- Paramount Pictures has announced its plan to lay off 110 employees, or about 5% of its workforce. The cuts will mainly effect those in the finance, human resources, information technology, international home media distribution, legal and marketing departments. “As our industry continues to adapt to an increasingly competitive environment, we are always ensuring that Paramount is conducting its business as efficiently and productively as possible,” Paramount COO Frederick Huntsberry said. For more information on the company’s future plans, click here.
- The Simpsons executive producer Al Jean has announced that one of the regular characters in the series’ current 25th season won’t make it to the end of the show. “We’re actually working on a script where a character will pass away,” Jean said. “I’ll give a clue that the actor playing the character won an Emmy for playing that character, but I won’t say who it is.” To read more about the show, click here.
- Videogame publisher SEGA has announced plans for a new Sonic the Hedgehog TV series. The CG-animated series will launch on Cartoon Network in the US and Canal J and Gulli in France in Fall 2014. The Simpsons writer Bill Freiberger will collaborate with SEGA on the show, which will initially consist of 52 11-minute episodes. For more on the series, click here.
- Kevin James has signed a development deal with Lionsgate for future movie and TV projects in which the actor will star and produce. James’ first project under the deal will be a multi-camera comedy series with an initial 10 episodes. “Kevin is exactly the kind of versatile and entrepreneurial acting, producing and writing talent with whom we like to partner,” said Lionsgate CEO Jon Feltheimer. “He has a tremendous track record in both the film and TV business, and we look forward to partnering with him on a wide range of projects in the years to come.” To read more on the deal and on James’ career, click here.
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