The Tracking Board’s Daily Debrief (05.15.17)

Josh McLaughlin Named President of Productions at Focus Features

Josh McLaughlin is set to replace Jim Burke as President of Production at Focus Features, the Tracking Board has exclusively learned. Rather than hire an executive from outside the company, Focus decided to promote from within.
 

What Makes a Star a Star? (Or The Curious Case of Amy Schumer)

Contributor Neil Turitz takes a look at what has made Amy Schumer a success but whether or not she is ultimately the box office draw execs believed after the success of Trainwreck.
 

Upfronts: NBC Revels in Will & Grace, Megyn Kelly, and This is Us at Presentation

NBCUniversal put on a big show at their upfront presentation this morning as it paraded a stream of stars for advertisers including Seth Meyers, Megyn Kelly, Jennifer Hudson, the stars of Will & Grace, and more. Energy was high at the event as the network came off a big year with breakout hit This is Us and snagging Megyn Kelly from Fox News.

More News From Around The Web

• Zac Efron will star in Extremely Wicked, Shockingly Evil and Vile, director Joe Berlinger’s psychological thriller about serial killer Ted Bundy that is set up for Cannes by Voltage Pictures and Michael Costigan’s COTA Films. (Deadline)

• Blake Lively has been set for Bruised, a mixed martial arts action-drama directed by The Notebook and My Sister’s Keeper helmer Nick Cassavetes. Lively will play Jackie, a single mother working two jobs and a disgraced MMA fighter who has been up against the ropes her entire life. (Deadline)

• Oscar-winner Colin Firth is set to star in the Pat O’Connor-helmed Benjamin’s Crossing, based on the novel by Jay Parini. Firth will play Walter Benjamin, the real-life Jewish philosopher who made a daring escape from Nazi-occupied Europe through the Pyrenees Mountains in 1940. (Deadline)

• John Hawkes, Logan Lerman, and Sarah Bolger are set to star in End of Sentence, the feature debut from director Elfar Adalsteins. Written by Beautiful Boy’s Michael Armbruster, the story follows a father and son reluctantly embarking on an eventful and emotionally fraught road-trip to Ireland, honoring the request of their late wife and mother. (Deadline)

• Rafe Spall has been set to star in upcoming comedy-drama Denmark, directed by Adrian Shergold. The story follows a man’s decision to leave behind his dreary life and start afresh. Spall will play Herb, a down-on-his-luck Welshman with no job, horrible neighbors and even worse prospects. (Deadline)

• Chinese actor Ludi Lin, who recently starred as the Black Ranger in Liongate’s Power Rangers reboot, has landed the role of Murk in Warner Bros’ James Wan-directed DC superhero film Aquaman. (Deadline)

• It was previously announced that there were four Game of Thrones spinoffs in development at HBO and now George R.R. Martin, author of the original A Song of Fire and Ice book series, has revealed there’s a fifth as well. (Deadline)

• Quantico has scored a last-minute 13-episode third-season renewal from ABC less than 24 hours before the network’s upfront presentation. The terrorism drama starring Priyanka Chopra will have a new showrunner at the helm as creator/executive producer Josh Safran is stepping down from the role. (Deadline)

• A new special from comedian Jena Friedman and series Mostly 4 Millennials from Derrick Beckles and Eric Andre were announced by Adult Swim today. The project is planned as a 15-minute live-action comedy series targeted to the title demo. (Deadline)

• Harris Dickinson is set to star as J. Paul Getty III, alongside Hilary Swank and Donald Sutherland in FX’s Trust, a 10-episode limited series about the kidnapping of the Getty heir. (Deadline)