Latest news with #CodeBlack
Yahoo
2 days ago
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
Amazon MGM Lands Harrison Query's Short Story 'Code Black' For Film; Jake Gyllenhaal In Talks To Star In & Produce Political Thriller
EXCLUSIVE: In a competitive situation, Amazon MGM Studios has secured film rights to 'Code Black,' a new short story by Harrison Query, for seven figures guaranteed, sources tell Deadline. The deal is believed to be one of the biggest of all time for a short story. Scott Glassgold of 12:01 Films brought the package into Jake Gyllenhaal's Nine Stories, which will develop the political thriller as a starring vehicle for the Oscar nominee, under its first-look deal with the studio. More from Deadline Nicholas Galitzine Teases He-Man Costume After Wrapping 'Masters of the Universe' Bill Pullman & Rick Moranis Returning For New 'Spaceballs'; Keke Palmer, Lewis Pullman Also Set - The Dish Amazon MGM Studios Developing Dark Comedy Series 'God's Country' From John Owen Lowe & Samir Mehta; Chris Pratt Exec Producing In Code Black, the country's top heart surgeon is flown to D.C. to perform a high-stakes operation, finding himself led into a trap where his guile and genius become the only way to stop a plot that threatens both his family and the nation. In addition to Gyllenhaal and Josh McLaughlin for Nine Stories, producers in talks include Lynn Harris and Matt Reeves for 6th & Idaho, and Glassgold for 12:01. Query will adapt the screenplay. Code Black marks the second high-profile sale for Query in just two months. In May, he set up his drama series spec Trigger Point in A24 after six-way bidding, with Rebel Ridge's Jeremy Saulnier coming on to direct and exec produce alongside former Fifth Season Head of TV Joe Hipps. Query also wrote Amazon MGM's action-comedy Heads of State, starring John Cena and Idris Elba, which is out July 2, and teamed with Tommy Wallach to set up the forthcoming limited series on JonBenét Ramsey at Paramount+. After exec producing and starring in Apple's Presumed Innocent and seeing the critically acclaimed series break out as one of Apple's most-watched dramas of all time, Gyllenhaal is back on board to exec produce a second season. Previously, his Nine Stories has produced lauded titles like The Guilty, Wildlife and Stronger, among others. Upcoming, he also has the Guy Ritchie-directed sequel to his hit Road House remake for Amazon MGM, where he's both starring and producing. The first film had a record-breaking debut on Prime Video with over 50 million viewers in its first two weekends on the service. The 'Code Black' deal marks the fifth short story sale of the year for Glassgold, who last month went to Skydance with Drift, based on an unpublished work of science fiction by Ben Queen & Jason Shuman, securing a $2M+ deal following a heated auction. A master at selling the short story, he prior to that saw 20th preemptively acquire Ripped, a feature adaptation of the short story by Joe Ballarini, which his 12:01 Films will produce alongside Dwayne Johnson's Seven Bucks. Glassgold also bagged the first big sale of 2025 with After Shock, a Lionsgate adaptation of the earthquake-themed short story by Aaron Jayh, to star Brandon Sklenar. Other upcoming projects include Caretaker at Universal with Sydney Sweeney, The Dwelling at Amazon MGM with Michael B Jordan, and Occupant at New Line with Zach Cregger producing. Gyllenhaal is represented by WME and Carlos Goodman; Query by CAA, Ground Control and Jeff Frankel; Reeves by CAA, 3 Arts, and attorneys Karl R. Austen and Peter C. Sample; and Glassgold's 12:01 by Verve and McKuin Frankel Whitehead. CAA and Verve oversaw the auction.
Yahoo
2 days ago
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
Paramount Lands Rom-Com Spec ‘The Romantic' From Deborah Kaplan & Harry Elfont; Dave Bautista Aboard To Star
EXCLUSIVE: Paramount Pictures has acquired rights to The Romantic, a romantic comedy spec from Deborah Kaplan and Harry Elfont, with Dave Bautista attaching to star. Maximum Effort will produce under its first-look deal with the studio, alongside Bautista's Dogbone Entertainment. The film tells the story of bestselling romance author Francine London, who has a secret: she's actually a six-foot-four mountain of a man named Ed Schwenke. When Ed's identity comes under scrutiny, he hires a wildcard of a woman to pose as Francine at a romance fiction convention, while evading a cynical female journalist, who hates romance even more than she hates liars. No director is attached at present. More from Deadline Dave Bautista Has 'High Hopes' Of Starring In A Rom-Com: 'Am I That Unattractive?' Amazon MGM Lands Harrison Query's Short Story 'Code Black' For Film; Jake Gyllenhaal In Talks To Star In & Produce Political Thriller Doug Liman Directing Adaptation Of Stephen King's 'The Stand' For Paramount News of the project is notable as Bautista as spoken for years about his desire to star in a rom-com. In a 2023 interview with Page Six, the Dune and Guardians of the Galaxy star said, 'I know I'm not your typical rom-com lead. I'm a little rough around the edges. But I always, you know, I look in the mirror and I say, I ask myself, 'Am I that unattractive? Is there something that unappealing about me that excludes me from these parts?'' Bautista added that while he's 'never had an offer to do a rom-com,' he had 'high hopes' about checking this off his bucket list and would 'keep searching' until he found the right opportunity. Currently weighing an offer for a role in Road House 2 at Amazon MGM, Bautista will next be seen starring in the Aura Entertainment actioner Trap House, as well as the Amazon MGM buddy cop action comedy The Wrecking Crew opposite Jason Momoa, both of which are produced by his Dogbone Entertainment Banner. Recently seen starring opposite Pamela Anderson in the critically acclaimed drama The Last Showgirl, he also has the Zellner Brothers' alien invasion comedy Alpha Gang coming up, and is repped by WME and Karl Austen of Jackoway Austen Tyerman, as is Dogbone. No strangers to the rom-com, Kaplan & Elfont are known for writing and directing Can't Hardly Wait and Josie and the Pussycats, as well as writing the films Made of Honor and Leap Year. Creative partners since meeting at NYU's Tisch School of the Arts, they've recently made a pivot into hard comedy with the R-rated Guys with No Friends, which sold to Paramount for over $1M in a multi-studio bidding war. They signed with Verve in May and continue to be represented by Entertainment 360.
Perth Now
16-06-2025
- Entertainment
- Perth Now
Jake Gyllenhaal set for Code Black
Jake Gyllenhaal is to star in Code Black. The 44-year-old actor's Nine Stories are to develop the political thriller, which is based on a new short story by Harrison Query, as a starring vehicle for Jake, with the film's rights secured by Amazon MGM Studios as part of their first-look deal with the company, Deadline reports. Amazon MGM secured the rights for a guaranteed seven-figure sum, in what is believed to be one of the biggest deals of all times for a short story. Harrison himself will adapt the tale for the big screen. Code Black will see Jake play the US' top heart surgeon, who is flown to Washington D.C. to carry out a high-stakes operation, only to be embroiled in a trap that he needs to work his way out of to stop a plot that threatens both his family and the country. As well as Jake and Nine Stories' Josh McLaughlin, producers in talks for the film include Lynn Harris and Matt Reeves of 6th + Idaho, and Scott Glassgold of 12:01 Films. Nine Stories' three-year deal with Amazon MGM Studios was announced in April last year. As well as 'Road House', which was helmed by Doug Liman, Jake starred in Guy Ritchie's 'The Covenant' for Amazon MGM Studios before inking the deal. He said in a statement at the time: "I've worked with Amazon MGM on two films this past year, and they've been a wonderful partner both times. "Their dedication to filmmaking is contagious, and I so admire their commitment to fans all over the world. I am thrilled to formalise what is an already fruitful collaboration-especially on the heels of Road House's outstanding debut.' Julie Rapaport, head of film production and development at Amazon MGM Studios, commented: "Jake is a one-of-a-kind talent whose passion and eye for filmmaking makes him a powerful storyteller both in front of the camera and behind the scenes. "Following the record-breaking success of Road House, we could not imagine a better time to officially cement our relationship. Jake has been an incredible partner, and we look forward to collaborating with him and the Nine Stories team to create needle-moving and compelling films from visionary filmmakers."
Winnipeg Free Press
30-05-2025
- Climate
- Winnipeg Free Press
Exhausted, disoriented evacuees wait, worry, wonder in Winnipeg
More than 17,000 northern Manitobans scrambled to flee wildfires Wednesday night after Premier Wab Kinew declared a provincial state of emergency and ordered several communities to evacuate. These are some of their stories. Burroughs, a former firefighter, didn't wait for an evacuation notice to pack his bags and get out of Flin Flon. 'I was already getting ready. I knew that wind was going to shift, it was only 1.5 kilometres away and out of control still, and we knew it was going to come our way,' he said Thursday morning at Century Arena in south Winnipeg which, along with Erik Coy Arena in Charleswood and Billy Mosienko Arena in Tyndall Park, were opened by the city Thursday to serve as evacuee reception centres where people can register with the Red Cross and rest, if they have nowhere else to go. ROB BURROUGHS PHOTO Vehicles line up leaving Flin Flon Wednesday evening. Vehicles line up leaving Flin Flon Wednesday evening. Around 5:30 Wednesday evening, Burroughs said notices on his phone, social media and the radio ordered everyone out of the city located just inside the Saskatchewan border, about 830 kilometres northwest of Winnipeg. Burroughs and his common-law partner loaded up their truck with their children, three rescue dogs and a few necessities and began the 12-hour journey to Winnipeg, unsure when they would be able to go home and what they would be going home to. Their journey was slowed significantly by 5,000 other residents doing the same thing. 'It took three hours to get to The Pas, which only should take an hour and 10 minutes,' Burroughs said. 'It was unreal. Ahead of us, behind us, there was just nothing but headlights.' MIKAELA MACKENZIE / FREE PRESS Rob Burroughs walks his dog Gunner on Thursday beside the Century Arena, after spending hours on the road driving to Winnipeg from Flin Flon. MIKAELA MACKENZIE / FREE PRESS Rob Burroughs walks his dog Gunner on Thursday beside the Century Arena, after spending hours on the road driving to Winnipeg from Flin Flon. They drove through the night and arrived in Winnipeg at 6:30 a.m. A few hours later, the family was on the hunt for dog leashes and some breakfast before figuring out where they were going to spend the night. Burroughs said he has a hotel booked Friday, but feels for his neighbours still making their way to safety. 'It was bad enough getting here in a 12-hour trip, but what happened to the people that are still trying to get here? They're they're still seven, eight hours away, and that's a long night for them too,' he said. After hearing 'Code Black' broadcast over the intercom inside Flin Flon's Walmart Wednesday afternoon, Kittle packed into a car with her sister, her sister's two kids and three cats. As they were grabbing supplies, trucks were driving around their neighbourhood with speakers ordering residents to evacuate. They drove nine hours to North Battleford, Sask. to stay with family because Kittle was worried all the hotels were full in Winnipeg and Brandon. The threatening flames and smoke loomed in the distance as they drove away. KIRA KITTLE PHOTO A photo of the wildfire outside of Flin Flon taken around 3:45 a.m. Wednesday. A photo of the wildfire outside of Flin Flon taken around 3:45 a.m. Wednesday. 'You really feel like the world is ending. You just feel sick to your stomach… I'm never going to get that out of my head,' she said. She had a bag with a couple of changes of clothes in her car but quickly ran back inside to grab some snacks, photo albums, electronics and cat litter. On the road, she feared there wouldn't be a home for her to return to. 'I just bought my house two years ago,' she said. 'I'm getting my life established right now.' Kittle works as high school teacher in Creighton, about five kilometres across the border in Saskatchewan. On Tuesday, before the evacuation notice was announced, Kittle and her students were glued to the window watching the smoke rise. She sent the students home early to be with their families. 'I couldn't teach, it was so hard to focus,' she said. 'I'm definitely hoping all my kids are safe.' One hour after touching down in Winnipeg Thursday afternoon, Castel stood outside the Best Western Plus Winnipeg Airport Hotel, waiting for a bus to take her and her six children — ages three to 18 — to the Billy Mosienko Arena in Tyndall Park. Before they fled Mathias Colomb, the air was thick with acrid smoke, transforming the community where she was born and raised into something more 'like the apocalypse,' Castel said. The family had been without power on the First Nation, and it had been three days before any of them had eaten anything substantial, she said. They were eager to get to the Keewatin Street arena, one of three opened by the city to help evacuees. 'I'm tired and grumpy and hungry,' Castel said, one child slung over her shoulder, another clinging to her hip. 'We might even be here for a month, who knows?' Blacksmith was one of about 300 people pre-emptively evacuated from Pimicikamak as fire conditions worsened throughout last weekend. She arrived in Winnipeg Monday and was separated from her two teenage children, who were taken to Norway House to await transport to Winnipeg. Blacksmith expected the teens to arrive on a flight Thursday, and was desperate to reconnect. She's had limited communication with them because they do not have cellphones, she said. 'I'm just scared for my kids. I'm worried about them. I didn't even sleep because I am thinking about them so much,' she said. Blacksmith described how extreme smoke conditions made it difficult to breathe and see in Pimicikamak. 'Ashes are falling already,' she said. 'A lot of people are scared.' The Red Cross had arranged a hotel room for the family on Pembina Highway, and they were told to expect to use the accommodations until at least June 9, Blacksmith said. Selma, who lives in Happy Valley-Goose Bay, NL., was staying at a family centre near Cross Lake with his girlfriend Anna Williams and three-year-old son when the wildfires broke out. The family was rushed to Norway House Wednesday afternoon, and then flown to Winnipeg alongside more than 50 other evacuees that evening, Selma said. 'It was kind of scary looking at the smoke and the sky, it was a very dark orange colour. It was very strong, too, the smell of the smoke. I felt bad for people who have respiratory problems,' Selma said. MIKE DEAL / FREE PRESS Jack Selma, outside the Victoria Inn Hotel on Wellington Avenue, was waiting for a taxi to take him to the airport for a flight home to Happy Valley-Goose Bay, Nfld. MIKE DEAL / FREE PRESS Jack Selma, outside the Victoria Inn Hotel on Wellington Avenue, was waiting for a taxi to take him to the airport for a flight home to Happy Valley-Goose Bay, Nfld. After spending the night at the Victoria Inn Hotel and Convention Centre, the family was heading back to the nearby airport, where they would board a plane to take them home. A planned layover in Toronto meant they would not get there until at least Friday, making for three long and stressful days of travel, Selma said. Hunter and his partner fled their Ontario home, located about 10 kilometres east of the Manitoba border, two weeks ago, as a wildfire in Whiteshell Provincial Park raged nearby. 'We were just scrambling and took off,' he said, describing how they fled in their vehicle with little more than the clothes on their backs. He smoked a cigarette in the parking lot of the Best Western Plus Winnipeg Airport Hotel Thursday afternoon, watching as fresh evacuees from northern Manitoba poured in. The Red Cross had established a reception centre at the hotel, and many evacuees were staying on the building's third floor, he said. 'I told them to hang in there. It's OK, you just gotta hang in there, but you feel like you're displaced and all that,' he said. Hunter said he hoped to return home by June 7, but was feared high winds and temperatures might continue to fuel the fire, extending his stay in Manitoba's capital. Bighetty brought his wife and four young kids to Winnipeg last weekend, hoping to have a short vacation. The family was unsure whether it was wise to return to Thompson, which has been inundated with evacuees from the northern region, he said. MIKE DEAL / FREE PRESS Ian Bighetty said his family would extend their stay in Winnipeg for at least a few days, and then decide how best to proceed. MIKE DEAL / FREE PRESS Ian Bighetty said his family would extend their stay in Winnipeg for at least a few days, and then decide how best to proceed. Thompson is not currently under threat from fire, but the community has been subject to the same tinder-dry conditions as most of the province, placing many people in the community on edge, Bighetty said. A statement on the City of Thompson Facebook page urged residents to remain vigilant, warning seven intentionally set grass fires had been sparked in the community on Tuesday alone. 'My mom is pretty scared about that,' Bighetty said. 'I mean, that was unexpected.' Bighetty said his family would extend their stay in Winnipeg for at least a few days, and then decide how best to proceed. Colomb breathed a sigh of relief when he stepped onto the tarmac at the Premier Airspace hangar after a short flight from his home community. 'As long we made it out — me and my uncle — and hopefully everybody else make it out safely too,' he said. MIKAELA MACKENZIE / FREE PRESS This is Brent Colomb's second evacuation in just as many years. MIKAELA MACKENZIE / FREE PRESS This is Brent Colomb's second evacuation in just as many years. Colomb escorted his elderly uncle on the trip south and left his wife and nine children behind. Mathias Colomb was in the process of evacuating priority patients before getting others from the community to safety. This is Colomb's second evacuation in just as many years. In 2023, he and his family took a train to Norway House before taking a plane to Winnipeg because of nearby fires. He knew this year's evacuation was imminent when he woke up and saw a red glow across the horizon in the community. 'I said, 'Look, uncle, it's coming. The wind is blowing again,'' Colomb said. 'It's been a lot of anxiety,' Beardy said while smoking a cigarette outside the Premier Airspace hangar after a flight to Winnipeg from his First Nation community. 'I don't even know what happened.' Beardy was evacuated as a priority patient; he's spent the last two years in hospital with various illnesses, and was in a coma for six months. Elders, mothers, pregnant women and sick and disabled people were all flown out of the community as a priority. Others will follow throughout the day. After a long day, Beardy still needed to register with the Red Cross, but he didn't know where he and his brother would lay their heads Thursday night. 'I just don't know anything,' he said. — Compiled by Nicole Buffie, Tyler Searle and Matthew Frank fpcity@
Daily Record
01-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Daily Record
Virgin River's Brady thrills Netflix fans with throwback to forgotten role in medical drama
Ben Hollingsworth is known for playing Brady in Netflix's Virgin River, but he's also starred in a forgotten medical drama. Virgin River fans were delighted when Ben Hollingsworth, known for his role as Daniel Brady in the Netflix series, gave a glimpse into his past role in a lesser-known medical drama. Ben starred as Dr. Mario Savetti, a first-year resident, in Code Black, which aired on CBS for three seasons from 2015 to 2018. Yesterday (May 30), Ben took to Instagram to share some photos and reflect on his latest medical journey, as well as his previous role before he became famous on Netflix. Promoting healthcare company Prenuvo, he shared an extensive update with his 363,000 Instagram followers. He posted: "Some of you might not know this, but I used to be a doctor... on TV. Naturally, for 3 seasons, I was immersed in the world of medicine." Get Netflix free with Sky from £15 Sky Get the deal here Product Description "Although our stories were heightened, one common theme was that most of our patients ended up in the ER because they ignored something until it became emergent. "This is called reactive care, and unfortunately, it is all too common in our current healthcare system, leading to poor health outcomes for many diagnosed conditions. "I've been trying to become more PROactive in my day-to-day life. So, when @nilababy mentioned that @prenuvo offers private full-body MRI scans, I was all in." He continued to discuss the benefits of the full-body scans, before jokingly adding: "I am now armed with the knowledge I need to advocate for the best care possible. Oh, and did I mention that you can watch Netflix while you're in the MRI machine?". "So guess what show they put on for me!" he quipped, winking at Virgin River. Excited fans stormed the Instagram comments section to praise Ben's previous series, Code Black, reports the Mirror US. One fan gushed: "One of my fave shows. It was such a shame it only had 3 seasons." Another shared their rewatching experience, writing: "I just re watched Code Black, loved it! Can't believe it only lasted 3 seasons xx." A third fan recounted a serendipitous moment related to the show, mentioning: "Currently doing a re-watch of Code Black with my husband. Such a great show. Creepily enough I just started a sentence with 'Savertti would...' opened the app and this was the first post I saw. I think that's going to be enough internet for today..." "Loooved Code Black!" one wrote, as another echoed: "Code Black was so intense, I loved every second of the show!" Virgin River is available to watch now, exclusively on Netflix. Code Black is available to stream via Amazon Prime Video in the US and via Disney Plus and Paramount Plus in the UK.
