Dan Macdermott: Last News

Max Headroom, with original star Max Frewer set to reprise his role as “the first computer-generated TV presenter”.According to Deadline, Halt and Catch Fire co-creator Christopher Cantwell is writing the adaptation and is attached as showrunner, while the drama series will be produced by Elijah Wood and Daniel Noah’s SpectreVision and All3Media.Originally introduced in 1985 via the hour-long British cyberpunk movie Max Headroom: 20 Minutes Into The Future, Headroom was rumoured to be an AI creation, but was actually Frewer in heavy prosthetics, performing in front of a green screen to give the illusion of CGI.According to his creators, Max’s personality was meant to be a satirical exaggeration of the worst tendencies of television hosts in the 1980s, who aimed to appeal to youth culture despite not being a part of it.Following 20 Minutes Into The Future, Headroom went on to host his own music show (The Max Headroom Show) before starring in the ABC drama Max Headroom, which ran for two seasons before being cancelled in 1987.Headroom even had his own video game, created by developers Binary Design for the Sinclair ZX Spectrum before being ported to the Commodore 64, Amstrad, and Amiga consoles.Since then, Headroom has been parodied by Eminem in his video for ‘Rap God’, and Muse in their clip for ‘Dig Down’.

Cynthia Littleton Business EditorAMC Networks is a few months away from launching what programming chief Dan McDermott calls “the biggest venture we’ve ever embarked upon from the ground up.”The company that proudly bills itself as a high-end TV boutique is preparing to unleash this fall a TV series adaptation of “Interview with the Vampire.” AMC hopes it will become the cornerstone in a prosperous content franchise rooted in the Southern Gothic milieu based on the works of the well-loved novelist Anne Rice.On the latest episode of Variety podcast “Strictly Business,” McDermott details the world-building process that began after the company struck a wide-ranging rights deal in May 2020 to develop all manner of content from 18 notable Rice books. The pact is a good example of how TV has become so competitive that art of development is fielding Marvel-level interconnected storytelling universes involving multiple series and other content extensions, from gaming to podcasts to internet shorts.

Dark Winds has earned a very quick season 2 renewal from AMC!

Joe Otterson TV Reporter“Dark Winds” has been renewed for Season 2 at AMC.The period noir crime thriller debuted on AMC on June 12. The first season will consist of six episodes total, as will the second season. The show is based on the Leaphorn & Chee book series by Tony Hillerman.Set in 1971 on a remote outpost of the Navajo Nation near Monument Valley, the series follows Lieutenant Joe Leaphorn (Zahn McClarnon) of the Tribal Police as he is besieged by a series of seemingly unrelated crimes.

Breaking Bad spin-off following Better Call Saul.Dan McDermott, president of entertainment and AMC Studios at AMC Networks, shared his hopes that another show from creators Vince Gilligan and Peter Gould will come to fruition to expand the Breaking Bad universe.Speaking to Variety, McDermott said: “I can tell you that if I could do anything to encourage Vince and Peter to continue on in this universe, I would do it.“I think you’d have to ask them, but the door is always open and I long for the day my phone rings and Vince, Peter or our friends at Sony call to say, ‘Hey, I think we have another show set in this universe.’”Better Call Saul’s sixth and final season is set to conclude in August. The show is a prequel to Breaking Bad which follows lawyer Jimmy McGill (Bob Odenkirk).The spin-off has also featured other Breaking Bad characters, including Mike Ehrmantraut (Jonathan Banks) and Gus Fring (Giancarlo Esposito).

AMC has been through multiple phases, from its origins as American Movie Classics to its iconic anti-hero years of “Breaking Bad” and “Mad Men.” Now, the flagship property of AMC Networks is entering its next era, as it says goodbye to “The Walking Dead” and “Better Call Saul” in a few months, and hello to its Anne Rice franchise, increased viewership on AMC+ and it’s biggest year of original programming yet.The way Dan McDermott, president of entertainment and AMC Studios at AMC Networks, puts it to Variety, the company is experiencing “a real creative renaissance and resurgence.” “In the wake of these classic, great tentpole series ending, we’re successfully launching the next generation of classic, great tentpole series,” McDermott says. Behind-the-scenes, McDermott — who joined the company right before the pandemic hit — has been leading a great deal of that charge, following a shakeup in leadership that saw the exits of longtime CEO Josh Sapan (who became executive vice chairman), COO Ed Carroll, president of AMC Networks Entertainment Group and AMC Studios Sarah Barnett; the addition of interim CEO Matt Blank and marketing chief Len Fogge; and the handing over of the reins from AMC Networks chairman Charles Dolan to his son James Dolan.“In that time, the company changed dramatically its ambitions and its mission directives,” McDermott says.

Jennifer Maas TV Business WriterThe midseason finale of the sixth and final season of “Better Call Saul” grew 87% with three days of delayed viewership, according to Nielsen’s Live + 3 data.The May 23 episode, which is the conclusion of Part 1 of the “Breaking Bad” prequel’s final chapter, drew 2.2 million viewers including its initial linear airing on AMC, plus three days of mostly DVR viewing.According to AMC, viewership via streamer AMC+ was up 61% over the Season 6 premiere, and “Better Call Saul” currently stands as the top acquisition driver in the history of the SVOD.“The response to this final season of Better Call Saul, from viewers, critics, long-time fans and new arrivals to the series – on all platforms – has been everything we had hoped for,” said Dan McDermott, president of entertainment and AMC Studios for AMC Networks. “The series looks like nothing else on television, which is a tribute to the creative genius and excellence of Vince, Peter, Bob, Rhea, Giancarlo, Patrick, Jonathan, Michael, Tony, our partners at Sony and everyone else associated with this extraordinary effort.

Gangs of London has shared the first teaser for season two – check it out below.The Sky Original gangster drama is set to return for new episodes after record-breaking viewing figures for the first seaso.The series will pick up after the dramatic death of Joe Cole’s Sean Wallace, seeing Sope Dirisu now forced to work for the investors.Take a look at the first teaser here:In a four-star review of the first season, NME said: “It’s a giant war where anyone can be bumped off at any moment and almost anyone could wind up in charge of everything.“Think Game of Thrones, but without the dragons and more modern tailoring.”A release date for season two of Gangs of London is yet to be confirmed – stay tuned for updates as they come in.AMC will be teaming up with Sky for season two and will release the episodes in the US. Dan McDermott, President of Original Programming for AMC and Co-President of AMC Studios, said: “Gangs of London is a cinematic thrill ride that set screens ablaze with a stellar cast, elevated drama and epic storylines, and we couldn’t be more excited to raise the pulse of our audiences with this explosive crime series.” Sky UK’s Managing Director of Conten, Zai Bennett, addedd: “Not only is Gangs of London Sky’s most binged premiere box-set this year, it’s the biggest original drama launch on Sky Atlantic of the past five years.

Joe Otterson TV ReporterWell, that was fast. AMC has formally greenlit the dramedy series “Straight Man” starring Bob Odenkirk a little over two weeks after announcing the show as in development.The show is based on the novel of the same name by Richard Russo. It is described as a mid-life crisis tale set at Railton College in the Pennsylvania Rust Belt.

Joe Otterson TV ReporterAMC has officially ordered a followup to “Orphan Black,” Variety has learned.Titled “Orphan Black: Echoes,” the new series is set in the near future and takes a deep dive into the exploration of the scientific manipulation of human existence. It follows a group of women as they weave their way into each other’s lives and embark on a journey, unravelling the mystery of their identity and uncovering a story of love and betrayal.AMC has given the show a 10-episode order.

Joe Otterson TV ReporterBob Odenkirk could already have a new AMC show lined up.Variety has learned that the “Better Call Saul” star is attached to lead a new dramedy series that is currently being fast-tracked in development at AMC. The series is called “Straight Man,” based on the Richard Russo novel of the same name. It is described a mid-life crisis tale set at Railton College, told in the first person by William Henry Devereaux, Jr.

EXCLUSIVE: Harry Hamlin (Mad Men) has signed on for a series regular role in the AMC series Anne Rice’s Mayfair Witches, and for a supporting role in the film 80 for Brady for Paramount Pictures and Endeavor Content.

Joe Otterson TV ReporterAlexandra Daddario has been cast in the lead role of the “Mayfair Witches” series at AMC, Variety has learned exclusively.Based on Anne Rice’s “The Lives of the Mayfair Witches” novels, the show was picked up to series at AMC in December 2021. Daddario will star as Rowan, a brilliant doctor who grapples with her fate as the heir to a family of powerful witches.“Alexandra is a singular talent who has lit up the screen in everything she’s been in and we couldn’t be happier to have her on board leading the cast of a series that will be a centerpiece of an expanding Anne Rice universe on AMC+ and AMC,” said Dan McDermott, president of entertainment and AMC Studios for AMC Networks.

Deadline reports.  Isle of the Dead will be set in New York City and will follow Morgan's character Negan and Cohan's character Maggie as they head for Meridian, the town Maggie lived in after the apocalypse began.

The dead are all set to walk again.Jeffrey Dean Morgan and Lauren Cohan will lead a new series titled Isle of the Dead, a spin-off of the critically-acclaimed show The Walking Dead, Deadline reports.Isle of the Dead will be set in New York City and will follow Morgan's character Negan and Cohan's character Maggie as they head for Meridian, the town Maggie lived in after the apocalypse began. New series:Jeffrey Dean Morgan and Lauren Cohan will lead a new series titled Isle of the Dead, a spin-off of the critically-acclaimed show The Walking Dead, Deadline reportedEli Jorné, who wrote on The Walking Dead for several seasons and served as a co-executive producer on the program as well, will be the showrunner for the new program.Dan McDermott, who serves as the president of Entertainment andAMC Studios for AMC Networks, told the outlet how excited the network was about the upcoming show.

Lauren Cohan and Jeffrey Dean Morgan are set to lead a new spinoff series, , AMC announced Monday. Set in the world, Cohan and Morgan reprise their beloved characters, Maggie and Negan. The first season, consisting of six episodes, is set to premiere on AMC and AMC+ in 2023. follows Maggie (Cohan) and Negan (Morgan) as they travel into a post-apocalyptic Manhattan long ago cut off from the mainland.

Joe Otterson TV Reporter“The Walking Dead” continues to live on at AMC, with the network greenlighting a spinoff centered on Maggie and Negan.Both Lauren Cohan and Jeffrey Dean Morgan will return for the spinoff, which is currently titled “Isle of the Dead.” The six-episode series will see the two characters traveling into a post-apocalyptic Manhattan long ago cut off from the mainland. The crumbling city is filled with the dead and denizens who have made New York City their own world full of anarchy, danger, beauty, and terror.

Joe Otterson TV ReporterAMC has ordered two new original series — “Demascus” and “Invitation to a Bonfire.”Both shows were developed under the network’s script to series model. Both shows hail from AMC Studios and have been given six-episode orders with an eye to debut them on AMC and AMC Plus in 2023.“Demascus” is a half-hour series about life as an ordinary Black man in America today.

Gangs of London has been renewed for a second season.The Sky Original series smashed viewing records by seeng over 2.23million viewers tune in to the opening episode in the first week, overtaking Chernobyl and Save Me.The series follows the inner workings of the largest criminal organisation in London, focusing on the Wallace family led by Finn (Colm Meany) and his son Sean (Joe Cole).In a four-star review of the first season, NME said: “It’s a giant war where anyone can be bumped off at any moment and almost anyone could wind up in charge of everything.“Think Game of Thrones, but without the dragons and more modern tailoring.”AMC will be teaming up with Sky for season two and will release the episodes in the US.