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Exclusive: Former DreamWorks exec Mark Sourian has been appointed as President of Production for the Angel Studios Original The Chosen, with plans to build out an entertainment “universe” from the hit faith-based series.

Related Story ‘The Chosen’ Distributor Angel Studios Launches Theatrical Division Related Story 'BTS: Yet To Come' Sings Green On Screen – Specialty Box Office Related Story Jordan Walker Ross Says His Disability Took His Character On 'The Chosen' To New Level

The largest fan-supported entertainment project of all time, Dallas Jenkins’ The Chosen is an episodic drama series about the life of Jesus Christ (Jonathan Roumie) and the calling of his initial disciples. The crowdfunded show available via Angel Studios’ website and app, as well as its own dedicated app, has been translated into more than 50 languages, garnering over 510M views across 175 countries. The show licensed by Angel Studios to the likes of Netflix, Prime Video,...

The Waltons is a classic American drama that ran for nine seasons on television throughout the 1970s and 1980s, with a number of television specials in the early 1990s. The show helped make some of the actors household names, including Richard Thomas, who played John-Boy Walton.

Richard Thomas as John Boy | CBS Photo Archive/Getty Images

However, many of the child actors on the show have spoken out in recent years to let the world know that they were not adequately compensated for their work on the show, leading many of them to have a lower net worth than other child actors of the era and find work outside of Hollywood since the end of the series.

‘The Waltons’ is a classic family television show

The Waltons premiered in September 1972 and featured a Great Depression-era family living in the mountains of Virginia. The family consisted of a set of grandparents,...

Donald Byrd’s dynamic 1973 live recording Live: Cookin’ with Blue Note at Montreux got its first-ever official release on December 9th on what would have been the legendary trumpeter’s 90th birthday. In July 1973, Blue Note Records headed to Montreux, Switzerland to showcase several of the label’s stars at the Montreux Jazz Festival. Produced by Blue Note President George Butler, live albums all titled Live: Cookin’ with Blue Note at Montreux followed from vibraphonist Bobby Hutcherson, organist Ronnie Foster, flutist Bobbi Humphrey, and vocalist Marlena Shaw, but one of the performances by Byrd remained unreleased in the Blue Note vaults, until now.

That summer, Byrd was fresh off the release of his hit crossover fusion album Black Byrd, the first of his innovative and incredibly successful studio collaborations with producer Larry Mizell. But in a live setting the band had a rawer, harder edge, as this searing set attests.

[Warning: The above interview and following story contain spoilers about Season 4 of “Ozark.” Watch and read at your own risk.]

For cinematographer Shawn Kim, the pilot episode of “Ozark,” titled “Sugarwood,” stands out for its intensely noir elements and ability to not only present but also ramp up danger within very little time. So, when he had the chance to board the gritty Netflix drama as the Dp for eight of the fourth and final season’s 14 episodes, he wanted to recapture that distinctive feeling.

“Over the seasons, we got to see this story between the Langmores and the Byrdes (Jason Bateman and Laura Linney) — it’s almost Shakespearean in a way, where they’re just kind of these opposites that are intruding into each other’s lives. And [while] expanding the narrative and the characters, you start getting lulled into a sense of, ‘Oh, I know what’s going on’,” Kim tells Gold Derby in a new webchat (watch our exclusive video interview above). “So,...

[Warning: The above interview contains spoilers about Season 4 of “Ozark.” Watch at your own risk.]

Before the fourth and final season of “Ozark,” Amanda Marsalis had directed only two episodes of the Netflix series, the Season 2 closer (“The Gold Coast”) and fifth episode of Season 3 (“It Came From Michoacán”). So, you can imagine that learning she would helm four episodes of the drama’s 14-episode farewell installment — whose two parts debuted on January 21 and April 29, respectively — elicited quite the response from the director. “Shock, gratitude, excitement and nausea,” she enumerates while describing her initial reaction to the news in a new exclusive video interview with Gold Derby (watch above).

Of the show’s last season, Marsalis directed Episodes 8 (“The Cousin of Death”), 9 (“”Pick a God and Pray”), 12 (“Trouble the Water”) and 13 (“Mud”). Out of these, Episode 8 particularly stands out as it not only is the opener of Part 2 but also breaks with the show’s usual style and structure.

Even in its fourth and final season — whose two parts debuted January 21 and April 29, respectively — Netflix’s “Ozark” saw numerous additions to its already sprawling cast. “Each season of ‘Ozark’ is almost like starting over because you kill so many people that you have these huge new characters that are going to carry big arcs,” casting director Alexa Fogel tells Gold Derby in an exclusive video interview (watch above).

Indeed, after the third season saw Janet McTeer‘s Helen Pierce and Tom Pelphrey‘s Ben Davis, among other characters, bite the dust, the fourth introduces a slew of new faces. Those include Alfonso Herrera as Javier “Javi” Elizonndro and Veronica Falcón as Herrera’s onscreen mother, Camila Elizonndro, who thereby play the nephew and sister, respectively, of cartel boss Omar Navarro (Felix Solis). “There are so many outrageous things that take place [on the show], but the style has to be completely naturalistic,...

Sinister spirits set their sights on Carol Ann’s new high-rise home in Scream Factory’s Poltergeist III Collector’s Edition Blu-ray, and to celebrate the January 31st release of the film, we’ve been provided with three copies to give away to Daily Dead readers.

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Prize Details: (3) Winners will receive (1) Collector’s Edition Blu-ray copy of Poltergeist III.

How to Enter: For a chance to win, email contest@dailydead.com with the subject “Poltergeist III Contest”. Be sure to include your name and mailing address.

Entry Details: The contest will end at 12:01am Est on February 5th. This contest is only open to those who are eighteen years of age or older that live in the United States. Only one entry per household will be accepted.

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Poltergeist III (Collector’s Edition Blu-ray): “They are back….again! And they’re looking for Carol Ann in this riveting finale to the Poltergeist trilogy.

For this final week of home entertainment releases in January, horror and sci-fi fans have a ton of cult classics to look forward to, including Poltergeist II and Poltergeist III from Scream Factory, and Lair of the White Worm and Parents from Lionsgate via their Vestron Video Collector’s Series.

Synapse Films is also keeping busy with a trio of releases this Tuesday—The Coffin Joe Trilogy Collection, At Midnight I’ll Take Your Soul, and This Night I’ll Possess Your Corpse—and for those of you missed it in theaters, Boo! A Madea Halloween comes home to both Blu-ray and DVD on January 31st as well.

Lair of the White Worm: Vestron Video Collector’s Series (Lionsgate, Blu-ray)

Bram Stoker’s last novel is the basis for this wild tale of a horrific beast and the evil forces it unleashes on the beautiful English countryside.

Vestron Video...

Scream Factory welcomes back the spirits that plagued the Freeling family with their respective Collector’s Edition Blu-rays of Poltergeist II: The Other Side and Poltergeist III, and to get you prepped for the January 31st releases, we have high-def clips and trailers from both films for you to enjoy.

Poltergeist II: The Other Side (Collector’s Edition Blu-ray): “In this thrilling follow-up to the smash hit Poltergeist, the Freeling family (JoBeth Williams, Craig T. Nelson, Heather O’Rourke, Oliver Robins) settles into a new home following the annihilation of their former residence by terrifying visitors from the netherworld. But the spirits of the dead are still hell-bent on luring the family’s clairvoyant daughter Carol Anne to “the other side.” This chilling sequel, directed by Brian Gibson (Breaking Glass) also stars Will Sampson (One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest), Julian Beck (The Cotton Club) and Zelda Rubinstein (Anguish) returns as Tangina.

A week after The Weinstein Company went after Open Road and the producers of the upcoming Playmobil movie over who actually has the right to distribute the animated pic, the other side hit back – and they’re not playing around.

“There was never any contract with TWC,” says a cross-complaint (read it here) filed today by producers Moritz Borman and Dimitri Rassam and their respective companies in Los Angeles Superior Court. “TWC launched this controversy, masking its current financial instability by filing a strike suit with no written license attached,” the eight-page filing claims, also calling the whole matter a case “about a failed movie license negotiation which cratered.”

It goes on to claim that “the producers learned the production lending bank for the Project would neither trust nor accept as collateral a promise from TWC to pay a minimum guarantee, due to the bank’s negative perception about TWC’s disintegrating liquidity.

This episode of The Stack covering October 8 releases finally sees us caught up from the huge piles of media that covered my desk while I was away at Fantastic Fest 2013. It's a good pile to! American Horror Story Asylum and a pair of vintage sci-fi flicks, Fantastic Voyage and Voyage to the Bottom of the Sea from 20th Century Fox. Magnolia sent the compelling Europa Report, The Exorcist gets a 40th Anniversary Edition and a whole bunch of other goodies hit as well. Whatchadoin? Get watchin! The Necron-Om-Nom-Nom-Nom-Nicon shirt by Nathan Davis...

[Read the whole post on twitchfilm.com...]...

By Matt Hawkins

Ubisoft was in New York City yesterday, to show off their upcoming holiday offerings. Including the upcoming RPG based upon the hit Comedy Central show, "South Park: The Stick of Truth."

In the game, you assume the role as "the new kid" who has arrived in town just as a live action role playing game (or Larp) is playing out, one that’s pretty much taken over all of "South Park," which has gone all "Lord of the Flies" apparently.

So right off the back, you have to choose a side, one led by Kyle, or the other led by Cartman. In the demo, our silent protagonist is on Cartman's side, and I watched him infiltrate Kyle's territory, which is situated deep inside South Park Elementary.

In the process, we end up seeing a boss battle with Stan, fighting on the behalf of Kyle it would appear.

Nathan Davis is the creator of this hilarious piece of t-shirt art inspired by Back to the Future. The design is called 88 Million Years Ago..., and it comes with the following caption...

Celebrating the discovery of a grisly archaeological find just outside Hill Valley, California, that stumped scientists (and made local inventor Dr. Emmett Brown surprisingly jumpy).

Interested in purchasing one for yourself? Click here!

This is a hilariously awesome piece of art called The Black Knight Rises, which gives the Black Knight from Monty Python and the Holy Grail a little Dark Knight Rises twist. The art was created by Nathan Davis, and you can even get a t-shirt version of it if you want!

’Tis but a scratch! Not the scratch Gotham deserves, but the scratch it needs right now!

There was a time in my life when I watched Monty Python and the Holy Grail at least once a week. It's been a few years since I've seen it, but this piece of art has inspired me to watch the awesomness again! I love how the artist utilized the killer rabbit.

Here are a couple of reminders of what inspired this art...

Woot! We got a chance to check out Obsidian's newest game Dungeon Siege III at E3 today, and it fixes all of our loot pet peeves. We've got all the details. Like previous games in the series, Dungeon Siege III is an action-rpg with all that that entails. Loot-gathering, sword fighting, magic and plenty of cool environments and dungeons to do it in. Also of note: this is the first time Obsidian is using the proprietary Onyx engine and it's the first Western RPG published by Square Enix. And this time, you can play Dungeon Siege on a console! Here is what Nathan Davis, a producer at Obsidian Entertainment had to say. .We wanted to make sure we gave you a good multi-player experience with [the game]. We love the idea of sitting on the couch with your friends, getting a...

The t-shirt deal of the day over at Ript Apparel is the Back To The Future-inspired shirt called "88 M.Y.A."

The tee, by artist Nathan Davis, went on sale at Ript today, Tuesday, April 12, 2011, at midnight Cst, and will continue for 24 hours from then, and once it’s over, it will not be sold on the site anymore.

Of the design, the artist said, “88 M.Y.A. (88 Million years Ago)” honours the grisly discover found just outside Hill Valley, California, which has puzzled most scientists, and made one Dr. Emmett Brown surprisingly jumpy. [...]...

Be impressed. Be very impressed...

What happens when you mix one of the world’s leading developers of Western RPGs with the world’s leading publisher of Japanese RPGs and then let them loose on one of the most iconic action RPGs ever created? The answer to this equation is astounding; the answer is Dungeon Siege III.

Now it isn’t every day that you receive a very special treat like this, but when a producer from Obsidian Entertainment offers to perform their Gamescom presentation before the event has even kicked off, only a fool would turn the opportunity down. The inimitable Nathan Davis was in fine form as he showed off a game that represents a first in many respects. Not only is it the first time that Obsidian have worked with Square Enix, but it’s also the first Western RPG to be released under the Japanese giant’s banner.

The world of espionage is rather an overdone subject in entertainment. This murky field of subterfuge, dark glamour and, of course, murder is just perfect fodder for producers of video games and blockbuster movies. However, an RPG experience has yet to feature in the modern day spy game, but Obsidian Entertainment wants to change that with Alpha Protocol. Mixing third-person action with RPG mechanics, the game will allow players to solicit information, subvert dark forces and earn cash from all things espionage. Shaken or stirred, it's your choice. So Digital Spy broke cover with Obsidian's Nathan Davis to reveal the conspiracy behind Alpha Protocol. In the game, players take on the role of rogue agent Michael Thornton who has left the Alpha Protocol agency for some reason which will no doubt be explained in the main narrative. During the around 25 hours of gameplay, (more)...

Quite fittingly for the shadowy world of espionage that it is set in, Alpha Protocol has rather slipped under the radar in gaming circles. Developed for Sega by Obsidian Entertainment, the game puts forward the interesting proposition of an RPG based around modern-day spying. In this, players will be thrust into a truly interactive world in which every choice they make really does mean life or death, for someone at least. So Digital Spy entered the special briefing room with Obsidian's programming producer Nathan Davis to have a sneak peak at a pre-beta build of this intriguing new title. In the game, players take on the role of Michael Thornton, who was formerly part of the Alpha Protocol agency before going rogue. The game focuses on four main hub locations - Taipei, Rome, Moscow and Saudi Arabia - which can be played in any order and skipped between at leisure.