Before she was one of the biggest movie stars in the world, Julia Roberts was apparently subject to on-set mistreatment by the late director Herb Ross. Ross, who died in 2001, directed Roberts in one of her earliest hits, the heartfelt 1989 drama "Steel Magnolias." When the movie hit theaters, Roberts was just four months away from becoming a major celebrity thanks to the success of "Pretty Women." But in a recent interview with Vulture, her "Steel Magnolias" costar says Roberts, then in her early 20s, was subject to tough treatment by Ross.
"Herb was very, very, very hard on Julia," Sally Field told the outlet in February. "If you ever talk to Julia, she'll tell you." She continued: "We would all rally around Julia, because she was the baby. She was sort of the newcomer." In the film, Roberts plays Shelby, the daughter to Field's M'Lynn who suffers from diabetes. Field...
"Herb was very, very, very hard on Julia," Sally Field told the outlet in February. "If you ever talk to Julia, she'll tell you." She continued: "We would all rally around Julia, because she was the baby. She was sort of the newcomer." In the film, Roberts plays Shelby, the daughter to Field's M'Lynn who suffers from diabetes. Field...
- 4/15/2024
- by Valerie Ettenhofer
- Slash Film
Kristin Chenoweth feels nostalgic on the 12th anniversary of the premiere of Gcb.
The singer and actress took to social media to share that she missed the ABC comedy and posted a series of photos from the short-lived series.
“Gcb premiered 12 years ago today and it was just The. Most. Fun,” Chenoweth shared on Instagram. “We could have filmed this one forever. I miss Carlene and I miss this show. Who’s with me??”
Chenoweth also shared a quote from the show, adding, “Cleavage helps your cross hang straight.”
View this post on Instagram
A post shared by Kristin Chenoweth (@kchenoweth)
Gcb premiered on ABC on March 4, 2012. The comedy developed by Robert Harling and produced by Darren Star was based on Kim Gatlin novel Good Christian Bitches. Chenoweth starred alongside Leslie Bibb, Jennifer Aspen, Miriam Shor, Marisol Nichols and Annie Potts.
The series centered on a recently widowed woman, played by Bibb,...
The singer and actress took to social media to share that she missed the ABC comedy and posted a series of photos from the short-lived series.
“Gcb premiered 12 years ago today and it was just The. Most. Fun,” Chenoweth shared on Instagram. “We could have filmed this one forever. I miss Carlene and I miss this show. Who’s with me??”
Chenoweth also shared a quote from the show, adding, “Cleavage helps your cross hang straight.”
View this post on Instagram
A post shared by Kristin Chenoweth (@kchenoweth)
Gcb premiered on ABC on March 4, 2012. The comedy developed by Robert Harling and produced by Darren Star was based on Kim Gatlin novel Good Christian Bitches. Chenoweth starred alongside Leslie Bibb, Jennifer Aspen, Miriam Shor, Marisol Nichols and Annie Potts.
The series centered on a recently widowed woman, played by Bibb,...
- 3/5/2024
- by Armando Tinoco
- Deadline Film + TV
If Jane Austen were alive today, and if for some baffling reason she wrote film criticism instead of brilliant novels, she'd probably say it is a truth universally acknowledged that a film that makes a fortune must be in want of a sequel.
Sure enough, no matter how much the industry changes, the desire to capitalize on a hit film by making another one just like it, rubber-stamped for audience familiarity, must be overwhelming. The history of cinema is littered with sequels and for each one that audiences remember — for better or worse — there's at least one that's almost completely forgotten, even if they're the sequel to a film that won Best Picture at the Academy Awards.
Indeed, there are more forgotten Best Picture sequels than you might expect. George C. Scott reprised his Oscar-winning role as General George S. Patton 16 years later, in the TV movie "The Last Days of Patton.
Sure enough, no matter how much the industry changes, the desire to capitalize on a hit film by making another one just like it, rubber-stamped for audience familiarity, must be overwhelming. The history of cinema is littered with sequels and for each one that audiences remember — for better or worse — there's at least one that's almost completely forgotten, even if they're the sequel to a film that won Best Picture at the Academy Awards.
Indeed, there are more forgotten Best Picture sequels than you might expect. George C. Scott reprised his Oscar-winning role as General George S. Patton 16 years later, in the TV movie "The Last Days of Patton.
- 3/11/2023
- by William Bibbiani
- Slash Film
by Cláudio Alves
As Pride Month 2022 draws to a close, the appetite for frothy camp classic entertainment remains unchanged and unlikely ever to die. Some, if not most, of the films to achieve such status aren't even tangentially queer-themed, gaining their iconic status through other means. Such is the case of Herbert Ross' film adaptation of Steel Magnolias. Written for the stage by Robert Harling, this southern dramedy is a blush and bashful delight, originally sold as the funniest movie to make you cry. Despite a famous locker room scene with plenty of hunks on display, the flick's queer fandom can be attributed to its cavalcade of divas, from fresh-faced Julia Roberts to the cantankerous marvel of Shirley MacLaine's Ouiser.
Though Roberts was the only performer to get any Academy love, she's far from the picture's acting Mvp. That honor falls on Sally Field, who might have come close...
As Pride Month 2022 draws to a close, the appetite for frothy camp classic entertainment remains unchanged and unlikely ever to die. Some, if not most, of the films to achieve such status aren't even tangentially queer-themed, gaining their iconic status through other means. Such is the case of Herbert Ross' film adaptation of Steel Magnolias. Written for the stage by Robert Harling, this southern dramedy is a blush and bashful delight, originally sold as the funniest movie to make you cry. Despite a famous locker room scene with plenty of hunks on display, the flick's queer fandom can be attributed to its cavalcade of divas, from fresh-faced Julia Roberts to the cantankerous marvel of Shirley MacLaine's Ouiser.
Though Roberts was the only performer to get any Academy love, she's far from the picture's acting Mvp. That honor falls on Sally Field, who might have come close...
- 6/28/2022
- by Cláudio Alves
- FilmExperience
A year after NAACP’s production partnership with CBS Studios formally launched with the hire of Sheila Ducksworth as President, the venture has sold its first projects. The five shows — spanning platforms (broadcast and streaming) and genres, include a reboot of cult 1991 movie Soapdish for Paramount+, with original co-star Whoopi Goldberg reprising her role and Jane the Virgin creator Jennie Snyder Urman co-writing the dramedy adaptation.
Goldberg is one of three top comedians attached to star in NAACP-cbs Studios projects, with D.L. Hughley and Earthquake set to headline autobiographical comedy series in the works at Fox and CBS, respectively.
Real people and events are the inspiration behind two dramatic projects, a limited series at Apple TV+ with Kapital Entertainment, which tells the story of the courageous Little Rock 9 Black students who helped end school segregation in the South, and drama Construction at Paramount+, inspired by...
Goldberg is one of three top comedians attached to star in NAACP-cbs Studios projects, with D.L. Hughley and Earthquake set to headline autobiographical comedy series in the works at Fox and CBS, respectively.
Real people and events are the inspiration behind two dramatic projects, a limited series at Apple TV+ with Kapital Entertainment, which tells the story of the courageous Little Rock 9 Black students who helped end school segregation in the South, and drama Construction at Paramount+, inspired by...
- 1/10/2022
- by Nellie Andreeva
- Deadline Film + TV
With readers turning to their home viewing options more than ever, this daily feature provides one new movie each day worth checking out on a major streaming platform.
Bette Midler, Diane Keaton, and Goldie Hawn all together in one movie — they just don’t make ’em like they used to. This delectable trio would have been plenty to float even a middling script, but no one does fabulous women of a certain age like “Steel Magnolias” and “Soapdish” scribe Robert Harling. Released in 1996, when mid-budget studio comedies were still commonplace, “The First Wives Club” delivered a surprise hit for Paramount while reigniting the careers of its “middle-aged” stars. Though it received mixed reviews at the time, “The First Wives Club” has found many fans over the years, and for good reason: Like its trio-of-women-led predecessor “9 to 5,” the movie delivers its message of women’s empowerment with old-school Hollywood farce and eminently quotable brash one-liners.
Bette Midler, Diane Keaton, and Goldie Hawn all together in one movie — they just don’t make ’em like they used to. This delectable trio would have been plenty to float even a middling script, but no one does fabulous women of a certain age like “Steel Magnolias” and “Soapdish” scribe Robert Harling. Released in 1996, when mid-budget studio comedies were still commonplace, “The First Wives Club” delivered a surprise hit for Paramount while reigniting the careers of its “middle-aged” stars. Though it received mixed reviews at the time, “The First Wives Club” has found many fans over the years, and for good reason: Like its trio-of-women-led predecessor “9 to 5,” the movie delivers its message of women’s empowerment with old-school Hollywood farce and eminently quotable brash one-liners.
- 7/22/2020
- by Jude Dry
- Indiewire
“Pink is my signature color!”
Led by an incredible cast that includes Sally Field, Dolly Parton, Shirley MacLaine, Daryl Hannah, Olympia Dukakis and Julia Roberts, Steel Magnolias was a box-office smash, charming audiences with its story of friendship, love and resilience. Steel Magnolias also helped rocket Roberts into the stratosphere of Hollywood super-stardom in just her third major role, for which she won her first Oscar® nomination. Now, Steel Magnolias returns to more than 600 movie theaters nationwide for three days only, marking its 30th anniversary.
Roberts plays one of the residents of a fictional Louisiana town, which screenwriter Robert Harling based on his hometown of Natchitoches. In the adaptation of Harling’s play, directed by Herbert Ross and produced by Ray Stark, the cast generates laughter and tears in equal amounts in the story of unforgettable women who unite in the face of tragedy. For this anniversary presentation, TCM Primetime...
Led by an incredible cast that includes Sally Field, Dolly Parton, Shirley MacLaine, Daryl Hannah, Olympia Dukakis and Julia Roberts, Steel Magnolias was a box-office smash, charming audiences with its story of friendship, love and resilience. Steel Magnolias also helped rocket Roberts into the stratosphere of Hollywood super-stardom in just her third major role, for which she won her first Oscar® nomination. Now, Steel Magnolias returns to more than 600 movie theaters nationwide for three days only, marking its 30th anniversary.
Roberts plays one of the residents of a fictional Louisiana town, which screenwriter Robert Harling based on his hometown of Natchitoches. In the adaptation of Harling’s play, directed by Herbert Ross and produced by Ray Stark, the cast generates laughter and tears in equal amounts in the story of unforgettable women who unite in the face of tragedy. For this anniversary presentation, TCM Primetime...
- 4/24/2019
- by Tom Stockman
- WeAreMovieGeeks.com
The Guthrie Theater Joseph Haj, artistic director today announced the nine productions of its 2019 2020 subscription season Tennessee Williams' classic family drama The Glass Menagerie Shakespeare's rollicking comedy Twelfth Night an adaptation of Emma based on the Jane Austen novel and Kander and Ebb's musical Cabaret will grace the Guthrie's signature Wurtele Thrust Stage while the McGuire Proscenium Stage's lineup will include Robert Harling's female-driven comedy Steel Magnolias the regional premiere of Noura, Heather Raffo's complex tale of identity Anne Bogart's acclaimed production of Euripides' The Bacchae Karen Zacar as' comedic telenovela Destiny of Desire and Lynn Nottage's Pulitzer Prize-winning Sweat.
- 3/5/2019
- by BWW News Desk
- BroadwayWorld.com
Robert Harling and Andrew Bergman wrote the super-smart script for this meta-comedy about the soap opera drama behind a soap opera drama. Directed by Michael Hoffman, the cast features Sally Field as a fading afternoon star and Cathy Moriarty as her unscrupulous rival – their character’s names, “Celeste Talbert” and “Montana Moorehead” are just more evidence of the screenwriters’ precision edge satire.
The post Soapdish appeared first on Trailers From Hell.
The post Soapdish appeared first on Trailers From Hell.
- 2/4/2019
- by Charlie Largent
- Trailers from Hell
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More Best Picture Oscar winners have had sequels than you may think. This lot, in fact...
There’s still an element of snobbery where sequels to certain films is concerned. Whereas it’s now almost compulsory to greenlight a blockbuster with a view of a franchise in mind, it’s hard to think of most Best Picture Oscar winners being made with a follow-up in mind. Yet in perhaps a surprising number of cases, a sequel – or in the case of Rocky, lots of sequels – have followed.
These cases, in fact…
All Quiet On The Western Front (1930)
Followed by: The Road Back
Don’t be fooled into thinking sequels for prestigious movies are a relatively new phenomenon. Lewis Milestone’s 1930 war epic All Quiet On The Western Front, and its brutal account of World War I, is still regarded as something of a classic. A solid box office success,...
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More Best Picture Oscar winners have had sequels than you may think. This lot, in fact...
There’s still an element of snobbery where sequels to certain films is concerned. Whereas it’s now almost compulsory to greenlight a blockbuster with a view of a franchise in mind, it’s hard to think of most Best Picture Oscar winners being made with a follow-up in mind. Yet in perhaps a surprising number of cases, a sequel – or in the case of Rocky, lots of sequels – have followed.
These cases, in fact…
All Quiet On The Western Front (1930)
Followed by: The Road Back
Don’t be fooled into thinking sequels for prestigious movies are a relatively new phenomenon. Lewis Milestone’s 1930 war epic All Quiet On The Western Front, and its brutal account of World War I, is still regarded as something of a classic. A solid box office success,...
- 2/25/2016
- by simonbrew
- Den of Geek
Logo TV announced Friday that “Cocktails & Classics,” a new film series hosted by former “Ugly Betty” actor Michael Urie, will debut this Sunday. Each week Urie and his guests will gather to discuss the behind-the-scenes gossip during breaks of one of their favorite movies. Together they will re-watch iconic scenes and reenact their most beloved quotes from classics including “Cabaret,” “Sunset Boulevard” and “Valley of the Dolls.” See Photos: 28 Classic Movies That Never Won Best Picture Oscars – From ‘Raging Bull’ to ‘Chinatown’ The series first screening will be “Steel Magnolias.” In the episode, star Olympia Dukakis and screenwriter Robert Harling share how Meg.
- 4/17/2015
- by Joe Otterson
- The Wrap
Movie geeks, get ready to camp out.
On Sunday, a new series on Logo called Cocktails & Classics brings together the people behind some of the most beloved – and, yes, often over-the-top – films of all time with the entertainment fixtures who have made a career out of obsessing over them.
An exclusive episode from Cocktails' premiere episode, which accompanies 1989's Steel Magnolias, reveals the insider-y, chatty flavor of the series, which host Michael Urie tells People is all about digging into "finding out what it is about these films that made them classics."
Unlike many movie companion series, Cocktails & Classics is "not just trivia,...
On Sunday, a new series on Logo called Cocktails & Classics brings together the people behind some of the most beloved – and, yes, often over-the-top – films of all time with the entertainment fixtures who have made a career out of obsessing over them.
An exclusive episode from Cocktails' premiere episode, which accompanies 1989's Steel Magnolias, reveals the insider-y, chatty flavor of the series, which host Michael Urie tells People is all about digging into "finding out what it is about these films that made them classics."
Unlike many movie companion series, Cocktails & Classics is "not just trivia,...
- 4/17/2015
- by Lanford Beard, @lanfordbeard
- People.com - TV Watch
Twenty-five years later and Steel Magnolias still makes us a cry.
The dramedy may have premiered in November 1989, but a quarter of a century later, you still won't find a better film that epitomizes the power of female friendship.
Pics: Our Favorite Movie Reunions!
An adaptation of Robert Harling's successful stage play, Herbert Ross gathered a star-studded cast for the film. Sally Field, Olympia Dukakis, Shirley MacLaine, Dolly Parton, Daryl Hannah and then newcomer Julia Roberts starred as a group of brassy Southern women who are bonded by the comedy and tragedy of life while hanging at a local hair salon.
Today, Steel Magnolias is a touchstone among women and has long been considered one of the best "chick flicks" of all time. But at the film’s premiere that same year, MacLaine felt the film was as much for men as it was for women.
"To say it’s a women's film I don’t think...
The dramedy may have premiered in November 1989, but a quarter of a century later, you still won't find a better film that epitomizes the power of female friendship.
Pics: Our Favorite Movie Reunions!
An adaptation of Robert Harling's successful stage play, Herbert Ross gathered a star-studded cast for the film. Sally Field, Olympia Dukakis, Shirley MacLaine, Dolly Parton, Daryl Hannah and then newcomer Julia Roberts starred as a group of brassy Southern women who are bonded by the comedy and tragedy of life while hanging at a local hair salon.
Today, Steel Magnolias is a touchstone among women and has long been considered one of the best "chick flicks" of all time. But at the film’s premiere that same year, MacLaine felt the film was as much for men as it was for women.
"To say it’s a women's film I don’t think...
- 11/20/2014
- Entertainment Tonight
On Nov. 15, 1989, the Herbert Ross-directed dramedy Steel Magnolias opened in theaters across the U.S. Based on Robert Harling's successful stage play and starring Sally Field, Olympia Dukakis, Shirley MacLaine, Dolly Parton, Daryl Hannah, and a promising young actress named Julia Roberts, it told the story of six Southern women who bonded over the comedy and tragedy life dealt them while hanging out at the local small-town hair salon. Today, Steel Magnolias is considered a classic of that certain genre of films tailored to and marketed toward female audiences—“chick flicks.” In fact, the Wikipedia entry for “chick...
- 11/15/2014
- by Ashley Fetters
- EW - Inside Movies
Robert Harling's screenplay to the iconic film The First Wives Club will come alive in New York on October 13th, 2014 at 8pm for a one night-only benefit reading in the Mainstage Theater 416 West 42nd Street, directed by Trip Cullman and featuring an all-star cast. The reading has been rescheduled from the original date of July 7th due to scheduling conflicts. All proceeds will benefit The Actors Fund's Phyllis Newman Women's Health Initiative, which provides a safety net and a place to turn when women in the creative community are faced with critical health concerns. The evening is produced in arrangement with Paramount Pictures by The Indigo Theatre Project Nick Gereffi, Artistic DirectorRachel Sussman, Executive Producer, a theater company that strives to unite passion with purpose by producing high-profile readings to benefit relevant charitable organizations. The First Wives Club is Line Produced by Allison Bressi and Associate Produced by Shoshana Feinstein.
- 9/8/2014
- by BWW News Desk
- BroadwayWorld.com
Robert Harling's screenplay to the iconic film The First Wives Club will come alive in New York on July 7th, 2014 at 8pm for a one night-only benefit reading in the Mainstage Theater 416 West 42nd Street, directed by Trip Cullman and featuring an all-star cast. All proceeds will benefit The Actors Fund's Phyllis Newman Women's Health Initiative, which provides 'a safety net and a place to turn when women in the creative community are faced with critical health concerns.'...
- 5/13/2014
- by BWW News Desk
- BroadwayWorld.com
“Don’t get all Carson McCullers on me,” snaps Barbara (Julia Roberts) to one of her over-dramatizing sisters, but that’s a stone that really shouldn’t be thrown within the glass house that is “August: Osage County,” a movie that feels like a stew of McCullers and Tennessee Williams and Beth Henley and Robert Harling and countless other writers who have assembled the unhappy members of a dysfunctional family under one roof for subsequent fireworks of recrimination and regret. To get the most enjoyment out of “August,” it’s best to think of it less as an adaptation of a Tony Award– and.
- 11/9/2013
- by Alonso Duralde
- The Wrap
A formidable female cast puts flesh on the bones of writer Robert Harling's bittersweet - but mostly sweet - one-act play about the lives and loves of Louisiana womenfolk. Among the good ol' gals congregating at Dolly Parton's hair salon are Shirley MacLaine (battle-axe), Olympia Dukakis (rival battle-axe), Daryl Hannah (shy type), Sally Field (mother) and an Oscar-nominated young 'un called Julia Roberts (daughter). You'll recognise their fellas, but they're strictly wallpaper in an oestrogen-dipped tearjerker.
- 10/2/2013
- Sky Movies
The first thing one notices about "Steel Magnolias" (Herbert Ross, 1989) is the hair. Truvy's Beauty Shop overflows with tight-rolled pastel curlers and foot-high teases, held in place by enough hairspray to commit arson -- a style so far out of fashion it seems historical, as rococo as Marie Antoinette's bedsheets. Adapted by Robert Harling from his play of the same name, the Southern-fried melodrama, like its stiff bouffants and feathered tips, embodies what Susan Sontag called "the ultimate Camp statement: it's good because it's awful." There's love in it, as Sontag required, and a comic understanding of this embittered world -- its climactic moment, a tragic, pained roar worthy of the Greeks, slips seamlessly into farce -- but awful it is. Each of its scenes, shoddily built from sobs and one-liners, moves us inexorably toward the tearjerker of an ending. The characters, perhaps because they're relics of another era's understanding of womanhood (that era,...
- 5/14/2013
- by Matt Brennan
- Thompson on Hollywood
Most people learned to love Margo Martindale thanks to her powerful and Emmy-winning turn as Mags Bennett on the second season of FX's Justified.
But the beloved actress first began winning over audiences with the first staging of Steel Magnolias in 1987 when she originated the role of Truvy. Now, she's returning to The Lucille Lortel Theater for a 25th Anniversary reading of Robert Harling classic play (benefiting The Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation) on December 3 -- although this time, she's tackling the role of Ouiser!
ETonline caught up with Martindale to talk about the 25th Anniversary, what it means to be re-staging this play and what happened when Steel the play met Steel the film and she met Julia Roberts!
ETonline: Is it crazy to you that it's the 25th Anniversary of Steel Magnolias?
Margo Martindale: Well, I must say, I didn't think much of it when they first asked me to do it since I'm not...
But the beloved actress first began winning over audiences with the first staging of Steel Magnolias in 1987 when she originated the role of Truvy. Now, she's returning to The Lucille Lortel Theater for a 25th Anniversary reading of Robert Harling classic play (benefiting The Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation) on December 3 -- although this time, she's tackling the role of Ouiser!
ETonline caught up with Martindale to talk about the 25th Anniversary, what it means to be re-staging this play and what happened when Steel the play met Steel the film and she met Julia Roberts!
ETonline: Is it crazy to you that it's the 25th Anniversary of Steel Magnolias?
Margo Martindale: Well, I must say, I didn't think much of it when they first asked me to do it since I'm not...
- 11/29/2012
- Entertainment Tonight
Producer David Youse and Four Things Productions in association with L.A. Works has just announced a celebrity staged reading in celebration of The 25th Anniversary of Robert Harling's Steel Magnolias to take place on Monday, 3 December 2012 at 7pm to benefit The Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation Jdrf. This special one night only event will take place at the Lucille Lortel Theater located at 121 Christopher Street in New York City, where the original production performed. Directed by Judith Ivey and starring Blythe Danner, Annie Potts as M'Lynn, the original Truvy, Margo Martindale as Ouiser, Celia Keenan-Bolger as Shelby and Sarah Stiles as Annelle. Additional cast announced soon Music for this production has been generously donated by Bonnie Raitt and Pat Boone. With support from the 25th Anniversary Honorary Committee including Olympia Dukakis, Sally Field, Daryl Hannah, Shirley MacLaine, Dolly Parton and Julia Roberts and sponsored by Lifetime Television, Magnolia Bakery and Veranda Restaurant.
- 10/25/2012
- by BWW News Desk
- BroadwayWorld.com
As BroadwayWorld first reported, a reading is currently taking place for Soap Dish The Musical, directed by Rob Ashford, with a book by Robert Harling, music by George Stiles and Lyrics by Anthony Drewe. The cast of includes Kristin Chenoweth, John Stamos, Jane Krakowski, Cristin Milioti, Anne L. Nathan, Michael Park, Miriam Shor and Daniel Torres. At this time there has been no formal announcement, or set timetable for the show. The reading is being presented by Laurence Mark, Donald De Line and Broadway Across America.BroadwayWorld caught a photo of John Stamos and Rob Ashford at the reading, and you can check it out below...
- 10/25/2012
- by Jennifer Broski
- BroadwayWorld.com
More than 6 million people watched Lifetime's "Steel Magnolias." The remake starring Queen Latifah had an average of 6.5 million viewers, becoming the network's third most-watched original telecast ever.
Phylicia Rashad, Adepero Oduye, Condola Rashad with Jill Scott and Alfre Woodard also starred in the TV movie based on the play and screenplay by Robert Harling.
Meanwhile, the premiere of Lifetime's "Abducted: The Carlina White Story" on Saturday, October 6 had 4.1 million total viewers. Starring Aunjanue Ellis, Keke Palmer and Sherri Shepherd, "Abducted: The Carlina White Story" is based on the true story of a woman who solved her own kidnapping and reunited with her biological parents.
“We couldn’t be happier with the great response 'Steel Magnolias' and 'Abducted: The Carlina White Story' received from viewers this weekend," Rob Sharenow, executive vice president of programming at Lifetime Networks, said in a statement. "These incredible numbers speak to the powerful stories...
Phylicia Rashad, Adepero Oduye, Condola Rashad with Jill Scott and Alfre Woodard also starred in the TV movie based on the play and screenplay by Robert Harling.
Meanwhile, the premiere of Lifetime's "Abducted: The Carlina White Story" on Saturday, October 6 had 4.1 million total viewers. Starring Aunjanue Ellis, Keke Palmer and Sherri Shepherd, "Abducted: The Carlina White Story" is based on the true story of a woman who solved her own kidnapping and reunited with her biological parents.
“We couldn’t be happier with the great response 'Steel Magnolias' and 'Abducted: The Carlina White Story' received from viewers this weekend," Rob Sharenow, executive vice president of programming at Lifetime Networks, said in a statement. "These incredible numbers speak to the powerful stories...
- 10/8/2012
- by Chris Harnick
- Huffington Post
Remakes of hit movies always are a dicey prospect, so when word circulated that Lifetime was planning to do a new version of "Steel Magnolias," this time with the six main characters played by black actresses, quite a few eyebrows shot up.
After all, director Herb Ross' 1989 big-screen adaptation of Robert Harling's New York stage smash had been a solid box-office hit, with an all-star cast headed by current and future Academy Award winners Sally Field, Julia Roberts, Olympia Dukakis and Shirley MacLaine, along with Dolly Parton and Daryl Hannah.
Casting began on the new Lifetime version, which premieres Sunday, Oct. 7, after executive producers Craig Zadan and Neil Meron asked Harling whether he ever would sanction a remake of the story. It wasn't just a business proposition, after all, since Shelby, the doomed young diabetic woman Roberts played in the 1989 film, was based on Harling's own late sister.
After all, director Herb Ross' 1989 big-screen adaptation of Robert Harling's New York stage smash had been a solid box-office hit, with an all-star cast headed by current and future Academy Award winners Sally Field, Julia Roberts, Olympia Dukakis and Shirley MacLaine, along with Dolly Parton and Daryl Hannah.
Casting began on the new Lifetime version, which premieres Sunday, Oct. 7, after executive producers Craig Zadan and Neil Meron asked Harling whether he ever would sanction a remake of the story. It wasn't just a business proposition, after all, since Shelby, the doomed young diabetic woman Roberts played in the 1989 film, was based on Harling's own late sister.
- 10/7/2012
- by editorial@zap2it.com
- Zap2It - From Inside the Box
A lawsuit launched against Lifetime's upcoming remake of Steel Magnolias has been dismissed by a Los Angeles judge. The remake, starring Queen Latifah, Phylicia Rashad, Alfre Woodard, Adepero Oduye and Jill Scott, is based on the 1987 play by Robert Harling. Focusing on the story of a group of Southern women in Louisiana, the story is perhaps best known for the 1989 film of the same name, starring Julia Roberts and Sally Field. Deadline reports (more)...
- 10/6/2012
- by By Zeba Blay
- Digital Spy
Tags: Queen Latifahwomen of colorSteel MagnoliasPhylicia RashadAlfre WoodardJill ScottIMDbAdepero Oduye
When Lifetime announced its plan to remake the 1989 cult classic Steel Magnolias, the internet's collective groan was stopped short by the list of names attached to the project: Queen Latifah, Phylicia Rashad, Alfre Woodard, Jill Scott. Female-centric films focused on a group of women over the age of 40 are practically extinct in Hollywood these days. Toss in an all-African-American cast, and you're approaching mythological unicorn territory. So I'm happy to report that while the updated version of the southern classic isn't quite as magical as the original, it is a warm, sentimental, whole-box-of-Kleenex emotion-fest of deep-fried proportions.
All photos courtesy of Lifetime
Writer Sally Robinson and director Kenny Leon have updated Robert Harling's Steel Magnolias screenplay to include modern references (Michelle Obama gets a shout-out), modern hairstyles, and modern medicine, but the basic story remains the same. On the day before her wedding,...
When Lifetime announced its plan to remake the 1989 cult classic Steel Magnolias, the internet's collective groan was stopped short by the list of names attached to the project: Queen Latifah, Phylicia Rashad, Alfre Woodard, Jill Scott. Female-centric films focused on a group of women over the age of 40 are practically extinct in Hollywood these days. Toss in an all-African-American cast, and you're approaching mythological unicorn territory. So I'm happy to report that while the updated version of the southern classic isn't quite as magical as the original, it is a warm, sentimental, whole-box-of-Kleenex emotion-fest of deep-fried proportions.
All photos courtesy of Lifetime
Writer Sally Robinson and director Kenny Leon have updated Robert Harling's Steel Magnolias screenplay to include modern references (Michelle Obama gets a shout-out), modern hairstyles, and modern medicine, but the basic story remains the same. On the day before her wedding,...
- 10/4/2012
- by stuntdouble
- AfterEllen.com
By John Crook The jury may be out as to whether the world really needed a remake of Steel Magnolias, the hit Robert Harling stage comedy that became an all-star 1989 film with Sally Field, Julia Roberts, Shirley MacLaine and Dolly Parton, among others. We now have one, however, thanks to Lifetime. And it’s a beauty. With Harling’s blessing, Sally Robinson has discreetly updated his play and screenplay for this remake, in which all of the principal characters are played by black actresses, led by Queen Latifah in Field’s former role of M’Lynn. Steel Magnolias on Lifetime premieres Sunday, Oct. 7, [...]...
- 10/4/2012
- by Channel Guide Contributor
- ChannelGuideMag
Paging Annie Potts - Please come to Dr. Freed's Office. Annie Potts will star opposite Kyle Howard and Joel David Moore in the pilot of USA's comedy Paging Dr. Freed, written by Michael Feldman and helmed by Marc Buckland. Deadline reports that the single-camera comedy follows David and Jonathan, brothers who are gynecologists and inherit their father's practice after he suffers he dies from a heart attack while "playing doctor" with a sexy young secretary. Potts will apparently play the overbearing, medling mother who dislikes Jonathan's wife (played by Leslie Grossman of 10 Things I Hate About You, Nip/Tuck). Potts is also in a recurring role on Animal Practice for NBC, and was in Robert Harling's recently-canceled ABC comedy Gcb with Leslie Bibb.
- 9/17/2012
- Upcoming-Movies.com
Paging Annie Potts - Please come to Dr. Freed's Office. Annie Potts will star opposite Kyle Howard and Joel David Moore in the pilot of USA's comedy Paging Dr. Freed, written by Michael Feldman and helmed by Marc Buckland. Deadline reports that the single-camera comedy follows David and Jonathan, brothers who are gynecologists and inherit their father's practice after he suffers he dies from a heart attack while "playing doctor" with a sexy young secretary. Potts will apparently play the overbearing, medling mother who dislikes Jonathan's wife (played by Leslie Grossman of 10 Things I Hate About You, Nip/Tuck). Potts is also in a recurring role on Animal Practice for NBC, and was in Robert Harling's recently-canceled ABC comedy Gcb with Leslie Bibb.
- 9/17/2012
- Upcoming-Movies.com
Today, September 9th, 2012, David Youse, Four Things Productions in association with L.A. Works will present an unprecedented staged reading of the critically-acclaimed play, Steel Magnolias at The Broad Stage in Santa Monica. In partnership with playwright Robert Harling, Four Things Productions is honored to celebrate the 25th Anniversary of this remarkable story written for Harlings sister whom he lost through complications of diabetes. This very special performance will be directed by two-time Tony Award winner Judith Ivey and will feature multiple Emmy nominee and Golden Globe-winning actress Frances Conroy, Golden Globe and Emmy-nominee Elizabeth Perkins, Jennifer Coolidge and Golden Globe and Emmy nominee Annie Potts, along with additional cast members to be announced shortly. Conroy is replacing the previously-announced Kathy Bates in the role of Ouiser due to a scheduling conflict.
- 9/9/2012
- by BWW News Desk
- BroadwayWorld.com
On Sunday, September 9th, 2012, David Youse, Four Things Productions in association with L.A. Works will present an unprecedented staged reading of the critically-acclaimed play, Steel Magnolias at The Broad Stage in Santa Monica. In partnership with playwright Robert Harling, Four Things Productions is honored to celebrate the 25th Anniversary of this remarkable story written for Harlings sister whom he lost through complications of diabetes. This very special performance will be directed by two-time Tony Award winner Judith Ivey and will feature multiple Emmy nominee and Golden Globe-winning actress Frances Conroy, Golden Globe and Emmy-nominee Elizabeth Perkins, Jennifer Coolidge and Golden Globe and Emmy nominee Annie Potts. According to the reading's official website, Mae Whitman has also joined the cast, with Jill Larson acting as host.
- 8/29/2012
- by BWW News Desk
- BroadwayWorld.com
The highly anticipated Lifetime movie reboot of "Steel Magnolias" will premiere on Sunday, October 7 at 9 p.m. Et.
Queen Latifah stars in the made-for-tv film, an adaptation of the iconic play and 1989 film of the same name, as M'Lynn. She's also executive producing "Steel Magnolias," which co-stars Phylicia Rashad as Clairee, Adepero Oduye as Annelle, Condola Rashad as Shelby, Jill Scott as Truvy and Alfre Woodard as Ouiser.
The updated version of "Steel Magnolias" chronicles the lives of six women in Louisiana who congregate at Truvy’s beauty shop to talk, laugh, cry and, of course, get their hair and nails done. Like the 1989 flick, M'Lynn's daughter will be diabetic and pregnant.
"Queen Latifah, Phylicia, Alfre, Jill, Adepero and Condola are some of the most celebrated women in music, film, television and stage," Nancy Dubuc, president and general manager of Lifetime Entertainment, said in a statement. "And we could not...
Queen Latifah stars in the made-for-tv film, an adaptation of the iconic play and 1989 film of the same name, as M'Lynn. She's also executive producing "Steel Magnolias," which co-stars Phylicia Rashad as Clairee, Adepero Oduye as Annelle, Condola Rashad as Shelby, Jill Scott as Truvy and Alfre Woodard as Ouiser.
The updated version of "Steel Magnolias" chronicles the lives of six women in Louisiana who congregate at Truvy’s beauty shop to talk, laugh, cry and, of course, get their hair and nails done. Like the 1989 flick, M'Lynn's daughter will be diabetic and pregnant.
"Queen Latifah, Phylicia, Alfre, Jill, Adepero and Condola are some of the most celebrated women in music, film, television and stage," Nancy Dubuc, president and general manager of Lifetime Entertainment, said in a statement. "And we could not...
- 8/27/2012
- by Jaimie Etkin
- Huffington Post
On Sunday, September 9th, 2012, David Youse, Four Things Productions in association with L.A. Works will present an unprecedented staged reading of the critically-acclaimed play, Steel Magnolias at The Broad Stage in Santa Monica. In partnership with playwright Robert Harling, Four Things Productions is honored to celebrate the 25th Anniversary of this remarkable story written for Harlings sister whom he lost through complications of diabetes. This very special performance will be directed by two-time Tony Award winner Judith Ivey and will feature multiple Emmy nominee and Golden Globe-winning actress Frances Conroy, Golden Globe and Emmy-nominee Elizabeth Perkins, Jennifer Coolidge and Golden Globe and Emmy nominee Annie Potts, along with additional cast members to be announced shortly. Conroy is replacing the previously-announced Kathy Bates in the role of Ouiser due to a scheduling conflict.
- 8/16/2012
- by BWW News Desk
- BroadwayWorld.com
On Sunday, September 9th, 2012, David Youse, Four Things Productions in association with L.A. Works will present an unprecedented staged reading of the critically-acclaimed play, Steel Magnolias at The Broad Stage in Santa Monica. In partnership with playwright Robert Harling, Four Things Productions is honored to celebrate the 25th Anniversary of this remarkable story written for Harlings sister whom he lost through complications of diabetes. This very special performance will be directed by two-time Tony Award winner Judith Ivey and will feature Academy Award-winning actress Kathy Bates, Golden Globe and Emmy-nominee Elizabeth Perkins and Golden Globe and Emmy nominee Annie Potts along with additional cast members to be announced shortly.
- 8/6/2012
- by BWW News Desk
- BroadwayWorld.com
Although Gcb, Scandal and Missing failed to earn a second season with ABC, all three series are now on DVD with complete first season sets and all three are worth taking the time to watch. Gcb features a ton of laughs every episode, Scandal mixes politics and romance, and Missing is an international thriller with cliffhangers that keep you hooked. Gcb: The Complete First Season . The series was developed by Robert Harling and produced by Darren Star. It was based on Kim Gatlin's novel Good Christian Bitches and featured a great ensemble cast including the extremely talented Kristin Chenoweth, Leslie Bibb, Jennifer Aspen, Miriam Shor, Marisol Nichols and Annie Potts. Like Desperate Housewives, the women...
- 8/2/2012
- by Patrick Luce
- Monsters and Critics
The 1989 movie that helped make Julia Roberts a star is getting a makeover. A new version of playwright Robert Harling's stage-to-screen dramedy Steel Magnolias is geared up as a Lifetime TV movie to air in the fall - but the cable network is already previewing the tear-jerker on its website. Watch the trailer below (and have the Kleenex ready). This time, the women at the core of the Southern story, set in the fictional Louisiana town of Chinquapin, will be played by African Americans: Queen Latifah as M'Lynn, Alfre Woodard as Ouiser, Phylicia Rashad as Clairee, Adepero Oduye as Annelle,...
- 7/6/2012
- by Stephen M. Silverman
- PEOPLE.com
Queen Latifah stars in a new trailer for Lifetime's upcoming Steel Magnolias remake. The television movie is based on a play by Robert Harling, made famous by the 1989 film starring Julia Roberts, Sally Field, Dolly Parton and Daryl Hannah. A contemporary remake, the drama focuses on six Louisiana women as they deal with the highs and lows of life. This new version features an all-black cast including Latifah in the Sally Field role alongside Phylicia Rashad, Alfre Woodard, Adepero Oduye, Condola Rashad and Jill Scott. "The caliber of talent associated with this film is astounding (more)...
- 7/3/2012
- by By Zeba Blay
- Digital Spy
"Steel Magnolias" is getting a 2012 facelift on Lifetime. The "Steel Magnolias" remake, starring and executive produced by Queen Latifah, will feature an all black cast including Alfre Woodard, Phylicia Rashad, Jill Scott, Adepero Oduye and Rashad’s daughter, Condola Rashad.
The contemporary remake of the classic film follows six Louisiana women, M'Lynn (Queen Latifah), Ouiser (Woodard), Clairee (Phylicia Rashad), Truvy (Scott), Annelle (Oduye) and Shelby (Condola Rashad), as they go through life together. Like the 1989 flick, M'Lynn's daughter will be diabetic and pregnant.
"That which does not kill us makes us stronger," M'Lynn says in the trailer below.
"The caliber of talent associated with this film is astounding and falls in line with our strategy to make Lifetime a first stop for the industry's best both in front of and behind the camera," Nancy Dubuc, president and general manager of Lifetime Entertainment, said in a statement. "Queen Latifah, Phylicia, Alfre,...
The contemporary remake of the classic film follows six Louisiana women, M'Lynn (Queen Latifah), Ouiser (Woodard), Clairee (Phylicia Rashad), Truvy (Scott), Annelle (Oduye) and Shelby (Condola Rashad), as they go through life together. Like the 1989 flick, M'Lynn's daughter will be diabetic and pregnant.
"That which does not kill us makes us stronger," M'Lynn says in the trailer below.
"The caliber of talent associated with this film is astounding and falls in line with our strategy to make Lifetime a first stop for the industry's best both in front of and behind the camera," Nancy Dubuc, president and general manager of Lifetime Entertainment, said in a statement. "Queen Latifah, Phylicia, Alfre,...
- 7/3/2012
- by Chris Harnick
- Huffington Post
Steel Magnolias is one of my all-time favorite movies -- and aside from the fact that the stars have considerably aged since the movie came out in 1989, there isn't an outdated element about it that calls for a remake.
Related - Steel Magnolias Stars Reunite 25 Years Later
But it's quickly revealed in the just-released trailer for Lifetime's Steel update that Robert Harling's original script was missing one thing: a Beyonce reference. Otherwise, the dialogue has gone almost untouched.
"Blush and bashful" are present, as is, "If you don't have anything nice to say, sit next to me." And hearing those iconic lines from the mouths of other actresses is odd, despite the women in question being of the highest caliber -- Alfre Woodard and Phylicia Rashada can do no wrong in my book!
I'm still not sold on Queen Latifah as M'Lynn (especially after hearing a snippet from her decidedly less intense "I wanna know whyyyyyyyyyyy...
Related - Steel Magnolias Stars Reunite 25 Years Later
But it's quickly revealed in the just-released trailer for Lifetime's Steel update that Robert Harling's original script was missing one thing: a Beyonce reference. Otherwise, the dialogue has gone almost untouched.
"Blush and bashful" are present, as is, "If you don't have anything nice to say, sit next to me." And hearing those iconic lines from the mouths of other actresses is odd, despite the women in question being of the highest caliber -- Alfre Woodard and Phylicia Rashada can do no wrong in my book!
I'm still not sold on Queen Latifah as M'Lynn (especially after hearing a snippet from her decidedly less intense "I wanna know whyyyyyyyyyyy...
- 7/3/2012
- TheInsider.com
Pour yourself a tall glass of juice, guys: The trailer for Lifetime's remake of Steel Magnolias has arrived. The Robert Harling play, which inspired an immortal 1989 movie version, has here been reconfigured to star an all-black cast consisting of Queen Latifah, Jill Scott, Phylicia Rashad, Alfre Woodard, and Adepero Oduye. Things have been very gently updated — there is a Beyoncé reference — but otherwise, you'll recognize a whole lot of lines and moments from the other movie, played a little more muted and Lifetime-y in this go-round. Your thoughts? Can we all agree that Woodard, at least, is giving full-on Ouiser realness?...
- 7/3/2012
- by Kyle Buchanan
- Vulture
Chicago – ABC/Disney has released three of their Spring 2012 mid-season shows on DVD in time for, well, to say goodbye to two of them and catch up on the third. The releases for “Gcb” and “Missing” could have been labeled “Complete Series” as ABC pulled the plug on both shows but Shonda Rhimes’ “Scandal” is being given another chance to find a larger audience in the Fall. All three sets are well-loaded with special features.
To this critic, the show that ABC decided to give more time to grow — “Scandal” with Kerry Washington & Tony Goldwyn — is also the best DVD set to pick up. While “Missing” had some solid elements (including some well-choreographed action and a strong central performance from Ashley Judd), “Gcb” was little more than a “Desperate Housewives” clone before the original had even left through the Exit door. It was too soon, especially with the success of...
To this critic, the show that ABC decided to give more time to grow — “Scandal” with Kerry Washington & Tony Goldwyn — is also the best DVD set to pick up. While “Missing” had some solid elements (including some well-choreographed action and a strong central performance from Ashley Judd), “Gcb” was little more than a “Desperate Housewives” clone before the original had even left through the Exit door. It was too soon, especially with the success of...
- 6/19/2012
- by adam@hollywoodchicago.com (Adam Fendelman)
- HollywoodChicago.com
"Dallas" (CBS, 1978-91): Well, of course. If the new TNT update comes even half as close to being the hit the original show was, Patrick Duffy, Larry Hagman and Linda Gray -- who all return in this summer's version -- may be in for another long run as the saga of the oil-rich Ewing clan resumes. On his own, Hagman became an all-time television icon as J.R., his being shot becoming nothing less than one of the signature moments in the medium's history.
"Walker, Texas Ranger" (CBS, 1993-2001): As long as Chuck Norris was around in the title role, it didn't seem there was much worry of lawbreakers not being caught. Of course, the martial arts star's feet and fists came into play, but his soft-spoken and generally laid-back style also was a big appeal of the show.
Pics: Lone Star TV - Everything's bigger in Texas
"King of the Hill" (Fox,...
"Walker, Texas Ranger" (CBS, 1993-2001): As long as Chuck Norris was around in the title role, it didn't seem there was much worry of lawbreakers not being caught. Of course, the martial arts star's feet and fists came into play, but his soft-spoken and generally laid-back style also was a big appeal of the show.
Pics: Lone Star TV - Everything's bigger in Texas
"King of the Hill" (Fox,...
- 6/13/2012
- by editorial@zap2it.com
- Zap2It - From Inside the Box
The "Gcb" women are in for a real adventure on the Season 1 finale when they journey down to Juarez, Mexico for the groundbreaking ceremony at Carlene's Condos for Christian Living. Standing in the way of their celebration is guest-star Sandra Bernhard, who tells Zap2it she's "Debby Horowitz, eco-terrorist," as if she's an FBI agent identifying herself.
"I play Debby Horowitz, an eco-conservationist-terrorist who takes the GCBs hostage when they go to Juarez for Carlene's charity," says Bernhard. "And I put a stop to it. I kidnap the girls and hold them hostage in the middle of the Mexican desert. They don't know what hit them until they sign a release for the sacred native turf and I take off and they're left behind. They manage to free themselves from their shackles and run off into the desert."
Robert Harling, the creator of "Gcb," was the one who recruited Bernhard for the role,...
"I play Debby Horowitz, an eco-conservationist-terrorist who takes the GCBs hostage when they go to Juarez for Carlene's charity," says Bernhard. "And I put a stop to it. I kidnap the girls and hold them hostage in the middle of the Mexican desert. They don't know what hit them until they sign a release for the sacred native turf and I take off and they're left behind. They manage to free themselves from their shackles and run off into the desert."
Robert Harling, the creator of "Gcb," was the one who recruited Bernhard for the role,...
- 5/7/2012
- by editorial@zap2it.com
- Zap2It - From Inside the Box
Shirley MacLaine Gets Her Mean On In Bernie
By Alex Simon
Actress, hoofer, singer, activist, author and New Age practitioner and philosopher, Shirley MacLaine has worn many hats during a remarkably rich and varied life. Her thirteenth book, I’m Over All That and Other Confessions, was published by Atria Books in April of 2011. Currently working on a new volume, MacLaine also graces the big screen this month in her fifty-second feature film appearance.
Bernie is director Richard Linklater’s black comedy based on the true story of Bernie Tiede (Jack Black), a much-loved small town Texas funeral director who is accused of murdering Marjorie Nugent (MacLaine), the wealthy widow for whom he became a constant companion. Loaded with Linklater’s trademark deadpan wit, Bernie is a delight from start to finish. The Castle Rock/Millennium/Mandalay Vision release also stars Matthew McConaughey and arrives in limited release April 27, going...
By Alex Simon
Actress, hoofer, singer, activist, author and New Age practitioner and philosopher, Shirley MacLaine has worn many hats during a remarkably rich and varied life. Her thirteenth book, I’m Over All That and Other Confessions, was published by Atria Books in April of 2011. Currently working on a new volume, MacLaine also graces the big screen this month in her fifty-second feature film appearance.
Bernie is director Richard Linklater’s black comedy based on the true story of Bernie Tiede (Jack Black), a much-loved small town Texas funeral director who is accused of murdering Marjorie Nugent (MacLaine), the wealthy widow for whom he became a constant companion. Loaded with Linklater’s trademark deadpan wit, Bernie is a delight from start to finish. The Castle Rock/Millennium/Mandalay Vision release also stars Matthew McConaughey and arrives in limited release April 27, going...
- 4/28/2012
- by The Hollywood Interview.com
- The Hollywood Interview
Actress, hoofer, singer, activist, author and New Age practitioner/philosopher, Shirley MacLaine has worn many hats during a remarkably rich and varied life. Her thirteenth book, I'm Over All That and Other Confessions, was published by Atria Books in April of 2011. Currently working on a new volume, MacLaine also graces the big screen this month in her 52nd feature film appearance.
Bernie is director Richard Linklater's black comedy based on the true story of a much-loved small town Texas funeral director (Jack Black) who is accused of murdering wealthy widow Marjorie Nugent (MacLaine), for whom he became a constant companion. Loaded with Linklater's trademark deadpan wit, Bernie is a delight from start to finish. The Castle Rock/Millennium/Mandalay Vision release also stars Matthew McConaughey and arrives in limited release April 27, going wide May 4.
Shirley MacLaine sat down recently to discuss her latest cinematic outing, as well as a...
Bernie is director Richard Linklater's black comedy based on the true story of a much-loved small town Texas funeral director (Jack Black) who is accused of murdering wealthy widow Marjorie Nugent (MacLaine), for whom he became a constant companion. Loaded with Linklater's trademark deadpan wit, Bernie is a delight from start to finish. The Castle Rock/Millennium/Mandalay Vision release also stars Matthew McConaughey and arrives in limited release April 27, going wide May 4.
Shirley MacLaine sat down recently to discuss her latest cinematic outing, as well as a...
- 4/27/2012
- by Alex Simon
- Aol TV.
A bunch of script deals have happened this week, most for films where the storyline is being kept secret. Here's a quick breakdown with the help of Deadline and Variety.
Producers Paul Mazur and Mitchell Kaplan have optioned film rights to Jean Zimmerman’s upcoming historical serial-killer thriller novel "The Orphan Master" which is set in New Amsterdam 1633 and will be published this June.
Warner Bros. Pictures have picked up Kelly Oxford's spec script "Son Of A Bitch". The raucous comedy is about a young stoner who tries to maintain her popular party image even after discovering she’s pregnant.
"The Hangover" director Todd Phillips has hired indie filmmaking darlings The Duplass Brothers ("Jeff, Who Lives at Home") to pen the adaptation of Tony D'Souza's novel "Mule". The story follows a young couple caught up in the world of trafficking marijuana across the country.
Universal Pictures has acquired...
Producers Paul Mazur and Mitchell Kaplan have optioned film rights to Jean Zimmerman’s upcoming historical serial-killer thriller novel "The Orphan Master" which is set in New Amsterdam 1633 and will be published this June.
Warner Bros. Pictures have picked up Kelly Oxford's spec script "Son Of A Bitch". The raucous comedy is about a young stoner who tries to maintain her popular party image even after discovering she’s pregnant.
"The Hangover" director Todd Phillips has hired indie filmmaking darlings The Duplass Brothers ("Jeff, Who Lives at Home") to pen the adaptation of Tony D'Souza's novel "Mule". The story follows a young couple caught up in the world of trafficking marijuana across the country.
Universal Pictures has acquired...
- 4/27/2012
- by Garth Franklin
- Dark Horizons
The success of the blog turned book turned movie Julie & Julia sent Hollywood on a frenzied search to uncover possible blogs for film adaptations. Back in 2010 Sony had jumped on mommy blogger Ree Drummond's The Pioneer Woman, optioning it for a possible Reese Witherspoon vehicle. The blog.like the book that would follow The Pioneer Woman: From Black Heels To Tractor Wheels.detailed how Drummond's kismet meeting with a charming cowboy inspired her to leave behind her city slicker life in favor of a home on the range. With Witherspoon's warm yet sharp charisma, this proposed picture seemed a good fit for her. Unfortunately, The Pioneer Woman stalled out in 2011 when executive producer Laura Ziskin died. The unfinished screenplay.penned by Robert Harling of Steel Magnolias fame.was shelved and he moved on to create the ABC dramedy series Gcb. Witherspoon remained attached to the property, but the...
- 4/26/2012
- cinemablend.com
Exclusive: Husband-and-wife writing team Stephen Dyer and Jonah Lisa Dyer, who scripted the invention of the vibrator pic Hysteria that just played at the Tribeca Film Festival, have been hired by Sony Pictures to rewrite Pioneer Woman. That is the film adapted from Ree Drummond’s blog/cookbook and memoir The Pioneer Woman: From Black Heels To Tractor Wheels that Sony optioned for producer Laura Ziskin Prods back in 2010, with Reese Witherspoon attached to play Drummond, and Robert Harling attached to write. Related: Tribeca: Mike Fleming Moderates Universal’s Centennial Panel With Robert De Niro And Judd Apatow The project languished when Ziskin passed away, and Steel Magnolias scribe Harling moved on when he got his TV series picked up. Then, Laurence Mark came aboard to produce with Pam Williams, who was president of Ziskin’s production company. After Williams saw the Tanya Wexler-directed Hysteria at the 2011 Toronto Film Festival,...
- 4/25/2012
- by MIKE FLEMING
- Deadline
Director Kenny Leon asserts, "Thank God I'm working!" In fact the Tony-nominated Leon is juggling several projects. He's helming an African-American version of Robert Harling's "Steel Magnolias" for Lifetime TV; a staged adaptation of the iconic 1967 film, "Guess Who's Coming to Dinner"; and a Broadway-bound musical inspired by the work of rapper Tupac Shakur, with each property reflecting Leon's interest in diversity, inclusion, and relevance.Consider his spin on "Guess Who's Coming to Dinner," slated to debut this summer at the Rialto Center for the Performing Arts in Atlanta. Originally starring Sidney Poitier, Spencer Tracy, and Katharine Hepburn, the story centers on a while liberal couple who find themselves in an unexpected bind when their daughter comes home with a black fiance.'Why now?' Leon asks rhetorically. 'Why is America still America? Think of what happened in Florida [the shooting death of Trayvon Martin]. Just when we think race is not...
- 4/12/2012
- by help@backstage.com (Simi Horwitz)
- backstage.com
ABC, as a very general entity, is apparently having good luck releasing TV shows on DVD as quickly as they can, because they certainly aren’t shying away from the idea. It’s been a trend, and if we expand and look at ABC Family shows as well, the notion of getting physical copies into the hands of fans as soon as possible certainly seems to work out. Well, the post-Fall schedule is going to come your way in a hurry as well, and I have to say that I like the idea. Waiting around on these shows could be a mistake, and it’s actually a pretty cool idea to have an option when you’re trying to sell your new favorite show on the uninitiated.
We don’t really have the scoop on the bonus offerings yet, always a question mark when something hits shelves so fast, but...
We don’t really have the scoop on the bonus offerings yet, always a question mark when something hits shelves so fast, but...
- 4/11/2012
- by Marc Eastman
- AreYouScreening.com
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