ADAPTATION
“Tabby McTat,” the lively children’s story by writer Julia Donaldson and illustrator Axel Scheffler, is set to get the BBC treatment with a new adaptation by longtime Donaldson/Scheffler collaborators Magic Light Pictures. “Doctor Who” star Jodie Whittaker will narrate the tale about a cat who gets separated from his owner while Ṣọpẹ́ Dìrísú (“Gangs of London”) will voice Tabby. Other stars lending their voices to the short include Rob Brydon (“Gavin and Stacey”), Cariad Lloyd (“Peep Show”), Joanna Scanlan (“The Thick of It”) and Susan Wokoma (“Enola Holmes”).
“Superworm” directors Sarah Scrimgeour and Jac Hamman will helm the project, which was written by Max Lang and Suzanne Lang. Barney Goodland and Michael Rose of Magic Light Pictures will produce. BBC chief content office Charlotte Moore and BBC drama commissioning editor Nawfal Faizullah acquired the film for the BBC. Red Star Studio will provide animation services.
DISNEY SEASON
The British Film Institute has announced a season of Disney films to celebrate the Mouse House’s centenary this year. There will be screenings, talks, special events and singalongs running throughout July and August at BFI Southbank and BFI IMAX. Films on offer will include animated classics from “The Lion King” to “Fantasia” – including a recently-restored version of “Cinderella” – plus live-action features such as “Bedknobs and Broomsticks” and “Mary Poppins.” The season will also feature Pixar films including “Wall-E” and “Up.”
PROMOTIONS & HIRES
Banijay has upped James Townley and Lucas Green to chief content office for development and chief content officer for operations, respectively.
Townley’s remit will expand to include documentary in addition to his current role overseeing unscripted development over the group at large. Green will partner with Banijay’s non-scripted labels globally to oversee efficiency of production and creative best practice. They will both report to CEO Marco Bassetti who said: “James and Lucas have been fantastic forces for creative networks, ensuring a productive, well-travelled non-scripted pipeline.”
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Neal Street Productions has expanded its TV and film development team. The “1917” producer has tapped Jessica Burdett as exec producer and Jessica Da Silva as development coordinator. Burdett, who will develop her own slate with Neal Street directors Nicolas Brown, Pippa Harris and Sam Mendes, moves over from Left Bank Pictures while Da Silva comes from Grey Seal Media.
DISTRIBUTION
London-based The Mise En Scéne Company has set U.S. theatrical distribution for Evan Oppenheimer’s “The Magnificent Meyersons.” The film will be released on over 20 screens throughout May with live Q&As set for New York and Los Angeles prior to the film’s Pay 1 window release by an undisclosed major U.S. TV network on Sept. 1. This is the first film to be distributed by MSC since the company’s 2020 inception.
The film is a New York-set family drama with a sci-fi twist and focuses on a normal day when perhaps the most significant scientific revelation in human history takes place, and the discovery will affect the everyday life of each member of the family in a different way. The cast includes Kate Mulgrew (“Star Trek,” “Orange is the New Black”), Lauren Ridloff (“Eternals,” “Sound of metal”), Daniel Eric Gold (“Ugly Betty”) and Richard Kind (“Beau Is Afraid,” “A Serious Man”).
TRAILER
The first trailer has dropped for Disney+’s television sequel to “The Full Monty” with Robert Carlyle, Mark Addy and Lesley Sharp returning. Check it out below.
