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[09/16/19 - 11:45 PM]
Development Update: Monday, September 16
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!
BARRACUDAS (ABC, New!) - Cheryl Hines and Rachael Harris is set topline a single-camera comedy at the Alphabet about sisters Becky and Bernie Byrnes, "two incredibly different, spectacular divorce lawyers who spend their lives getting people out of dysfunctional relationships but who can't get out of their own dysfunctional relationship - their relationship with each other." Christine Pietrosh and Jessica Goldstein are behind the 20th Century Fox Television-based project, which has a put pilot commitment. Small Dog Picture Company's Jason Winer and Jon Radler are also executive producing alongside the quartet. (Deadline.com)
BLESS THIS MESS (ABC) - Langston Kerman is joining the cast of the show's sophomore season as Brandon, "Constance's (Pam Grier) son who returns from the military where he was a bomb diffuser." In addition, Lennon Parham's Kay Bowman and David Koechner's Beau Bowman have been promoted to series regulars. (Deadline.com)
CITY HALL (FOX, New!) - Bruce Romans has sold a potential drama to the network about "the lives of the three most powerful people in Los Angeles: Mayor Ben Bautista, a rising Democratic political star; his loyal Chief of Staff, Maya Phillips; and the Deputy Mayor, Jack Cavanaugh." Los Angeles Deputy Mayor Jeff Gorell is also on board to executive produce the FOX Entertainment-based hour, as are SideCar's Gail Berman; and The Nacelle Company's Matt Ochacher, Michael Pelmont and Brian Volk-Weiss. (Deadline.com)
DICKINSON (Apple TV+) - John Mulaney will guest on the upcoming comedy as writer Henry David Thoreau. (TVLine.com)
FIREFLY LANE (Netflix) - Yael Yurman, Jon Ecker and Brandon Jay McLaren have all scored roles on the Katherine Heigl/Sarah Chalke-led drama. Yurman will play Marah, "Kate's daughter, a rebel just starting to come out of her shell"; with Ecker as Max Brody, "a sexy and big-hearted EMT who shares a one night stand with Tully"; and McLaren as Travis, "a handsome widowed father whose daughter attends the same school as Kate's (Chalke) daughter, Marah, and finds himself bonding with Kate." (Deadline.com)
GOOD GIRLS (NBC) - Ione Skye is set to recur on the new season as Gayle, "a go-getter and a successful saleswoman at the hot tub store where Dean (Matthew Lillard) now works. She has the industry figured out, and is willing to let Dean in on some secrets to give him a boost, but their work relationship gets complicated when Dean is tempted to fall back into his old ways." (THR.com)
HEELS (Starz) - Alexander Ludwig has been tapped to star opposite Stephen Amell in the drama, about "a family-owned wrestling promotion as two brothers and rivals, Jack (Amell) and Ace (Ludwig) Spade, war over their late father's legacy. In the ring, Ludwig's Ace Spade is the beloved hero and star of the DWA. Things are more difficult in the real world, where he struggles to reconcile his town idol status with his insecurities and demons." (Deadline.com)
JUPITER'S LEGACY (Netflix) - Steven S. DeKnight has departed the superhero series as showrunner over creative differences. Production is underway on the eight-episode first season, with filming completed on about four episodes. The search is underway for a replacement. (Deadline.com)
KINGKILLER CHRONICLE, THE (Showtime) - The pay channel has passed on its proposed adaptation of Patrick Rothfuss's global bestselling contemporary fantasy trilogy from Lin-Manuel Miranda and John Rogers. Producer Lionsgate Television, which has multiple produced scripts, plans to shop the project elsewhere. (Deadline.com)
MOODY CHRISTMAS, A (FOX) - Jay Baruchel has been tapped to star in the holiday event series as Sean Jr, "the oldest Moody child, still living at home, sleeping in his old room, he is the dreamer, the screw-up. A maintenance worker at a hockey rink, he's immature and impulsive, with a crazy grandiose get-rich-quick plan." (Deadline.com)
MOSQUITO COAST, THE (Apple TV+, New!) - Justin Theroux is attached to star in a new drama series at the streaming service based on Paul Theroux's novel-turned-feature about "an idealist who uproots his family to Latin America." Writer Neil Cross and director Rupert Wyatt are behind the Fremantle-based project, with Cross and Tom Bissell set to pen the debut installment. Veritas Entertainment Group's Alan Gasmer, Peter Jaysen and Bob Bookman will also executive produce, as will Ed McDonnell. No other specifics were given. (Deadline.com)
MR. ROBOT (USA) - Ashlie Atkinson has been tapped for the show's final season as Janice, "a chatty taxidermist with a peculiar sense of humor." (Deadline.com)
NO GOOD NICK (Netflix) - David H. Steinberg posted to social media the streaming service has passed on a second season for the comedy series. (@DavidHSteinberg, 9/15)
OLD MAN, THE (FX) - Amy Brenneman has signed onto the Jeff Bridges-led drama pilot as Zoe: "Picking up the pieces after a bruising divorce, Zoe rents a room to Dan Chase (Bridges) not knowing he's on the run. But when the truth is revealed... she'll draw on reserves she never knew she had in order to survive the day." (Deadline.com)
SATURDAY NIGHT LIVE (NBC) - Newcomer Shane Gillis has been terminated from the series, the network confirmed today. "After talking with Shane Gillis, we have decided that he will not be joining SNL," an SNL spokesperson said on behalf of Lorne Michaels. "We want SNL to have a variety of voices and points of view within the show, and we hired Shane on the strength of his talent as comedian and his impressive audition for SNL. We were not aware of his prior remarks that have surfaced over the past few days. The language he used is offensive, hurtful and unacceptable. We are sorry that we did not see these clips earlier, and that our vetting process was not up to our standard." (Deadline.com)
SHAMELESS (Showtime) - Constance Zimmer is bound for the new season in the recurring role of Claudia, "a wealthy, sophisticated woman whom Debbie encounters at a hotel bar. Claudia's assumptions about Debbie send her into an existential crisis." (Deadline.com)
SHANTARAM (Apple TV+) - Charlie Hunnam, Richard Roxburgh and Radhika Apte are set to star in the Gregory David Roberts novel-turned-series, which "tells the story of Lin (Hunnam), a man on the run from an Australian prison looking to get lost in the teeming city of Bombay. Cut off from family and friends by distance and fate, he finds a new life in the slums, bars and underworld of India." Roxburgh will play Marty Nightingalem, "who works for the Australian Federal Police and is part of a small, elite unit trained for the pursuit and capture of escaped convicts"; with Apte as Kavita, "a driven Indian journalist looking for answers." Additionally, Justin Kurzel will direct the first two installments of the 10-episode series, while Dave Erickson has joined as an executive producer, succeeding David Manson. Eric Warren Singer, Steve Golin, Nicole Clemens, Andrea Barron and Richard Sharkey likewise executive produce. (Deadline.com)
UNTITLED KINBERG & WEIL PROJECT (Apple TV+) - Chad Feehan has bowed out as showrunner of the upcoming sci-fi drama series due to his first position duties on Amazon's "The Hunt." (Deadline.com)
UNTITLED LAUPER & LYNCH PROJECT (Netflix, New!) - Cyndi Lauper and Jane Lynch are attached to star in a new comedy series at the streaming service from Stephen Engel and Carol Leifer. No specifics were given about the Skydance Television-based project, which would follow the 60-something duo "looking for our next act and we haven't had children." (Deadline.com, 9/15)
UNTITLED OPRAH WINFREY PROJECT (Apple TV+) - Directors Dawn Porter and Asif Kapadia; showrunner Kahane Cooperman; and fellow executive producers Jon Kamen and Dave Sirulnick have signed onto the documentary series, which aims to dispel the stigma surrounding mental health. They'll work alongside Oprah Winfrey and Prince Harry, The Duke of Sussex on the project, to be produced by RadicalMedia. (Deadline.com)
WENDY WILLIAMS SHOW, THE (Syndication) - Debmar-Mercury has cleared the veteran talk show for two more seasons on the Fox Television Stations Group, taking it through the 2021-22 season. (Deadline.com)
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[02/27/26 - 01:28 PM]
Paramount to Acquire Warner Bros. Discovery to Form Next-Generation Global Media and Entertainment Company
The transaction has been unanimously approved by the Boards of Directors of both companies and is expected to close in Q3 2026, subject to customary closing conditions, including regulatory clearances and approval by WBD shareholders, with a vote expected in the early spring of 2026.
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[02/27/26 - 12:30 PM]
The Jaw-Dropping Fifth and Final Season of Starz's Hit Drama Series, "Power Book III: Raising Kanan" Set to Premiere June 12
To date, the series has accumulated over 21 billion minutes viewed across all episodes and remains one of Starz's top-performing series.
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[02/27/26 - 09:12 AM]
Team USA Hockey Olympic Gold Medalists Hilary Knight, Jack Hughes and Quinn Hughes to Appear Together on "The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon" on Monday, March 2
The episode will also feature guests Nicole Kidman, Luke Thompson and a cooking demo by Chef Mario Carbone.
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[02/27/26 - 08:12 AM]
Paul Wesley Joins Season Three of Hit Apple TV Series "The Buccaneers"
Wesley will play the role as Frank, a mysterious but charming stranger who arrives into Nan and Mrs. St. George's world, turning it upside down.
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[02/27/26 - 07:31 AM]
Peacock to Exclusively Stream Focus Features' "Hamnet" Beginning March 6
Directed by two-time Academy Award-winning director Chloé Zhao, the film tells the untold story behind one of Shakespeare's most memorable works and celebrates the power of imagination and the creative spirit.
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[02/27/26 - 07:01 AM]
Prime Video Debuts First-Look Image of Ryan Hurst as Kratos and Callum Vinson as Atreus On Set of New Series "God of War"
The series is co-produced by Sony Pictures Television and Amazon MGM Studios in association with PlayStation Productions and Tall Ship Productions, and has received a two-season order.
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[02/27/26 - 06:01 AM]
Video: Netflix and Apple TV Join Forces to Stream Formula 1 Thrills
The entire new season of "Formula 1: Drive to Survive" is now on Netflix globally and Apple TV in the U.S.
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[02/26/26 - 08:46 PM]
"Dandelion": Netflix Adapts "Gintama" Creator Hideaki Sorachi's Debut Work into New Anime Series
Set within the Send-Off Department of the Japanese Angel Federation, Dandelion follows "Angels" Tetsuo Tanba and Misaki Kurogane as they scramble to track down Earthbound spirits - souls unable to move on and find peace - and gently guide them to pass on.
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[02/26/26 - 06:01 PM]
Video: "Still Shining" - Official Trailer - Netflix
After falling in love as teens, two young adults drift apart - only to reunite 10 years later and confront their heartbreak, growth and new challenges.
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[02/26/26 - 02:46 PM]
Netflix Declines to Raise Offer for Warner Bros.
"The transaction we negotiated would have created shareholder value with a clear path to regulatory approval. However, we've always been disciplined, and at the price required to match Paramount Skydance's latest offer, the deal is no longer financially attractive, so we are declining to match the Paramount Skydance bid," said co-CEOs Ted Sarandos and Greg Peters.
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[02/26/26 - 02:19 PM]
"Live with Kelly and Mark" Soars to Season High with Best Audience in Over a Year
"Live" has now ranked as the No. 1 talk show in syndication for 157 consecutive weeks across all key measures.
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[02/26/26 - 02:08 PM]
Britbox Unveils Spring Slate with "The Lady" Starring Mia McKenna-Bruce; Premieres March 18
Other highlights include the return of "Hope Street" and the debut of "Mudtown."
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[02/26/26 - 01:36 PM]
Paramount Comments on Warner Bros. Discovery Board's Determination of Paramount's Proposal as Superior
David Ellison, Chairman and CEO of Paramount, said: "We are pleased WBD's Board has unanimously affirmed the superior value of our offer, which delivers to WBD shareholders superior value, certainty and speed to closing."
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[02/26/26 - 01:16 PM]
Warner Bros. Discovery Board of Directors Determines Revised Proposal from Paramount Skydance Constitutes a "Company Superior Proposal"
Under the terms of the Netflix merger agreement, this notice triggers a four business day period during which Netflix has the right to propose revisions to the Netflix merger agreement so that the PSKY proposal would cease to constitute a "Company Superior Proposal."
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[02/26/26 - 01:00 PM]
FOX Television Network Renews Hit Joel McHale Series "Animal Control" for Season Five
In addition, the first three seasons of the series are currently streaming on Netflix, and the show has been sold in territories around the world.
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