or


[05/29/15 - 11:38 PM]
Development Update: Friday, May 29
By The Futon Critic Staff (TFC)

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!


ANIMALS (HBO, New!) - Phil Matarese and Mike Luciano's animated comedy has reportedly scored a two-season commitment from the pay channel for a 2016 launch. The project, the first season of which was produced on spec, "revolves around the downtrodden creatures native to Earth's least habitable environment: New York City. Whether it's lovelorn rats, gender-questioning pigeons or aging bedbugs in the midst of a midlife crisis, the awkward small talk, moral ambiguity and existential woes of non-human urbanites prove startlingly similar to our own." Duplass Brothers Television's Jay and Mark Duplass also serve as executive producers. Matarese and Luciano are the writer/directors as well as voice many of the characters. (Deadline.com)


AND IN OTHER NEWS... - FOX will roll out the second season of "Empire" on Wednesday, September 23 (Deadline.com); Penny Johnson Jerald has opted not to return for season eight of "Castle" (@btwprod); Universal Television has optioned the rights to Kieron Gillen, Jamie McKelvie and Matt Wilson's comic book "The Wicked + The Divine" (Deadline.com); Rob Morrow is bound for FX's "American Crime Story" as famed DNA expert Barry Scheck (Deadline.com); Colin Donnell has joined the cast of NBC's upcoming "Chicago Med" as a yet-to-be-determined doctor (Deadline.com); Greg Kinnear, Jennifer Hudson, Jeffrey Wright and Alison Wright have all been cast in HBO's "Confirmation" as Joe Biden, Angela Wright, Charles Ogletree and Virginia "Ginni" Thomas, respectively (Deadline.com);

John Pyper-Ferguson will recur on "Suits" as "the new head of the firm's Compensation Committee" (Deadline.com); Kimberly Hebert Gregory has signed onto HBO's "Vice Principals" as Dr. Belinda Brown, succeeding Da'Vine Joy Randolph (THR.com); Frances Conroy and M.C. Gainey will guest on the season premiere of "Married" as Lina's (Judy Greer) mother and stepfather (EW.com); Chris Chalk's Lucius Fox is the latest to be upped to series regular on "Gotham" (TVLine.com); and Spencer Daniels's Luke will not return as a series regular on "Mom" while Beth Hall's Weeping Wendy has been promoted, filling said void (TVLine.com).






  [may 2015]  
S
M
T
W
T
F
S
     


· AMERICAN CRIME STORY (FX)
· ANIMALS. (HBO)
· CHICAGO MED (NBC)
· CONFIRMATION (HBO)
· DEVELOPMENT UPDATE (TFC)
· EMPIRE (FOX)





[02/20/26 - 07:31 AM]
"Famous Last Words" Captures Interviews with Icons, Including the Late Eric Dane
Conducted by Emmy Award winner Brad Falchuk, the series presents an interview with the beloved "Grey's Anatomy" and "Euphoria" star Eric Dane, which was filmed last November.

[02/20/26 - 07:03 AM]
Video: A First Look at "Descendants: Wicked Wonderland" Revealed Ahead of Disney+ Debut This Summer
The teaser debuted ahead of the all-new "Descendants/ZOMBIES Worlds Collide: Concert Special," available today on Disney+.

[02/20/26 - 06:46 AM]
Paige Desorbo and Scott Evans to Host The Actor's Red Carpet: The 32nd Annual Actor Awards Official Pre-Show Live on Netflix
During the pre-show, winners for Outstanding Performance by a Stunt Ensemble in a Motion Picture and Television Series will also be announced.

[02/20/26 - 06:02 AM]
TV One Presents A Definitive Tribute to an Icon with "Luther Vandross: Never Too Much" Premiering This Sunday, February 22 at 6PM/5C
Hailed by critics and audiences as a moving and definitive tribute, the film honors the life, artistry, and enduring cultural impact of music legend Luther Vandross.

[02/20/26 - 12:01 AM]
"A Friend, A Murderer" Launches on Netflix on March 5, 2026
This is the story of how a series of horrific crimes affected a rural community in Denmark and how a Danish town's close-knit community was transformed into distrust and fear.

[02/19/26 - 11:50 AM]
ABC Wednesday Comedies Deliver Audience Milestones as Romance Blooms With Valentine's Day Episodes
"Shifting Gears" earned 6.90 million Total Viewers and 0.99 rating among Adults 18-49, after seven days of viewing on ABC, Hulu, Hulu on Disney+ and digital platforms.

[02/19/26 - 11:01 AM]
Oscar Winners Adrien Brody, Kieran Culkin, Mikey Madison and Zoe Saldana Return to the Oscars Stage
All return to the Oscars stage after winning last year in their respective acting categories.

[02/19/26 - 10:32 AM]
Baseball Returns! ESPN to Stream More MLB Spring Training Games Than Ever
The offerings include four national games on ESPN, six games on ESPN Unlimited, and more than 250 out-of-market games via MLB.TV on ESPN platforms.

[02/19/26 - 10:00 AM]
Daring Dark Polish Comedy "The Stroke" Exclusive U.S. Debut Thursday, March 12, 2026 Only on European Streamer Viaplay U.S.
In a fearless performance, Jacek Poniedzialek plays a celebrated culinary critic and TV personality, brilliant and caustic, who built a career skewering bourgeois taste while privately unraveling.

[02/19/26 - 09:36 AM]
Nickelodeon to Air "Bedtime Stories with Ryan," Starring Ryan Reynolds, Beginning Monday, March 2, on Nick Jr. Channel
In the series, Ryan Reynolds reads new and classic bedtime stories as the tales magically come to life around him - creating a warm, playful and imaginative wind-down experience for kids and parents to enjoy together.

[02/19/26 - 09:01 AM]
Video: "STEEL BALL RUN JoJo's Bizarre Adventure" - Official Trailer - Netflix
The series premieres on Thursday, March 19, 2026, only on Netflix.

[02/19/26 - 08:46 AM]
Netflix Announces New Adult Animated Comedy Series "DANG!", Starring Stephanie Hsu, Poppy Liu and Andrew Law
The series follows a brother and sister duo whose fun, messy lives in New York City are interrupted when their worst nightmare comes true: their high-achieving older sister shows up and wants to hang out with them.

[02/19/26 - 08:01 AM]
Video: "House of the Dragon" Season 3 - Official Teaser - HBO Max
From fire comes darkness.

[02/19/26 - 08:01 AM]
Prime Video Announces Season Two Premiere Date and New Key Art for "House of David"
Season two premiere will debut on March 27, 2026 globally on the service, with all episodes available to stream at launch.

[02/19/26 - 07:59 AM]
ESPN to Launch "Women's Sports Sundays," A First of Its Kind Summer Weekly Primetime Franchise Showcasing the Best of Women's Sports in Premium Windows
Debuting in Summer 2026, the new Sunday night destination will feature top-tier WNBA and NWSL on ESPN presented by Ally matchups, elevating the biggest moments, rivalries and stars across women's sports on ESPN networks in premium windows.