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[08/22/25 - 11:06 PM]
Development Update: Week of August 18-22
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!
ADVOCATE, THE (ABC, New!) - Tawnya Bhattacharya and Ali Laventhol have sold a legal drama to the Alphabet: "The Advocate is a character-driven legal procedural centered around a brilliant, ruthless attorney who abruptly walks away from her high-powered job to open a small firm after a traumatic brain injury radically alters her personality." Isaac Aptaker, Elizabeth Berger, and Scott Morgan of The Walk-Up Company will also executive produce for 20th Television. (Deadline.com, 8/22)
BLADE RUNNER 2099 (Amazon) - The long-in-the-works "limited series followup to the 2017 movie sequel Blade Runner 2049" is now targeted for a 2026 launch. (Deadline.com, 8/22)
COLIN KAEPERNICK DOCUMENTARY SERIES (ESPN) - Spike Lee's planned documentary series on ex-NFL quarterback Colin Kaepernick has been shuttered by the network. "ESPN, Colin Kaepernick and Spike Lee have collectively decided to no longer proceed with this project as a result of certain creative differences," ESPN said in a statement. "Despite not reaching finality, we appreciate all the hard work and collaboration that went into this film." (Deadline.com, 8/18)
DEXTER: ORIGINAL SIN/DEXTER: RESURRECTION (Showtime) - The "Dexter" prequel series' second season is no longer moving forward; while a writers' room for a proposed second season of the sequel series is set to open imminently. (Variety.com, 8/22)
FAITHFUL, THE (FOX) - The biblical limited series has cast Alexa Davalos as Rebekah, "bold, compassionate, and courageous, she's tested in every imaginable way after a conversation with God sets her on an irreversible path"; Tom Mison as Isaac, "burdened by an inheritance he didn't ask for and haunted by a faith he both fears and yearns to understand"; Tom Payne as Jacob, "a survivor and a strategist who, mired by his position as the second-born son, learns to rely on cunning and determination for the blessing he seeks"; and Ben Robson as Esau, "a hunter and a warrior who carries the weight of expectation placed on the firstborn son." (Deadline.com, 8/21)
GOLDEN BACHELOR, THE (ABC) - Former franchise staple Jason Ehrlich has joined the spin-off as a consulting producer. (Deadline.com, 8/18)
HARRY POTTER LIVE-ACTION SERIES (HBO) - The new adaptation has cast Tristan Harland as Fred Weasley, Gabriel Harland as George Weasley, Ruari Spooner as Percy Weasley; and Gracie Cochrane as Ginny Weasley. (Deadline.com, 8/19)
JOSEPH OF EGYPT (Amazon) - Omid Abtahi will recur on the eight-episode biblical drama as Ankuh. (Deadline.com, 8/20)
KATABASIS (Amazon, New!) - Angela Kang is spearheading a small screen take on R.F. Kuang's new fantasy novel for Amazon MGM Studios: "Kuang's "Katabasis" is a fantastical academic satire that follows Alice Law, a graduate student studying Magick at Cambridge University, as she descends into the underworld to retrieve her deceased advisor, Professor Grimes, in order to get his recommendation to secure her future after graduation. Alice's academic rival, Peter Murdoch, decides to join her, and together they embark on a journey through the courts of Hell in search of Grimes." Kang, Kuang, Kang & Co.'s Mandy Safavi, Ben Smith, and Jeffrey Weiner are the executive producers; with Adam Docksey as a co-executive producer for Captivate Entertainment. (Variety.com, 8/20)
NCIS (CBS) - Nancy Travis will drop by the show's two-part season premiere as Navy Vice Admiral Harriet Parker, "the sister of Gary Cole's Special Agent Alden Parker. When Alden and Harriet are reunited as adults, in the wake of their father Roman's recent murder, fans will quickly discover that their childhood dynamic is still alive and well. But while their sniping might make for good TV, it's also sure to complicate their respective jobs." (TVLine.com, 8/21)
PENGUIN, THE (HBO) - Creator Lauren LeFranc has signed a two-year overall deal with HBO and HBO Max. There she'll develop series projects via her newly launched banner, Acid and Tender Productions. (Variety.com, 8/19)
PERFECT COUPLE, THE (Netflix) - Joanna Calo has exited the proposed second season as showrunner. (Deadline.com, 8/19)
PITT, THE (HBO Max) - Zack Morris will recur on the second season as Jackson Davis, "a patient brought to the ED after an uncontrollable outburst in the college library." (Deadline.com, 8/21)
PRIDE AND PREJUDICE (Netflix) - The Jane Austen adaptation has added Jasmine Blackborow as Charlotte Lucas, "the closest friend of lead character Elizabeth Bennet, played by Emma Corrin." (Deadline.com, 8/18)
SHARDS, THE (FX) - Hayes Warner has been cast in the Bret Easton Ellis adaptation as Debbie Shaffer, "a rich prep school girl with the right connects." (Deadline.com, 8/22)
SHIFTING GEARS (ABC) - "Home Improvement" alums Patricia Richardson, Richard Karn, and Debbe Dunning will reunite with Tim Allen on the show's season premiere. (Deadline.com, 8/19)
STRANGER THINGS (Netflix) - Matt Duffer and Ross Duffer have signed "a wide-ranging four-year, exclusive deal for feature films, television, and streaming projects" with Paramount Skydance Corporation. The pact will start at the end of their current Netflix deal in April 2026. The duo, via their Upside Down Pictures banner, however will continue to oversee their active projects at the streamer. (Deadline.com, 8/19)
SUMMER OF SONGBIRDS, THE (Hulu, New!) - Brennan Peters is looking to bring Kristy Woodson Harvey's novel to the small screen at the streamer: "The Summer of Songbirds is a story about the power of forged family - the family we choose, the family we fight to keep, again and again. It revolves around three girlfriends and their unbreakable bond forged in their childhood summers spent in North Carolina. Now in their 30s, each grappling with the harsh realities of adulthood, they're forced to confront secrets and betrayals from both the past and present that threaten to unravel their chosen family." Aaron Kaplan will executive produce alongside Peters and Harvey for Kapital Entertainment and 20th Television. Tiffany Przybyla Wong and Jaiden Kaplan co-executive produce. (Deadline.com, 8/19)
TRUE DETECTIVE (HBO) - Oscar winner Nicolas Cage is in talks to topline the fifth season of the anthology series. (Deadline.com, 8/21)
UNTITLED DAN FOGELMAN NFL SERIES (Hulu) - Mandy Moore has signed onto the series from the "This Is Us" creator as Lauren, "the daughter of NFL team owner Hank Durkin (William H. Macy) and his heir apparent." (Deadline.com, 8/18)
UNTITLED MIKE EPPS PROJECT (CBS, New!) - Mike Epps is attached to star in a multi-camera comedy at the network: "In the untitled half-hour, after wildfires sweep through Altadena, two estranged Black brothers - one played by Epps - reunite to sell their late grandmother's house to private developers. But when they learn her caretaker now owns part of the home and refuses to sell, they're forced to live together and confront their differences - and what community, legacy, and family really mean." Khalabo Ink Society's Kenya Barris is behind the half-hour for BET Studios and CBS Studios with Epps, Niles Kirchner, and Kapital Entertainment's Aaron Kaplan also executive producing. (Deadline.com, 8/19)
VARNELL HILL (BET+) - Kym Whitley will star opposite Tommy Davidson on the eight-episode "Martin" spin-off as Kim Jones, "Varnell's (Davidson) longtime assistant, emotional bodyguard, professional fixer, and the talk show's unofficial executive producer." (Deadline.com, 8/20)
WOLFENSTEIN (Amazon) - Creator Patrick Somerville has signed a two-year television overall deal with producer Amazon MGM Studios. He'll continue to develop new projects alongside Stephanie Jacob-Goldman via their chaoticgood.tv banner. (Variety.com, 8/20)
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· ADVOCATE, THE (ABC)
· BLADE RUNNER 2099 (AMAZON)
· COLIN KAEPERNICK DOCUMENTARY SERIES (ESPN)
· DEVELOPMENT UPDATE (TFC)
· DEXTER: ORIGINAL SIN (SHOWTIME)
· DEXTER: RESURRECTION (SHOWTIME)
· FAITHFUL, THE (FOX)
· GOLDEN BACHELOR, THE (ABC)
· HARRY POTTER AND THE PHILOSOPHER'S STONE (HBO)
· JOSEPH OF EGYPT (AMAZON)
· KATABASIS (AMAZON)
· LAND, THE (HULU)
· NCIS (CBS)
· PENGUIN, THE (HBO)
· PERFECT COUPLE, THE (NETFLIX)
· PITT, THE (HBO MAX)
· PRIDE AND PREJUDICE (NETFLIX)
· SHARDS, THE (FX)
· SHIFTING GEARS (ABC)
· STRANGER THINGS (NETFLIX)
· SUMMER OF SONGBIRDS, THE (HULU)
· TRUE DETECTIVE (HBO)
· UNTITLED MIKE EPPS PROJECT (CBS)
· VARNELL HILL SHOW, THE (PARAMOUNT PLUS)
· WOLFENSTEIN (AMAZON)
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[09/03/26 - 03:15 PM]
Brutal Murder Inspired by Horror Film Is First Original ABC News Video Podcast to Premiere Exclusively on Disney+ and Hulu Sept. 4
Based on the Hulu documentary, the six-part series - with new, never-before-seen material and hosted by the producers of the original documentary, Pat Rogers and Conor McCarthy - takes viewers deeper into the slaying of Idaho teenager Cassie Stoddart by killers influenced by a horror film.
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[09/03/26 - 02:31 PM]
FOX Greenlights "Mammoth," A New Comedy Series from Emmy Award-Winning "Modern Family" Co-Creator/Executive Producer Christopher Lloyd and Executive Producer/Writer Danny Zuker
Based on the original BBC Studios U.K. production of the same name and created by Welsh comedian and writer Mike Bubbins, "Mammoth" is produced by FOX Entertainment Studios.
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[09/03/26 - 02:01 PM]
"Famous Last Words" Honors the Life and Legacy of Gloria Steinem
Conducted by Emmy Award winner Brad Falchuk in February 2025, the episode captures Steinem not just as a media spokeswoman, but as a lifelong traveler on the road to justice.
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[09/03/26 - 01:32 PM]
Video: Abbott House Rock - "Abbott Elementary" Season 6
No such thing as too cool for school(house).
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[09/03/26 - 01:01 PM]
Netflix Expands Broadcast Team for First-Ever Regular Season NFL Game in Australia
The studio desk and in-game broadcast team will also return across Netflix's entire 2026-2027 NFL slate, with more names to come.
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[09/03/26 - 11:03 AM]
Kevin Zegers, Paul Gross, and Milla Jovovich Join the Cast of "Heated Rivalry" Season 2
And the crowd goes crazy.
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[09/03/26 - 11:03 AM]
Video: "R.J. Decker" Season 2 - Official Trailer - Premieres September 15
The stakes are higher and the cases are weirder, but R.J. Decker is just getting started.
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[09/03/26 - 10:10 AM]
"Gold Rush" - New Season Premieres Friday, October 2 on Discovery Channel
As soaring gold prices attract a new wave of fortune seekers to the Yukon, mining veterans and ambitious newcomers alike risk everything in pursuit of life-changing riches.
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[09/03/26 - 10:08 AM]
Deliciously Deceptive Desserts Hide in Plain Sight in New Food Network Series "Sweet Deceit" Hosted by Josh Peck
The series is hosted by actor Josh Peck, who hilariously commands the on-screen hijinks as he leads contestants through four rounds as they try to identify masterfully disguised sweets created by world-class cake artists.
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[09/03/26 - 10:07 AM]
HBO Max Commemorates 25th Anniversary of HBO Original "Band of Brothers" with Debut of New Documentary "Band of Brothers: Legacy" and In-App Extra Content
Coinciding with the series' quarter-century milestone, the commemoration will feature the premiere of the new documentary, offering fans an intimate look at the series' production and enduring impact.
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[09/03/26 - 10:01 AM]
Video: Meet the Competition - "The Traitors: New Blood" - NBC
Ordinary people. Extraordinary deceit. Meet the everyday Americans who accepted the invitation to play the ultimate murder mystery game deep in the Scottish Highlands.
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[09/03/26 - 10:00 AM]
"Soul Train Awards" Returns to BET and Makes Debut on CBS
BET Her, VH1, MTV2 and Logo will also simulcast this year's event, airing Friday, November 27.
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[09/03/26 - 09:34 AM]
"Everest: The Other Side" from Oscar-Winning Filmmakers Elizabeth Chai Vasarhelyi and Jimmy Chin Receives Its World Premiere at the 83rd Venice International Film Festival
The documentary from Walt Disney Studios, National Geographic Documentary Films, and Little Monster Films was just announced as part of the official line-up for the 53rd Telluride Film Festival.
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[09/03/26 - 09:05 AM]
Video: "Death and Mystery in the Amazon" - Official Trailer - HBO Max
Tatunca promised to take several people to the "Lost City." They never returned.
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[09/03/26 - 09:02 AM]
Hit Series "The UnBelievable with Dan Aykroyd" Returns with a New Season Friday, October 2 at 9/8c on The History Channel
Each hour-long episode brings these stranger-than-fiction stories to life through vivid recreations, bold graphics, remarkable archival footage, and a cast of expert storytellers.
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