Latest from Next TV in Universal-cable-productions

Rick James’ Life Becoming A ‘Super Freak’ Limited Series

jon.lafayette@futurenet.com (Jon Lafayette) — Wed, 16 Dec 2020 20:00:00 +0000

The life of funky singer Rick James is being developed into a limited series, tentatively titled Super Freak, by NBCUniversal’s UCP studio.

No network or streaming service is yet attached to the project.

UCP is working with Ty James, daughter of the late performer. She will be an executive producer. The studio is also working with author and reporter Make Sager, who first met Rick James in 1995, when we wrote a profile for Rolling Stone entitled The Rise and Fall of a Super Freak. Sager, who will be an executive producers, and James remained friends until James died in 2004.

Randy McKinnon will write and executive produce, along with Nick Antosca, who has an overall deal with UCP, and Alex Hedlund.

“We are truly ecstatic about this new project with UCP and extremely excited to work with the writer Randy McKinnon,” said Ty James. “We are confident he can give the fans exactly what they have been waiting on, plus some. This will be a magic carpet ride, with ups and downs, joys and pain -- a story of perseverance and tenacity, with the music being the greatest navigation system. Get ready for the ride of your lives -- the story of James A. Johnson, AKA Rick James!”

The biopic will have a true crime angle and chronicle Rick James’ plans for a comeback in the early 1990s amidst a heated trial that threatened to destroy his legacy. The story will touch on timely themes of race, privilege, and the gray area of image vs. reality for celebrities.

UCP is making series based on other real life stories. It is currently developing Robin Veith’s Candy, based on the story of killer Candy Montgomery. Elisabeth Moss is set to star, with Antosca and Hedlund executive producing. It is also working on a project about the Brober family, whose daughter was kidnapped multiple times by a family friend and it has Dr. Death, a Peacock series based on a podcast.

More 'Royals' On Tap for E!

MCN Staff — Tue, 05 Jan 2016 18:30:00 +0000

E! said it has ordered a third, 10-episode season of The Royals, as the second season heads toward a Sunday, Jan. 17 finale. The show, co-produced by Lionsgate and Universal Cable Productions, stars Elizabeth Hurley, William Moseley and Alexandra Park as a fictional, contemporary royal family and is averaging 1.3 million total viewers and 754,000 in the adults 18-49 bracket this season (live plus three days), according to E!

The NBCUniversal-owned network said The Royals ranks second among new original scripted series of 2015 among persons 18-49 across ad-supported cable, excluding spinoffs.

Wes Craven Sets Two TV Projects With Syfy

Baysinger Tim — Mon, 20 Apr 2015 17:30:00 +0000

Wes Craven may have little to do with MTV’s TV version of his Scream franchise but that doesn’t mean he won’t be busy on the small screen.

The horror icon has set a pair of TV projects with Syfy via an overall deal with Universal Cable Productions. Craven will executive produce an adaptation of Daryl Gregory’s book We Are All Completely Fine and Craven’s 1991 film The People Under the Stairs.

In We Are All Completely Fine, an enigmatic psychologist gathers survivors of five horror movie scenarios in a support group – and unwittingly unlocks the evils of her patients’ pasts. Craven, who also wrote the script, will direct the pilot. Ben Smith and Jeffrey Weiner from Captivate Entertainment, and Sara Bottfeld from Industry Entertainment will executive produce.

E! to Air AwesomenessTV’s ‘Side Effects’ Movie

Luke McCord — Thu, 16 Apr 2015 18:30:00 +0000

E! will air AwesomenessTV’s musical drama Side Effects, based on its YouTube series of the same name, on Friday (April 17) prior to its digital release the following day on Amazon Instant Video, Google Play, iTunes, MGO, Vudu and Xbox.

The 90-minute movie, co-produced by Universal Cable Productions, follows the story of 16-year-old Whitney Connolly, whose medication causes musical hallucinations. It will also be released on YouTube as the series's third season.

"With its tremendous launch on AwesomenessTV and now its debut on E!, Side Effects proves that great content can gain traction in all forms of distribution,” said Aimee Carlson, VP, digital and scripted development at UCP

Syfy, Universal Cable Casts 'The Magicians'

Tuman Jaclyn — Thu, 06 Nov 2014 19:30:00 +0000

Syfy and Universal Cable Productions announced the casting for the upcoming pilot, The Magicians, including Stella Maeve, Hale Appleman and Arjun Gupta.

Produced by Universal Cable Productions and directed by Mike Cahill, the series is based on Lev Grossman’s best selling book series, and filming is set for this December in New Orleans.

The series uncovers the danger that comes with magic, as young adults study the craft in New York.

Lev Grossman’s “Magicians” trilogy are well-known in over 20 countries, and the conclusion to the series was rated #1 on the New York Times Hardcover Best Seller’s list.