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[09/26/25 - 11:38 PM]
Development Update: Week of September 22-26
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!
AMERICAN HOSTAGE (MGM+) - Kristoffer Polaha is the latest to board the period drama as Dick Hall, "the president of Meridian Mortgage who is taken hostage by Tony Kiritsis (Giovanni Ribisi), who publicly accuses him on being a greedy and cutthroat monster. But the real human being is more complicated than that." (Deadline.com, 9/24)
BAD MONKEY (Apple TV+) - Yvonne Strahovski and Zavior Phillips have both joined the cast of the show's sophomore run. She'll play the role of County State Attorney Delaney; and he's set as Eddie, "a CPA investigating financial crimes." (Deadline.com, 9/22; Variety.com, 9/23)
BEL-AIR (Peacock) - Tyra Banks will drop by the show's final season as "a former college classmate with a big personality, with whom Viv (Cassandra Freeman) is reluctantly reunited. In the original series, Banks played Will's (Will Smith) ex-girlfriend from Philly, Jackie Ames." Banks previously guest starred on "The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air" in an unrelated role. (Deadline.com, 9/24)
BLIPPI'S JOB SHOW (Netflix) - Clayton Grimm, who plays the titular character, has signed a new multi-year overall talent deal with producer Moonbug Entertainment. (Deadline.com, 9/25)
CATFISH: THE TV SHOW (MTV) - The cable channel has pulled the plug on the series after nine seasons. (Variety.com, 9/22)
CROW GIRL, THE (Acorn TV) - Paramount+ U.K. & Ireland, the show's originator, has renewed the series for a second season: "Bristol Police Detective Jeanette Kilburn has ended her marriage and found herself in bed with enigmatic psychologist Dr. Sophia Craven. Jeanette's hunt for the killers of young male asylum seekers takes a shocking new turn when a mummified body, discovered in a church wall, and a body in a freezer reveal a chilling connection. As Jeanette digs deeper, Sophia begins to suspect Victoria Burkeman, her mysterious and unstable former patient who has previously been convicted of multiple murders, could be responsible. With the case growing darker, Sophia suspects Victoria is more familiar than she thought, and Jeanette must face the terrifying truth: the killer may be closer than she ever imagined." (THR.com, 9/24)
DAY OF THE JACKAL, THE (Peacock) - David Harrower has been tapped as lead writer for the series' second season. Creator Ronan Bennett "is stepping back from his writing duties due to other commitments but will continue to exec produce." (Variety.com, 9/22)
DIPLOMAT, THE (Netflix) - Allison Janney and Bradley Whitford will return as regulars for the series' previously ordered fourth season. (Deadline.com, 9/26)
DOWN BY THE RIVER (AMC, New!) - Writer/director Peter Landesman is developing a new drama at AMC Networks based on Charles Bowden's book of the same name: "Down by the River is a family saga that is equal parts crime procedural and conspiracy thriller. The murder of the brother of the DEA's Dallas chief Phil Jordan unravels into something so big it doesn't seem to have borders. Set mostly in high-society Dallas - at the nexus of oil money, politics, religion, and crime - solving his beloved brother's murder will take Jordan back to the streets, back across the border, back to an old alter-ego everyone, including him, had thought had been dead and buried." Scott Stuber will also executive produce. (Deadline.com, 9/24)
FOURTH WING (Amazon) - Meredith Averill has been tapped as the new showrunner of its Rebecca Yarros adaptation. She succeeds Moira Walley-Beckett. Jac Schaeffer was previously in talks to join the project but ultimately didn't sign on. Yarros, Michael B. Jordan, Elizabeth Raposo, Jonathan Nolan, Lisa Joy, Athena Wickham, Liz Pelletier, and Sherryl Clark also executive produce for Outlier Society, Kilter Films, Premeditated, and Amazon MGM Studios. Stefano Agosto will co-executive produce. (Variety.com, 9/24)
GHOSTING WITH LUKE HUTCHIE AND MATTHEW FINLAN (Peacock, New!) - The streamer has acquired both eight-episode seasons of Canadian reality series starring Luke Hutchie and Matthew Finlan to debut in October: "Joined by celebrity guests, the amateur ghost-wrangling duo will traverse the country, investigating stories of paranormal activity in Ontario, British Columbia, Newfoundland, Nova Scotia and the Yukon Territory. Their mission remains unchanged: to uncover the truth behind local ghostlore and deliver a verdict of "haunted" or "not haunted"." Hutchie, Finlan, Matthew Hornburg, Mark J.W. Bishop, Donna Luke, Jennifer Harkness, and Mitch Burman are among the executive producers for Blue Ant Studios and Luke Hutchie Productions. (Deadline.com, 9/26)
GOLF (Netflix) - Luke Wilson has been added to the Will Ferrell-led comedy series as "a pro golfer who rivals Lonnie, having beaten him for the tour championship twice." (Deadline.com, 9/26)
HIGH POTENTIAL (ABC) - James Roday Rodriguez has signed on to direct two episodes of the series this season. (Deadline.com, 9/23)
KILLER GRANNIES (Oxygen) - June Squibb is set to host the upcoming "true-crime series that chronicles the most shocking and unpredictable cases involving a killer no one would suspect: Grandma." (Variety.com, 9/24)
MONOPOLY (Netflix) - Studio Lambert, Wheelhouse, and Endemol Shine North America are among the finalists to produce the show's latest small screen take on the iconic board game as part of a large-scale bake-off. (Deadline.com, 9/26)
NCIS: ORIGINS (CBS) - Philip Winchester will recur on the prequel series as Mason Franks, "the older brother of Mike Franks (Kyle Schmid), a Texas-tough cowboy who has recently hit rock bottom. Mason is an honorable man who has fallen on hard times and is desperately trying to keep from losing the family ranch. His desperation leads him to seek help from his estranged little brother." (Deadline.com, 9/22)
NOT SUITABLE FOR WORK (Hulu) - Jay Ellis will round out the cast of the comedy series as Bill Gibson, "a charismatic, successful investment banker who is admired for being his firm's highest-earning managing director." (Deadline.com, 9/24)
PAGANS (Netflix, New!) - Joshua Zetumer has scored a straight to series order from the streamer for a new drama: "Pagans follows a man who becomes the sole caretaker of his two children after the tragic loss of his wife. While his son is typical, his daughter, Alice, is anything but. What starts as a strained father-daughter relationship soon evolves into something far more sinister. Equal parts emotional, horrifying and humorous, Pagans uses genre to unearth all the dark thoughts that parents have, the kind of thoughts mom and dad are never supposed to talk about... " Entertainment 360's Guymon Casady will also presumably executive produce. (Deadline.com, 9/23)
PLURIBUS (Apple TV+) - Creator Vince Gilligan has signed a four-year exclusive deal with Sony Pictures Television, home to his High Bridge Productions banner. (Deadline.com, 9/24)
RANSOM CANYON (Netflix) - Eoin Macken's Davis Collins and Andrew Liner's Reid Collins will not return as regulars for the show's second season. (Deadline.com, 9/22)
SAVANT, THE (Apple TV+) - The streamer has opted to postpone the Jessica Chastain-led drama from its September 26 launch: "After careful consideration, we have made the decision to postpone The Savant," a spokesperson said in a statement. "We appreciate your understanding and look forward to releasing the series at a future date." (Deadline.com, 9/23)
SULLIVAN'S CROSSING (The CW) - Fuad Ahmed, Jonathan Silverman, Colby Frost, Emerson MacNeil, and Marcus Rosner have all joined the cast of the show's fourth season. Ahmed plays Amir Malik; Silverman portrays Quincy Carlson; Frost plays Ben Nelson; MacNeil is Tracy; and Rosner plays Liam Davies, having first appeared in the season three finale. (Deadline.com, 9/25)
THINGS WE NEVER GOT OVER (Amazon) - Eric Charmelo and Nicole Snyder are now spearheading Amazon MGM Studios' small screen take on Lucy Score's novel: "Things We Never Got Over follows Naomi Witt, who is on the run, not just from her fiancé and a church full of well-wishers, but from her entire life. When she finds herself in rural Virginia coming to the aid of her hot mess of a twin, she falls for the small town and a sexy local, who helps her rediscover herself." They'll succeed Amy Rardin, who was part of the original sale in 2023, and presumably Lynley Bird and Patrick Moran. Gina Girolamo of Strega Stories will now executive produce alongside Charmelo and Snyder with Score serving as co-executive producer. (Deadline.com, 9/26)
UNTITLED MARC CHERRY PROJECT (Netflix, New!) - Marc Cherry has sold an untitled project to the streamer set in Charleston, South Carolina: "The series follows four couples - bound by family, marriage, and fate - who sit at the center of Charleston's most powerful legacy families. With insider access to Charleston's elite and high society, the show explores the tension between old money tradition, hidden scandals, and the pressures of contemporary life." Jason Owen, Marcy Ross, and Tara Roy will also executive produce for Sandbox Studios. (Deadline.com, 9/25)
UNTITLED MARSHAWN LYNCH PROJECT (Amazon, New!) - Former NFL star Marshawn Lynch is attached to star in a potential new comedy at Amazon MGM Studios: "Currently untitled, the show stars Lynch as a version of himself who, in refusing the typical life of a retired athlete, dives into a new career as a Las Vegas private eye - teaming with a tough, veteran female PI in a partnership as unpredictable as the cases they take on." Max Searle is behind the half-hour with Lynch, Luke Dillon, Luke Maxwell, Will Arnett, Marc Forman, Bryon Sheng, and Diaunte Thompson also executive producing for 3 Arts Entertainment, Electric Avenue, and Beastmode Productions. (Deadline.com, 9/23)
UNTITLED WITNESS PROTECTION PILOT (FX) - Aidan Gillen will guest on the Alison Brie-led drama pilot as Carl Milliken III, "a business executive who identifies more with his workface than the military contractors he interacts with, sources close to production reveal." (Deadline.com, 9/22)
WALKING DEAD, THE: DEAD CITY (AMC) - Jimmi Simpson has signed onto the show's third season as Dillard, an unspecified new series regular. (Deadline.com, 9/24)
WITCHER, THE (Netflix) - Peter Mullan has been added to the show's fourth season as Vesemir, "a veteran monster hunter and father figure to Geralt." He replaces Kim Bodnia, who originated the role in season two. As previously announced Liam Hemsworth is taking over the titular role, succeeding Henry Cavill. (EW.com, 9/25)
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[09/25/26 - 11:01 AM]
"Family Guy" Hulu Exclusive Halloween Special Premieres October 5 on Hulu
Brian and Stewie find themselves in Hell - not an annoying day, the actual underworld - paying for 24 seasons' worth of bad behavior.
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[09/25/26 - 10:35 AM]
ESPN Delivered Its Most-Watched WNBA Regular Season Ever!
Across 29 games, the WNBA on ESPN networks averaged 1.37M viewers, up 17% year-over-year and ranking as ESPN networks' most-viewed WNBA regular season on record.
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[09/25/26 - 10:02 AM]
Season Two of "The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon" Hit Microdrama Series "Who Billionaire? Me Billionaire." Premieres This Sunday, Sept. 27
The vertical comedy series is the first microdrama produced by a late-night television franchise, with its first season generating 27 million digital views.
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[09/25/26 - 09:19 AM]
Volpi Cup Winner and Emmy & Golden Globe Nominee Peter Sarsgaard Joins Scottish Highland Drama "Laird" for Paramount+
Sarsgaard will star as Peter Bergstrom, a ruthless, self-made tech titan and land magnate whose influence spans continents.
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[09/25/26 - 09:01 AM]
"Evil Dead Burn" Begins Streaming Exclusively on HBO Max October 2
The film unleashes the franchise's most savage and terrifying ride to date with an all-new chapter of carnage and demonic mayhem.
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[09/25/26 - 07:04 AM]
Video: AMC+ Unveils Bewitching Trailer for the Highly Anticipated Contemporary Mystery Thriller, "Yaga"
The contemporary mystery thriller which reimagines the myth of Baba Yaga, is set for a two-episode premiere on Friday, October 23, exclusively in the U.S. on AMC+.
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[09/25/26 - 07:00 AM]
Paramount and Spotify Partner for the "2026 MTV Video Music Awards (VMAs)" on CBS
The collaboration will extend the "VMAs" experience through a dedicated on-platform destination on Spotify, launching today.
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[09/25/26 - 05:17 AM]
Video: "#Love" - Official Trailer - Netflix
A practical dating app founder and her adventurous competitor test their opposing theories about love through a 60-day challenge to find the right match.
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[09/24/26 - 03:01 PM]
Video: "Did Someone Happen to Mention Me?" - Official Trailer - Netflix
Once Japan's most renowned actor, Gen is suddenly forgotten. Fueled by a need for recognition, he claws his way back from zero in this comedy.
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[09/24/26 - 02:02 PM]
Tubi Announces New Original Docuseries "Just One Before I Die" Offering an Inside Look at the Buffalo Bills Fanbase
All episodes premiere for free exclusively on Tubi on Wednesday, October 21.
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[09/24/26 - 02:01 PM]
Prime Video Announces Worldwide Exclusive Streaming of "Quiz from God," a Reboot of the Phenomenal Korean Mystery Drama, Starring Shotaro Mamiya - Premiering Friday, Dec 4, 2026
The series follows Haruto Hatsushima, a genius forensic pathologist and former neurosurgeon hailed by those around him as "a genius chosen by God" - yet dismissed as being eccentric by his colleagues.
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[09/24/26 - 12:25 PM]
ABC News Wins Across the Board in Late Night and Friday Night
"20/20" ranks as Friday's No. 1 newsmagazine in Total Viewers, Adults 25-54 and Adults 18-49, drawing its largest audience in two months and growing year to year in all key measures.
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[09/24/26 - 12:01 PM]
"The Graham Norton Show" Returns with All-New Episodes Thursday, October 1 on BBC America
Episodes will also be available to stream on AMC+, Acorn TV, and All Reality.
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[09/24/26 - 12:00 PM]
Presenters Announced for the "2026 Video Music Awards (VMAs)" Airing Sunday, Sept. 27 on CBS
Alex Warren, Belmont Cameli, Brandon Sklenar, Charli xcx, Ciara Miller, David Corenswet, Ella Bright, Isabel May, Jeff Probst, Rachel Dratch, Teyana Taylor, Troye Sivan, and Tyla are among the featured talent.
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[09/24/26 - 11:29 AM]
Marquee Championship Doubleheader Leads UFC Return to Madison Square Garden Streaming on Paramount+ Saturday, November 14
In the main event, newly crowned undisputed UFC heavyweight champion Ciryl Gane looks to make his first title defense against No. 4 ranked contender Josh Hokit.
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