During his tenure as ABC’s head of entertainment, Paul Lee helped shepherd hits for the network including “Black-ish,” “Scandal,” and “How to Get Away With Murder,” but he missed having a free hand in content creation. He has that now, he told TheWrap’s Office With a View.
At Wiip, the production company behind HBO murder mystery “Mare of Easttown,” “our special sauce is that we can break the rules,” Lee said. “We can bring in voices that are more distinctive and different from those within their own studios.”
Lee co-founded the independent studio in 2018 with Matteo Perale, the former head of strategy and corporate development at CAA. Besides the Emmy-winning “Mare,” Wiip has also produced Amazon Prime Video’s hit YA series adaptation “The Summer I Turned Pretty” and HBO’s upcoming comedy series “White House Plumbers” with Woody Harrelson.
“We had a fantastic time at ABC. It...
At Wiip, the production company behind HBO murder mystery “Mare of Easttown,” “our special sauce is that we can break the rules,” Lee said. “We can bring in voices that are more distinctive and different from those within their own studios.”
Lee co-founded the independent studio in 2018 with Matteo Perale, the former head of strategy and corporate development at CAA. Besides the Emmy-winning “Mare,” Wiip has also produced Amazon Prime Video’s hit YA series adaptation “The Summer I Turned Pretty” and HBO’s upcoming comedy series “White House Plumbers” with Woody Harrelson.
“We had a fantastic time at ABC. It...
- 4/20/2023
- by Sharon Knolle
- The Wrap
Author Vauhini Vara’s acclaimed debut novel, The Immortal King Rao, is being adapted for television.
Independent studio Wiip (Mare of Easttown, Dickinson) has acquired rights to the novel — which made several best books of 2022 lists — and will develop it as a TV series. Playwright and screenwriter Madhuri Shekar is set to adapt the story and will serve as an executive producer.
“I worked on this novel for 13 years, during which I often fantasized about the on-screen version I’d get to watch one day: how big and dramatic and genre-twisty I imagined it would be,” said Vara, a former business editor at The New Yorker, in a statement. “That this is actually on its way to happening — and with a dream team of colleagues whose work I so admire, including the visionary Madhuri Shekar at the writing helm — could not be more exciting.”
The Immortal King Rao follows an Indian entrepreneur who,...
Independent studio Wiip (Mare of Easttown, Dickinson) has acquired rights to the novel — which made several best books of 2022 lists — and will develop it as a TV series. Playwright and screenwriter Madhuri Shekar is set to adapt the story and will serve as an executive producer.
“I worked on this novel for 13 years, during which I often fantasized about the on-screen version I’d get to watch one day: how big and dramatic and genre-twisty I imagined it would be,” said Vara, a former business editor at The New Yorker, in a statement. “That this is actually on its way to happening — and with a dream team of colleagues whose work I so admire, including the visionary Madhuri Shekar at the writing helm — could not be more exciting.”
The Immortal King Rao follows an Indian entrepreneur who,...
- 3/7/2023
- by Rick Porter
- The Hollywood Reporter - Movie News
Independent Studio Wiip has optioned the rights to “The Eden Test,” a forthcoming novel from Adam Sternbergh, with the intention of turning the novel into a TV series.
The book was acquired by Flatiron, a division of Macmillan publishers, for publication in April 2023. Per the logline, “The Eden Test” follows “a New York couple goes on a secretive retreat upstate that offers a unique program to save their marriage: 7 days. 7 questions. Forever Changed. But a series of unsettling encounters lead them to uncover more about the ties that bond—and threaten to break—them than they ever thought they could.”
Paul Lee, Josh Stern and Gabe Fisher will executive produce on behalf of Wiip and Jonah Hill and Matt Dines will serve as executive producers for Hill’s Strong Baby Productions. Sternbergh will also executive produce. Other projects wiip has produced include Amazon Prime Video’s “The Summer I Turned Pretty...
The book was acquired by Flatiron, a division of Macmillan publishers, for publication in April 2023. Per the logline, “The Eden Test” follows “a New York couple goes on a secretive retreat upstate that offers a unique program to save their marriage: 7 days. 7 questions. Forever Changed. But a series of unsettling encounters lead them to uncover more about the ties that bond—and threaten to break—them than they ever thought they could.”
Paul Lee, Josh Stern and Gabe Fisher will executive produce on behalf of Wiip and Jonah Hill and Matt Dines will serve as executive producers for Hill’s Strong Baby Productions. Sternbergh will also executive produce. Other projects wiip has produced include Amazon Prime Video’s “The Summer I Turned Pretty...
- 10/26/2022
- by BreAnna Bell
- Variety Film + TV
Jessica Chastain and Eddie Redmayne passed through the Toronto Film Festival Monday morning where they discussed their true-crime thriller The Good Nurse.
The film centers on Amy Loughren (Chastain), a nurse who starts to believe that her colleague Charlie Cullen (Redmayne) is responsible for a series of mysterious patient deaths and risks her own life to uncover the truth.
“The thing I liked so much about the film is that we see so often films about a serial killer or a story and its fetishized,” Chastain said while discussing why she joined the project. “You’d see him injecting the bags and I’ve always felt a little dirty watching that stuff. I don’t wanna celebrate or have the media glorify what happened to another human being. I wanna celebrate humanity, which is why I was excited about this.”
Discussing her collaboration with Redmayne, she added: “I’ve always...
The film centers on Amy Loughren (Chastain), a nurse who starts to believe that her colleague Charlie Cullen (Redmayne) is responsible for a series of mysterious patient deaths and risks her own life to uncover the truth.
“The thing I liked so much about the film is that we see so often films about a serial killer or a story and its fetishized,” Chastain said while discussing why she joined the project. “You’d see him injecting the bags and I’ve always felt a little dirty watching that stuff. I don’t wanna celebrate or have the media glorify what happened to another human being. I wanna celebrate humanity, which is why I was excited about this.”
Discussing her collaboration with Redmayne, she added: “I’ve always...
- 9/12/2022
- by Zac Ntim
- Deadline Film + TV
Exclusive: Raquel Nave has signed with Paradigm—having recently wrapped a breakout role in the dramatic thriller Black Flies from Open Road and Sculptor Media. The film from director Jean-Stéphane Sauvaire (A Prayer Before Dawn), based on Shannon Burke’s novel of the same name, has Nave starring alongside Sean Penn, Tye Sheridan, Katherine Waterston, Michael Pitt and Mike Tyson.
Black Flies is about the paramedics who save our lives—and the toll it inflicts on theirs. It is a view of life on the streets and one medic’s struggle to maintain his desire to help, despite his growing fear that nothing he can do will make a difference. It is the story of lives that hang in the balance and the choices of two men caught in the middle. Its protagonist, Cross (Sheridan), is ready to do good. In preparation for his dream of medical school, he hits...
Black Flies is about the paramedics who save our lives—and the toll it inflicts on theirs. It is a view of life on the streets and one medic’s struggle to maintain his desire to help, despite his growing fear that nothing he can do will make a difference. It is the story of lives that hang in the balance and the choices of two men caught in the middle. Its protagonist, Cross (Sheridan), is ready to do good. In preparation for his dream of medical school, he hits...
- 6/3/2022
- by Matt Grobar
- Deadline Film + TV
Exclusive: Boardwalk Empire actor Michael Pitt has joined Open Road and Sculptor Media’s drama-thriller Black Flies opposite Sean Penn, Tye Sheridan and Katherine Waterston.
The movie, based on the Shannon Burke novel of the same name, takes an immersive view of life on the streets and one medic’s struggle to maintain his desire to help despite his growing fear that nothing he can do will make a difference. It is the story of lives that hang in the balance and the choices of two men caught in the middle. Ollie Cross (Sheridan) is ready to do good. In preparation for his dream of medical school, he hits the streets driving an ambulance alongside Rutkovsky (Penn), a grizzled veteran and one of New York’s best medics.
Jean-Stéphane Sauvaire is directing off the latest draft by Burke, with Ryan King also penning. Open Road took US rights for a theatrical release.
The movie, based on the Shannon Burke novel of the same name, takes an immersive view of life on the streets and one medic’s struggle to maintain his desire to help despite his growing fear that nothing he can do will make a difference. It is the story of lives that hang in the balance and the choices of two men caught in the middle. Ollie Cross (Sheridan) is ready to do good. In preparation for his dream of medical school, he hits the streets driving an ambulance alongside Rutkovsky (Penn), a grizzled veteran and one of New York’s best medics.
Jean-Stéphane Sauvaire is directing off the latest draft by Burke, with Ryan King also penning. Open Road took US rights for a theatrical release.
- 5/10/2022
- by Anthony D'Alessandro
- Deadline Film + TV
Spoiler Alert: The following story contains details from the series finale of Apple TV+’s Dickinson.
Apple TV+’s comedy series Dickinson wrapped up its third and final season Thursday night, with Emily Dickinson (Hailee Steinfeld) and her loved ones looking to the future.
As the episode titled “This Was a Poet -” opens, Emily is visited in her family’s garden by Death (Wiz Khalifa), who is donning a new suit and suggests that she herself is in need of “a new look” — a “uniform” befitting her work as a poet. From his perspective, she’s at a point where she should look to “go farther and deeper” in her writing than ever before, and she can do so only by separating herself from other peoples’ expectations, the strictures of which are embodied in the corset she’s long been forced to wear.
“Be who you are,” Death advises,...
Apple TV+’s comedy series Dickinson wrapped up its third and final season Thursday night, with Emily Dickinson (Hailee Steinfeld) and her loved ones looking to the future.
As the episode titled “This Was a Poet -” opens, Emily is visited in her family’s garden by Death (Wiz Khalifa), who is donning a new suit and suggests that she herself is in need of “a new look” — a “uniform” befitting her work as a poet. From his perspective, she’s at a point where she should look to “go farther and deeper” in her writing than ever before, and she can do so only by separating herself from other peoples’ expectations, the strictures of which are embodied in the corset she’s long been forced to wear.
“Be who you are,” Death advises,...
- 12/24/2021
- by Matt Grobar
- Deadline Film + TV
The Apple TV+ original series Dickinson won a Peabody Award for its first season, sparking to creator/writer/executive producer/showrunner Alena Smith’s contemporary take on the coming of age of American poet Emily Dickinson, played by Oscar nominee Hailee Steinfeld.
Season 2 of the comedy, which dropped on the streamer in January, ups the stakes of the 19th century-, New England-set series as Emily moves from her private, literary life and into the public eye. “Whereas Season 1 was really all about Emily declaring to her father and mother that she was a writer and that there was nothing that they could do to stop her, Season 2 has her having won that right from her parents to have a voice and to express herself,” Smith said recently during Deadline’s Contenders TV. “But now confronting the issues of: Do I step into the spotlight? Do I try to publish? Do I seek fame?...
Season 2 of the comedy, which dropped on the streamer in January, ups the stakes of the 19th century-, New England-set series as Emily moves from her private, literary life and into the public eye. “Whereas Season 1 was really all about Emily declaring to her father and mother that she was a writer and that there was nothing that they could do to stop her, Season 2 has her having won that right from her parents to have a voice and to express herself,” Smith said recently during Deadline’s Contenders TV. “But now confronting the issues of: Do I step into the spotlight? Do I try to publish? Do I seek fame?...
- 6/23/2021
- by Patrick Hipes
- Deadline Film + TV
Exclusive: Former ABC chief Paul Lee’s independent studio wiip is developing a TV series exploring the teenage years of Agatha Christie, the iconic British crime writer behind genre-defining characters including Hercule Poirot and Miss Marple.
Wiip has enlisted UK writers Rebecca Pollock and Kas Graham, who penned Ruth Wilson feature The Book Of Ruth, to work up the series, which will tell the story of how a precocious teenager mourning her father’s death became one of the most prolific and beloved mystery novelists of all time.
Set in the early 1900s in Devon, England, Pollock and Graham are planning on writing an action-packed drama, which will be titled Young Agatha. They said it would be a “dynamic and supercharged coming-of-age story” that would offer an “empowering and adventurous take on how she became the greatest mystery writer in history.”
The writing duo’s other credits include 2019 script Betty Ford,...
Wiip has enlisted UK writers Rebecca Pollock and Kas Graham, who penned Ruth Wilson feature The Book Of Ruth, to work up the series, which will tell the story of how a precocious teenager mourning her father’s death became one of the most prolific and beloved mystery novelists of all time.
Set in the early 1900s in Devon, England, Pollock and Graham are planning on writing an action-packed drama, which will be titled Young Agatha. They said it would be a “dynamic and supercharged coming-of-age story” that would offer an “empowering and adventurous take on how she became the greatest mystery writer in history.”
The writing duo’s other credits include 2019 script Betty Ford,...
- 3/16/2021
- by Jake Kanter
- Deadline Film + TV
Exclusive: Sean Penn and Tye Sheridan are set to star in Black Flies, with Jean-Stéphane Sauvaire set to direct. Open Road Films has landed U.S. rights and will release theatrically in the States, while FilmNation Entertainment will handle international sales and debut the project at EFM.
CAA Media Finance brokered the U.S. distribution deal.
Scripted by Ryan King, Black Flies is an adaptation of the Shannon Burke novel, an intense thriller about lifesaving paramedics and the toll the job takes on them. Sheridan plays a young idealistic man who is prepping for medical school and gets a street side view of things when he drives an ambulance alongside a grizzled veteran (Penn) who is considered to be one of the city’s best emergency medics. It is an immersive view of life on the streets and one medic’s struggle to continue to help despite his growing fear...
CAA Media Finance brokered the U.S. distribution deal.
Scripted by Ryan King, Black Flies is an adaptation of the Shannon Burke novel, an intense thriller about lifesaving paramedics and the toll the job takes on them. Sheridan plays a young idealistic man who is prepping for medical school and gets a street side view of things when he drives an ambulance alongside a grizzled veteran (Penn) who is considered to be one of the city’s best emergency medics. It is an immersive view of life on the streets and one medic’s struggle to continue to help despite his growing fear...
- 2/25/2021
- by Mike Fleming Jr
- Deadline Film + TV
Apple TV+ is in it for the long haul with Hailee Steinfeld.
The acclaimed, Peabody Award-winning Dickinson will officially return for its second season on Friday, January 8, 2021, exclusively on Apple TV+.
The streamer today released a first look at season two, and announced that the series has scored an early renewal for a third season.
Created, written and executive produced by Alena Smith and starring Academy Award and Golden Globe Award-nominee Hailee Steinfeld, who executive produces, the second season of Dickinson will premiere globally on Apple TV+ with the first three episodes, on January 8, 2021, followed by new episodes weekly, every Friday.
"In the second season, Emily Dickinson (Steinfeld) is pulled out of her private literary life and thrust into the public eye, while struggling with the sense that the pursuit of fame might be a dangerous game for her to play," reads the official logline.
Jane Krakowski, Anna Baryshnikov, Ella Hunt,...
The acclaimed, Peabody Award-winning Dickinson will officially return for its second season on Friday, January 8, 2021, exclusively on Apple TV+.
The streamer today released a first look at season two, and announced that the series has scored an early renewal for a third season.
Created, written and executive produced by Alena Smith and starring Academy Award and Golden Globe Award-nominee Hailee Steinfeld, who executive produces, the second season of Dickinson will premiere globally on Apple TV+ with the first three episodes, on January 8, 2021, followed by new episodes weekly, every Friday.
"In the second season, Emily Dickinson (Steinfeld) is pulled out of her private literary life and thrust into the public eye, while struggling with the sense that the pursuit of fame might be a dangerous game for her to play," reads the official logline.
Jane Krakowski, Anna Baryshnikov, Ella Hunt,...
- 10/8/2020
- by Paul Dailly
- TVfanatic
Dickinson, the Hailee Steinfeld-fronted half-hour comedy, has been picked up for a third season by Apple.
This comes ahead of the launch of its second season, which the streamer has set for Friday, January 8. Joining as guest stars for the second season are Nick Kroll, Timothy Simons, Ayo Edebiri and Will Pullen. Watch a first look at Season 2 above.
The early renewal comes a few months after the show’s creator, showrunner and exec producer Alena Smith struck an overall deal with the streamer.
Dickinson is one of Apple TV+’s best-received series, and the renewal means it is the first original series to make it to a third season for the third platform. The show comes from wiip, Anonymous Content and Sugar23.
Dickinson explores the constraints of society, gender and family from the perspective of rebellious young poet Emily Dickinson (Steinfeld). Set in the 19th century, the series...
This comes ahead of the launch of its second season, which the streamer has set for Friday, January 8. Joining as guest stars for the second season are Nick Kroll, Timothy Simons, Ayo Edebiri and Will Pullen. Watch a first look at Season 2 above.
The early renewal comes a few months after the show’s creator, showrunner and exec producer Alena Smith struck an overall deal with the streamer.
Dickinson is one of Apple TV+’s best-received series, and the renewal means it is the first original series to make it to a third season for the third platform. The show comes from wiip, Anonymous Content and Sugar23.
Dickinson explores the constraints of society, gender and family from the perspective of rebellious young poet Emily Dickinson (Steinfeld). Set in the 19th century, the series...
- 10/8/2020
- by Peter White
- Deadline Film + TV
“Dickinson” is getting the luxury of a few more wild nights with a third season.
Apple has renewed the series, which stars Hailee Steinfeld as Emily Dickinson, for a third season and announced that season 2 will premiere Jan. 8, 2021 on Apple TV Plus.
The streamer also released a first look at the upcoming season, in which Emily is pulled out of her private literary life and thrust into the public eye, while struggling with the sense that the pursuit of fame might be a dangerous game for her to play.
Season 2 will see Steinfeld reunite with returning cast members Jane Krakowski, Anna Baryshnikov, Ella Hunt, Toby Huss and Adrian Blake Enscoe. Rapper and songwriter Wiz Khalifa is set to reprise the role of Death for season 2.
In terms of new characters, the upcoming season, which was is bringing in an eye-catching list of guest stars including Nick Kroll (playing Edgar Allan Poe...
Apple has renewed the series, which stars Hailee Steinfeld as Emily Dickinson, for a third season and announced that season 2 will premiere Jan. 8, 2021 on Apple TV Plus.
The streamer also released a first look at the upcoming season, in which Emily is pulled out of her private literary life and thrust into the public eye, while struggling with the sense that the pursuit of fame might be a dangerous game for her to play.
Season 2 will see Steinfeld reunite with returning cast members Jane Krakowski, Anna Baryshnikov, Ella Hunt, Toby Huss and Adrian Blake Enscoe. Rapper and songwriter Wiz Khalifa is set to reprise the role of Death for season 2.
In terms of new characters, the upcoming season, which was is bringing in an eye-catching list of guest stars including Nick Kroll (playing Edgar Allan Poe...
- 10/8/2020
- by Will Thorne
- Variety Film + TV
Apple’s anachronistic Emily Dickinson comedy will return with new episodes early next year, the streamer announced Thursday.
In addition to the new premiere date, Apple also announced that it has given the series an early season-three pickup.
The second season of “Dickinson” will premiere Friday, Jan. 8 with three new episodes. New episodes will then follow on a weekly basis.
Per Apple, the new season will see the poet, played by Hailee Steinfeld, “pulled out of her private literary life and thrust into the public eye, while struggling with the sense that the pursuit of fame might be a dangerous game for her to play.” Watch a spooky teaser for the new season above or click here.
“Dickinson” also stars Jane Krakowski, Anna Baryshnikov, Ella Hunt, Toby Huss and Adrian Blake Enscoe, as well as Wiz Khalifa as the character “Death.” New guest stars for the upcoming season include Nick Kroll as Edgar Allan Poe,...
In addition to the new premiere date, Apple also announced that it has given the series an early season-three pickup.
The second season of “Dickinson” will premiere Friday, Jan. 8 with three new episodes. New episodes will then follow on a weekly basis.
Per Apple, the new season will see the poet, played by Hailee Steinfeld, “pulled out of her private literary life and thrust into the public eye, while struggling with the sense that the pursuit of fame might be a dangerous game for her to play.” Watch a spooky teaser for the new season above or click here.
“Dickinson” also stars Jane Krakowski, Anna Baryshnikov, Ella Hunt, Toby Huss and Adrian Blake Enscoe, as well as Wiz Khalifa as the character “Death.” New guest stars for the upcoming season include Nick Kroll as Edgar Allan Poe,...
- 10/8/2020
- by Reid Nakamura
- The Wrap
The following contains major spoilers from the Season 1 finale of DC’s Stargirl.
The Jsa and the Isa faced off in the DC’s Stargirl Season 1 finale, all as the clock ticked down to Brainwave fully brainwashing millions.
More from TVLinePaul Wesley and Ian Somerhalder Respond to Fan's Viral Reaction to Vampire Diaries Series Finale DeathTV Ratings: Stargirl Finale Hits 5-Week Audience High, World of Dance DipsRuby Rose: Demanding Batwoman Role Became More Difficult After Back Injury
With all the gr’ups in a trance and Pat being commanded to strike out as S.T.R.I.P.E. against stepdaughter Courtney,...
The Jsa and the Isa faced off in the DC’s Stargirl Season 1 finale, all as the clock ticked down to Brainwave fully brainwashing millions.
More from TVLinePaul Wesley and Ian Somerhalder Respond to Fan's Viral Reaction to Vampire Diaries Series Finale DeathTV Ratings: Stargirl Finale Hits 5-Week Audience High, World of Dance DipsRuby Rose: Demanding Batwoman Role Became More Difficult After Back Injury
With all the gr’ups in a trance and Pat being commanded to strike out as S.T.R.I.P.E. against stepdaughter Courtney,...
- 8/12/2020
- by Matt Webb Mitovich
- TVLine.com
Mixed-language series based on late author Arrigo Petacco’s non-fiction book Mano Nera.
Us television studio wiip has hired The Traitor co-screenwriter Ludovica Rampoldi to adapt a mixed-language series set against the early days of the Mafia in New York.
The series will be based on the late author Arrigo Petacco’s non-fiction book Mano Nera (Black Hand), which chronicles the work of Joe Petrosino, an Italian-born New York police officer who led a squad of detectives that fought the Mafia.
Rampoldi is one of the creators of the hit show Gomorrah and co-wrote Marco Bellocchio’s Cannes Film Festival...
Us television studio wiip has hired The Traitor co-screenwriter Ludovica Rampoldi to adapt a mixed-language series set against the early days of the Mafia in New York.
The series will be based on the late author Arrigo Petacco’s non-fiction book Mano Nera (Black Hand), which chronicles the work of Joe Petrosino, an Italian-born New York police officer who led a squad of detectives that fought the Mafia.
Rampoldi is one of the creators of the hit show Gomorrah and co-wrote Marco Bellocchio’s Cannes Film Festival...
- 4/22/2020
- by 36¦Jeremy Kay¦54¦
- ScreenDaily
Mixed-language series based on late author Arrigo Petacco’s non-fiction book Mano Nera.
Us television studio wiip has hired The Traitor co-screenwriter Ludovica Rampoldi to adapt a mixed-language series set against the early days of the Mafia in New York.
The series will be based on the late author Arrigo Petacco’s non-fiction book Mano Nera (Black Hand), which chronicles the work of Joe Petrosino, an Italian-born New York police officer who led a squad of detectives that fought the Mafia.
Rampoldi is one of the creators of the hit show Gomorrah and co-wrote Marco Bellocchio’s Cannes Film Festival...
Us television studio wiip has hired The Traitor co-screenwriter Ludovica Rampoldi to adapt a mixed-language series set against the early days of the Mafia in New York.
The series will be based on the late author Arrigo Petacco’s non-fiction book Mano Nera (Black Hand), which chronicles the work of Joe Petrosino, an Italian-born New York police officer who led a squad of detectives that fought the Mafia.
Rampoldi is one of the creators of the hit show Gomorrah and co-wrote Marco Bellocchio’s Cannes Film Festival...
- 4/22/2020
- by 36¦Jeremy Kay¦54¦
- ScreenDaily
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