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[05/01/14 - 11:28 PM]
Development Update: Thursday, May 1
By The Futon Critic Staff (TFC) |
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LOS ANGELES (thefutoncritic.com) -- The latest development news, culled from recent wire reports:
Looking to keep track of all the various projects in development? Click here to visit our signature "Devwatch" section. There visitors can view our listings by network, genre, studio and even development stage (ordered to pilot, cast-contingent, script, etc.). It's updated every day!
BESSIE (HBO, New!) - Queen Latifah is set to play iconic blues singer Bessie Smith in a proposed biopic at the pay channel, which "chronicles how Smith overcame her tempestuous personal life to become one of the most acclaimed performing and recording artists of the 1920s and '30s, earning the nickname Empress of the Blues." Dee Rees (Pariah) wrote and will direct the project, which is based on the biography "Bessie" written by Chris Albertson. Latifah will also executive produce alongside Shakim Compere, Lili Fini Zanuck, Richard Zanuck, Shelby Stone and Randi Michel with Hallie Foote as co-executive producer and Ron Schmidt as producer for Flavor Unit Entertainment and the Zanuck Company. (Deadline.com)
DIG (USA/UCP; W: Gideon Raff & Tim Kring; D: S.J. Clarkson) - Regina Taylor and Omar Metwally have both booked roles on the event series, about an FBI agent stationed in Jerusalem (Jason Isaacs) who, while investigating a murder of a young female archeologist, uncovers a conspiracy 2000 years in the making. She'll play Ruth Ridell, "the U.S. ambassador to Israel who has little time for problems that Peter creates for her with the local authorities"; while he's set as Yussef Khalid, "an American who disappeared after being accused of murder." Alison Loren Sudol, Anne Heche and David Costabile also star. (THR.com)
HOW AND WHY (FX/FXP; W/D: Charlie Kaufman) - Marcella Plunkett (Dark Touch) has joined the cast of the comedy pilot, the story of a man, Goodman Hesselman (John Hawkes), who can explain how and why a nuclear reactor works, but is clueless about life. She'll play two roles, "Cynthia, a photographer at Goodman's new TV station in Murfreesboro, and Magda, Mendelson's (Michael Cera) secretary, whose day is spent in a cramped, tiny room, not much bigger than her desk." Sally Hawkins and Catherine Keener also star. (Deadline.com)
UNSTRUNG (ABC Family; W: Emily Whitesell; D: TBA) - Chanel Celaya and Sofia Mattsson are the first to be cast in the drama pilot, which explores the sexy, cutthroat, and emotional stakes of the professional world tour of tennis as brother and sister Luke and Ellie Holt compete to move up the ranks. Celaya will play the aforementioned Ellie, "an athletic, spunky beauty with great talent but not-so-great discipline"; with Mattsson as Ninotchka Andropov, "a diva ranked 3rd in the world but first in looks." (THR.com)
UNTITLED ANDY ST. CLAIR/PAUL O'TOOLE PROJECT (MTV, New!) - Andy St. Clair and Paul O'Toole have scored a cast-contingent pilot order from the network for a new comedy about "22-year-old Andy, who after he catches his girlfriend cheating, accidentally rear-ends a celebrity. Taking pity on Andy, the celebrity takes it upon himself to teach him how to man up." Odenkirk Provissiero's Marc Provissiero will executive produce the project with St. Clair and O'Toole serving as co-executive producers. (THR.com)
AND IN OTHER NEWS... - Brian Percival has bowed out of helming the AMC drama pilot "Knifeman" for personal reasons (Deadline.com); "Nashville" executive producer R.J. Cutler has signed a first-look development deal with CBS Television Studios for scripted projects, ending his run at Lionsgate Television (Deadline.com); Kristin Chenoweth has been cast as Maleficent in Disney Channel's "Descendants," "who butts horns with her daughter Mal (Dove Cameron)" (Deadline.com); Nestor Serrano and Brit Morgan will both recur on the new season of "Graceland" (TVLine.com); and Tyler Hilton is bound for the upcoming CBS drama "Extant" as "the chief coder on the Humanichs Project at the center of the story" (THR.com).
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[04/17/25 - 10:30 AM]
Peacock Greenlights New "Love Island" Spinoff, "Love Island: Beyond the Villa" (wt), Premiering Summer 2025
The new series follows everyone's favorite Season 6 Islanders around Los Angeles as they navigate new careers, evolving friendships, newfound fame and complex relationships outside of the Love Island villa.
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[04/17/25 - 10:06 AM]
NBC Will Premiere the Fourth Season of the Medical Drama Series "Transplant" on Thursday, May 22 as a Two-Hour Event (8-10 p.m. ET/PT)
Season 4 of "Transplant" finds Bashir "Bash" Hamed on the precipice of finishing his residency at York Memorial and officially requalifying as a doctor.
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[04/17/25 - 10:00 AM]
Two-Time Emmy-Winning HBO Original Documentary Series "100 Foot Wave" Returns for Its Third Season May 1
Season 3 features the series' signature intimate interviews, vérité photography, and dramatic visuals with stunning aerial and water footage, showcasing the death-defying beauty of big wave surfing as the athletes risk it all in a quest for the ultimate high.
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[04/17/25 - 09:42 AM]
Video: Peacock Releases Date Announcement Teaser, First Look Photos, and July 31 Premiere Date For Season 2 of "Twisted Metal"
The stakes couldn't be higher as John Doe (Anthony Mackie) and Quiet (Stephanie Beatriz) risk their lives to compete in a dangerous demolition derby tournament.
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[04/17/25 - 09:15 AM]
CBS Orders "America's Culinary Cup," A New High-Stakes Culinary Showdown from Renowned Food Expert Padma Lakshmi
Lakshmi serves as creator and host and will executive produce alongside Susan Rovner.
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[04/17/25 - 09:02 AM]
The History Channel to Premiere Epic 2-Part Documentary Event "Sitting Bull" Beginning on Tuesday May 27 at 9PM ET/PT Executive Produced by Appian Way Productions
The four-hour documentary series charts the heroic life and legacy of the renowned leader of the Lakota people from his origins as a tribal warrior, to his involvement in defending native lands, to his leadership in guiding the Lakota people through a tumultuous time in American history.
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[04/17/25 - 09:00 AM]
Starz Bolsters Season Four Ensemble of "BMF" with an Extraordinary Cast of Fan Favorites and New Faces for the Intense and Gripping Family Crime Drama
The new season premieres Friday, June 6, with all-new episodes available to stream weekly on Fridays on the Starz app and all Starz streaming and on-demand platforms.
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[04/17/25 - 09:00 AM]
Acorn TV Debuts "Murder Mystery May" Biggest Month of Mystery Premieres Ever
On May 1, AMC Networks' popular streamer, Acorn TV, will debut its first annual "Murder Mystery May," a month-long event showcasing the world's best whimsical mysteries and investigative crime dramas.
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[04/17/25 - 08:34 AM]
AXS TV Presents the Ultimate Tribute to Moms with Two Days of "Nashville" Featuring a Season Two Marathon & "The Big Interview: Nashville Special" on Saturday, May 10 & Sunday, May 11
Relive the trials and triumphs that made Nashville the top destination for blockbuster drama and powerhouse performances, as Country queen Rayna James (Connie Britton) and rising star Juliette Barnes (Hayden Panettiere) navigate the cutthroat Music City scene and their tumultuous personal lives.
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[04/17/25 - 08:07 AM]
New Freeform Docuseries "Not Her First Rodeo" Premieres May 22
Champion bull rider Jorden Halvorsen - joined by rookies and returning pros - begins a new season of her women's bull-riding league, with each cowgirl hoping this will be their year to win the championship buckle.
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[04/17/25 - 08:02 AM]
SundanceTV and Sundance Now Announce Debut of Gripping True Crime Docu-Series, "The Furry Detectives: Unmasking a Monster," Ahead of Its World Premiere at Tribeca Festival
The compelling four-part true crime docu-series will premiere Thursday, July 17 on both platforms and will also be available to stream on AMC+.
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[04/17/25 - 07:02 AM]
Video: Showtime Reveals New Trailer and Key Art for Highly Anticipated Season Seven of "The Chi" Premiering Friday, May 16 on the Paramount+ with Showtime Plan
Season seven will see Tony Award Winner Phylicia Rashad, NAACP Award Winner Wendy Raquel Robinson and Emmy Award Winner Karrueche Tran join the cast lineup in guest starring roles.
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[04/17/25 - 07:01 AM]
Video: "Ginny & Georgia" Season 3 - Official Teaser - Netflix
As Georgia's trial sends shockwaves through Wellsbury, Ginny and Austin become entangled in a web of lies and betrayal, where no one emerges unscathed.
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[04/17/25 - 06:06 AM]
"Death Valley" Headlines BritBox's May Lineup; BAFTA-Winner Timothy Spall Leads Comedic Crime Procedural
Plus: Alan Cumming hosts the 2025 BAFTA Television Awards with P&O Cruises which celebrates the very best in television.
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[04/17/25 - 06:01 AM]
Video: "The Sandman" Season 2 - Date Announcement - Netflix
The Dream King returns. Volume 1 - July 3. Volume 2 - July 24.
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