TAIKA WAITITI TO DIRECT TWO CHARLIE SERIES: Netflix has snagged Taika Waititi to helm two Netflix animated series based on Roald Dahl‘s Charlie and the Chocolate Factory. One will be based on the book’s characters, with another original take on the Oompa-Loompas. Both will be based on Dahl but will build out the world beyond the author’s pages. “I grew up reading Dahl stories and lived large parts of my young life in those magical worlds, so finding just the right creative partner to bring Willy Wonka, Charlie and the Oompa-Loompas to life in animation was a daunting task…until Taika walked into the room. Then, it was really obvious. If Dahl had created a character of a filmmaker to adapt his work, I’m pretty sure he would have created Taika,” said Netflix Vice President of Original Animation Melissa Cobb.
WILL CORONAVIRUS NIX CANNES? In a bid to contain France’s coronavirus outbreak, the health minister has extended the ban on large gatherings to May 31, raising concerns over the viability of the Cannes Film Festival. Cannes is set for May 12-23rd, and last year, 12,527 people attended. The outbreak in France has caused the cancellation of MipTV. Currently, France has at least 285 people who have tested positive for the virus, and four people who have died.
RINKO KIKUCHI TO STAR IN MICHAEL MANN’S TOKYO VICE: The Oscar-nominated Japanese actress Rinko Kikuchi is joining the cast of Tokyo Vice for WarnerMedia‘s HBO Max. The 10-part series is based on a book by Jake Adelstein and also stars Ansel Elgort, Ken Watanabe, Odessa Young and Ella Rumpf.
MAGNOLIA GREENLIGHTS GROWING FLORET: Magnolia, Discovery‘s venture with Fixer Upper stars Chip and Joanna Gaines, has greenlit Growing Floret, a new series set to premiere when the network drops in October. The series goes behind the scenes at Floret Flower Farm in Washington’s Skagit Valley, one of the most successful organic flower farms in the U.S. It follows founder Erin Benzakein and her team of growers, who aim to turn 20 acres of chemically farmed land into an arm of their flower farm.