VH1 Signs Deal With Madonna Co.

- NEW YORK (Hollywood Reporter) - VH1 has signed a deal with Madonna's MADGUY Films to produce music-based television movies, and, in a related move, the network has greenlighted four original films, including its first fictional thriller, its first courtroom drama, a comedy and a biopic about hard rock legends Def Leppard. The announcements will be made Wednesday at the Television Critics Association press tour in Pasadena, Calif. Most of the movies are slated to run on VH1 this year. Madonna and her partner, Guy Oseary, will executive produce the full-length original movies. The first project, which is in development, is "The Dusty Springfield Story," produced by Ned Kandel and written by Nancy Savoca. The movie will run in the fourth quarter of 2001 or the first quarter of 2002.