by Leroy Douresseaux a.k.a. "I Reads You"
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ENTERTAINMENT AND CULTURE NEWS:
TELEVISION - From Deadline: Miramax Television is developing a TV series adaptation of Martin Scorsese's 2002 film, "Gangs of New York," from writer Brett Leonard. Scorsese is currently attached to executive produce the series and direct its first two episodes.
NETFLIX - From Deadline: Netflix's ad-supported streaming tier will cost $6.99 and will launch November 3rd, 2022 in the U.S.
STREAMING - From Deadline: Actress Indira Varma ("Obi-Wan") is joining "Dune: The Sisterhood" (working title), an HBO Max prequel series to the "Dune" movie series.
TELEVISION - From Deadline: Trevor Noah has set a date for his exit from "The Daily Show with Trevor Noah" and it is Thursday, December 8th, 2022.
ANIMATION - From CartoonBrew: In the latest round of layoffs, Warner Bros. Animation and Cartoon Network Studios were merged, effectively ending the latter. Cartoon Network will apparently continue to exist as a brand. Hanna-Barbera Studios Europe will remain separate.
MOVIE - From Deadline: Sony Pictures has snatched the fights to "Dumb Money," the film about the 2021 Wall Street "short squeeze" of GameStop.
TELEVISION - From Deadline: Comedian and actor, Damon Wayans, and his son, actor Damon Wayans, Jr., are set to star in a multi-camera sitcom for CBS.
MOVIES - From Deadline: Director Kenneth Branagh is returning to 20th Century Studios for a third film based on a work by the legendary late author, Agatha Christie. The new film, "A Haunting in Venice," which is based on Christie's novel, "Hallowe'en Party," and the all-star cast includes Tina Fey and Michelle Yeoh.
BOX OFFICE - From BoxOfficePro: The winner of the 10/7 to 10/9/2022 weekend box office is Paramount Pictures' horror flick, "Smile," with an estimated take of 17.6 million dollars.
STAR TREK - From Deadline: At New York Comic Con 2022, Paramount+ has released a new trailer for what is the third and likely final season of "Star Trek: Picard." Season 3 premieres February 16, 2023.
OBITS:
From THR: The Scottish actor and comedian, Robbie Coltrane, has died at the age of 72, Friday, October 14, 2022. Coltrane is best known for playing "Rubeus Hagrid" in the "Harry Potter" film series. He first gained national prominence in the U.K. starring as criminal psychologist, "Dr. Eddie 'Fitz' Fitzgerald" in the ITV television series, "Cracker" (1993–2006).
From THR: The film and television actor, Austin Stoker, has died at the age of 92, Friday, October 7, 2022. Born in Trinidad and Tobago, Stoker began his acting career on Broadway. He is best known for the role of "Lt. Ethan Bishop" in John Carpenter's cult film "Assault on Precinct 13" (1976). He also appeared in such black exploitation films as "Abby" (1974) and "Sheba, Baby" (1975). He appeared in numerous TV series and miniseries, including "Roots" (1977), "The Incredible Hulk" (1979), and "The Bold and the Beautiful" (1991), to name a few.
From Variety: A legend and star of the stage, film, and television, Angela Lansbury, has died at the age of 96, Tuesday, October 11, 2022. Lansbury was best known for her starring role as mystery writer and amateur sleuth, Jessica Fletcher," on the late, long-running CBS mystery series, "Murder, She Wrote" (1984-96). Among her best known films are "The Manchurian Candidate" (1962) and Walt Disney's animated "Beauty and the Beast" (1991). Her career spanned 75 years and also included many stages, including the Broadway stage, and Lansbury won seven Tony Awards.
From Deadline: American entertainment journalist, Nikki Finke, has died at the age of 68, Sunday, October 9, 2022. Finke was best known as the founder of the website, "Deadline Hollywood," in 2006. It was the Internet version of her long-running print column, "Deadline Hollywood," for the "LA Weekly."
From Deadline: The film and television actress, Eileen Ryan, has died at the age of 94, Sunday, October 9, 2022. She appeared in such TV series as "The Twilight Zone," "The Detective," and "Bonanza." Ryan was the widow of actor-director Leo Penn (1921-98) and the mother of Oscar-winning actor Sean Penn, the late actor Chris Penn (1965-2006), and singer-songwriter Michael Penn.
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BRITTNEY GRINER:
From Reuters: Russia says that it is ready to talk prisoner swamp for Brittney Griner and U.S. Marine veteran Paul Whelan, but also scolds the U.S. Embassy.
From TheDailyBeast: Legendary NBA bad boy and champion (Detroit Pistons, Chicago Bulls), Dennis Rodman claims that he has been given permission to go to Russia and help free imprisoned hostage, WNBA star, Brittney Griner.
From Vox: Vox's Jonathan Guyer talks the Brittney Griner case with Danielle Gilbert, a Dartmouth professor who is writing a book about states and rogue actors that take hostages.
From ESPN: A Russian court sentenced WNBA star Brittney Griner to nine years in prison Thursday, Aug. 4th. Griner was arrested Feb. 17 for bringing cannabis into the country and pleaded guilty July 7, though the case continued under Russian law.
From ESPN: The Biden administration has offered a deal to Russia aimed at bringing home WNBA star Brittney Griner and another jailed American, Paul Whelan, Secretary of State Antony Blinken said Wednesday.
From RSN: "Will Support From LeBron James, Joe Rogan, Kim Kardashian, and Other Celebrities Help Free Brittney Griner From a Russian Prison?" by Kareem Abdul-Jabbar via Substack
From ESPN: Detained WNBA star Brittney Griner pleaded guilty on Thursday to bringing hashish oil into Russia, telling a judge that she had done so "inadvertently" while asking the court for mercy.
From CBSSports: The Brittney Griner situation explained.
From RSN: According to The Washington Post Editorial Board: "Brittney Griner is a hostage, plain and simple."
