News

Universal Television casting head Beth Klein is set to retire and depart the studio at the end of the year.

Klein, who first joined Utv in 2011, has increased representation in front of the camera through her work, which included Jason Katims’ “As We See It,” which centered around three roommates on the autism spectrum, and David Schulner’s “New Amsterdam,” with characters often portrayed by actors living with the actual illnesses featured in the storylines.

She was also instrumental in the creation of “StandUp NBC,” where diverse stand-up comedians across the country would compete for the chance to win a talent-holding deal; and worked closely with NBCUniversal’s Launch Talent and Casting Assistant program that develops aspiring episodic casting directors during a ten-month paid pipeline initiative.

“I have been fortunate to collaborate with some of the best in the business during my career, and while I will miss my colleagues,...

Exclusive: Universal Television’s EVP of Talent and Casting Beth Klein will be leaving the studio at the end of the year when she will retire after a 37-year career as a casting executive. There is no immediate replacement.

Klein has been Universal TV’s first — and only — head of casting. She joined the studio, now a division of Universal Studio Group, in September 2011 as part of a new executive team for the unit as it was being rebranded from Universal Media Studios to Universal TV.

With Chicago Fire and Brooklyn Nine-Nine among her first shows, Klein has spearheaded casting for four Peabody Award-winning series and 20 Emmy-winning series, most recently, Hacks, as well as the the Law & Order, One Chicago and FBI franchises, The Gilded Age, Loot, Schmigadoon! and “Girls5eva, Bel-Air, Never Have I Ever and The Best Man: The Final Chapters, among others. She also oversaw casting on NBC’s live musicals,...

Professor James Moriarty finally got the best of the world’s greatest detective, and, as a result, the upcoming CBS series Watson takes place after the death of Sherlock Holmes. The first trailer (below) reveals Holmes’ venerable sidekick, Dr. Watson (Morris Chestnut), busily recruiting four of the world’s most brilliant physicians to also serve as detectives for their patients. Watson’s synopsis reads as follows via a press release from CBS Entertainment:

“Watson takes place six months after the death of the titular character’s friend and partner Sherlock Holmes at the hands of Moriarty. The show stars Morris Chestnut as Dr. John Watson, who resumes his medical career as the head of a clinic dedicated to treating rare disorders. Watson’s old life isn’t done with him, though –

Moriarty and Watson are set to write their own chapter of a story that has fascinated audiences for more than a century.

Exclusive: Harold Perrineau, the star of MGM+’s acclaimed sci-fi horror series From, has signed with Independent Artist Group for representation.

Scoring a Season 4 renewal just yesterday, From takes viewers to a mysterious, nightmarish town from which its residents cannot escape. Trapped and surrounded by an eerie forest, the townspeople face terrifying supernatural threats that emerge after dark. As they struggle to find a way out, they must also grapple with maintaining a sense of community and confronting their own emotional and psychological demons.

Perrineau plays Boyd Stevens, the town’s pragmatic and weary sheriff. Boyd serves as the de facto leader of the community, tasked with maintaining order and protecting the townspeople from the deadly creatures lurking in the woods.

Over the course of his career, Perrineau has been active across film, television, and theater. In film, his other notable credits include The Matrix trilogy, Baz Luhrmann’s Romeo + Juliet,...

Jason Blum couldn’t reveal details today about Five Nights at Freddy’s 2 but he brought New York Comic Con attendees the poster for the sequel to last year’s highest grossing horror movie.

The first movie opened during the actors strike, day-and-date on Peacock and defied all hurdles during last fall’s marketplace. The movie based on the hit videogame was an anomaly performing equally well in theaters and on Peacock since it was a hot fan frenzied franchise. Five Night’s Freddy‘s was Peacock‘s most-watched film or series ever in its first five days, besting previous record-holders Halloween Ends, The Super Mario Bros. Movie, Bel-Air and The Best Man: The Final Chapters.

Blum gave props to the pic’s screenwriter Scott Cawthon for having the foresight that it would be a hit. The movie won over fans in its faithful-to-the-videogame production design, down...

MGM+ has brought on Kelly Hughes as head of marketing.

Most recently vice president, consumer & content marketing at Peacock, Hughes oversees brand, media, and program marketing for MGM+ originals. She’s also responsible for driving consumer awareness and engagement through integrated communication plans, creative advertising, and strategic collaboration with Amazon’s cross-functional teams. She reports into Michael Wright, head of MGM+, who announced the hire in a memo to staff. Hughes began her new role on August 26.

During her time at Peacock, Hughes was instrumental in launching the streaming service, and leading comprehensive marketing campaigns for originals including Bel-Air, Poker Face, Girls5eva, The Best Man: The Final Chapters, The Traitors, Saved by the Bell, and Twisted Metal. Previously, Hughes was the marketing director, original series at Netflix where she spearheaded media and marketing campaigns for Stranger Things, Ozark, Glow, and Queer Eye.

You can read Wright’s note to staff in full below:

Hi Team,...

JoJo Siwa is returning to her reality TV roots with a new docuseries from Dance Moms creator Jeff Collins, our sister site Variety reports.

The untitled project will chronicle Siwa’s personal life and career as a singer, dancer and actor.

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“Cameras will get an in-depth look into her creative...

The cult classic 1976 Universal Pictures film Car Wash is getting the small-screen treatment from producer Malcolm D. Lee (“The Best Man” franchise) and writer Opey Olagbaju. A comedy series of the same name is in development at NBC from Universal Television.

Set at a modern-day DC car wash, the TV series focuses on an immigrant family’s generational and cultural clashes between father and son and their eclectic group of employees.

The logline reveals many similarities to the original film while using the TV format to make the story much bigger. The Michael Schultz-directed film follows the lives of a group of friends from Los Angeles who work at the Dee-Luxe Car Wash and the interesting characters they interact with one Friday in July.

Many notable names were part of the large ensemble cast including Richard Pryor, George Carlin, Franklyn Ajaye, Bill Duke, Pepe Serna,...

Exclusive: Universal Pictures has rounded out the cast of its coming-of-age musical teaming director Michel Gondry and producer Pharrell Williams with four additions: Tim Meadows (Dream Scenario), Jaboukie Young-White (C’mon C’mon), Jamilah Rosemond (Rustin) and Jayson Lee (61st Street).

Details as to the roles of the newcomers are under wraps, as all roles so far have been. Set in Virginia Beach in the summer of 1977, the untitled film is inspired by the neighborhood where Williams grew up, and its Atlantis Apartments, in particular.

Kelvin Harrison Jr. leads an ensemble that also includes Da’Vine Joy Randolph, Halle Bailey, Brian Tyree Henry, Missy Elliott, and Janelle Monáe.

Written by Martin Hynes and Steven Levenson, the musical will be produced by Williams and Mimi Valdés for i am Other, as well as Gil Netter for Gil Netter Productions. Universal’s Senior Vice President of Production Development Ryan Jones and Director of...

NBCUniversal is looking to wring more money out of Peacock subscribers, with the streamer set to raise prices this summer — one year after its last fee hike — going into effect for new customers ahead of the 2024 Olympics.

Beginning in mid-July, the price for Peacock Premium (with ads) will increase by $2 to $7.99 per month and Peacock Premium Plus (mostly ad-free) is also going up by $2 to $13.99 per month. Peacock Premium’s annual price will increase from $59.99 to $79.99, while Premium Plus is going from $119.99 to $139.99 per year.

The new prices will be effective starting July 18 for new Peacock customers and for existing subscribers with their next billing date on or after Aug. 17.

The Peacock Premium Plus tier provides ad-free content, the ability to download episodes and live local NBC channels. Due to streaming rights, per NBCU, a “small amount of programming” still contains ads on some Peacock channels, events, and a few shows and movies.

Exclusive: Terrence Terrell has signed with Ascend Artists Representation.

Terrell won a Daytime Emmy for supporting actor for his role as Kwasi in Issa Rae’s web series Giants. He most recently was a series regular on Netflix’s action-comedy series Obliterated as well as Chuck Lorre’s CBS comedy series B Positive. He previously recurred on Bosch, Bigger and First Wives Club and also appeared in The Best Man: The Final Chapters.

Terrell recently wrapped the Joe Carnahan feature Not Without Hope with Zachary Levi. He is currently shooting the Peacock limited series Fight Night with Samuel L. Jackson, Kevin Hart, and Taraji P Henson.

Terrell continues to be represented by Insurge-Ent, Vision PR, and Gang, Tyre, Tamer, Brown & Passman.

Exclusive: Apples Never Fall is off to a strong start on Peacock.

The series debuted on March 14 and, in its first weekend on the platform, it racked up 400M minutes watched, according to Nielsen data.

That’ll place it at No. 5 among streaming originals on the upcoming Nielsen streaming charts. The series is also the No. 3 streaming original drama series in the U.S.

The Nielsen charts won’t be publicly available for another month, so it’ll be quite a while before there’s more details on how it stacked up against competitors’ streaming originals.

Since only four days of viewing were captured in this measurement interval, it’s possible that the series will maintain this spot or even move higher in its first full week of availability. It’s worth noting that all seven episodes were released at once, which usually means a series will fall off the...

Initially released in 2011, the legal drama Suits once again experienced a resurgence in popularity when it debuted on Netflix in 2023. Following a successful run on the streaming platform, the show has now been acquired by the British public broadcaster BBC.

Set in a New York law firm, the legal drama follows the brilliant college dropout Mike Ross, who begins working as a law associate for Harvey Specter, despite lacking a law degree. It originally ran for nine seasons from 2011 to 2019.

Suits

BBC Acquires All Seasons of the Hit Legal Drama Suits

BBC has secured the rights to the acclaimed legal drama Suits. Starring an ensemble cast including Gabriel Macht and Patrick J. Adams, the show has received praise for its compelling storytelling and stellar performances of the cast.

The original cast of Suits

The acquisition is part of a broader deal between the BBC and NBCUniversal Global TV Distribution, which...

Suits is continuing to cash in on its current popularity.

The BBC has acquired all nine seasons of the hit American legal drama, along with mockumentary St. Denis Medical and the series continuation of the hit Best Man films, The Best Man: The Final Chapters, for its TV channels and the BBC iPlayer streaming service.

It acquired the three titles from NBCUniversal Global TV Distribution.

Set in a New York City law firm, Suits stars Patrick J. Adams (Old School) as Mike Ross, who uses his photographic memory to talk his way into a job as an associate working for successful “closer” Harvey Spector, played by Gabriel Macht (Love & Other Drugs), despite being a college dropout who never attended law school. Together they win lawsuits and close cases, while at the same time hiding Mike’s secret. Suits boasts a stellar ensemble cast that also includes Gina Torres (Westworld), Sarah Rafferty...

The BBC has acquired Suits, the smash legal drama that was the most-watched show on Netflix last year.

The corporation has acquired a trio of titles from NBCUniversal Global TV Distribution for BBC iPlayer including St. Denis Medical and The Best Man: The Final Chapters.

Set in a New York City law firm, Suits stars Patrick J. Adams (Old School) as Mike Ross, who uses his photographic memory to talk his way into a job as an associate working for successful ‘closer’ Harvey Spector, played by Gabriel Macht (Love & Other Drugs). The show featured Meghan Markle in earlier season.

Suits was picked up by Netflix last year and gained a huge following, racking up 57.7 billion minutes of viewing — the highest year-end total for streaming U.S. ratings body Nielsen had ever recorded. Suits used to air in the UK on UKTV network Dave. It is unclear whether the show will...

Exclusive: Malcolm D. Lee’s Blackmaled Productions, is helming a new drama series in development with Peacock titled, Drunk on Love. This latest venture is part of Lee’s first-look deal with Universal Television, a division of Universal Studio Group, and marks a step in amplifying the voices of creatives of color within the industry.

Drunk on Love is based on the New York Times bestselling novel by Jasmine Guillory, of the same name and follows Margot Noble, whose life is turned upside-down when she inherits a struggling vineyard in Napa Valley along with her estranged brother, Elliot. Yanked back to the small town she thought she’d escaped from, Margot meets Luke Williams, whose life has also recently been upended by his mysterious departure from the tech company he founded. When the two of them lock eyes at a late-night tasting room, sparks fly. It’s an encounter that...

Exclusive: Universal Television, a division of Universal Studio Group, has landed rights to The Ascent, the debut novel of police officer and sergeant turned author Adam Plantinga, in a highly competitive situation.

Sources tell Deadline that a pair of prominent directors were taking meetings to set the book up at various studios before Universal stepped in with a preemptive bid and enlisted Davis Entertainment, its collaborator on shows like The Blacklist and The Equalizer, to executive produce the series adaptation. Usg’s Creative Acquisitions and IP Management team, led by Jordan Moblo, was instrumental in securing rights to the novel.

Garnering critical acclaim in its publication last month through Grand Central, The Ascent centers on Kurt Argento, an ex-Detroit street cop who can’t let injustice go — and has the fighting skills to back up his idealism. If he sees a young girl being dragged into an alley, he’s...

As we say goodbye to January and look forward to February, now is a great time to be a subscriber to Peacock as not only is the NBCUniversal streaming service home to great movies and buzzy originals, but it also is offering collections of films and TV series to celebrate the month. For Valentine’s Day, Peacock has more than 30 new titles, including “Dear John,” “Bros”, “Girls Trip,” “Pride and Prejudice,” “Sleepless in Seattle,” and “The Wedding Date.” The NBCU streamer will also honor Black History Month by featuring new classics like “Bel-Air,” “The Best Man: The Final Chapters,” and “Nope,” as well as timeless favorites like “A Raisin in the Sun,” “Sanford & Son,” and “Good Times.”

Peacock will also host a large swath of sporting events from multiple WWE Premium Live Events to the Six Nations Rubgy Tournament, Big Ten Men’s and Women’s basketball, and more.

Exclusive: Terrence Howard (The Best Man: The Final Chapters) is set to star opposite Kevin Hart and Samuel L. Jackson in the Peacock limited series Fight Night: The Million Dollar Heist.

The project reunites Howard with Craig Brewer, who will direct and executive produce the first two episodes of the series. The pair previously worked together on Brewer’s 2005 feature Hustle & Flow, in which Howard starred, earning an Oscar nomination for his performance; and on the Fox series Empire, also starring Howard, on which Brewer was director-producer.

This also makes a return to Peacock for Howard who most recently appeared in the streamer’s limited series The Best Man: The Final Chapters, Peacock’s first original to break into Nielsen’s Top 10 streaming rankings.

Fight Night tells the infamous story of how an armed robbery during the night of Muhammad Ali’s historic 1970 comeback fight changed not only one man’s life,...

BET+ is turning to Chris “Ludacris” Bridges for its next scripted foray.

The streaming service is developing a half-hour dramedy inspired by the life of the rapper-actor, The Hollywood Reporter has learned.

The streamer says the untitled DJ project is inspired by Ludacris’ “experience coming up in the competitive music scene in Atlanta as DJ Chris Lova Lova, the series follows the misadventures of a sharply drawn ensemble who are willing to do anything and everything to bolster ratings at their hip hop radio station.”

Noah Gardenswartz (Marvelous Mrs. Maisel) will write the script and exec produce the potential series, which is currently in the development stage. Ludacris is on board as an exec producer and will serve as music supervisor. The series hails from Universal Television and Disturbing Tha Peace, the label Ludacris launched in the 1990s alongside his manager Chaka Zulu (who will also exec produce). Larry Wilmore,...

In truly riveting news, Sanaa Lathan (Succession, The Best Man: The Final Chapters) is set to portray famed TV personality Miss Cleo.

The actress will star in and executive-produce the drama series Miss Cleo, which is currently in development at Legendary Entertainment, Deadline reports.

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The show is described as “darkly comedic drama” inspired by Cleo, whose real name was Youree Dell Harris.

Who is Dr. John Watson without Sherlock Holmes? CBS aims to find out as they have given a straight-to-series order to Watson, a drama series starring Morris Chestnut as the title character.

Set one year after the death of Sherlock Holmes at the hands of Moriarty, Watson will see “Dr. John Watson resume his medical career as the head of a clinic dedicated to treating rare disorders. Watson’s old life isn’t done with him, though—Moriarty and Watson are set to write their own chapter of a story that has fascinated audiences for more than a century.“

Craig Sweeny created the series and will serve as showrunner and executive producer. He also has experience with the works of Sir Arthur Conan Doyle as he served as a writer and executive producer on Elementary, which starred Jonny Lee Miller as Sherlock Holmes and Lucy Liu as Dr. Joan Watson.

Sherlock Holmes' death sets the stage for a new medical drama on CBS titled Watson. Morris Chestnut will star as Dr. Watson, bringing a fresh take to the beloved character in the modern-day reimagining. Watson will join the 2024-2025 TV lineup.

Sherlock Holmes dies? It’s a bold and intriguing move by CBS to say the least, but that is the jumping-off point for the new series which has been ordered by the broadcast network. Apparently, Sherlock’s lifelong nemesis, Professor Moriatry, finally got the best of the famed detective. And Morris Chestnut will star as Sherlock’s friend and confidant, the venerable Dr. Watson. The actor will also serve as one of the show's executive producers. Check out the logline and synopsis for CBS’ Watson, courtesy of a press release below:

Logline:

The New Medical Drama Follows a Modern Version of One of History’s Greatest Detectives as He...

CBS has handed a straight-to-series order to Watson, from writer Craig Sweeny (Elementary), Aaron Kaplan’s Kapital Entertainment and CBS Studios, for the 2024-25 broadcast season. Morris Chestnut is set to play the title role and executive produce the medical drama inspired by the characters from Arthur Conan Doyle’s Sherlock Holmes mysteries.

Last January, CBS ordered two drama pilots, Elsbeth starring Carrie Preston and Matlock starring Kathy Bates, as well as writers rooms for two medical drama projects, Watson and The Pact.

In anticipation of a series pickup, CBS and CBS Studios recently attached Chestnut as the lead and Larry Teng as director and executive producer of the first episode, paving the way to a formal greenlight.

The Pact, from the CBS/NAACP Production Venture, has been on a different timetable. It remains in development after attaching a supervising writer just before the start of the WGA strike and...

CBS has given a straight to series order to a drama series that will see Morris Chestnut star as the iconic literary character Dr. John Watson, the companion of master detective Sherlock Holmes.

The show, titled “Watson,” is a contemporary story set one year after the death of Holmes at the hands of his archnemesis Moriarty. Per the official logline, the show will see “Dr. John Watson (Chestnut) resume his medical career as the head of a clinic dedicated to treating rare disorders. Watson’s old life isn’t done with him, though—Moriarty and Watson are set to write their own chapter of a story that has fascinated audiences for more than a century.”

Craig Sweeny created the series and will serve as showrunner and executive producer. Chestnut will executive produce in addition to starring. Shäron Moalem MD, PhD, and Aaron Kaplan and Brian Morewitz for Kapital Entertainment also executive produce.

Netflix’s newest action comedy, Obliterated, from the Cobra Kai creating trio of Jon Hurwitz, Josh Heald and Hayden Schlossberg, co-stars Nick Zano, Shelley Hennig and Terrence Terrell as part of an elite special forces team who wake up with a massive hangover and are tasked with saving Las Vegas from a nuclear threat.

In conversation with The Hollywood Reporter, the trio (separately; their answers are combined) reveal what it was like behind the scenes of the thrill-ride adventure series, withstanding Navy Seal training in the sweltering 120-degree Albuquerque heat, doing their own high-octane stunts, and how filming on the Las Vegas Strip — among real vacationers, tourists and pedestrians alike — added an element of authenticity to the scenes.

***

What attracted each of you to this role?

Shelley Hennig: At the time, I was in the middle of this really intense drama, and I felt like the next project I wanted to do was a comedy.

On Sunday, December 3, 2023, the 5th Annual African American Film Critics Association (Aafca) TV Honors were held at Hotel Casa Del Mar in Santa Monica, California. Gold Derby associate editor Latasha Ford and senior editor Marcus J. Dixon were on the red carpet to interview honorees, award winners, legendary TV stars and more. Check out the exclusive red-carpet interviews with Jennifer Hudson, Delroy Lindo, Jessica Williams, Marla Gibbs and more above!

See Quinta Brunson, Niecy Nash-Betts, Jessica Williams, ‘P-Valley’ among winners in 5th Annual Aafca TV Awards

2023 honorees and winners list:

Honorees:

Jennifer Hudson – “We See You” Award

Marla Gibbs – Legend Award

Delroy Lindo – Legacy Award

“Ted Lasso” – Inclusion Award

“S.W.A.T.” – Impact Award

Winners:

Best TV Comedy – “Abbott Elementary” (ABC)

Best TV Drama – “P-Valley” (Starz)

Best New Show – “Mo” (Netflix)

Best Documentary – “The 1619 Project” (Onyx Collective/Hulu)

Best Limited Series – “The Best Man: The Final Chapters” (Peacock)

Best TV Movie...

Colman Domingo and Shonda Rhimes are among the special honorees for the 2024 Black Reel Awards and set to accept prizes named for the late Chadwick Boseman and Diahann Caroll, respectively.

The annual Black Reel Awards, which salute the excellence of African Americans and the cinematic achievements of the African diaspora in the global entertainment industry, as assessed by the Foundation for the Augmentation of African Americans in Film’s (Faaaf) voting membership. Joining Domingo and Rhimes as special honorees are costume designer Ruth E. Carter, Sheryl Lee Ralph and Samuel L. Jackson.

The 24th annual Black Reel Awards will be broadcast on January 16, 2024, with this year’s film and TV honors ceremonies combined in a temporary change due to the WGA and SAG-AFTRA strikes.

Domingo, who is already a two-time Black Reel Award winner, will accept the inaugural Chadwick Boseman Vanguard award for his performances in “Rustin” and “The Color Purple.

Exclusive: Independent Artist Group has signed Terrence Howard, the Academy Award-nominated and Golden Globe-winning actor known for roles in Hustle & Flow, Crash and Empire, for representation.

Howard earned those accolades for his starring turn in the former Paramount film from director Craig Brewer, which had him starring as DJay, a Memphis pimp in the midst of a mid-life crisis who hustles his way toward becoming a successful hip-hop emcee.

For his turn as TV director Cameron Thayer in the Lionsgate Best Picture winner Crash, examining interweaving stories of race, loss and redemption amongst L.A. citizens leading vastly different lives, he received the National Board of Review Award for Breakthrough Performance. Among those starring opposite him there were Sandra Bullock, Don Cheadle, Brendan Fraser, and Matt Dillon.

Over the course of his film career, Howard has worked with many of the top directors and actors in the business. Among...

Today, Universal/Blumhouse’s Five Nights at Freddy‘s is clocking past the $100M domestic mark, a box office milestone for the studio when it comes to its experimental theatrical day-and-date releases on its Peacock streaming service.

That’s not only the highest that Uni has seen from a pic that’s been distributed via such means at the box office, but it’s also per the conglom the most viewed movie or series ever for the Ott paid service in its first five days, outstripping the debuts of Halloween Ends, The Super Mario Bros. Movie, Bel-Air and The Best Man: The Final Chapters.

Among those day-and-date theatrical releases which played simultaneously on streaming services, Freddy‘s crosses the $100M mark in eight days, the second-fastest type of dynamic release to do so after Marvel Studios’ Black Widow which did it in six days while streaming on Disney+ back in...

Five Nights at Freddy's broke records as a hugely successful horror movie, surpassing The Super Mario Bros. Movie's box office performance. The simultaneous release on streaming and in theaters worked in a major way, making Five Nights at Freddy's the most-watched movie on Peacock in its first five days. The movie's success in both formats suggests that simultaneous releases could become more common in the future, potentially reshaping the industry. Five Nights at Freddy's 2 may aim to replicate this dual success.

Five Nights at Freddy's is a record-breaking success, and beating one of The Super Mario Bros. Movie's records is the most impressive. The two biggest video games movies of 2023 both proved to be among the biggest new releases of the year, even though they are completely different. While most expected Illumination's animated Mario movie to dominate the box office as it did, Five Nights at Freddy's box office performance is a surprise.

Five Nights At Freddy's breaks records on Peacock, becoming the most-watched film or series within its first five days on the streaming platform. Despite negative reviews, the movie appeals to its built-in fan base and younger audience with a PG-13 rating, contributing to its success. The Halloween release and the spooky season atmosphere also played a role in the movie's quick popularity and box office success.

Five Nights At Freddy’s becomes Peacock’s most-watched movie in addition to its record-breaking box office performance. Directed by Emma Tammi, this recently released supernatural horror film adapts the popular video game franchise of the same name. It follows Mike Schmidt, a troubled maintenance worker who accepts a nighttime job at Freddy Fazbear's Pizza, an abandoned children's amusement center. After discovering that the animatronics come to life at night and are out for murder, he must try to survive until daybreak. Upon its recent release,...

Blumhouse and Universal Pictures’ Five Nights at Freddy’s has been setting a few box-office records following its debut last week, but it also broke a big record on the Peacock streaming service.

The streaming service announced today that Five Nights at Freddy’s has become the most-watched film or series on Peacock in its first five days, breaking previous records held by Halloween Ends, The Super Mario Bros. Movie, Bel-Air, and The Best Man: The Final Chapters.

Based on the popular video-game franchise, Five Nights at Freddy’s follows Mike (Josh Hutcherson), “a troubled young man caring for his 10-year-old sister Abby (Piper Rubio), and haunted by the unsolved disappearance of his younger brother more than a decade before. Recently fired and desperate for work so that he can keep custody of Abby, Mike agrees to take a position as a night security guard at an abandoned theme restaurant: Freddy Fazbear’s Pizzeria.

No matter how you slice it, Five Nights at Freddy’s is a killer.

Having slayed at the box office with a global haul of $132.7 million, the video game adaptation/horror film — which opted for a day-and-date, Oct. 27 release on streaming — also emerged as Peacock’s most-watched film or series ever in its first five days, besting previous record-holders Halloween Ends, The Super Mario Bros. Movie, Bel-Air and The Best Man: The Final Chapters. (Note: Peacock released no hard data.)

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In another example of how streaming success doesn’t have to come at the expense of box office glory, “Five Nights at Freddy’s” is Peacock’s most-watched film or television show within the first five days of availability, according to the streamer. While no raw viewership numbers have been offered up, whatever milestone the Blumhouse horror movie achieved came alongside a sky-high $80 million domestic and $133 million global opening weekend.

The $20 million, PG-13 adaptation of Scott Cawthon’s popular video game series surpassed five-day viewership totals for “Halloween Ends” (which also got a day-and-date release with Peacock and in theaters), “The Super Mario Bros. Movie” (which arrived on Peacock following $1.4 billion in global grosses and a conventional post-theatrical VOD/Est/DVD window) the episodic “Bel-Air” television show and “The Best Man: The Final Chapters” miniseries event.

“Five Nights at Freddy’s,” which earned another $4 million domestically on Monday, shattered records and milestones...

Five Nights at Freddy’s is spooking up a record on Peacock.

The horror film, which opened in theaters and debuted on the streamer on October 27, has become Peacock’s most-watched film or series ever in its first five days on the streaming platform.

It surpasses Halloween Ends, The Super Mario Bros. Movie, Bel-Air and The Best Man: The Final Chapters for the honor, according to NBCUniversal.

The company is also touting Five Nights at Freddy’s as the most-watched entertainment title across all genres since its debut and the biggest opening ever for a film on Peacock through five days.

As is typical, NBCUniversal did not release actual data to support this. The film may appear on the Nielsen streaming charts next month, depending on how well it holds up against other streaming properties in its first few weeks.

The film follows Mike (Josh Hutcherson), a troubled young man caring for...

Exclusive: Peacock is touting the success of The Continental: From the World of John Wick.

The Lionsgate-produced series premiered its first episode on September 22, only to become Peacock’s biggest original launch of the year, meaning that the episode reached more accounts in its first weekend than any other original offering, according to NBCUniversal.

Following the release of the remaining two episodes, The Continental now ranks among the top five Peacock originals of all time in terms of reach, joining the ranks of Bel-Air, The Best Man: The Final Chapters, Poker Face, and Based on a True Story.

Based on the current top five, it appears Peacock is finding success with both existing IP as well as original concepts.

Of course, The Continental falls under the former, as it explores the origin behind the iconic hotel-for-assassins that is at the center of the John Wick universe. Though its already a billion-dollar franchise,...

This is Day 114 of the WGA strike and Day 41 of the SAG-AFTRA strike.

Writers on a picket line in New York City on Wednesday said they were disappointed by the potential collapse of contract talks with film and television producers but determined to carry on with the strike.

“The producers are being quite dramatic, and I think what’s going to happen, sadly, is the talks are going to break down,” said Bill Scheft, who received multiple Emmy nominations for writing during his 24 years with David Letterman’s late-night shows and served as a WGA shop steward there.

Scheft, who also belongs to SAG-AFTRA, was marching Wednesday morning outside Netflix and Warner Bros. Discovery offices in Manhattan at a SAG-AFTRA Young Performers Picket attended by about 100 people. Many woke up to the news that negotiations on the West Coast seemingly had imploded overnight, with the AMPTP leaking its August 11 offer...

The African American Film Critics Association (Aafca) today announced the winners of its 5th Annual TV Awards, a list that includes Niecy Nash-Betts for Best TV Acting (Female) for her role in the limited series “Dahmer – Monster: The Jeffrey Dahmer Story,” J. Alphonse Nicholson and Nicco Annan for their roles for Best TV Acting (Male) for their work on “P-Valley,” Quinta Brunson for Best TV Writing for “Abbott Elementary,” “P-Valley” from Starz as both Best TV Drama and Best Ensemble, “Abbott Elementary” as Best TV Comedy and Jessica Williams from “Shrinking” as Breakout Star.

Also honored this year were Netflix’s “Mo” as Best New Show,” Hulu’s “The 1619 Project” as Best Documentary, Peacock’s “The Best Man: The Final Chapters” as Best Limited Series, Peacock’s “Shooting Stars” as Best TV-Movie and Mary Lou Belli, Debbie Allen, Tasha Smith, Henry Chan and Jordan E. Cooper sharing the...

Niecy Nash-Betts, Quinta Brunson and P-Valley are among the winners at the African American Film Critics Association’s fifth annual TV Honors, recognizing achievements in streaming and broadcast television.

Brunson was recognized for her writing on ABC’s Abbott Elementary, Nash-Betts for her performance in Netflix’s Dahmer — Monster: The Jeffrey Dahmer Story and actors J. Alphonse Nicholson and Nicco Annan for their work on Starz’s P-Valley.

In addition, Abbott Elementary was named best comedy series, while P-Valley landed the award for best drama.

Also among the winners are Netflix’s Mo for best new show and the Peacock series The Best Man: The Final Chapters for best limited series.

Additionally, the Aafca previously announced its plans to present special achievement honors to several recipients, including Egot winner Jennifer Hudson, who will be honored with the We See You Award; actor Delroy Lindo, known for roles in such films as Crooklyn,...

“Abbott Elementary” and “P-Valley” are among the top winners of the African American Film Critics Association (Aafca)’s fifth annual TV Honors, which recognizes exceptional achievements in broadcast television and streaming with an emphasis on entertainment representing the Black diaspora.

“Abbott Elementary” took home titles for best TV comedy and best TV writing (awarded to Quinta Brunson) while “P-Valley” was awarded best TV drama and best ensemble. Niecy Nash-Betts and Jessica Williams were also awarded best TV acting (female) and breakout star, respectively.

They join a slate of awardees including “P-Valley” stars J. Alphonse Nicholson and Nicco Annan sharing the win for best TV acting (male) and Mary Lou Belli, Debbie Allen, Tasha Smith, Henry Chan and Jordan E. Cooper from “The Ms. Pat Show” for best TV directing.

“Aafca is proud to recognize the brightest talents in television,” said Aafca co-founder and president Gil Robertson. With the entertainment industry...

The 5th Annual African-American Film Critics Association (Aafca) appears to be aligning somewhat with this year’s Emmy nominations in the recognition of Black talent both in front and behind the camera. ABC’s “Abbott Elementary” and its creator-star Quinta Brunson claimed the Best TV Comedy and Best TV Writing prizes (the latter of which won an Emmy in 2022), Niecy Nash-Betts claimed the Best TV Acting (Female) prize and “Shrinking” star Jessica Williams, who netted her first Emmy nomination last week, received the Breakout Star award.

Other winners included the highly-acclaimed but still Emmy-less “P-Valley,”, the winner of Best TV Drama and Best TV Acting (Male) for actors J. Alphonse Nicholson and Nicco Annan, Netflix’s “Mo” taking Best New Show, and Limited Series honors went to Peacock’s “The Best Man: The Final Chapters”, reuniting cast members such as Terrence Howard, Morris Chestnut and Nia Long, among many from...

Starz’s P-Valley won a leading three awards including Best Drama, Best Ensemble and Best Acting (Male) for J. Alphonse Nicholson and Nicco Annan as the African American Film Critics Association revealed winners Wednesday of its fifth annual TV Honors.

The other multiple winner this year is ABC’s Abbott Elementary, which was named Best Comedy, while its creator-star Quinta Brunson won for Best Writing.

Other notable winners include Niecy Nash-Betts, who won the Best Acting (Female) for Netflix’s Dahmer – Monster: The Jeffrey Dahmer Story, and Jessica Williams, who won the Breakout Star Award for Apple TV+’s Shrinking.

The awards recognize achievements in broadcast TV and streaming with an emphasis on entertainment representing the Black diaspora. Winners will be feted during a luncheon August 27 in Santa Monica, where previously announced honors will also be bestowed on Jennifer Hudson (the We See You Award), Delroy Lindo (Legacy Award...

For the first time in six years, the Black Reel Awards will combine its film and TV honors ceremonies, with the temporary change due to the WGA and SAG-AFTRA strikes.

The seventh annual Black Reel Television Awards (BoltsTV) ceremony was initially scheduled for Aug. 14, but will now be combined with the Black Reel Awards on Jan. 13, 2024.

Representatives for the Foundation for the Augmentation of African-Americans in Film (Faaaf), which hosts the Black Reels, explained that temporarily rescheduling the summer celebration “gives the opportunity for the resolution of the strikes to occur and allow for the presence and participation of all the honorees.”

“The best part about recognizing excellence in anything is giving those who have done the work the opportunity to shine,” stated Tim Gordon, the Black Reel Awards’ founder and executive director. “We felt announcing the winners on our site or in a press release would not appropriately honor...

David Zaslav should be sending a fruit basket right about now to Comcast boss Mike Cavanagh.

Hollywood’s gaze has moved from Warner Bros Discovery to NBCUniversal, which has just undergone its latest restructure under the new Comcast president, a move that saw film chief Donna Langley expand her empire into television and the departure of Susan Rovner.

What do the changes mean for NBCU’s television business under Langley, is the company destined for another shake-up on the television side, and was Rovner, who oversaw series such as NBC’s Night Court, one of the biggest new broadcast comedies in the last few years, and Peacock’s acclaimed Poker Face, a success?

During a keynote at SXSW in March, Rovner told a story about how former CEO Jeff Shell – who exited after a sexual harassment investigation – told her that when someone walks into one of its theme parks, it...

As with extreme stunts, a la the Marvel franchise, it’s easiest for awards season voters to recognize that which is blatant, leaving other projects struggling to gain a foothold.

With “The Best Man: The Final Chapters” comes the culmination of a story more than two decades in the making. The journey through multiple movies to Peacock’s current limited series allow a feature film’s worth of main characters to find closure.

As with all productions, the series had a slew of challenges. A scene aboard a beautiful yacht in the Dominican Republic put the team to the test when the floating location’s mechanical problems put it out of commission the day before a 5:30 a.m. crew call.

While there may be yachts in a harbor, it doesn’t mean wealthy owners want to rent them to a production. So securing another one at the last minute...

Comcast’s entertainment arm NBCUniversal said on Monday that Group Black, a company that invests in Black-owned media companies, will sell ads in Black-led content and programming that amplifies Black voices on its Peacock streaming service.

The exclusive partnership was unveiled on Juneteenth, the U.S. holiday commemorating the emancipation of enslaved African Americans. Group Black, a Travis Montaque-led collective launched in June 2021 with a $75 million fund from ad giant Wpp’s media investment company GroupM, was created with a mission to bring more investment to Black-owned businesses.

“Through Black Excellence 365, NBCUniversal has curated a collection of Black-led and diverse content for exclusive marketing and sale by Group Black, growing full-year advertising opportunity and investment in the Black-owned ecosystem,” the companies said. “Group Black will have exclusive access to sell ads within premium Peacock … programming that features Black-led dramas, Black-led comedies, and Black-led cinema, as well as a curated...

Even with the institution of gender neutral categories in the acting and supporting acting fields, everything old is new again as the Seventh Annual Black Reel Television Awards (BoltsTV) announced the list of this year’s nominees for recognition. Two names were still returning favorites to the nominations field which also included one record-breaking repeat performance and one surprising new entrant to challenge them all.

The Best Man: The Final Chapters secured its place in Black Reel Award history, with eighteen nominations, the most by any program ever in a single year. The Final Chapters, the ground-breaking mini-series that brought back all of the actors from the previous two movies, also ushered showrunner Malcolm D. Lee to three award nominations of his own for writing and directing in the series.

Perennial favorite, Donald Glover continued his recent dominance by leading the pack in personal nominations, receiving five this year. Glover...

Josh Duhamel will join the ensemble of the survival thriller “Not Without Hope,” an adaptation of Nick Schuyler and Jere Longman’s best-selling book that will be written and directed by Joe Carnahan. Also joining the cast are JoBeth Williams, Quentin Plair, Terrence Terrell and Marshall Cook.

As previously announced, Zachary Levi (“Shazam!”) is starring in the film, which tells the real-life story of a tragic 2009 boating accident involving Schuyler, his friends Will Bleakley (Cook) and NFL players Marquis Cooper (Plair) and Corey Smith (Terrell). Levi will play Schuyler.

The search-and rescue-operation captivated national attention. Duhamel will portray U.S. Coast Guard Captain Timothy Close, who oversaw a crew that cut through the ocean to try to find the friends who went missing. Carnahan has some experience orchestrating survival tales, having previously directed “The Grey,” which found Liam Neeson battling very hungry wolves after a plane crash stranded his character in a snowy mountain range.

Angry Birds are flying over to Prime Video, which has picked up an animated children’s series based on the popular video game.

Featuring the voices of Harvey Guillén (What We Do in the Shadows), Kate Micucci (Steven Universe, DuckTales), Dominic Monaghan (Lost) and Nasim Pedrad (Saturday Night Live), Angry Birds Mystery Island will follow new Hatchlings Mia, Rosie and Buddy, and a foreign-exchange piglet named Hamylton.

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