Sports icons Sue Bird and Megan Rapinoe are getting in the game as TV producers.
Bird and Rapinoe’s production banner, A Touch More, has teamed up with independent TV studio Future Shack Entertainment to develop “Cleat Cute,” the bestselling novel from author Meryl Wilsner.
“Cleat Cute” is a contemporary queer romance that follows a young soccer player as she juggles being the new rookie, her goals of making the national team, and a budding romance with her team captain.
“Sports is a universal language and breeding ground for world class storytelling,” said Future Shack CEO Jeff Wachtel in a statement. “As women’s sports captivate audiences around the globe, we’re proud to partner with two of the most iconic athletes of our time, Megan Rapinoe and Sue Bird, to bring Meryl Wilsner’s delightful world to life in a bold, sexy and fun ensemble show.”
Bird, Rapinoe and...
Bird and Rapinoe’s production banner, A Touch More, has teamed up with independent TV studio Future Shack Entertainment to develop “Cleat Cute,” the bestselling novel from author Meryl Wilsner.
“Cleat Cute” is a contemporary queer romance that follows a young soccer player as she juggles being the new rookie, her goals of making the national team, and a budding romance with her team captain.
“Sports is a universal language and breeding ground for world class storytelling,” said Future Shack CEO Jeff Wachtel in a statement. “As women’s sports captivate audiences around the globe, we’re proud to partner with two of the most iconic athletes of our time, Megan Rapinoe and Sue Bird, to bring Meryl Wilsner’s delightful world to life in a bold, sexy and fun ensemble show.”
Bird, Rapinoe and...
- 4/17/2024
- by Angelique Jackson
- Variety Film + TV
Exclusive: Starz is developing The Comedown, a comedic drama series based on Rafael Frumkin’s book by the same name, sources tell Deadline. The project hails from Regina King’s Royal Ties Productions and Freddie Highmore’s Alfresco Pictures as well as TriStar Television, a division of Sony Pictures TV where The Good Doctor star Highmore has had an overall deal. A rep for Starz declined comment.
Written by Gretchen Enders (WandaVision), The Comedown is a darkly comedic, multigenerational drama that explores delineating lines of race, class, religion, and time, through the story of two very different Cleveland families – one Black, one white – whose lives become intertwined one fateful night when a drug deal goes dramatically wrong and a mysterious yellow briefcase disappears.
Highmore and Claire Londy executive produce through Alfresco Pictures alongside Enders as well as Regina King and Reina King of Royal Ties.
Enders most recently was co-executive...
Written by Gretchen Enders (WandaVision), The Comedown is a darkly comedic, multigenerational drama that explores delineating lines of race, class, religion, and time, through the story of two very different Cleveland families – one Black, one white – whose lives become intertwined one fateful night when a drug deal goes dramatically wrong and a mysterious yellow briefcase disappears.
Highmore and Claire Londy executive produce through Alfresco Pictures alongside Enders as well as Regina King and Reina King of Royal Ties.
Enders most recently was co-executive...
- 2/3/2023
- by Nellie Andreeva
- Deadline Film + TV
Exclusive: Jeff Wachtel’s Future Shack Entertainment has acquired Kevin Wilson’s short story Grand Stand-In to develop as a limited series, with Gretchen Enders attached to adapt and produce the project.
In Wilson’s short story, an unmarried woman in her mid-fifties takes a job as a “supplemental family provider” with Grand Stand-In, a company that facilitates matches for well-to-do couples who have lost touch with their parents due to death, disease or distance; but who still want their children to have the “grandparent experience.” It all works out until the stand-in has to disengage from a family she’s become attached to.
Grand Stand-In is included in Wilson’s Tunneling To the Center of the Earth, a collection of short stories. Wilson’s The Family Fang novel was adapted into a 2015 feature with Jason Bateman, Nicole Kidman and Christopher Walken. His best-selling 2019 work Nothing to...
In Wilson’s short story, an unmarried woman in her mid-fifties takes a job as a “supplemental family provider” with Grand Stand-In, a company that facilitates matches for well-to-do couples who have lost touch with their parents due to death, disease or distance; but who still want their children to have the “grandparent experience.” It all works out until the stand-in has to disengage from a family she’s become attached to.
Grand Stand-In is included in Wilson’s Tunneling To the Center of the Earth, a collection of short stories. Wilson’s The Family Fang novel was adapted into a 2015 feature with Jason Bateman, Nicole Kidman and Christopher Walken. His best-selling 2019 work Nothing to...
- 11/30/2022
- by Denise Petski
- Deadline Film + TV
Verve has promoted Melissa Darman to partner.
Darman, who joined Verve in 2014, started her career at ICM before pivoting to the studio system to work in comedy development at ABC Network. She then moved onto Lionsgate before joining Verve, where she has continued to focus on comedy during her time as an agent on the TV literary team.
“Working at Verve continues to be rewarding on a daily basis,” Darman said in a statement. “I could not be more proud to be a part of such a forward-thinking company that cares equally about the well-being and success of both its employees and clients. I’m thrilled to be a part of the leadership that grows and strengthens the company, and our industry, every day.”
With the elevation of Darman, that brings the total number of partners at Verve to 11. Darman joins founders Bryan Besser, Adam Levine and Bill Weinstein, and...
Darman, who joined Verve in 2014, started her career at ICM before pivoting to the studio system to work in comedy development at ABC Network. She then moved onto Lionsgate before joining Verve, where she has continued to focus on comedy during her time as an agent on the TV literary team.
“Working at Verve continues to be rewarding on a daily basis,” Darman said in a statement. “I could not be more proud to be a part of such a forward-thinking company that cares equally about the well-being and success of both its employees and clients. I’m thrilled to be a part of the leadership that grows and strengthens the company, and our industry, every day.”
With the elevation of Darman, that brings the total number of partners at Verve to 11. Darman joins founders Bryan Besser, Adam Levine and Bill Weinstein, and...
- 8/12/2022
- by Brent Lang
- Variety Film + TV
After a crazy season of twists and turns, Disney+’s WandaVision netted 23 Emmy nominations including for Outstanding Limited or Anthology Series and three nominations in the Outstanding Writing for a Limited or Anthology Series or Movie category. Elizabeth Olsen stars as Wanda Maximoff, with Paul Bettany as Vision, in what served as first Marvel streaming series on Disney+. In a surreal, Twilight Zone-style trip through classic sitcoms, Wanda and Vision live in an idyllic town called Westview; both Olsen and Bettany received Emmy nominations in the lead acting categories for their performances
Here, the Emmy-nominated writers of the scripts — series creator Jac Schaeffer, Laura Donney, Chuck Hayward and Peter Cameron — answers some questions about their work on the series finale as part of Deadline’s It Starts on the Page, a series showcasing scripts from this year’s Emmy-nominated programs and the writers who brought them to life.
***
“Filmed...
Here, the Emmy-nominated writers of the scripts — series creator Jac Schaeffer, Laura Donney, Chuck Hayward and Peter Cameron — answers some questions about their work on the series finale as part of Deadline’s It Starts on the Page, a series showcasing scripts from this year’s Emmy-nominated programs and the writers who brought them to life.
***
“Filmed...
- 8/23/2021
- by Ryan Fleming
- Deadline Film + TV
When the Covid-19 pandemic hit, Jac Schaeffer was in Atlanta filming her Disney Plus limited series “WandaVision.” She stayed down South for a little while but then, instead of trekking cross-country to her home base in Los Angeles, she went up the East Coast to Cape Cod, where her family keeps a cottage. “It’s a place I’ve come my whole life, and now it’s super important to my family because it was where we were safe during the really heavy Covid times,” she says. Even while surrounded by extended family there, she can carve out writing space for herself in an office above the kitchen. She admits there have been “many Zoom meetings where my kids run through” on their way to or from the stairs that lead to the kitchen, but there is also something calming about the environment too: “The best part for me — for...
- 8/19/2021
- by Danielle Turchiano
- Variety Film + TV
The Writers Guild of America announced some of its nominees for its 2015 awards on Thursday, including television, new media, and radio, and among the TV nominees are series both new and old, and all beloved.
In the comedy series category, freshman Netflix show "Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt" scored a nomination for best series, as well as an overall best new series nod. "The Last Man on Earth" also landed in that latter category, and was singled out for its pilot episode writing, too.
On the drama side of the equation, lauded "Breaking Bad" spinoff "Better Call Saul" also got best series and best new series nominations, in addition to a an episode writing nod. Newly-minted Emmy winner "Game of Thrones" also scored a best drama citation, as well as an episodic writing nomination.
The full list of nominees released this week are below. Nominations in the theatrical and documentary categories will...
In the comedy series category, freshman Netflix show "Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt" scored a nomination for best series, as well as an overall best new series nod. "The Last Man on Earth" also landed in that latter category, and was singled out for its pilot episode writing, too.
On the drama side of the equation, lauded "Breaking Bad" spinoff "Better Call Saul" also got best series and best new series nominations, in addition to a an episode writing nod. Newly-minted Emmy winner "Game of Thrones" also scored a best drama citation, as well as an episodic writing nomination.
The full list of nominees released this week are below. Nominations in the theatrical and documentary categories will...
- 12/3/2015
- by Katie Roberts
- Moviefone
IMDb.com, Inc. takes no responsibility for the content or accuracy of the above news articles, Tweets, or blog posts. This content is published for the entertainment of our users only. The news articles, Tweets, and blog posts do not represent IMDb's opinions nor can we guarantee that the reporting therein is completely factual. Please visit the source responsible for the item in question to report any concerns you may have regarding content or accuracy.