Netflix has announced an effort to bring literary indie comic classic Black Hole to the streaming service as a TV series.
Heading the show will be I Saw the TV Glow writer-director Jane Schoenbrun, who seems like a great match for the material.
The series, released as 12 issues (but found in most decent book stores in a single edition), is set in the Seattle suburbs in the 1970s and follows teens who contract a mysterious STD referred to as “the Bug.” It causes physical mutations like tails, messed up faces, and extra mouths - all a metaphor for teen alienation and sexual awakening.
The book, written by Charles Burns, is very well regarded and sits proudly on my shelf… albeit with the cover on the spine missing after my dog had a go at it one day for some reason.
Here’s how Netflix are describing the show:
There’s an old myth that haunts the seemingly perfect small town of Roosevelt: if you have sex too young, you’ll contract the “bug,” a virus that literally turns you into a “monster” from your worst nightmares. Absurd, right? That’s what Chris always assumed, until, after one reckless night at the beginning of senior year, she finds herself infected. Now she’ll be cast out to the woods to live with the other infected, where a chilling, new threat emerges: a serial killer who’s hunting them one-by-one.
A warning, the book is pretty weird and wild… it’s not for everyone, which is kinda what makes this adaptation incredibly exciting to see is in development.
Read more at Indiewire.
Bluey is back
This is a low-key announcement, but is actually kind of a big deal.
BBC Studios and Bluey creator Joe Brumm have partnered with Brisbane-based Halfbrick Studios for an original story-led adventure game Bluey’s Quest for the Gold Pen.
It will use voice actors from the show. Whether that includes the Bluey & Bingo voice talent (understood, but not confirmed, to be Brumms daughters) hasn’t been revealed.
The game launches December 11, exclusively at first on the App Store for iPhones, iPads and Macs. It’ll roll out to other platforms at a later date.
“We wanted to make something that kids and families will remember as one of their favorite games of all time,” commented Shainiel Deo, CEO of Halfbrick Studios. “Joe and I have been friends for years, and that closeness made it easy to create something authentic to Bluey while aiming for the kind of timeless fun we all remember from classic games. Our hope is that Bluey’s Quest for the Gold Pen becomes one of those special games that makes the kind of memories that players will treasure for years to come.”
“Witnessing the collaboration between Halfbrick, Joe Brumm and Ludo Studio on this project has been an absolute delight,” added Marina Mello, global director of gaming and interactive at BBC Studios. “It’s been a true meeting of creative minds in Brisbane, and their craft shines through every element of the game. This is a fresh and imaginative take on Bluey—something totally different for our fans, still filled with the humor and warmth they love, but with a touch more challenge for those ready for it.”
Read: BBC
Maybe Apple *is* in the mix for Warner Bros Discovery?
According to a new Bloomberg report, David Zaslav told senior executives that Apple, Amazon, Netflix, and Comcast had shown interest in acquiring Warner Bros. expansive library of TV shows and films.
There’s a lot of back and forth in the media with public comments from the various heads of streaming business’ talking about a lack of interest in buying the studio. But, I’d also point out that this is a once-in-a-generation opportunity to get ones hands on what I’d suggest is the greatest library of titles and IP held by any studio.
Apple makes the most sense to me as the business that could make the best use of what is available, plus it solves the Apple TV streaming service problem really elegantly. Apple clearly wants to be in the TV business for whatever reason, but while I love the service, it hasn’t connected to a wider audience outside of having a hit with a few titles like Ted Lasso.
I’d also suggest that savvy integration of beloved IP into the marketing of Apple Vision Pro would do a lot to drive more interest in that hardware/platform.
Maybe I’m just hungering for a new owner befitting of a business like Warner Bros.
News Desk
Isabelle Tate made her acting debut on the first episode of 9-1-1: Nashville on Oct 9. She died on Sunday at age 23. The cause was related to Charcot-Marie-Tooth disease. Read: Variety
A Peppa Pig FAST channel from Hasbro is coming to Samsung TV Plus in the US. The channel will be branded as Peppa Pig & Friends, the friends being other cartoons like the funny and underrated Ben & Holly’s Magical Kingdom. Read: World Screen
HBO Max are introducing a user feedback system. Read: The Streamable
Netflix has confirmed that the finale of Stranger Things will play in cinemas, but it will only be available on the big screen on Dec 31 through to Jan 1. Read: thefutoncritic
More than 1200 video game journalists have left the media in the past two years. Read: Video Games Chronicles
Fox Entertainment has acquired an equity stake in The Office star B.J. Novak‘s food experience company, Chain. Read: Variety
USA Network has renewed The Rainmaker for season 2. Read: Deadline
Tubi has struck a distribution and ad sales deal with Canadian telco Bell Media. Read: THR
Today THR asks whether we will ever see pulled Apple TV show The Savant released - you may recall it was pulled following the Charlie Kirk assassination.
Trailer Park
TV series remake of 90s flick Malice debuts on Prime Video Nov 14. It stars David Duchovny and Jack Whitehall.
In this revenge thriller that proves the past never stays buried, one question remains: how do you protect your family from the enemy within?
Landman is back for season 2 on Nov 16 by way of Paramount+.
Mango debuts on Netflix Nov 7.
An ambitious hotelier and her reluctant daughter take a trip to Málaga, where they find what they’ve been craving in a farmer’s idyllic mango orchard.
That’s the newsletter for today.
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I had never heard of Charcot-Marie-Tooth disease. Sad. 😢