Grant Heslov News

Whether you like tales of social justice, natural history, close-ups of heroes who were ahead of their time, true crime, or something that's #strangerthanfiction - our upcoming slate will give our members amazing stories they can't find anywhere else. Over 147 million households have chosen to watch at least one documentary on Netflix in the last year, and we're expecting our coming lineup to give members more to talk about with their friends.

Steppenwolf Theatre Company Artistic Director Anna D. Shapiro and the Steppenwolf ensemble announced the 2020/21 Season today. As the storied ensemble theatre company embarks on its 45th season, a lineup of thrilling plays will be featured in its current home at 1650 N Halsted with the final production of the season premiering in the new state-of-the-art theatre building at 1646 N Halsted in August 2021.

HBO has confirmed their slate of captivating documentaries for the first half of 2020, including ATLANTA CHILD MURDERS (working title), a documentary series reexamining the missing and murdered children of Atlanta in the late-'70s and early-'80s in collaboration with Show of Force, Roc Nation and Get Lifted Film Co.; WELCOME TO CHECHNYA, directed by David France, chronicling a group of brave activists risking their lives to confront the ongoing anti-LGBTQ persecution in the repressive and closed Russian republic of Chechnya; NATALIE WOOD: WHAT REMAINS BEHIND, intimately exploring Natalie Wood's life, career and tragic death through the unique perspective of her daughter Natasha Gregson Wagner and others who knew her best; and McMILLION$, from executive producer Mark Wahlberg and directors James Lee Hernandez and Brian Lazarte, a six-part documentary series chronicling the stranger-than-fiction story of the mysterious McDonald's Monopoly game promotion scam and the mastermind who developed the complex scheme, stealing millions of dollars and building a vast network of co-conspirators across the U.S. 

With college theatre program auditions just around the corner, we're highlighting some of the most prestigious theatre programs from all across the country. Today we're chatting with faculty from the University of Southern California's School of Dramatic Arts about how their program is adaptable to changing trends and how it pairs professional training with a traditional college experience. Check out info on the school and answers about their program!

Today, Showtime released the first two episodes of its new dark comedy series ON BECOMING A GOD IN CENTRAL FLORIDA, starring Emmy® and Golden Globe® nominee Kirsten Dunst (Fargo), online for free sampling. Set in a small Orlando-adjacent town in 1992, the series is a story about the cult of free enterprise and one women's RELENTLESS PURSUIT of the American Dream.

HBO has confirmed their slate of thought-provoking documentaries for the second half of 2019, including: Roger Ross Williams' THE APOLLO, an insider's look at the history and legacy of the legendary Apollo Theater; Susan Lacy's VERY RALPH, the intimate story of fashion icon Ralph Lauren; Fenton Bailey, Randy Barbato and Diane von Furstenberg's LIBERTY: MOTHER OF EXILES, a revealing, up-close look at one of the most beloved icons in the world; and McMILLIONS, from executive producer Mark Wahlberg and directors James Lee Hernandez and Brian Lazarte, a documentary series chronicling the stranger-than-fiction story of how an ex-cop rigged McDonald's Monopoly game promotion for over a decade and stole millions.

SHOWTIME has released the official trailer for its new dark comedy series ON BECOMING A GOD IN CENTRAL FLORIDA, premiering on Sunday, August 25 at 10 p.m. ET/PT. Starring Emmy and Golden Globe nominee Kirsten Dunst (Fargo), the 10-episode series is a story about the cult of free enterprise and one woman's relentless pursuit of the American Dream.

SHOWTIME has released the official poster and trailer for its new dark comedy series ON BECOMING A GOD IN CENTRAL FLORIDA, premiering on Sunday, August 25 at 10 p.m. ETPT. Starring Emmy and Golden Globe nominee Kirsten Dunst (Fargo), the 10-episode series is a story about the cult of free enterprise and one woman's relentless pursuit of the American Dream. 

Netflix announced today that Academy Award Winner George Clooney is in pre-production on an untitled feature project for Netflix that he will direct and star in. Mark L. Smith adapted the screenplay from the novel Good Morning, Midnight by Lily Brooks-Dalton. Smokehouse Pictures' Grant Heslov (Academy Award Winner) and Clooney will produce alongside Anonymous Content and Syndicate Entertainment, who sourced the material.

SHOWTIME has picked up ON BECOMING A GOD IN CENTRAL FLORIDA, a one-hour series set to debut Sunday, August 25 at 10 p.m. ET/PT. Starring Emmy and Golden Globe nominee Kirsten Dunst (Fargo), the nine-episode series is a darkly comedic story about the cult of free enterprise and one woman's relentless pursuit of the American Dream. In addition to Dunst, the series stars Théodore Pellerin (Genesis), Beth Ditto (Nocturnal Animals), Mel Rodriguez (The Last Man on Earth) and Ted Levine (The Silence of the Lambs). Created and executive produced by Robert Funke and Matt Lutsky and produced by Sony's TriStar Television, the series is also executive produced by Smokehouse Pictures' George Clooney (Catch-22) and Grant Heslov (Catch-22), along with Dunst, Charlie McDowell (The One I Love), who also directed the pilot and Esta Spalding (MASTERS OF SEX), who also serves as showrunner. The announcement was made today by Gary Levine and Jana Winograde, Presidents of Entertainment, Showtime Networks Inc.

IFC Center today announced an impressive and wide-ranging lineup for the third annual Split Screens Festival (www.splitscreensfestival.com) taking place Wednesday, May 29 through Monday, June 3, 2019, at the IFC Center in New York City. The festival consists of special events offering a variety of looks at history, identity and the mystery of existence itself, including panels on series that explore dystopian realities and alternate timelines, and screenings that transport us into any number of time periods and places, be it a late-1800s South Dakota town or the height of 1980s ballroom culture in New York City.

Hulu has released the official trailer of the anticipated limited series Catch-22.  All 6 episodes of Catch-22 premiere on Friday, May 17, only on Hulu.

Based on Joseph Heller's seminal novel of the same name, Catch-22 is the story of the incomparable, artful dodger, Yossarian (Abbott), a US Air Force bombardier in World War II who is furious because thousands of people he has never met are trying to kill him. But his real problem is not the enemy, but rather his own army, which keeps increasing the number of missions the men must fly to complete their service. Yet if Yossarian makes any attempt to avoid his military assignments, he'll be in violation of Catch-22, a hilariously sinister bureaucratic rule which specifies that a concern for one's own safety in the face of dangers which are real and immediate is the process of a rational mind; a man is considered insane if he willingly continues to fly dangerous combat missions, but a request to be removed from duty is evidence of sanity and therefore makes him ineligible to be relieved from duty.

Hulu has released the first look images for its Original Limited Series Catch-22, from Paramount Television, Anonymous Content, George Clooney and Grant Heslov.

Pulse Films and Paramount Television have announced today a deal to option the rights to journalist Dan Hancox's acclaimed non-fiction book Inner City Pressure for Television. The project is set to be produced by Pulse Films' Thomas Benski, Lucas Ochoa and Sam Bridger. HarperCollins published the book in May of this year.

Smokehouse Pictures, run by George Clooney and Grant Heslov, has signed a two year first-look deal with Paramount Television, according to Variety.

YouTube Premium has given a series order to the dark comedy “On Becoming a God in Central Florida,” starring Kristen Dunst, Variety has reported.

According to Deadline, eight new cast members have been announced to join the forthcoming Hulu original series CATCH-22. The new cast includes Daniel David Stewart (Spring Awakening Revival, The Band's Visit), Austin Stowell (Battle of the Sexes), Rafi Gavron (Counterpart ), Graham Patrick Martin (Major Crimes ), Pico Alexander (A Most Violent Year), Jon Rudnitsky (Saturday Night Live), Gerran Howell (Young Dracula) and Lewis Pullman (Battle of the Sexes). They join a previously announced George Clooney, Kyle Chandler and Hugh Laurie. Read more about the news from Deadline here!

Hulu announced today that Emmy-winning actor Kyle Chandler has joined the cast of Catch-22, from Paramount Television, Anonymous Content, George Clooney and Grant Heslov.

Hugh Laurie Joins Hulu's Original Limited Series CATCH-22 From George Clooney