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Imax Corporation has hired Jonathan Fischer as chief content officer to oversee global strategy across its growing portfolio of films, experiences, and events.

Fischer, who most recently served as vice president of content strategy & analysis, global films, for Netflix, will be based in the Playa Vista office near Los Angeles. He reports to Imax CEO Rich Gelfond, who will continue to oversee IMAX Entertainment.

The new arrival will develop new sources of content from artists and IP owners across the creative landscape, and will oversee a team that includes distribution led by IMAX head of global distribution Craig Dehmel; post-production...

Imax Corporation has hired Jonathan Fischer as Chief Content Officer to oversee global strategy across its growing portfolio of films, experiences, and events.

Fischer, who most recently served as vice president of content strategy & analysis, global films, for Netflix, will be based in the Playa Vista office near Los Angeles. He reports to Imax CEO Rich Gelfond, who will continue to oversee IMAX Entertainment.

The new arrival will develop new sources of content from artists and IP owners across the creative landscape, and will oversee a team that includes distribution led by IMAX head of global distribution Craig Dehmel; post-production...

Exclusive: Sasha Pieterse (Pretty Little Liars) and Mitchell Slaggert (The Sex Lives of College Girls) are set to lead the new Lifetime holiday film A Carpenter Christmas Romance from writer and executive producer Sarah Drew.

Drew also penned A Cowboy Christmas Romance which made hearts race with a steamy love scene and became Lifetime’s highest-rated holiday title last year. The network noted that Drew will continue to infuse the holiday steaminess in A Carpenter Christmas Romance, which follows bestselling author Andrea (Pieterse) who is reunited with her sexy ex-crush Seth (Slaggert), who is working as a carpenter.

“After the success of A Cowboy Christmas Romance, it solidified that there is an audience hungry for spicy Christmas romance movies,” Drew said in a statement. “Working with Autumn Federici and Jake Helgren at The Ninth House was as dreamy this time, as it was last time. I’m thrilled that Lifetime...

National Geographic Documentary Films announced today that the exhilarating Base jumping documentary Fly will have an exclusive limited engagement in 300+ IMAX theatres on Sept. 2 and 3, followed by its television and streaming debut.

The film, which world premiered in March at SXSW and screened at Hot Docs, offers audiences an opportunity to fully immerse themselves in the film’s thrilling, gravity-defying adventures on the largest screens possible. Following the IMAX release, Fly will have its broadcast debut on National Geographic Channel on Sept. 24 and will stream the following day on Disney+ and Hulu.

In Fly, directors Shaul Schwarz and Christina Clusiau immerse viewers into the adrenaline-fueled yet perilous world of Base jumping.

Equally heartfelt and hair-raising, Fly offers truly awesome big-screen viewing, inviting audiences to take the leap into a visceral experience that celebrates living your life and following your dreams through the beauty of human flight.

While the risk of...

Imax and Adam McKay’s Hyperobject Industries have started production on Stormbound, a feature documentary the follows storm chaser Jeff Gammons.

Imax is financing the project, which is directed by Miko Lim (Ocean Mother) using Imax film and Imax digital cameras. It’s slated for release in 2025 across the big-screen theater network.

“Next to firefighters, there may be no more frontline view of our changing climate than storm chasers. It’s a terrifying and beautiful pursuit that will be stunning in the Imax format,” said McKay (Don’t Look Up).

“This film will transport audiences to the eye of the storm. The sheer power and beauty of nature has never been seen like this before,” said Imax head of documentaries, John Turner. “Stormbound is what a documentary blockbuster should be about; incredible storytelling matched with Imax’s unparalleled immersive experience.”

The film travels with Gammons into the dangerous world of storm chasing during peak U.

Oscar-winning filmmaker Adam McKay is set to produce Stormbound, an upcoming Imax feature doc about storm chasers.

Imax will finance the pic now in production from McKay’s Hyperobject Industries. Miko Lim will direct the film using proprietary Imax film and digital cameras ahead of a planned 2025 release.

News of Stormbound, which follows the life of storm chaser Jeff Gammons during peak storm season in the U.S., comes after McKay shelved his Netflix political satire Average Height, Average Build that was set to star Robert Pattinson and Amy Adams to instead focus on a project revolving around climate change.

McKay also directed Don’t Look Up for Netflix, a disaster movie about a planet-killing comet hurtling toward Earth that stands in as a metaphor for the climate crisis. “Next to firefighters, there may be no more frontline view of our changing climate than storm chasers. It’s a terrifying and...

London, Aug 26 (Ians) England fast-bowler Josh Tongue has been ruled out of England’s upcoming T20I series against New Zealand due to an injury. The England and Wales Cricket Board (Ecb) has named fast-bowling all-rounder Chris Jordan as his replacement in the 15-man squad.

Tongue, 25, was set to feature in England’s white-ball matches for the first time after playing in Tests against Ireland and Australia in the home summer. The right-arm pacer took 10 wickets in playing two Tests while impressing everyone with his pace and movement.

He now joins fellow uncapped bowler John Turner in pulling out of T20Is against New Zealand due to injury. Jordan is England’s leading wicket-taker in T20s with 96 wickets in 87 matches.

England will begin the four-match T20I series with the opening game against New Zealand at Chester-Le-Street from Wednesday. It will be followed by matches in Manchester, Birmingham, and...

IMAX Corporation and Crazy Boat Pictures Ltd., together with Oscar®-nominated filmmaker Nathaniel Kahn, today announced that they’ve completed production on “Deep Sky”, a new documentary on NASA’s Webb Telescope (Jwst). The 40-minute short film is narrated by Oscar-nominated actress Michelle Williams, and is currently slated for release across IMAX’s institutional theater network in October 2023.

This announcement was made today at the National Academy of Science in Washington, D.C., as part of the one-year anniversary of the release of the first images from Jwst.

“‘Deep Sky’ represents an exciting return to form for IMAX Documentaries and our long tradition of immersive space films,” said John Turner, Head of Documentaries for IMAX. “Nathaniel Kahn’s Oscar-nominated documentary ‘My Architect’ is iconic and his Emmy-winning ‘The Hunt for Planet B’ served as the fascinating first step in telling the story of the people who built this telescope. Now...

London, July 13 (Ians) India’s wicketkeeper-batter Richa Ghosh will be playing for the London Spirit in the upcoming season of Women’s Hundred competition in England as a replacement for injured Australian player Georgia Redmayne.

Richa, who was not included in India’s ongoing tour of Bangladesh, will join captain Harmanpreet Kaur (Trent Rockets) and vice-captain Smriti Mandhana (Southern Brave) as the third Indian player to play in the Women’s Hundred competition.

The England and Wales Cricket Board (Ecb) also announced that seam bowler Lauren Filer and UAE all-rounder Mahika Gaur, a young bowler who’s making waves in domestic cricket at Thunder, will be featured in Women’s Hundred for Spirit and Manchester Originals, respectively.

Oval Invincibles’ Tash Farrant and Trent Rockets’ Emma Jones have been replaced by Lizzie Scott and Cassidy McCarthy respectively, while Leah Dobson has replaced Phoebe Franklin at Northern Superchargers.

In the men’s Hundred competition,...

IMAX is partnering with Beach House Pictures and China Review Studio on feature documentary The Elephant Odyssey. The film will chronicle the epic adventure of the wandering Asian elephants that captivated viewers around the world in 2020 and explore the rarely seen world of Yunnan, China where the elephants live. Filmed with IMAX cameras and slated for release across the IMAX network in 2024, the 90-minute film is currently in production in China. Alice Gu (The Donut King) is directing with Clair Popkin (Free Solo) serving as Dp.

The film will offer a new perspective on the spectacular story that unfolded when 16 wild Asian elephants left their habitat in Xishuangbanna National Nature Reserve in March 2020. For 18 months, the elephants traveled over 1000 kilometers on a wildlife journey that included impromptu village feasts, riotous raids on grain stores, messy mud fights, and even giving birth on the road. Millions of viewers followed the story...

Imax has boarded production on a new nature documentary, The Elephant Odyssey, chronicling 16 wild Asian elephants’ improbable journey across China’s Yunnan province. Filmed with Imax cameras and slated for release across the Imax theater network in 2024, the 90-minute documentary is currently in production in China. Co-producers with Imax are Singapore’s Beach House Pictures and a Beijing-based company called China Review Studio of China International Communications Group.

The producers say the film will offer “a completely new story on humanity’s relationship with the elephant,” with a narrative built around the real-life story that unfolded in 2020 when a group of wild Asian elephants left their habitat in China’s Xishuangbanna National Nature Reserve. The elephants’ journey was captured by drone cameras and live-streamed, captivating viewers in China and elsewhere. For 18 months, the elephants traveled over 1,000 kilometers (over 620 miles) on a wildlife journey that included “impromptu village feasts, riotous raids on grain stores,...

Imax is teaming up with Beach House Pictures (a Blue Ant Media company) and China Review Studio of China International Communications Group (Cicg) for the new documentary “The Elephant Odyssey.” Directed by Alice Gu (“The Donut King”) and shot by Clair Popkin, the film recounts the saga of the wandering Asian elephants in 2020 and 2021, while exploring the rarely-seen world of Yunnan, China.

The 90-minute film, shot with Imax cameras and slated for release across the Imax network in 2024, is currently in production in China.

“The 18-month journey of the Yunnan elephants at the height of the pandemic was a hopeful antidote to the lockdowns many of us were enduring,” said Imax Head of Documentaries John Turner, Head of Documentaries for Imax. “We wanted to know more about these animals and why it happened. Together with Beach House Pictures, China Review Studio and director Alice Gu, this will be an immersive wildlife documentary like no other.

Amazon Studios has landed worldwide rights to the U.S. naval aviation documentary “The Blue Angels,” which is backed by production companies of J.J. Abrams and “Top Gun: Maverick” star Glen Powell.

The film, shot with Imax cameras, chronicles a year in the cockpit with one of the world’s top aviator teams, the Navy and Marine Corps flight squadron, through their intense training and aerial touring show. Abrams’ Bad Robot, Powell’s Barnstorm Productions, Zipper Bros Films and Dolphin Entertainment produced the project.

“This fascinating and layered documentary is wholly representative of the kind of work ethic, teamwork, and perseverance that goes into being a Blue Angel,” said Brianna Oh, Amazon’s head of documentary features. “We are incredibly honored to join this talented filmmaking team in bringing their story to audiences around the world.”

The film will play in theaters on a yet-to-be determined date before landing on Amazon Prime Video.

Amazon Studios has acquired worldwide rights to the Imax Original Documentary, “The Blue Angels,” the company announced on Monday.

Bad Robot, Glen Powell’s Barnstorm Productions, Zipper Bros Films, and Dolphin Entertainment produced the project that chronicles a year in the cockpit with one of the most exclusive aviator teams in the world, filmed with Imax cameras.

“The Blue Angels” follows the newest class of the storied Navy and Marine Corps flight squadron through intense training and into a season of heart-stopping aerial artistry, and the veterans on the team who, this year, will take their final flights.

The documentary marks the first time the iconic blue and yellow F/A-18 Super Hornets will be featured in Imax. The film also captures the spectacle of this traveling air show through key members of the support staff on the ground, as well as from loved ones left at home.

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Amazon Studios is going airborne with a spectacular squadron of the U.S. military.

The production-distribution company today announced it has acquired worldwide rights to the Imax Original Documentary The Blue Angels, directed and edited by Paul Crowder and filmed aloft with “awe-inspiring Imax cameras.” Bad Robot, Glen Powell’s Barnstorm Productions, Zipper Bros Films, and Dolphin Entertainment produced the documentary.

“The Blue Angels follows the newest class of the storied Navy and Marine Corps flight squadron through intense training and into a season of heart-stopping aerial artistry, and the veterans on the team who, this year, will take their final flights,” according to a description of the project. “It marks the first time the iconic blue and yellow F/A-18 Super Hornets will be featured in Imax. The film also captures the spectacle of this traveling air show through key members of the support staff on the ground, as...

IMAX and Stage Access today announced a pair of film experiences featuring Grammy®-award winning soprano Renée Fleming, as she performs iconic favorites and tours some of the greatest musical cities of the world. Renée Fleming’s Cities That Sing – Paris and Renée Fleming’s Cities That Sing – Venice will premiere in select IMAX theaters globally on September 18th and October 30th, respectively.Both films are Stage Access productions, Filmed for IMAX using IMAX-certified cameras and feature exclusive performances showcasing these great cities as never before seen through the eyes of one of the world’s greatest opera stars. Stroll along with Fleming and her contemporaries as they explore unique art, history, cuisine, and music.

On September 18th, one time only, Renée Fleming will participate in a live conversation, which will be simultaneously broadcast across the IMAX Live connected network to participating theaters globally. Audiences from around the world will...

Exclusive: Opera star Renée Fleming will appear in live conversations in September and October tied to the Imax releases of documentary films focused on Paris and Venice.

The “Cities That Sing” installments feature Fleming singing, along with special guests, as well as exploring the two European capitals. (Watch a trailer above.)

The Paris film will premiere at global Imax locations on September 18, and the Venice one will debut on October 30.

Both films are produced by Stage Access and were filmed for Imax using company-certified cameras. In addition to exclusive performances, they feature the art, history, cuisine and music of Paris and Venice.

On September 18, Fleming will participate in a live conversation, which will be simultaneously broadcast across the Imax Live network to other participating theaters. Actor and producer Kelsey Grammer will moderate the discussion with Fleming, including an audience Q&a portion. It will be held at 3 p.m. Et...

Exclusive: We told you earlier this week that Mark Wahlberg and his Unrealistic Ideas is in early development on a documentary about USC football player turned drug kingpin Owen Hanson who was arrested by the FBI in 2015 and sentenced in 2017 for operating an empire that spanned the U.S., Latin America and Australia.

Now, Deadline has learned that Netflix has also been working on a docuseries with the Feds who took Hanson down. Former Netflix Documentary Contractor John Turner (now head of Imax docs division) is behind it with Greg Whitely. Their docuseries we hear focuses on the Phantom Secure phone which was involved in nabbing Hanson.

Hanson began dealing recreational drugs and steroids to teammates in college during the early 2000s, ultimately building a violent empire. He was sentenced for more than 21 years in federal prison, Hanson was ordered to pay a 5M criminal forfeiture, which included 100K in gold coins,...