All interviews included in this article were completed in June 2023.
The limited series Painkiller is a tragedy, period. It may have some absurdist elements, like a sing-along at an OxyContin convention in Miami or giant stuffed plushies with Purdue Pharma branding, but the show’s ending is bleak, as the series shines a sobering light on those affected by America’s opioid crisis –– the aftershocks of which are still felt today.
“We set out to make this show about the [opioid] epidemic, what caused it, why it was allowed to go on and, and why it’s very unlikely that there will ever be real justice — at least the justice that’s deserved,” executive producer Eric Newman told Tudum.
Here, Tudum unpacks just how far the pharmaceutical industrial complex went in the series, and how, as executive producer and director Pete Berg puts it, this “distorted, capitalistic nightmare” that churns pills...
The limited series Painkiller is a tragedy, period. It may have some absurdist elements, like a sing-along at an OxyContin convention in Miami or giant stuffed plushies with Purdue Pharma branding, but the show’s ending is bleak, as the series shines a sobering light on those affected by America’s opioid crisis –– the aftershocks of which are still felt today.
“We set out to make this show about the [opioid] epidemic, what caused it, why it was allowed to go on and, and why it’s very unlikely that there will ever be real justice — at least the justice that’s deserved,” executive producer Eric Newman told Tudum.
Here, Tudum unpacks just how far the pharmaceutical industrial complex went in the series, and how, as executive producer and director Pete Berg puts it, this “distorted, capitalistic nightmare” that churns pills...
- 5/14/2024
- by Tara Bitran
- Tudum - Netflix
Exclusive: Former Fifth Season film head Alexis Garcia has launched CAT5, an action film label that will be backed by his former employers, who are among other investors and partners to be announced at later date. As one of its first projects, CAT5 has signed on to co-finance Black Bear’s Levon’s Trade. The film is in production, with David Ayer-directing the Jason Statham vehicle that was adapted from the Chuck Dixon novel by Sylvester Stallone, with revisions by Ayer. Garcia joins as an executive producer. The film is in production in London and slated for wide theatrical release in the U.S. by Amazon MGM Studios on January 17, 2025.
Garcia spent seven years with Fifth Season and Graham Taylor and Chris Rice, helping build it from its 2017 launch as Endeavor Content. Before that he spent a decade at Endeavor/WME under Ari Emanuel and Patrick Whitesell, where he...
Garcia spent seven years with Fifth Season and Graham Taylor and Chris Rice, helping build it from its 2017 launch as Endeavor Content. Before that he spent a decade at Endeavor/WME under Ari Emanuel and Patrick Whitesell, where he...
- 5/2/2024
- by Mike Fleming Jr
- Deadline Film + TV
The potential dangers are boundless in the upcoming limited series American Primeval. Starring Taylor Kitsch, the raw, adventurous exploration of the birth of the American West comes to life in the six-episode series about the sacrifices that must be made to enter a lawless and untamed wilderness. Here’s everything you need to know so far about the grueling journey West.
What’s American Primeval about?
Prepare for violent collisions of cultures, religions, and communities as men and women fight and die for control of this new world — and for a land they truly believe is their destiny. “We are very appreciative that Netflix is trusting us to take a big swing with American Primeval,” director and executive producer Pete Berg told Netflix. “I’m looking forward to taking viewers into the most dynamic, intense, and heart-pounding survival tale humanly possible. We are...
What’s American Primeval about?
Prepare for violent collisions of cultures, religions, and communities as men and women fight and die for control of this new world — and for a land they truly believe is their destiny. “We are very appreciative that Netflix is trusting us to take a big swing with American Primeval,” director and executive producer Pete Berg told Netflix. “I’m looking forward to taking viewers into the most dynamic, intense, and heart-pounding survival tale humanly possible. We are...
- 2/1/2024
- by Phillipe Thao
- Tudum - Netflix
Note: the following contains spoilers for “Painkiller” episodes 1-6.
As “Painkiller” viewers make their way to the end of the six-episode limited series, those holding out hope for justice or a happy ending for characters overtaken by opioid addiction might be disappointed — a choice that director and EP Pete Berg says is only “honest” to the tragedy of the crisis.
“As Uzo [Aduba] says in the middle of the series, the story is a tragedy, and … no matter how much money Purdue Pharma pays to the families of dead people, I don’t know that there’s a number that’s going to ever turn this thing in anything even close to happy,” Berg told TheWrap. “We didn’t want to pretend that there is a happy ending to this story. Unfortunately, there is not.”
In the last episode of “Painkiller,” which is now streaming on Netflix, Shannon’s cooperation enables...
As “Painkiller” viewers make their way to the end of the six-episode limited series, those holding out hope for justice or a happy ending for characters overtaken by opioid addiction might be disappointed — a choice that director and EP Pete Berg says is only “honest” to the tragedy of the crisis.
“As Uzo [Aduba] says in the middle of the series, the story is a tragedy, and … no matter how much money Purdue Pharma pays to the families of dead people, I don’t know that there’s a number that’s going to ever turn this thing in anything even close to happy,” Berg told TheWrap. “We didn’t want to pretend that there is a happy ending to this story. Unfortunately, there is not.”
In the last episode of “Painkiller,” which is now streaming on Netflix, Shannon’s cooperation enables...
- 8/21/2023
- by Loree Seitz
- The Wrap
[Warning: The following contains Major spoilers for Painkiller.] Pete Berg teamed up with Taylor Kitsch for Netflix‘s Painkiller, making for another Friday Night Lights reunion. In the Netflix limited series, which debuted Thursday, August 10, on the streamer, Kitsch plays Glen Kryger, a blue collar father of two who gets addicted to OxyContin after being prescribed the opioid to treat pain from a work injury. Berg, director and executive producer of the six-episode series, told TV Insider Kitsch was the only person he considered for the role. Painkiller is a fictional story tracking the origins of the U.S. opioid crisis, the Sackler family/Purdue Pharma’s role in it, and the stories of families who lost loved ones to opioid overdoses in real life. The Sacklers and Purdue Pharma are still paying the price for their creation and alleged manipulative distribution of OxyContin today. In fact, the Supreme Court of the United States halted the company...
- 8/14/2023
- TV Insider
HBO’s Ballers, the docuseries Depp v. Heard, the Adam Sandler-produced You Are So Not Invited to My Bat Mitzvah and interactive rom-com Choose Love are among the new projects debuting on Netflix in August.
After adding all five seasons of Insecure last month, in the first time an HBO original series was available on Netflix in the U.S., Netflix is adding yet another HBO title on Aug. 15: the Dwayne Johnson-fronted Ballers.
The streamer is also set to add HBO series Band of Brothers, The Pacific and Six Feet Under at a future date, due to a co-exclusive deal with Warner Bros. Discovery’s Max.
Johnny Depp and Amber Heard’s headline-making 2022 defamation case, over a Washington Post op-ed in which Heard called herself a domestic abuse survivor, is the subject of the three-part Depp v. Heard docuseries, which combines footage that was televised and livestreamed...
After adding all five seasons of Insecure last month, in the first time an HBO original series was available on Netflix in the U.S., Netflix is adding yet another HBO title on Aug. 15: the Dwayne Johnson-fronted Ballers.
The streamer is also set to add HBO series Band of Brothers, The Pacific and Six Feet Under at a future date, due to a co-exclusive deal with Warner Bros. Discovery’s Max.
Johnny Depp and Amber Heard’s headline-making 2022 defamation case, over a Washington Post op-ed in which Heard called herself a domestic abuse survivor, is the subject of the three-part Depp v. Heard docuseries, which combines footage that was televised and livestreamed...
- 8/14/2023
- by Hilary Lewis
- The Hollywood Reporter - Movie News
Netflix’s new limited series “Painkiller” tackles the Sackler dynasty and Purdue Pharma’s role in the opioid crisis through a fictional retelling of the epidemic — similar to Hulu’s 2021-released “Dopesick.”
“Painkiler” EP and director Pete Berg says the coincidence was simply a matter of timing.
“We were sort of moving at the same pace,” Berg told TheWrap about the Netflix six-episode series and “Dopesick.” “Both shows were in development around the same time, which happens every once in a while and our business. They went first.”
“Dopesick,” which premiered October 2021, stars Kaitlyn Dever, Michael Stuhlbarg and Michael Keaton, whose portrayal of a doctor getting bit by addiction Berg called “shattering.” Centering on similar themes of the destruction prompted by the opioid epidemic, “Painkiller,” which was released Thursday on Netflix, balances its critique of the Sackler family — led by Matthew Broderick’s Richard Sackler — with touching vignettes portrayed by Uzo Aduba,...
“Painkiler” EP and director Pete Berg says the coincidence was simply a matter of timing.
“We were sort of moving at the same pace,” Berg told TheWrap about the Netflix six-episode series and “Dopesick.” “Both shows were in development around the same time, which happens every once in a while and our business. They went first.”
“Dopesick,” which premiered October 2021, stars Kaitlyn Dever, Michael Stuhlbarg and Michael Keaton, whose portrayal of a doctor getting bit by addiction Berg called “shattering.” Centering on similar themes of the destruction prompted by the opioid epidemic, “Painkiller,” which was released Thursday on Netflix, balances its critique of the Sackler family — led by Matthew Broderick’s Richard Sackler — with touching vignettes portrayed by Uzo Aduba,...
- 8/11/2023
- by Loree Seitz
- The Wrap
Purdue Pharma and the Sackler family, the entities responsible for the creation of OxyContin and its subsequent addiction epidemic, seem to finally be facing consequences. On Thursday, August 10, the Supreme Court blocked Purdue Pharma’s bankruptcy deal that would settle the scores of civil lawsuits against the pharmaceutical company, which has been evading legal persecution for its alleged role in the U.S. opioid crisis for decades. Painkiller, a six-part scripted limited series tracking the origins of the crisis and that evasion, premiered on Netflix the same day. TV Insider spoke with director and executive producer Pete Berg (Friday Night Lights) on August 11 to discuss the series. Given the coincidental synchronicity of the Scotus decision and Painkiller‘s release date, we asked Berg for this thoughts on the matter. “I think it’s exactly what should have happened,” Berg tells us. “The Sacklers have been really, really effective at using...
- 8/11/2023
- TV Insider
Netflix's "Painkiller" tells the story of how one family built a business that helped launch the opioid crisis, and how they evaded real consequences for a long time even amid ongoing legal struggles. The limited series, which premieres on Aug. 10, is based on Patrick Radden Keefe's 2017 New Yorker article "The Family That Built an Empire of Pain" and Barry Meier's book "Pain Killer: An Empire of Deceit and the Origin of America's Opioid Epidemic," which both chronicle how Purdue Pharma - led by the Sackler family - obscured the truth about their product OxyContin.
Are the Characters in "Painkiller" Based on Real People?
"Painkiller" is a scripted series, but it sticks closely to real-life events as it traces the rise and fall of the Sackler family's empire. Most of its main characters are fictional, including Edie Flowers (Uzo Aduba), a lawyer from Virginia who, in the series,...
Are the Characters in "Painkiller" Based on Real People?
"Painkiller" is a scripted series, but it sticks closely to real-life events as it traces the rise and fall of the Sackler family's empire. Most of its main characters are fictional, including Edie Flowers (Uzo Aduba), a lawyer from Virginia who, in the series,...
- 8/11/2023
- by Eden Arielle Gordon
- Popsugar.com
[This interview was conducted prior to the SAG-AFTRA strike authorization.] OxyContin was promoted as a nonaddictive pill that would end pain; instead, it brought agony. Netflix‘s six-episode limited series Painkiller (covering similar ground as Hulu’s Dopesick) dramatizes how the powerful prescription opioid, manufactured by drug company Purdue Pharma, led to a massive rise in addiction and deaths. It’s populated by real and composite players. The Villains Purdue’s owners, the Sackler family, especially cunning president and chairman Richard. “This is a conspiracy story,” says executive producer Eric Newman, comparing Purdue to the Mexican cartels in his hit show Narcos. Executive producer and director Pete Berg adds, “They knew they were basically mass-producing heroin.” Young sales reps were sent out to charm doctors into buying their wonder drug, promising higher profits. “From a capitalist standpoint,” observes Berg, “it was a brilliant plan. For humanity, it was an absolute ...
- 8/6/2023
- TV Insider
Calling all Bravoholics! Fans will be able to purchase three-day tickets for the upcoming BravoCon beginning Friday, July 21 at 12 p.m. Et/ 9 a.m. Pt, NBCU announced on Thursday.
Fans who decide to purchase tickets on July 21, will have the choice between the three-day “Bravoholic” general admission and “Future Bravolebrity” VIP tickets for the Las Vegas event.
The annual convention will relocate for the 2023 event and take place from Nov. 3-5 at Caesars Forum on the Las Vegas Strip. Fans will have the opportunity to attend over 60 live events that will host their favorite cast members, from several Bravo franchises including “The Real Housewives,” “Vanderpump Rules,” “Below Deck,” “Southern Charm,” “Summer House” and “Winter House.” In between attending live events, fans will have the opportunity to shop around the Bravo Bazaar, attend VIP talent meet and greets and participate in immersive activations.
In addition to panels with the casts, fans...
Fans who decide to purchase tickets on July 21, will have the choice between the three-day “Bravoholic” general admission and “Future Bravolebrity” VIP tickets for the Las Vegas event.
The annual convention will relocate for the 2023 event and take place from Nov. 3-5 at Caesars Forum on the Las Vegas Strip. Fans will have the opportunity to attend over 60 live events that will host their favorite cast members, from several Bravo franchises including “The Real Housewives,” “Vanderpump Rules,” “Below Deck,” “Southern Charm,” “Summer House” and “Winter House.” In between attending live events, fans will have the opportunity to shop around the Bravo Bazaar, attend VIP talent meet and greets and participate in immersive activations.
In addition to panels with the casts, fans...
- 7/13/2023
- by Sophia Scorziello, Charna Flam and McKinley Franklin
- Variety Film + TV
Shea Whigham thought his pursuit of Joaquin Phoenix’s Joker would forever be his toughest assignment, but then Tom Cruise’s Ethan Hunt quickly proved him wrong in Mission: Impossible — Dead Reckoning Part One.
In Christopher “McQ” McQuarrie’s critically acclaimed seventh chapter of the spy action franchise, Whigham plays Jasper Briggs, a foot soldier for the CIA’s Clandestine Services, and together with his partner Degas (Greg Tarzan Davis), he’s tasked with the tall order of chasing Ethan Hunt around the world. And while his similar role in Todd Phillips’ box office smash hit Joker (2019) would seem like the inspiration for his Mission casting, it was actually his Dod bureaucrat character from the Sam Esmail-directed and Julie Roberts-led Homecoming that piqued McQ’s interest.
“Mission: Impossible – Fallout and Homecoming were nominated for some stuff at one of those functions [24th Critics’ Choice Awards]. And [McQ and I] happened to be behind each other,...
In Christopher “McQ” McQuarrie’s critically acclaimed seventh chapter of the spy action franchise, Whigham plays Jasper Briggs, a foot soldier for the CIA’s Clandestine Services, and together with his partner Degas (Greg Tarzan Davis), he’s tasked with the tall order of chasing Ethan Hunt around the world. And while his similar role in Todd Phillips’ box office smash hit Joker (2019) would seem like the inspiration for his Mission casting, it was actually his Dod bureaucrat character from the Sam Esmail-directed and Julie Roberts-led Homecoming that piqued McQ’s interest.
“Mission: Impossible – Fallout and Homecoming were nominated for some stuff at one of those functions [24th Critics’ Choice Awards]. And [McQ and I] happened to be behind each other,...
- 7/12/2023
- by Brian Davids
- The Hollywood Reporter - Movie News
There’s a thin line between pain and pleasure, and if you’re not careful, people looking to get rich off your threshold will take advantage. Netflix‘s new Painkiller trailer looks at the ongoing opioid crisis, with the war between medicine and money raging like roaring wildfire in certain parts of the world. According to Netflix, Painkiller presents a 6-episode series exploring the “how” and the “who” of the epidemic.
Here’s the official synopsis for Painkiller:
A fictionalized retelling of events, Painkiller is a scripted limited series that explores some of the origins and aftermath of the opioid crisis in America, highlighting the stories of the perpetrators, victims, and truth-seekers whose lives are forever altered by the invention of OxyContin. An examination of crime, accountability, and the systems that have repeatedly failed hundreds of thousands of Americans, Painkiller is based on the book “Pain Killer” by Barry Meier...
Here’s the official synopsis for Painkiller:
A fictionalized retelling of events, Painkiller is a scripted limited series that explores some of the origins and aftermath of the opioid crisis in America, highlighting the stories of the perpetrators, victims, and truth-seekers whose lives are forever altered by the invention of OxyContin. An examination of crime, accountability, and the systems that have repeatedly failed hundreds of thousands of Americans, Painkiller is based on the book “Pain Killer” by Barry Meier...
- 7/11/2023
- by Steve Seigh
- JoBlo.com
The national opioid crisis has inspired a new series that hopes to lead to change. On Tuesday, Netflix released the trailer for Painkiller, a six-episode fictional series inspired by the real events that led to the rise of Purdue Pharma and Oxycontin.
Uzo Aduba plays the lead prosecutor Edie Flowers, who works to take down Purdue Pharma, as her character accuses the company of “doing the same as every crack dealer in America, but they’re getting rewarded for it.”
The trailer follows Matthew Broderick in the role of Purdue...
Uzo Aduba plays the lead prosecutor Edie Flowers, who works to take down Purdue Pharma, as her character accuses the company of “doing the same as every crack dealer in America, but they’re getting rewarded for it.”
The trailer follows Matthew Broderick in the role of Purdue...
- 7/11/2023
- by Tomás Mier
- Rollingstone.com
"The more you prescribe, the more you'll help." Netflix has revealed a trailer for their series Painkiller, a scripted account about the origins of the opioid crisis in America. The series is directed by Pete Berg, yes that Pete Berg, director of the movies Friday Night Lights, Hancock, Battleship, Lone Survivor, Deepwater Horizon, and Patriots Day. Over its six episodes, Painkiller sets out to unpack the "how" and "who" of the epidemic. "This is the origin story of the collision between medicine and money that allowed it to happen. One of the many things that I thought was missing [from the conversation] was the introduction of the drug into mainstream medicine. How Arthur Sackler, this psychiatrist... who specialized in lobotomies, started to realize that the future was in pills — specifically in advertising pills. Whoever could market their drug better was going to make the most money." The tone of the series acts as...
- 7/11/2023
- by Alex Billington
- firstshowing.net
Netflix this morning dropped the official trailer for the six-part limited series “Painkiller” starring Uzo Aduba, Matthew Broderick, Taylor Kitsch, Dana Shihabi and West Duchovny that premieres August 10 on the streamer. The scripted series – inspired by real events and based on the book “Pain Killer” by Barry Meier and the New Yorker magazine article “The Family That Built an Empire of Pain” by Patrick Radden Keefe, both of whom are consultants on the series – surrounds America’s opioid crisis and the Sackler family. All six installments are directed by two-time Emmy nominee Pete Berg, who also serves as an executive producer. See the official trailer above.
The series will highlight “the stories of the perpetrators, victims and truth-seekers whose lives are forever altered by the invention of OxyContin.” “Painkillers” also examines “the crime, accountability and the systems that have repeatedly failed hundreds of thousands of Americans.” Writers Micah Fitzerman-Blue and...
The series will highlight “the stories of the perpetrators, victims and truth-seekers whose lives are forever altered by the invention of OxyContin.” “Painkillers” also examines “the crime, accountability and the systems that have repeatedly failed hundreds of thousands of Americans.” Writers Micah Fitzerman-Blue and...
- 7/11/2023
- by Ray Richmond
- Gold Derby
Uzo Aduba shot to stardom ten years ago for her work as Suzanne "Crazy Eyes" Warren on Netflix's groundbreaking drama Orange is the New Black.
The role won Aduba countless awards, and now, the star is reteaming with Netflix for a fictionalized retelling of the opioid crisis that plagues the U.S.
Netflix went public with the official trailer and premiere date for the series on Tuesday morning, and it looks to be another phenomenal performance from Aduba.
The series is set to premiere its entire six-episode-run in Netflix territories around the globe on August 10.
On the casting news front, the series is stacked.
Aduba's Edie goes up against Matthew Broderick's take on Richard Sackler, and let's just say the pair are very different, which adds to the dynamic the two stars bring to the show.
The cast includes Sam Anderson as Raymond Sackler, Taylor Kitsch as Glen Kryger,...
The role won Aduba countless awards, and now, the star is reteaming with Netflix for a fictionalized retelling of the opioid crisis that plagues the U.S.
Netflix went public with the official trailer and premiere date for the series on Tuesday morning, and it looks to be another phenomenal performance from Aduba.
The series is set to premiere its entire six-episode-run in Netflix territories around the globe on August 10.
On the casting news front, the series is stacked.
Aduba's Edie goes up against Matthew Broderick's take on Richard Sackler, and let's just say the pair are very different, which adds to the dynamic the two stars bring to the show.
The cast includes Sam Anderson as Raymond Sackler, Taylor Kitsch as Glen Kryger,...
- 7/11/2023
- by Paul Dailly
- TVfanatic
It’s Matthew Broderick like you’ve never seen him (and never wanted to see him) before.
The actor takes center stage in Netflix’s just-released trailer for Painkiller, a six-episode limited series about the origins of America’s opioid crisis, looming large as a key figure in the rise of OxyContin.
More from TVLineCheers to The Witcher for Giving Jaskier a Swoonworthy Romance, One of the Best Surprises of Season 3 (So Far)Candace Cameron Bure Denies Trying to Have Miss Benny's Gay Fuller House Character Written OutSex Education Ending With Season 4 - Get Release Date and Watch Teaser
Described...
The actor takes center stage in Netflix’s just-released trailer for Painkiller, a six-episode limited series about the origins of America’s opioid crisis, looming large as a key figure in the rise of OxyContin.
More from TVLineCheers to The Witcher for Giving Jaskier a Swoonworthy Romance, One of the Best Surprises of Season 3 (So Far)Candace Cameron Bure Denies Trying to Have Miss Benny's Gay Fuller House Character Written OutSex Education Ending With Season 4 - Get Release Date and Watch Teaser
Described...
- 7/11/2023
- by Andy Swift
- TVLine.com
Painkiller, Netflix’s anticipated and upcoming new limited series about the U.S. opioid crisis, has dropped its first trailer.
The six-episode series releasing Aug. 10 from the EP team of Eric Newman (Narcos, True Story) and director Pete Berg (Friday Night Lights, Spenser Confidential) is inspired by real events amid the country’s opioid crisis and features a cast including Uzo Aduba, Matthew Broderick, Taylor Kitsch (marking a Fnl reunion with Berg), Dina Shihabi, West Duchovny and John Rothman.
Alex Gibney (The Crime of the Century, Going Clear) also executive produces with creators, showrunners and writers Micah Fitzerman-Blue and Noah Harpster (A Beautiful Day in the Neighborhood).
The trailer introduces Aduba’s character as Edie, the investigator leading the case against Purdue Pharma, with Broderick playing Richard Sackler, a scion of the billionaire family that controls Purdue and a senior executive at the company.
Sackler explains that human behavior is...
The six-episode series releasing Aug. 10 from the EP team of Eric Newman (Narcos, True Story) and director Pete Berg (Friday Night Lights, Spenser Confidential) is inspired by real events amid the country’s opioid crisis and features a cast including Uzo Aduba, Matthew Broderick, Taylor Kitsch (marking a Fnl reunion with Berg), Dina Shihabi, West Duchovny and John Rothman.
Alex Gibney (The Crime of the Century, Going Clear) also executive produces with creators, showrunners and writers Micah Fitzerman-Blue and Noah Harpster (A Beautiful Day in the Neighborhood).
The trailer introduces Aduba’s character as Edie, the investigator leading the case against Purdue Pharma, with Broderick playing Richard Sackler, a scion of the billionaire family that controls Purdue and a senior executive at the company.
Sackler explains that human behavior is...
- 7/11/2023
- by Jackie Strause
- The Hollywood Reporter - Movie News
While professional football has always captivated American audiences with its gladiatorial drama and drive, it’s at heart a multi-billion-dollar enterprise, propelled by profits and ratings. But amateur football, especially at the high school level, is a galvanizing force for communities, both rural and urban. It brings hope and unity; it’s an escape and an outlet; and for some it’s a pathway out of poverty.
Pete Berg’s Friday Night Lights, the feature film and subsequent long running fiction series about football culture in a small town in Texas, arguably paved the way for such docs as Undefeated, Last Chance U and Outta the Muck, where football serves as the narrative throughline and pretext for a deeper exploration of race and class. Boys in Blue, Berg’s docuseries about a Minneapolis high school football team and the sociocultural challenges that its community faces, premiered on Showtime in January...
Pete Berg’s Friday Night Lights, the feature film and subsequent long running fiction series about football culture in a small town in Texas, arguably paved the way for such docs as Undefeated, Last Chance U and Outta the Muck, where football serves as the narrative throughline and pretext for a deeper exploration of race and class. Boys in Blue, Berg’s docuseries about a Minneapolis high school football team and the sociocultural challenges that its community faces, premiered on Showtime in January...
- 6/16/2023
- by Tom White
- Deadline Film + TV
“I went to a college in St. Paul, Minnesota, a school called Macalester College in the late 80s,” says actor, producer and filmmaker Pete Berg. “I lived in the Twin Cities for five years of my life. They were some of the happiest years of my life. It was kind of a magical time. Prince was just kind of blowing up and we used to go see Prince at First Avenue, a great music venue in Minneapolis. My memories were of an incredibly peaceful place. A very nice place. I remember a real diversity. When the George Floyd killing occurred, I was devastated. Like many filmmakers, writers and artists, I felt compelled to have some sort of creative response.” Watch our video interview above.
Berg read a New York Times article about the Minneapolis North High football program that is coached by Minneapolis police officers. The school with a predominantly...
Berg read a New York Times article about the Minneapolis North High football program that is coached by Minneapolis police officers. The school with a predominantly...
- 5/9/2023
- by Denton Davidson
- Gold Derby
Netflix has another limited series on tap for later this year, and it's sure to be one of the most talked-about shows of the year.
The streaming service on Monday dropped the first look photos and premiere date for Painkiller.
The highly-anticipated drama touches down on Thursday, August 10.
Netflix stresses that the series is "a fictionalized retelling of events."
Painkiller "explores some of the origins and aftermath of the opioid crisis in America, highlighting the stories of the perpetrators, victims, and truth-seekers whose lives are forever altered by the invention of OxyContin."
"An examination of crime, accountability, and the systems that have repeatedly failed hundreds of thousands of Americans, Painkiller is based on the book Pain Killer by Barry Meier and the New Yorker Magazine article 'The Family That Built the Empire of Pain' by Patrick Radden Keefe."
The series is executive produced by Eric Newman, Pete Berg, Alex Gibney,...
The streaming service on Monday dropped the first look photos and premiere date for Painkiller.
The highly-anticipated drama touches down on Thursday, August 10.
Netflix stresses that the series is "a fictionalized retelling of events."
Painkiller "explores some of the origins and aftermath of the opioid crisis in America, highlighting the stories of the perpetrators, victims, and truth-seekers whose lives are forever altered by the invention of OxyContin."
"An examination of crime, accountability, and the systems that have repeatedly failed hundreds of thousands of Americans, Painkiller is based on the book Pain Killer by Barry Meier and the New Yorker Magazine article 'The Family That Built the Empire of Pain' by Patrick Radden Keefe."
The series is executive produced by Eric Newman, Pete Berg, Alex Gibney,...
- 5/8/2023
- by Paul Dailly
- TVfanatic
Matthew Broderick and Uzo Aduba are teaming up in Netflix’s limited series Painkiller, which will make its debut on Thursday, Aug. 10, the streamer announced Monday.
According to the official synopsis, Painkiller is a fictionalized retelling of events “that explores some of the origins and aftermath of the opioid crisis in America, highlighting the stories of the perpetrators, victims, and truth-seekers whose lives are forever altered by the invention of OxyContin.” The series serves as “an examination of crime, accountability, and the systems that have repeatedly failed hundreds of thousands of Americans.”
More from TVLineQueen Charlotte: Alicia Keys Enlists Women...
According to the official synopsis, Painkiller is a fictionalized retelling of events “that explores some of the origins and aftermath of the opioid crisis in America, highlighting the stories of the perpetrators, victims, and truth-seekers whose lives are forever altered by the invention of OxyContin.” The series serves as “an examination of crime, accountability, and the systems that have repeatedly failed hundreds of thousands of Americans.”
More from TVLineQueen Charlotte: Alicia Keys Enlists Women...
- 5/8/2023
- by Claire Franken
- TVLine.com
Serena Williams is getting serious about her entertainment career, launching new multimedia production company 926 Productions.
The multihyphenate tennis legend, who announced her retirement from the sport in 2022, makes her producing ambitions even clearer after the considerable success of Oscar-nominated feature King Richard. Her company’s launch coincides with a first-look TV deal at Amazon Studios and the appointment of Caroline Currier as president.
“With the launch of 926 Productions, we aim to elevate female and diverse voices through content that speaks to everyone,” said Williams in a statement to THR. “I’m so excited to begin this next chapter of my career alongside Caroline, a woman who understands the art of storytelling and is passionate about evolving the entertainment industry in new directions. I look forward to collaborating with her and developing unique projects that inspire audiences across all platforms.”
As Williams says, 926 Productions’ intentions are to bolster women and diverse...
The multihyphenate tennis legend, who announced her retirement from the sport in 2022, makes her producing ambitions even clearer after the considerable success of Oscar-nominated feature King Richard. Her company’s launch coincides with a first-look TV deal at Amazon Studios and the appointment of Caroline Currier as president.
“With the launch of 926 Productions, we aim to elevate female and diverse voices through content that speaks to everyone,” said Williams in a statement to THR. “I’m so excited to begin this next chapter of my career alongside Caroline, a woman who understands the art of storytelling and is passionate about evolving the entertainment industry in new directions. I look forward to collaborating with her and developing unique projects that inspire audiences across all platforms.”
As Williams says, 926 Productions’ intentions are to bolster women and diverse...
- 4/17/2023
- by Mikey O'Connell
- The Hollywood Reporter - Movie News
Nicolas Cage’s favorite cult film role is one he did for free.
The Oscar winner revealed during a Reddit Ama with “Renfield” co-star Nicholas Hoult that, among his best underseen roles, his favorite remains a small cameo in 1989’s “Never on Tuesday.”
Cage was asked by a fan what his “favorite lesser-known performance out of your filmography” is, to which Cage responded, “There was a little cameo that I did that lasted all of about one minute in a movie called ‘Never on Tuesday.’ I don’t recommend the entire film. But, it was a performance I did.”
The indie movie was written and directed by Adam Rifkin and starred Andrew Lauer, Pete Berg, and Claudia Christian as a trio with car trouble. The film was direct-to-video and produced by Cassian Elwes.
The “Peggy Sue Got Married” star added, “I didn’t get paid but the agreement was with...
The Oscar winner revealed during a Reddit Ama with “Renfield” co-star Nicholas Hoult that, among his best underseen roles, his favorite remains a small cameo in 1989’s “Never on Tuesday.”
Cage was asked by a fan what his “favorite lesser-known performance out of your filmography” is, to which Cage responded, “There was a little cameo that I did that lasted all of about one minute in a movie called ‘Never on Tuesday.’ I don’t recommend the entire film. But, it was a performance I did.”
The indie movie was written and directed by Adam Rifkin and starred Andrew Lauer, Pete Berg, and Claudia Christian as a trio with car trouble. The film was direct-to-video and produced by Cassian Elwes.
The “Peggy Sue Got Married” star added, “I didn’t get paid but the agreement was with...
- 3/28/2023
- by Samantha Bergeson
- Indiewire
Derek Luke, best known for his starring role turn in Denzel Washington’s directorial debut Antwone Fisher, has signed with Gersh for representation.
Luke, a veteran film and TV actor, has recent credits that include Disney+’s The Crossover, a coming-of-age drama about two middle school basketball prodigies based on a novel by Kwame Alexander, to bow on April 5. The actor also appears in two movies directed by Katie Holmes: Alone Together and Rare Objects.
Luke reunited with Holmes after their work in Pieces of April. He earned an Independent Spirit Award for his breakout role as Hollywood newcomer in Antwone Fisher.
Luke’s other work includes Silas Howard’s Darby and the Dead for Hulu, Dreamworks’ Biker Boyz, Pete Berg’s Friday Night Lights, Phillip Noyce’s Catch a Fire, Spike Lee’s Miracle at St. Anna and Marvel’s Captain America, where he appeared opposite Chris Evans.
On the big screen,...
Luke, a veteran film and TV actor, has recent credits that include Disney+’s The Crossover, a coming-of-age drama about two middle school basketball prodigies based on a novel by Kwame Alexander, to bow on April 5. The actor also appears in two movies directed by Katie Holmes: Alone Together and Rare Objects.
Luke reunited with Holmes after their work in Pieces of April. He earned an Independent Spirit Award for his breakout role as Hollywood newcomer in Antwone Fisher.
Luke’s other work includes Silas Howard’s Darby and the Dead for Hulu, Dreamworks’ Biker Boyz, Pete Berg’s Friday Night Lights, Phillip Noyce’s Catch a Fire, Spike Lee’s Miracle at St. Anna and Marvel’s Captain America, where he appeared opposite Chris Evans.
On the big screen,...
- 3/27/2023
- by Etan Vlessing
- The Hollywood Reporter - Movie News
Taylor Kitsch, now starring opposite Chris Pratt in Amazon’s The Terminal List, next toplines a streaming series about the origins of the opioid crisis. While the premise sounds familiar to Hulu’s Emmy-nominated Dopesick, that doesn’t trouble the 41-year-old actor.
“We’re fucking pumped about it and not nervous after Dopesick, not at all,” Kitsch told The Hollywood Reporter at The Terminal List premiere. “We’re a very different show and when you’ve got Pete Berg at the helm, you know we’re not fucking around.”
In the Netflix series, Kitsch reteams with frequent collaborator Berg (with whom he worked on Friday Night Lights, Battleship and Lone Survivor) to play an addict. The series, which does not yet have a release date, is based in part on Patrick Radden Keefe’s New Yorker article titled “The Family That Built an Empire of Pain.” Kitsch stars opposite Uzo Aduba,...
“We’re fucking pumped about it and not nervous after Dopesick, not at all,” Kitsch told The Hollywood Reporter at The Terminal List premiere. “We’re a very different show and when you’ve got Pete Berg at the helm, you know we’re not fucking around.”
In the Netflix series, Kitsch reteams with frequent collaborator Berg (with whom he worked on Friday Night Lights, Battleship and Lone Survivor) to play an addict. The series, which does not yet have a release date, is based in part on Patrick Radden Keefe’s New Yorker article titled “The Family That Built an Empire of Pain.” Kitsch stars opposite Uzo Aduba,...
- 7/16/2022
- by Chris Gardner
- The Hollywood Reporter - Movie News
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