Thursday round-up: Latest news, deals & hires

Disney+, Hulu, FX line up The Lowdown S2

FX and Hulu have slated the second run of The Lowdown for an October debut.

The drama - from creator, writer and director Sterlin Harjo (Reservation Dogs) - will premiere in the US on Wednesday, 14 October at 9pm ET on FX and Hulu before being rolled out on Disney+ internationally.

New episodes of the eight-episode second season will be available each following Wednesday.

The Lowdown S2 stars Ethan Hawke, Tommy Lee Jones and Betty Gilpin. It follows the exploits of a citizen journalist whose obsession with the truth is always getting him into trouble. It was created by Sterlin Harjo and is produced by FX Productions.

Canal+ and NRK buy Atomic’s 9/11 doc  

Zinc label Atomic TV is behind a 9/11 doc and a car retrospective for 5 and National Geographic, respectively.

Feature-length single 9/11: The Unseen Tapes, made in collaboration with Reuters Archive, offers viewers fresh perspectives on one of the most significant days in modern history.

The doc commissioned by Lucy Willis, commissioning editor for 5, with Stephen McQuillan exec producing and Trevor Manning directing and producing. ITV Studios is handling global distribution, with the film already sold to Canal+ (France), NRK (Norway), SVT (Sweden), DPG Media (Belgium), RTL (the Netherlands) and Now TV (Hong Kong).

Bristol-based Atomic is also working on six-part series Cars That Changed History for Nat Geo, which explores engineering breakthroughs, fierce rivalries and pivotal moments behind iconic vehicles. Read more

Netflix, Sony partner on film release

Sony Pictures will handle international theatrical distribution on Netflix Animation Studios’ Charlie vs. The Chocolate Factory in November 2027.

The feature will open globally on 5 November 2027 and get a 47-day exclusive theatrical window before it debuts on the platform on 22 December 2027.

Netflix and Sony recently announced their first international distribution arrangement on Greta Gerwig’s Narnia: The Magician’s Nephew, which marks the first time there will be box-office reporting on a Netflix film.

News of the release plan for Charlie vs. The Chocolate Factory will only intensify speculation in Hollywood as to whether there is a theatrical strategy shift afoot at Netflix, which has built in theatrical components over the past several years on a number of releases for star directors.