The classic sitcom Bewitched ran for eight seasons and a total of 254 episodes, premiering on September 17, 1964 and wrapping up on March 25, 1972. A spin-off called Tabitha came and went in 1977, then Bewitched received a big screen reboot back in 2005… and in recent years, Sony has shown that they’re very eager to reboot the property again. Back in 2018, it was announced that Black-ish creator Kenya Barris and writer Yamara Taylor were working on a TV series reboot that would give the concept “an interracial twist”. That didn’t go anywhere. In 2021, it was reported that Terry Matalas (MacGyver) and Travis Fickett (12 Monkeys) had been hired to write the screenplay for a new Bewitched movie. That never made it into production… and apparently the idea has been abandoned, because now Deadline has learned that writer/producer Judalina Neira has signed an overall deal with Sony Pictures Television that’s focused on developing drama series for cable and streaming through her newly launched production company, Famous Last Words Productions. And the first project to come out of this deal is a TV series reimagining of Bewitched.

The original series showed us what happened when a witch married an ordinary mortal man, vowing to lead the life of a typical suburban housewife.

Neira is writing what is described as being an “irreverent hourlong” take on Bewitched. (Episodes of the original show aired in a half-hour time slot.) She will be executive producing the series with The Goldbergs executive producer Doug Robinson and Lauren Moffat of the Sony TV-based Doug Robinson Productions.

Lauren Stein, Head of Creative, Sony Pictures Television had this to say about the Neira deal: “Judalina joined the Sony family with her work on The Boys, and we are incredibly proud of her contributions to supporting creator Eric Kripke’s vision. She brings passion and authenticity and has been such a champion for the representation and growth of Latinx writers — we knew we had to make a deal with her! We are so excited to have her call Sony home and can’t wait for what is to come as we deepen our relationship.“

Neira added: “It’s been such a pleasure telling wicked stories with the team at Sony TV these past few years. I couldn’t be more amped to join forces with them for this next big step in my career. And under our newly launched Famous Last Words Productions, I’m excited to both write and produce a full slate of hooky character-forward shows that dish up delight with bite.“

Neira’s previous credits include working as a writer and story editor on The Flash, where she was also a producer, serving as a writer and supervising producer on Daisy Jones & The Six, being co-executive producer on Gen V, and being a consulting producer on The Morning Show. As mentioned, she has also written for The Boys.

Are you interested in seeing what a modern, irreverent, hourlong show could do with the concept of Bewitched? Share your thoughts on this news by leaving a comment below.

The post Bewitched: classic sitcom is being reimagined as an irreverent hourlong show appeared first on JoBlo.

Sony announced its third-quarter earnings on February 14, and they weren’t exactly full of glad tidings for PlayStation fans. For starters, the company revealed it doesn’t plan to release any new titles in its major franchises for the remainder of 2024. Sony execs also said that its current-gen hardware, the PlayStatio…

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Sony announced its third-quarter earnings on February 14, and they weren’t exactly full of glad tidings for PlayStation fans. For starters, the company revealed it doesn’t plan to release any new titles in its major franchises for the remainder of 2024. Sony execs also said that its current-gen hardware, the PlayStatio…

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The EFM (European Film Market) continues to heat up, with another promising project hitting the scene. Will Smith (Men in Black, Emancipation, I Am Legend) will star in the biggest-budgeted project at the show, Sugar Bandits. With a reported budget that circles $80 million, Sugar Bandits follows “a former Special Forces solider who joins an elite, vigilante squad aiming to wipe out the drug trade in Boston, but soon learns things are not what they seem.”

Sugar Bandits has sat on the Hollywood sidelines with Universal setting director Joe Carnahan on the project. However, it’s now heading to EFM, where filmmakers scope out independent projects. Sugar Bandits is based on the screenplay and novel Devils In Exile by Chuck Hogan (The Town, The Strain, 13 Hours), with Smith and Jon Mone producing through Westbrook Studios. Ryan Shimizaki oversees the project, with Stuart Ford joining the production effort through AGC Studios, which is financing the film entirely. Additionally, Richard Abate produces via 3 Arts Entertainment.

Smith is starring in the film, but he’s not the lead. It’s rare for Smith to attach himself to a movie in the indie arena, making Sugar Bandits a coveted project at the upcoming film market festival.

Smith’s last big screen outing was for Antoine Fuqua’s Emancipation. Smith played Peter in the hard-hitting drama about a runaway slave who forges through the swamps of Louisiana on a torturous journey to escape plantation owners who nearly killed him. Smith’s Bad Boys 4 is in post-production, with Adil El Arbi and Billal Fallah directing. Martin Lawrence returns for the action-packed sequel, with Alexander Ludwig, Eric Dane, Vanessa Hudgens, Rhea Seehorn, Melanie Liburd, and more starring as primary cast members.

Details about Smith’s Planes, Trains, & Automobiles remake remain a mystery. Aeysha Carr (Uncoupled, Born Again Virgin, The Carmichael Show) directs, with Kevin Hart starring opposite Smith. The remark takes inspiration from the 1987 comedy starring Steve Martin and John Candy, which is about an odd couple traveling together during the Thanksgiving holiday.

Are you excited to see Will Smith in another action film? Who do you think will be cast alongside him for Sugar Bandits? Let us know in the comments below.

The post Will Smith enters the indie arena to star in the vigilante squad action film Sugar Bandits appeared first on JoBlo.

A Valentine’s Day episode of the Real Slashers video series has just been released, and with this one we’re celebrating the holiday by taking a look at the 2001 slasher movie Valentine (watch it HERE). To hear all about it, check out the video embedded above!

Based on a novel by Tom Savage, Valentine was directed by Jamie Blanks from a screenplay by Gretchen J. Berg, Aaron Harberts, Donna Powers, and Wayne Powers. The film has the following synopsis: On Valentine’s Day in 1988, Jeremy, a geeky boy, is falsely accused by a girl of attacking her and trashed by others. In 2001, the girl is part of a group that begins to lose its members to a killer.

Denise Richards, David Boreanaz, Marley Shelton, Jessica Capshaw, Jessica Cauffiel, Katherine Heigl, Hedy Burress, Chelcie Burgart, Joel Palmer, Brittany Mayers, Kate Logie, Chelsea Florko, Sarah Mjanes, Fulvio Cecere, Daniel Cosgrove, Johnny Whitworth, Woody Jeffreys, Adam J. Harrington, Claude Duhamel, Wyatt Page, and Benita Ha star, with Marshall Virtue as The Cherub.

Here’s what Real Slashers is all about: Ahhh the ’80s. A simpler time where the blood ran red, the boobies swung freely, and the weed was copiously smoked. A time where rampant killers were simply excuses for excessive sex and over the top murder. Yes, we’re looking at an era where the slasher movie ran wild over cinemas everywhere. Today, we’re looking at “Real Slashers.”

The show is Written, Narrated, and Edited by Tyler Nichols, Produced by John Fallon, and Executive Produced by Berge Garabedian.

What do you think of Valentine, and how did you like this episode of Real Slashers? Let us know by leaving a comment below.

A couple of the previous episodes of Real Slashers can be seen below. To see more, and to check out some of our other shows, head over to the JoBlo Horror Originals channel – and subscribe while you’re at it!

The post Valentine (2001) Revisited – Horror Movie Review appeared first on JoBlo.

On April 5th, 20th Century Studios will be giving a theatrical release to The First Omen, which serves as a prequel to the 1976 horror classic The Omen (watch it HERE). Two weeks later, on April 19th, Universal will be releasing their latest monster movie, a Dracula’s Daughter project called Abigail. Today, the Motion Picture Association ratings board has announced that they have given R ratings to both of these horror films. The First Omen has earned its R rating for violent content, grisly/disturbing images, and brief graphic nudity. Meanwhile, Abigail has been rated R for strong bloody violence and gore throughout, pervasive language and brief drug use.

The First Omen was directed by Arkasha Stevenson, based on characters created by David Seltzer, with a story by Ben Jacoby. Stevenson crafted the screenplay with Tim Smith and Keith Thomas. Here’s the synopsis: When a young American woman is sent to Rome to begin a life of service to the church, she encounters a darkness that causes her to question her own faith and uncovers a terrifying conspiracy that hopes to bring about the birth of evil incarnate.

Nell Tiger Free of the Apple TV+ series Servant stars alongside Tawfeek Barhom (Mary Magdalene), Sonia Braga (Kiss of the Spider Woman), Ralph Ineson (The Northman), and Bill Nighy (Living).

The film was produced by David S. Goyer and Keith Levine, with Tim Smith serving as executive producer with Whitney Brown and Gracie Wheelan.

Abigail is coming our way from Radio Silence, the filmmaking team that previously brought Ready or Not, Scream (2022), and Scream VI to the screen. Radio Silence members Matt Bettinelli-Olpin and Tyler Gillett directed the film, while the third member of the trio, Chad Villella, is a producer. This movie has the following synopsis: Children can be such monsters. After a group of would-be criminals kidnap the 12-year-old ballerina daughter of a powerful underworld figure, all they have to do to collect a $50 million ransom is watch the girl overnight. In an isolated mansion, the captors start to dwindle, one by one, and they discover, to their mounting horror, that they’re locked inside with no normal little girl. 

The film stars Melissa Barrera (Scream), Dan Stevens (The Guest), Kathryn Newton (Freaky), William Catlett (Black Lightning), Kevin Durand (X-Men Origins: Wolverine), and Angus Cloud (Euphoria), who play her fellow kidnappers, with Alisha Weir (Roald Dahl’s Matilda the Musical) as Abigail. Giancarlo Esposito (Breaking Bad) is also in the cast.

Radio Silence’s Scream movie collaborators William Sherak, Paul Neinstein, and James Vanderbilt of Project X Entertainment are also producing the monster movie alongside their Ready or Not producer Tripp Vinson. Ron Lynch and Macdara Kelleher serve as executive producers. Jay Polidoro, Holly Goline, Kelly Cannon, and Jacqueline Garell are overseeing the project for Universal. Stephen Shields wrote the initial screenplay for this take on Dracula’s Daughter, and Guy Busick (who co-wrote the two recent Scream movies with Vanderbilt) has since done some revisions.

Are you looking forward to The First Omen and/or Abigail, and are you glad to hear these horror films have secured R ratings? Share your thoughts on these ones by leaving a comment below.

The post Horror films The First Omen and Abigail have both been rated R appeared first on JoBlo.

When MLB The Show 24 launches next month, it will include a female baseball player who made history in 1953. That inclusion will break new ground for the game series, too, as it’s never featured a playable woman character before.

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When MLB The Show 24 launches next month, it will include a female baseball player who made history in 1953. That inclusion will break new ground for the game series, too, as it’s never featured a playable woman character before.

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Co-operative PvE extraction shooter Helldivers 2 features a number of different enemy types, many of which you may have to take out to complete specific challenges. A recent challenge requiring players to take out 20 Scout Striders is one such, and it might be giving you a bit of a hard time if you’re not too…

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Co-operative PvE extraction shooter Helldivers 2 features a number of different enemy types, many of which you may have to take out to complete specific challenges. A recent challenge requiring players to take out 20 Scout Striders is one such, and it might be giving you a bit of a hard time if you’re not too…

Read more…