NORTH HOLLYWOOD: Pilgrim Studios has optioned the film and television rights for author Peter Duffy's nonfiction book Double Agent: The First Hero of World War II and How the FBI Outwitted and Destroyed a Nazi Spy Ring. The book tells the true story of William Sebold, a German-born American citizen ...

NEW YORK: A&E Network has greenlit a new series from Leftfield Pictures, Lachey's Bar (working title), which spotlights brothers Nick and Drew Lachey as they open a bar in their hometown of Cincinnati, Ohio. Production is already under way on ten half-hour episodes, which are expected to launch in 2015. ...

NEW YORK: SundanceTV is going for a third season of Rectify, its first wholly owned original scripted series. Season three is set to launch in 2015. The series tells the story of a man released from prison after spending nearly two decades on death row. The season two finale is ...

LOS ANGELES: Entertainment One (eOne) Licensing has lined up new marketing initiatives and apparel and accessories licensing partners for the Skelanimals lifestyle brand. There are 2-minute-long animated shorts currently in production for release in spring 2015. An updated Skelanimals website and ...

GLENDALE: Fazal Merchant is joining the team at DreamWorks Animation in the role of chief financial officer, taking over from Lew Coleman, who is moving to the post of vice chairman. Merchant takes up the new position officially as of ...

BURBANK: ABC Family is presenting the U.S. network TV premiere of the box-office phenomenon The Hunger Games on October 10. The first film in a series based on the hit books by Suzanne Collins debuts on the network October 10 at 8 p.m. The channel will offer repeat airings on ...

As the director of global drama at FremantleMedia, Sarah Doole oversees a broad portfolio that includes everything from long-running daily dramas across Europe to high-profile, U.S. premium-cable projects like the hotly anticipated American Gods for Starz. Formerly at BBC Worldwide, Doole is promoting cross-fertilization across the FremantleMedia network of scripted ...

NUSAJAYA: Astro Productions (APSB) and Iskandar Malaysia Studios (IMS) are collaborating to offer integrated TV content production services at Pinewood Iskandar Malaysia Studios. The new five-year pact sees APSB as the exclusive provider of equipment and services for the production of TV content at IMS's two HD studios. In return, ...

LOS ANGELES: Keanu Reeves is attached to executive produce and star in the new Slingshot Global Media series Rain, based on the New York Times best-selling book series written by Barry Eisler. Rain marks Reeves' first major starring and producing role in a series. It is also Slingshot's first official project since the ...

LONDON: A+E Networks UK is bringing HISTORY, Lifetime, Crime + Investigation and H2 to TalkTalk's IPTV service later this month. HISTORY and CI will become available on TalkTalk's Entertainment Extra Boost package as of August 28, while Lifetime and H2 join the Entertainment and Entertainment Extra Boost packages. The A+E ...