or


[03/13/03 - 12:00 AM]
Production Halted on 'Sopranos'
By Brian Ford Sullivan (TFC)

CHICAGO (thefutoncritic.com) -- Production on the fifth season of HBO's "The Sopranos" has been halted indefinitely due to a breakdown in salary negotiations with series star James Gandolfini. Shooting was scheduled to being March 24.

The conflict stems from competiting lawsuits filed by Gandolfini and HBO against each other last week over the actor's status with the show. Gandolfini's lawsuit alleges HBO did not notify him within the agreed upon 10 days after the show's fifth season was ordered on July 17, 2001. According to Gandolfini's representatives, such a move would make his contract for a fifth season void and not require him to show up for shooting on March 24. Calling the lawsuit "frivolous," HBO has counter-sued Gandolfini for $100 million in damages that would be caused due to his absence from the series.

Gandolfini's lawsuit is viewed by many as simply a negotiating ploy to increase his salary for the fifth season. Currently the actor is making a surprisingly average $400,000 per episode considering "The Sopranos" critical and financial success, below such actors as Ray Romano, the "Friends" cast and Kelsey Grammer but on par with "The West Wing's" Martin Sheen.

HBO has reportedly offered Gandolfini $11 million to return for the 13-episode fifth season, part of which was to be paid in profit participation. But the actor is said to have been asking for $27 million for season five, and $16.7 million for a sixth season should that get ordered, for an average of $21 million per season for a fifth and sixth batch.

Recently fellow "Sopranos" stars Michael Imperioli, Tony Sirico, Drea de Matteo, Jamie-Lynn Sigler and Robert Iler renegotiated their contracts with HBO to more than triple their salaries. Imperioli is set to make $80,000 per episode for season five while the remaining trio will be paid in the neighborhood of $60,000 an episode for the upcoming season. Previously all four made between $15,000-$25,000 an episode.

With production halted it is extremely unlikely the fifth season of the series will be ready before January 2004.




  [march 2003]  
S
M
T
W
T
F
S
      


· FRIENDS (NBC)
· SOPRANOS, THE (HBO)
· WEST WING, THE (NBC)




[07/23/14 - 01:02 PM]
"Game of Thrones" Star Michelle Fairley Returns to TV in a Season-Long Arc on ABC's "Resurrection"
Fairley will recur as Margaret Langston, the formidable matriarch of the Langston clan.
[07/23/14 - 12:00 PM]
IDW Entertainment and UCP to Develop "Night Mary" as a Live-Action Series
John Pogue, who wrote and directed the recently released film, The Quiet Ones, has been tapped to write and direct the pilot.
[07/23/14 - 11:51 AM]
After Discovery's "Shark Week" Comes "Bark Week": A Week-Long Event Celebrating Man's Best Friend on the Hub Network, Starting August 17
The tail-wagging week will feature four popular series from Animal Planet: "America's Cutest," "It's Me or the Dog," "Bad Dog!" and "Too Cute!"
[07/23/14 - 11:45 AM]
TLC Unveils New Brand Campaign and Tagline
The multi-million dollar campaign - "Everyone needs a little TLC." - is rolling out across the country in key media outlets.
[07/23/14 - 11:45 AM]
Syfy Develops NCredible Improv - Executive Producers Nick Cannon and Michael Goldman to Create Sci-Fi/Fantasy Sketch Competition Series
The show will be taped in front of a live audience and feature two teams battling for the biggest laughs to win points and prizes.
[07/23/14 - 11:32 AM]
The Cycle 21 Premiere of "America's Next Top Model" Moves Up to August 18
Original episodes will air on Mondays for six weeks, with encores airing Fridays.
[07/23/14 - 10:54 AM]
USA Network and Wattpad Forge First of Its Kind Partnership to Release a Prequel to "Dig" in Advance of the Drama's Fall Premiere
The 12-part serialized prequel is written by the "Dig" writers and can be accessed via the Wattpad app, and on Wattpad.com.
[07/23/14 - 10:47 AM]
CBS Corporation and Gov. Andrew M. Cuomo Announce the "Late Show with Stephen Colbert" Will Remain in New York
The agreement includes a commitment by CBS for approximately 200 New York-based jobs to support the daily program's year-round production schedule.
[07/23/14 - 10:22 AM]
"Thursday Night Football" Launches on Network Television with Primetime Special "Under the Lights" on Wednesday, Sept. 10 on CBS
The one-hour special will also encore on NFL Network the following Tuesday, September 16 at 10:00/9:00c.
[07/23/14 - 10:10 AM]
Syfy Unleashes a Category 5 Marketing Storm Behind "Sharknado 2: The Second One"
The Category 5 campaign will include a digital, social and in-store partnership with SUBWAY encompassing promotions at 26K locations nationwide.
[07/23/14 - 09:13 AM]
TV One Presents the Network Premiere Movie "Girlfriends' Getaway" on August 30 at 8PM/ET
Garcelle Beauvais, Terri J. Vaughn, Malinda Williams and Essence Atkins star in the project, which was shot entirely on location in Trinidad.
[07/23/14 - 09:10 AM]
"Daryl's Restoration Over-Hall" Series Premiere Rocks DIY Network's Ratings
DIY Network spins the numbers for Saturday, July 19.
[07/23/14 - 09:02 AM]
Fathom Events and NBC Sports Group Team Up to Bring Barclays Premier League 2014-15 Soccer Season to Select U.S. Cinemas
Americans will have the opportunity to see England's best in state-of-the-art projection and sound at select venues across the country on Saturdays throughout the Premier League season.
[07/23/14 - 08:28 AM]
Tuesday's Broadcast Ratings: "America's Got Talent" Dominates the Competition
NBC wins the night among adults 18-49, more than doubling second place ABC.
[07/23/14 - 08:25 AM]
Sheryl Crow, Blondie and Lindsey Stirling Headline Ovation's Hit Original Series, "Song by Song"
The series continues its focus on music legends with new episodes featuring such A-list sensations Sheryl Crow, BLONDIE and Lindsey Stirling.