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    Lifetime deciding what to do with Will Ferrell movie

    By SHOOTUpdated:No Comments970 Views
    In this Monday, March 16, 2015 file photo, Will Ferrell walks the red carpet for the world premiere of "Get Hard" during the South by Southwest Film Festival in Austin, Texas. (Photo by Jack Plunkett/Invision/AP, File)
    NEW YORK (AP) --

    The fate of a Lifetime TV movie featuring Will Ferrell and Kristen Wiig remained unclear on Friday after the project's secrecy was spoiled.

    Lifetime confirmed on Thursday that the former "Saturday Night Live" stars had taped the ominously titled "A Deadly Adoption," playing a couple who befriend a pregnant woman in hopes of adopting her child.

    After word got out, Ferrell issued a statement that he and Wiig had decided it was best to forego a project they had labeled "top secret."

    Michael Feeney, spokesman for Lifetime's corporate parent, A&E Networks, said Friday that it's a disappointment that news was leaked, and that "the network is in the process of deciding what to do with the project." Earlier, the network had said it would air this summer. 

    Tags:LifetimeWill Ferrell



    Merman makes its signing of Ritesh Gupta official; company takes on U.S. representation for the director

    Wednesday, January 22, 2025
    Ritesh Gupta

    Merman has officially announced the signing of director Ritesh Gupta for commercial representation in the U.S. Gupta had joined Merman last year but was working on a feature film for most of 2024 so the production company held off until now on making the signing public.

    The director is a former award-winning sports journalist and creative director. He’s created noteworthy campaigns from Budweiser’s viral “Dwyane Wade: This Bud’s for 3,” which he directed, to the multi-award winning Beats by Dre campaign “You Love Me,” which Gupta worked on as group creative director at the agency Translation. The “You Love Me” film, which was directed by Melina Matsoukas, earned a primetime commercial Emmy nomination in 2021 as well as a DGA Award win for PRETTYBIRD director Matsoukas. This marked the second Emmy nod for Gupta. Back in his MTV days he was a producer on a documentary, Aftershock: Diary of Gideon in Pakistan, which garnered a News & Documentary Emmy nomination.

    As a director, Gupta’s approach is to layer a truthful authenticity ingrained during his time as a journalist--along with an emotional intelligence he honed storytelling in the documentary world--to craft his own evocative and unique cinematic style. In addition to his two Emmy nods, he has netted four Webbys, six AICP wins, eight Cannes Lions, 25 Clios and recognition from ADCOLOR and the ANDYs.

    “Ritesh brings a unique perspective to his storytelling,” said Merman global director Ellen Clarke. “He has the ability to identify the multilayers of a narrative and its characters, weaving them impactfully together. His strength lies in his connection to the talent’s performance and discovering the authenticity within the story.”

    Gupta said,... Read More

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