Baz Luhrmann pitches TV series about the roots of hip-hop in NYC

Plus: Aamir Khan might produce for director son Junaid; Walking Dead creator sues network; Filmfare Awards slated for January; Ari Folman to direct Anne Frank animated movie.

The director Baz Luhrmann wants to make a TV series about the early days of hip-hop. Frazer Harrison / Getty Images / AFP

Baz Luhrmann announced he's teaming up with the producer Shawn Ryan and the playwright Stephen Adly Guirgis on a musical drama exploring the dawn of the hip-hop era in New York in 1977. New York magazine reported that Luhrmann pitched to executives at Amazon, FX and Netflix this week. – The National staff

Aamir Khan might produce for son Junaid

The Bollywood actor Aamir Khan says he's open to producing a film by his 21-year-old son Junaid, who's currently an assistant director on the forthcoming political satire Peekay, a film that's headlined by Khan himself. "Why not? If he comes up with a good script and if I have the trust and faith in him as a director, then definitely. He will have to satisfy me like any other director," the 48-year-old star told reporters. "He is really happy being on the set, that's a good thing and a good starting point. I think he is doing well." Asked whether any of his other three children are interested in joining the industry, Khan replied: "I would love that, but I have no idea. I don't ask them. They should do what they feel like doing." – IANS

Walking Dead creator sues network

The creator behind the hit TV series The Walking Dead is suing the cable network AMC, claiming that he was cheated out of profits. Frank Darabont, who developed the TV show about a zombie apocalypse and was fired after the first season, filed the lawsuit on Tuesday in New York State. Darabont said that the way AMC is calculating the show's licensing fees is depriving him and other participants of tens of millions of dollars. Already in its fourth season, the series has been a huge success. In October, its fourth season premiere drew the largest audience in its history, with more than 16 million viewers. – Reuters

Filmfare Awards scheduled for January

The 59th Filmfare Awards will be held on January 24, the organisers have announced. The event honours artistic and technical excellence in the Hindi film industry. "It has been another astounding year for Bollywood. More than 130 films produced – films that have been huge commercial successes and have won critical acclaim. For the first time, seven films have crossed the 100-crore [Dh60 million] mark," said Tarun Rai, the head of Worldwide Media, the publishers of Filmfare magazine. The awards will be held at the Yash Raj Studios in Mumbai. – IANS

Ari Folman to direct animated movie about Anne Frank

The filmmaker Ari Folman, who directed the 2008 animated documentary film Waltz with Bashir, has announced his next project: a cartoon based on the life of Anne Frank. Folman said he will be given full access to the archives of the Anne Frank Fonds in Basel, Switzerland. Folman's latest film, The Congress, an animated feature starring Robin Wright as an ageing actress, premiered at this year's Cannes International Film Festival and is scheduled for a 2014 release worldwide. – The National staff