Apple TV+ has commissioned an adaptation of the Scott Turow novel Presumed Innocent, from David E Kelley, Dustin Thomason and JJ Abrams. The courtroom thriller is being adapted as an eight-part limited series and tells the story of a horrific murder that upends the Chicago Prosecuting Attorneys’ office when one of its own employees is […]
The Boy, The Mole, The Fox And The Horse author Charlie Mackesy has launched a new production company with producer Cara Speller, which already has a project in the works with J.J. Abrams’ Bad Robot Productions. NoneMore Productions will extend the world of Mackesy’s book into new media, working with the author and others to develop his […]
Hulu has cancelled the psychological horror series Castle Rock. It has been reported that the series, which premiered in 2018 and aired its second season last October, will not be returning for a third run. The show, from Bad Robot Productions, is an anthology series based upon the works of prolific horror writer Stephen King […]
This latest instalment of TBI’s In Conversation strand catches up with Ben Stephenson, head of television for JJ Abrams’ Bad Robot Productions, who tells us about the ‘game-changing’ benefits of partnering with WarnerMedia. Ben Stephenson is no stranger to working on high-profile TV. He spent 11 years at UK pubcaster the BBC, including a seven-year […]
US broadcaster CBS has upped Kelly Kahl to president of entertainment and drafted in The CW exec Thom Sherman, with Glenn Geller (pictured) set to exit. Kahl has been upped from senior executive VP of CBS Primetime, a role she has held since 2005. Sherman, who joins from CBS’s part-owned network The CW later this […]
Buzzy HBO drama Westworld has become the best ever launch for HBO Canada and The Movie Network. The sci-fi series bowed strongly on HBO in the US and also on Sky Atlantic in the UK. In both Canada and the UK the series opener beat Game of Thrones in terms of viewing numbers. On HBO […]
Westworld’s debut in the UK was bigger than both Game of Thrones and Fortitude. The new HBO sci-fi drama pulled in a consolidated 1.84 million viewers on its debut in the UK on pay TV channel Sky Atlantic. This makes it bigger than Game of Thrones’ debut (1.45 million) and previous record holder Fortitude (1.74 […]
J.J. Abrams’ Bad Robot Productions has become a coproducer on a Warner Bros. Television event series about the late pop star Michael Jackson. Bar Robot will join Warner and Smiley Television & Film as a copro partner of the adaptation of Before You Judge Me: The Triumph and Tragedy of Michael Jackson’s Last Days, which […]
Fox Networks Group Europe has acquired rights to J.J. Abrams thriller drama 11/22/63 from Warner Bros. International Television Distribution in 18 territories. The deal gives Fox exclusive broadcast rights in Bulgaria, Flemish-speaking Belgium, Croatia, Finland, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Italy, Netherlands, Norway, Poland, Portugal, Russia, Serbia, Slovenia, Spain, Sweden and the UK. The deal marks the […]
UK pubcaster the BBC has promoted Luther producer Liz Kilgarriff to become its new indie drama commissioning chief. Kilgarriff will replace Polly Hill, who was promoted to drama controller to replace the LA-bound Ben Stephenson after spending six years as independent drama commissioning editor. Kilgarriff is currently working on new drama Thirteen, and has in […]
