breadcrumbs finally form a concrete trail and the evidence makes sense. It’s a shock grounded in the realms of plausibility and it’s even better when you didn’t see it coming.
How can we forget the famous twists of cinema, like Kevin Spacey’s reveal in The Usual Suspects, or the moment we realize Teddy Andrews isn’t investigating a case of disappearance on Shutter Island, but is in fact embroiled in something much deeper? Or how about Agatha Christie’s classic plot twist in her famous novel, And Then There Were None? A good twist changes the prism through which the work is viewed and the good news is that video games have their own surprises in store for us.
From the minds of Ken Levine, Swery65, Raphael Colantonio and more,...
How can we forget the famous twists of cinema, like Kevin Spacey’s reveal in The Usual Suspects, or the moment we realize Teddy Andrews isn’t investigating a case of disappearance on Shutter Island, but is in fact embroiled in something much deeper? Or how about Agatha Christie’s classic plot twist in her famous novel, And Then There Were None? A good twist changes the prism through which the work is viewed and the good news is that video games have their own surprises in store for us.
From the minds of Ken Levine, Swery65, Raphael Colantonio and more,...
- 5/30/2017
- by Edward Love
- We Got This Covered
The last time Hollywood writers walked out seeking a better deal, there were consequences for several tentpoles and would-be franchises.
Hollywood is facing the threat of another Writers’ Guild Strike, one which would immediately stop all writing and rewriting on guild signatory productions — essentially everything from the major studios. So far, negotiations have been contentious, with the WGA arguing that though the business has seen record profits, the average writer’s income has declined in this boom period. And yet, at the bargaining table, the AMPTP — who represent the producers — came offering not gains, but rollbacks. They basically asked the writers to accept less than their current contracts.
The total cost of what the writers are asking for is not particularly excessive. For instance, the cost to Disney would be $21.2 million a year — barely more than half of Disney Chairman and CEO Bob Iger’s $43.9 million salary last year. I don’t want to get too far...
Hollywood is facing the threat of another Writers’ Guild Strike, one which would immediately stop all writing and rewriting on guild signatory productions — essentially everything from the major studios. So far, negotiations have been contentious, with the WGA arguing that though the business has seen record profits, the average writer’s income has declined in this boom period. And yet, at the bargaining table, the AMPTP — who represent the producers — came offering not gains, but rollbacks. They basically asked the writers to accept less than their current contracts.
The total cost of what the writers are asking for is not particularly excessive. For instance, the cost to Disney would be $21.2 million a year — barely more than half of Disney Chairman and CEO Bob Iger’s $43.9 million salary last year. I don’t want to get too far...
- 4/18/2017
- by The Bitter Script Reader
- FilmSchoolRejects.com
Now in it’s sixteenth year, the Tribeca Film Festival has been a staple in the film community, contributing to some of film’s finest filmmakers and ideas. In keeping with the festival’s mission to bring about new modes of storytelling, this year’s festival will include the inaugural Tribeca Games Festival, allowing audiences to experience what happens behind the scenes in the world’s most popular medium.
Taking place April 19th to April 30th, the Tribeca Film Festival was founded in 2002 by Robert De Niro, Jane Rosenthal, and Craig Hatkoff in response to the September 11 attacks in New York City. Over the years, the festival has come to feature events prominent in New York as well as supporting many New York ventures, with the ultimate goal of bringing together up and coming storytellers into the spotlight.
In this way, the Tribeca Games Festival seems like a no-brainer. Taking...
Taking place April 19th to April 30th, the Tribeca Film Festival was founded in 2002 by Robert De Niro, Jane Rosenthal, and Craig Hatkoff in response to the September 11 attacks in New York City. Over the years, the festival has come to feature events prominent in New York as well as supporting many New York ventures, with the ultimate goal of bringing together up and coming storytellers into the spotlight.
In this way, the Tribeca Games Festival seems like a no-brainer. Taking...
- 4/7/2017
- by Catherina Gioino
- Nerdly
Scott McCall (as a human and as his wild werewolf self) and best bud Stiles have their very own Funko Pop! figures now. Collect whichever vinyl figure tickles your fancy this spring! Also in today's Highlights: Wesley Snipes reveals The Recall's release date at CinemaCon 2017, a look at the teaser trailer for Deep Shock, and the Tribeca Games Festival announcement.
Photos & Release Details for Funko's Teen Wolf Pop! Vinyls: From Funko: “Teen werewolf Scott McCall and his best friend Stiles are coming to Pop! vinyl!
Bitten the night before starting sophomore year of high school, Scott is now a True Alpha werewolf! Collect Scott in his human form, or as a werewolf!
Add them to your collection this spring!
Coming in May!”
---------
The Recall Premiere Date Announced at CinemaCon 2017: Press Release: "Announced today by star Wesley Snipes at CinemaCon in Las Vegas, Minds Eye Entertainment’s sci-fi...
Photos & Release Details for Funko's Teen Wolf Pop! Vinyls: From Funko: “Teen werewolf Scott McCall and his best friend Stiles are coming to Pop! vinyl!
Bitten the night before starting sophomore year of high school, Scott is now a True Alpha werewolf! Collect Scott in his human form, or as a werewolf!
Add them to your collection this spring!
Coming in May!”
---------
The Recall Premiere Date Announced at CinemaCon 2017: Press Release: "Announced today by star Wesley Snipes at CinemaCon in Las Vegas, Minds Eye Entertainment’s sci-fi...
- 3/30/2017
- by Tamika Jones
- DailyDead
Ryan Lambie Feb 15, 2017
Had Tomorrowland been a hit, we might have had a Tron sequel. We look at movies whose fate had a knock-on effect on other films...
You've probably heard of chaos theory and a thing called the butterfly effect - a concept where the flapping of an insect's wings in a London borough causes a shed to collapse somewhere in the Australian outback. In other words, seemingly incidental events can have a knock-on effect on everything else - like that old board game, Mousetrap, where a ball falling into a bath caused a boot to kick a bucket, which eventually led to the cruel detainment of several rodents.
See related Ash Vs Evil Dead renewed for season 3 Bruce Campbell interview: Ash Vs Evil Dead
The concept applies even in the high-stakes, high-energy world of filmmaking, where the success of one type of movie can prompt rival studios to greenlight their own,...
Had Tomorrowland been a hit, we might have had a Tron sequel. We look at movies whose fate had a knock-on effect on other films...
You've probably heard of chaos theory and a thing called the butterfly effect - a concept where the flapping of an insect's wings in a London borough causes a shed to collapse somewhere in the Australian outback. In other words, seemingly incidental events can have a knock-on effect on everything else - like that old board game, Mousetrap, where a ball falling into a bath caused a boot to kick a bucket, which eventually led to the cruel detainment of several rodents.
See related Ash Vs Evil Dead renewed for season 3 Bruce Campbell interview: Ash Vs Evil Dead
The concept applies even in the high-stakes, high-energy world of filmmaking, where the success of one type of movie can prompt rival studios to greenlight their own,...
- 2/9/2017
- Den of Geek
Westworld co-creator and showrunner Jonathan Nolan has shed some light on how Skyrim, BioShock Infinite and even Rockstar’s Red Dead Redemption had a bearing on the story of HBO’s newfound drama series.
Chatting to Vice (via IGN), Nolan stated that although Michael Crichton’s cult original served as the basis for the sci-fi show, its influences span much further, even tapping into modern media such as role-playing games. It was here that the creator commented on the genre’s ability to establish a world in which “mortality is variable,” and where the protagonist’s actions don’t always have an immediate and tangible affect on the outcome of the story.
Westworld Gallery 1 of 30
Click to skip More From The Web
This player agency, which can also be found in many BioWare games such as Mass Effect, presented both Nolan and his creative partner Lisa Joy with food for thought.
Chatting to Vice (via IGN), Nolan stated that although Michael Crichton’s cult original served as the basis for the sci-fi show, its influences span much further, even tapping into modern media such as role-playing games. It was here that the creator commented on the genre’s ability to establish a world in which “mortality is variable,” and where the protagonist’s actions don’t always have an immediate and tangible affect on the outcome of the story.
Westworld Gallery 1 of 30
Click to skip More From The Web
This player agency, which can also be found in many BioWare games such as Mass Effect, presented both Nolan and his creative partner Lisa Joy with food for thought.
- 10/4/2016
- by Michael Briers
- We Got This Covered
We’re not sure if Rocket League developer Psyonix struck some sort of tie-in deal with 2K Games for their upcoming AquaDome Dlc, but it looks strikingly familiar to one of the latter’s popular titles.
You can give the reveal trailer above a quick watch for a hint as to what we’re talking about, but we can’t imagine it’ll take long to suss out – the add-on bears more than just a passing resemblance to the original BioShock. We imagine the similar theme is simply a result of the folks over at Psyonix being a fan of Ken Levine’s work – there’s certainly no mistaking the inspiration.
Anyway, before we digress to much, AquaDome is a free map headed to Rocket League next month, and marks the arrival of the title’s first underwater arena, as well as two brand new racers with which to do battle.
You can give the reveal trailer above a quick watch for a hint as to what we’re talking about, but we can’t imagine it’ll take long to suss out – the add-on bears more than just a passing resemblance to the original BioShock. We imagine the similar theme is simply a result of the folks over at Psyonix being a fan of Ken Levine’s work – there’s certainly no mistaking the inspiration.
Anyway, before we digress to much, AquaDome is a free map headed to Rocket League next month, and marks the arrival of the title’s first underwater arena, as well as two brand new racers with which to do battle.
- 9/23/2016
- by Joe Pring
- We Got This Covered
Welcome to Rapture! With a September 13 release inching closer and closer, over the weekend 2K Games premiered an extended gameplay clip showcasing the opening 14 minutes of BioShock: The Collection.
Pulled from the excellent first entry in Irrational’s beloved series, the footage is designed to tout the visual improvements made possible by porting the game over to current-gen hardware and PC, from the vibrant colors to schools of fish swimming through the depths of the ocean. 2K stopped short of revealing which platform the Let’s Play was captured on – BioShock: The Collection is bound for PS4, Xbox One and PC – though we understand it’s narrated by popular YouTuber GhostRobo.
Plunging players into the midst of a failed utopia, even though the original BioShock first launched almost a decade ago, this opening sequence holds up remarkably well, introducing us to Splicers, Big Daddies, Little Sisters, Bathyspheres and the warped mind of Andrew Ryan.
Pulled from the excellent first entry in Irrational’s beloved series, the footage is designed to tout the visual improvements made possible by porting the game over to current-gen hardware and PC, from the vibrant colors to schools of fish swimming through the depths of the ocean. 2K stopped short of revealing which platform the Let’s Play was captured on – BioShock: The Collection is bound for PS4, Xbox One and PC – though we understand it’s narrated by popular YouTuber GhostRobo.
Plunging players into the midst of a failed utopia, even though the original BioShock first launched almost a decade ago, this opening sequence holds up remarkably well, introducing us to Splicers, Big Daddies, Little Sisters, Bathyspheres and the warped mind of Andrew Ryan.
- 8/29/2016
- by Michael Briers
- We Got This Covered
Available this September on PlayStation 4, Xbox One, and PC, BioShock: The Collection features remastered versions of all three games from the series and will include new videos with commentary by BioShock creator Ken Levine.
"Relive the depths of Rapture and sail through Columbia in BioShock: The Collection! Remastered for current-gen, this edition includes all three #BioShock games, complete with all single-player Dlc and a never-before-seen video series with commentary from Ken Levine. Available September 13, 2016 on PlayStation 4, Xbox One, and PC."
The post Watch the Announcement Trailer for Bioshock: The Collection appeared first on Daily Dead.
"Relive the depths of Rapture and sail through Columbia in BioShock: The Collection! Remastered for current-gen, this edition includes all three #BioShock games, complete with all single-player Dlc and a never-before-seen video series with commentary from Ken Levine. Available September 13, 2016 on PlayStation 4, Xbox One, and PC."
The post Watch the Announcement Trailer for Bioshock: The Collection appeared first on Daily Dead.
- 7/1/2016
- by Tamika Jones
- DailyDead
Well, here we are. It may have taken a little longer than expected, but 2K Games has finally confirmed BioShock: The Collection‘s existence after several retailer leaks outed it earlier this year. Following the tease yesterday on a Twitter page created especially by 2K that simply read “Welcome to Rapture! Would you kindly follow @BioShock?”, 2K has now confirmed that the compilation will launch for Xbox One, PlayStation 4 and PC on September 16 and include all three games, their respective Dlc and some new bonus content.
A never-before-seen commentary series featuring BioShock creative director Ken Levine and animation lead Shawn Robertson will be included and, as stated by GameInformer, all three titles will be upgraded to 1080p/60fps on Xbox One and PlayStation 4. Interestingly, 2K has confirmed that BioShock Infinite won’t be remastered for PC, as it “already meets current-gen console standards and runs smoothly on high visual settings.
A never-before-seen commentary series featuring BioShock creative director Ken Levine and animation lead Shawn Robertson will be included and, as stated by GameInformer, all three titles will be upgraded to 1080p/60fps on Xbox One and PlayStation 4. Interestingly, 2K has confirmed that BioShock Infinite won’t be remastered for PC, as it “already meets current-gen console standards and runs smoothly on high visual settings.
- 6/30/2016
- by Joe Pring
- We Got This Covered
John Saavedra Jul 1, 2016
The BioShock series is getting a remastered collection for current-gen consoles. Here's the first trailer...
2K Games has finally confirmed that a BioShock remastered collection for current-gen consoles and PC is on the way. Titled BioShock: The Collection, the bundle features BioShock, BioShock 2, and BioShock Infinite, plus their single-player Dlc packs. Also included in the collection is a director's commentary with series creator Ken Levine and a behind-the-scenes tour of the making of BioShock.
BioShock: The Collection arrives on September 13th.
Check out the trailer:
And here's a full rundown of the collection:
BioShock
- The video series, “Director’s Commentary: Imagining BioShock,” featuring Ken Levine, creative director on BioShock and BioShock Infinite and Shawn Robertson, animation lead on BioShock and animation director on BioShock Infinite. - Museum of Orphaned Concepts: Walk through a Rapture-inspired virtual museum that gives you a behind-the-scenes look at discarded concepts that...
The BioShock series is getting a remastered collection for current-gen consoles. Here's the first trailer...
2K Games has finally confirmed that a BioShock remastered collection for current-gen consoles and PC is on the way. Titled BioShock: The Collection, the bundle features BioShock, BioShock 2, and BioShock Infinite, plus their single-player Dlc packs. Also included in the collection is a director's commentary with series creator Ken Levine and a behind-the-scenes tour of the making of BioShock.
BioShock: The Collection arrives on September 13th.
Check out the trailer:
And here's a full rundown of the collection:
BioShock
- The video series, “Director’s Commentary: Imagining BioShock,” featuring Ken Levine, creative director on BioShock and BioShock Infinite and Shawn Robertson, animation lead on BioShock and animation director on BioShock Infinite. - Museum of Orphaned Concepts: Walk through a Rapture-inspired virtual museum that gives you a behind-the-scenes look at discarded concepts that...
- 6/30/2016
- Den of Geek
Every few years, someone threatens to remake Logan’s Run and every few years, a new Logan’s Run fails to emerge. X-Men director Bryan Singer tried to shepherd a new version to the big screen for a few years and more recently, Ken Levine, Alex Garland, Will Beal, and Christopher McQuarrie have all taken a shot. The latest piece of news finds Colony co-creator Ryan Condal coming on board to rework a treatment that Simon Kinberg wrote last year into a full-fledged screenplay. Someday, someone is going to make a new Logan’s Run movie. And this is a good thing, because Logan’s Run is one of the great science fiction films of the ‘70s and a movie whose themes have only become increasingly relevant with time. The weird thing about director Michael...
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- 6/4/2016
- by Jacob S. Hall
- Movies.com
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