Tombraider – Animated series based on the classic video game IP.
In line to become Britain’s next sovereign is Charles’s eldest son Prince William, followed by his children Princess Charlotte and Prince Louis. But what happens if they die before the King? Read on to find out. Also on this week’s slate: 12 Scars — drama from Jamie Linden.
The Warmth of Other Suns
The Warmth of Other Suns is the epic history of the Great Migration, the mass exodus of six million black Americans from the South to the North and Midwest during the first half of the 20th century. Pulitzer Prize winner Isabel Wilkerson interviewed more than a thousand people and gained access to new data and official records to bring this untold story to life.
She interweaves the stories of three individuals, Ida Mae Gladney, George Swanson Starling, and Robert Joseph Pershing Foster, with those of their fellow migrants to illuminate the larger forces and inner motivations that drove this historic movement. Her breadth of narrative, depth of research, and beauty of writing make this an essential book.
Sister District is thrilled to host the premiere of this landmark nonfiction work. Join us for a discussion of the book and a conversation with the author! This event is free and open to the public.
They Both Die at the End
Adam Silvera’s New York Times best-selling YA novel They Both Die at the End has finally found a home with Netflix after a reported bidding war. Showrunner Chris Van Dusen, who led Bridgerton for two seasons, is on board to write the pilot and executive produce.
The book follows Rufus and Mateo, two teenagers who receive calls from Death-Cast telling them they are going to die that day. They team up to make the most of their last 24 hours together, but also face the inevitability of what comes next.
This book made history in 2017 as the first YA novel with queer Latinx characters to hit number one on the New York Times bestseller list. It went on to enjoy a resurgence during the pandemic and then returned to the top of the list in 2021. This is an utterly gripping and thought-provoking story that makes you think about the value of life, love, and friendship.
Tombraider
Lara Croft, the world-renowned archaeologist adventurer, has spawned many games (sequels and reboots), comic books, spin-offs, and a movie adaptation with Alicia Vikander and Walton Goggins. But now fans are in for a surprise: the Tomb Raider series is set to make the jump to TV.
Sources tell The Hollywood Reporter that Amazon is working on a Tomb Raider TV series with Fleabag actress Phoebe Waller-Bridge as an executive producer and writer. It’s unclear whether Angelina Jolie or Alicia Vikander will reprise their roles as the title character, but Waller-Bridge’s involvement suggests that the show is high on the streaming giant’s priority list.
At the State of Unreal event in April, Crystal Dynamics formally announced that development on a new Tomb Raider game had started using Unreal Engine 5. The studio promised that the upcoming release would continue Lara Croft’s saga, which seems to suggest that this is not a reboot.
Transatlantic
The period drama Transatlantic landed on April 7, 2023, and was created by Unorthodox creator Anna Winger. Based on Julie Orringer’s book, The Flight Portfolio, the series chronicles the true story of American journalist Varian Fry, his wife Mary Jayne Gold, and members of the Emergency Rescue Committee who risked their lives to help French writers, artists, and refugees escape Nazi-occupied France during World War II. The series stars Cory Michael Smith as Varian Fry, Gillian Jacobs as Mary Jayne Gold, Lucas Englander as Albert Hirschman, Ralph Amoussou as Paul Kandjo, Deleila Piasko as Lisa Fittko, Amit Rahav as Thomas Lovegrove, and Corey Stoll as Graham Patterson.
The CSO was tapped to record music for the series, including Edgard Varese’s Ameriques and Igor Stravinsky’s Symphony in C. The recordings were made possible by generous support from the Louise Dieterle Nippert Musical Arts Fund of Greenacres Foundation, the Cincinnati Arts Council, and the ArtsWave.
Twilight of the Gods
Since the end of his guardianship over the DC movies, Zack Snyder has been busy working on various projects. This includes a 2D animated Netflix series about Norse mythology called Twilight of the Gods, which will be written and directed by Snyder and Jay Oliva.
The show’s premiere date hasn’t been announced yet, but the cast does feature Sylvia Hoeks as Sigrid, Stuart Martin as Leif, Pilou Asbaek as Thor, John Noble as Odin, Paterson Joseph as Loki, Rahul Kohli as Egill, Kristopher Hivju as The Seid-Kona, Jamie Clayton as Hel, Corey Stoll as Hrafnkel and Lauren Cohan as Inge.
Academy Award-nominated Xilam Animation will provide the visuals for this epic tale, and Snyder himself will be directing the first two episodes. Other members of the team include showrunners Oliva and Eric Carrasco, as well as producers Wesley Coller and Deborah Snyder through their production company The Stone Quarry. For more details, visit the official Twilight of the Gods website.
The Fuck It Bucket
Sometimes you just need to chuck it in the bucket and move on. https://www.tellyexpress.com/ is for those times, whether it’s about work, family, or life in general.
The Fuck It Bucket is Netflix’s new British series penned by up-and-coming writer Riley Parker. The story centers on a 17-year-old girl who is struggling with her body image and eating disorder.
Sophie Wilde, who starred in You Don’t Know Me and Boiling Point, will be the series lead. She will be joined by Vivienne Acheampong, who was recently cast in the upcoming The Sandman series as Lucienne, in the role of Mia’s mother. Stephen Fry will also be featured, playing Mia’s doctor. Filming is set to start in May 2022. It will be produced by Left Bank Pictures and executive produced by Parker with Sian McWilliams, Andy Harries, and Ripley Parker. The show is slated for release in 2023.
The Moon Represents My Heart
Pim Wangtechawat’s debut novel The Moon Represents My Heart is an unforgettable and hopeful tale about one extraordinary family, the gift that threatens to tear them apart and the love that binds them together. Heartfelt and hopeful, weaving through decades and across continents, The Moon Represents My Heart is a dazzlingly original and gripping read.
Shawn Levy’s production company 21 Laps has sold a limited series based on Wangtechawat’s book to Netflix, with Eternals actor Gemma Chan attached to star. According to The Hollywood Reporter, 21 Laps senior VP Emily Morris introduced the novel to the streaming giant and will oversee the project for the producers alongside manager Moera Ainai.
Taiwanese-Argentine filmmaker Juan Martin Hsu helms this documentary about a matriarch who sings Teresa Teng’s beloved 1977 hit for a living, though the film’s blend of personal history and fiction feels tacked-on and superfluous at times. However, its uncompromising portrait of an indomitable woman and the idiosyncratic style of the filmmaking make it a worthwhile viewing experience.
The Murders of Molly Southbourne
The Murders of Molly Southbourne is a short novella by Tade Thompson that follows the life of an unusual young woman. Born in a rural setting and raised by loving parents, Molly is unique because of her condition: every time she bleeds, a clone will grow from her blood and hunt her down.
To survive, she must keep her clone a secret and train herself in various skills. This includes hand-to-hand combat, jujutsu, and different types of bleach and pyromantics. She also learns to shackle herself to avoid detection by the clones.
This is a horror story that is not for the faint of heart. Join us as we jump off a conversation cliff and discuss how this work plays with our fear of being unable to defend ourselves.