Buffalo 8 Buys Comedy-Drama ‘Beyond The Likes‘ – Cannes
EXCLUSIVE: Buffalo 8 Distribution has acquired comedy-drama Beyond the Likes at the Cannes Film Festival. Set in Chicago in 2008, it stars Matt Rife (Wild ‘n Out), Don Benjamin (Him), Terrance J (Think Like a Man), Stephanie Nur (1883), Andrew Bach (To All the Boys I’ve Loved Before) and George Lopez (George Lopez) and follows five friends navigating adulthood and stumbling upon the formula to become the world’s first influencers. When Cam (Benjamin), the group’s aspiring model, meets wealthy Abu Dhabi heiress Nefertari (Nur), their instant connection leads to a clash of cultures. Rhyan LaMarr is the director and Adam Key (NCIS: Los Angeles) is the writer. Shooting took place in Abu Dhabi, Chicago and L.A., with Elijah Long and Qais Qandil the producers. Grady Craig, Buffalo 8’s President, negotiated the deal and is an exec producer along with Buffalo 8 co-founders Matthew Helderman and Luke Taylor. “We believe this standout comedy captures the spirit of today’s social media-driven culture and will resonate with a wide audience,” said Craig.
WME Boards Eugene Jarecki Pic ‘The Six Billion Dollar Man‘ – Cannes
WME Independent has boarded Eugene Jarecki’s doc The Six Billion Dollar Man and launched sales at the Cannes Film Festival. The doc, about Julian Assange, premiered yesterday in the Cannes Special Screenings section. It follows the Assange saga following the press freedom advocate’s recent release from prison, and includes Wikileaks footage, archives and never-seen-before-evidence, along with contributions from Assange himself, Pamela Anderson, Edward Snowden, Naomi Klein, Chris Hedges, Jeremy Scahill, Daniel Ellsberg, Stella Assange, Jennifer Robinson and Joseph Farrell. Assange, who is in Cannes this week, is remembered as the editor and publisher of WIkileaks, which released troves of classified information and began an ordeal that lasted years, including spells of imprisonment, asylum and even a diplomatic siege. “It’s a tremendous thrill to be here at the Cannes Film Festival, with the support of WME Independent, and above all to be able to be joined by our film’s main character,” said Jarecki. “When we started making the project, Julian Assange was a prisoner in a maximum-security prison in England, known as Britain’s Guantánamo Bay. Now, he walks as a free man on the red carpet at the world’s most prestigious film festival.” Kathleen Fournier produced the film alongside Jarecki with Addison O’Dea, Dana O’Keefe and Mathilde Bonnefoy the executive producers.
BBC Studios Names Audio Chiefs
BBC Studios Audio has hired Lydia Shamah as Creative Director of Drama, Richard Morris as Creative Director of Comedy and Entertainment and James Cook as Creative Director of Factual. Shamah will lead the drama content strategy and develop new creative partnerships. Her background includes roles at Realm and Audible working on acclaimed projects such as Orphan Black: The Next Chapter, Slayers: A Buffyverse Story and partnerships with the likes of DC, Universal Music and Ubisoft. Former stand-up and writer Morris will oversee a slate of comedy series and talent in partnership with BBC Studios’ TV comedy division. He has held a range of senior roles across the board at BBC Radio. Cook will oversee the production and development of factual formats like Desert Island Discs and You’re Dead to Me. Elsewhere, John Sardelis is named Audio Ad Sales Account Director, India Opie Meres joins from Buzz16 to become Partnerships Lead and Georgina Revell is named Digital Lead.
ITV Returns For More ‘Piglets’
UK network ITV has commissioned a second season of police sitcom Piglets. Filming on a six-part season is underwat at Monicker Pictures after Season 1 became one of streamer ITVX’s biggest comedies with a total reach so far of 5.6 million. ITV Head of Scripted Comedy Nana Hughes commissioned the show, which follows six very different would-be cops. Sarah Parish and Mark Heap reprise their roles as no-nonsense Superintendent Julie Spry and benign Superintendent Bob Weekes. Joining them will be Chief Superintendent Cunningham (Colin McFarlane), anal Head of Admin Melanie (Rebecca Humphries) ever-angry police trainer Daz (Ricky Champ) and the returning police trainees themselves, officious Afia (Halema Hussain), wannabe actor Dev (Abdul Sessay), ‘prune in the nest’ Paul (Jamie Bisping) and reluctant wise owl Geeta (Sukh Kaur Ojla). Madelyn Smedley and Kerr Logan are joining the cast as two new recruits. ITV Studios has international distribution rights.
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