Tag: HBO

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HBO and Adam Shankman to develop new series focusing on the gay rights movement in the 1960s

Director and Executive Producer Adam Shankman

Hot on the heels of the premiere of HBO’s The Normal Heart comes the news that the subscription network has picked up a new series about gay life in New York City’s West Village in the 1960s to be directed by Adam Shankman:

Open City is about the gay rights movement and cultural revolution of the 1960s. Set in New York City, the show will explore the relationship between the gay community and the Mafia as it opens a West Village nightclub.

The show will be written by David Kajganich, who penned the upcoming James Franco film, True Story, and directed by Shankman, whose last feature was the film adaptation of Rock of Ages. The series has also recruited Ronnie Lorenzo, one of the original owners of Stonewall Inn, to serve as a consulting producer.

Also in the HBO pipeline are a documentary about Prop 8 (The Case Against 8) and Open, a series that promises to be a “modern exploration of human sexuality.”

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HBO’s “The Comeback” gets a Twitter account

HBO’s “The Comeback” returns this fall with a six episode mini-season.

And what’s a TV show without a Twitter account? Follow Lisa Kudrow as “Valerie Cherish” on Twitter at @TheComebackHBO

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Lisa Kudrow is back on “The Comeback” trail

Lisa Kudrow as “Valerie Cherish”

Dan Bucatinsky posted a few sneak peek pics on his Facebook from the first day of shooting of “The Comeback” comeback.

Can’t wait to see the six episode mini-season this fall on HBO.

The 2005 series followed Lisa Kudrow as D-list TV star Valerie Cherish trying desperately to make a career comeback while filming a reality show.

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HBO’s The Normal Heart covers Entertainment Weekly

This week’s cover of Entertainment Weekly focuses on the developmental journey of The Normal Heart, from Broadway to HBO feature film.

Despite involvement from names like Barbra Streisand, who owned the rights for 10 years, The Normal Heart appeared to be destined for only theater until Glee co-creator Ryan Murphy acquired the rights in 2009 with his own money.

“I really believed in it,” explains Murphy, who first read the play in college and directed the film version. “Larry set a very high price. I gulped and said, ‘Okay,’ and bought it. I think he wanted to see, ‘Is this kid serious?’ And I was.”

Kramer, who’s HIV-positive and currently recovering from unrelated medical complications, was unable to speak to EW but emailed that Heart made it to the screen “because of Ryan Murphy caring passionately about getting it made, abetted by [exec producer] Dante Di Loreto.”

The Normal Heart starring Mark Ruffalo, Matt Bomer, Julia Roberts and Jim Parsons debuts on HBO on May 25th. Watch the trailer below:

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Mark Ruffalo talks to HuffPost Live about “The Normal Heart”

Mark Ruffalo talks to HuffPost Live about what drew him to his role in the HBO film adaptation of Larry Kramer’s “The Normal Heart”:

“I have a lot of compassion for the struggle of people and I was growing up during the AIDS epidemic and I saw how cruel and insensitive people were to these people suffering.

“And it sort of has been forgotten, what happened in our culture during those times…and the small group of people who instituted vast change and brought us to the point today where gay marriage is almost as common as [traditional] marriage right now.

“That was an important story that needed to be told.”

“The Normal Heart” debuts on HBO on May 25th.