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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 COMFORT (Apple TV, New!) - Danielle Brooks is set to star in a new comedy at the streamer inspired by the life story of restaurateur Melba Wilson: "American Comfort explores the heart, humor and hospitality that has transformed Wilson's eponymous Harlem restaurant Melba's from a neighborhood eatery into a soul food landmark deeply embedded into the cultural fabric of its community for over 20 years." Brooks will play the lead character Melba, "owner of the legendary Harlem soul food restaurant where the show is set." Kenya Barris is behind the project with Brooks, Wilson, Leyah Barris, Oprah Winfrey, Carla Gardini, Aaron Kaplan, Neema Barnette, and Aisha Summers-Burke also executive producing for Khalabo Ink Society, Harpo Entertainment, Kapital Entertainment, Door 24 Entertainment, BET Studios, and Apple Studios. Jaiden Kaplan, Dylan Hammalian, Jill McGrath, and Lauren Tuck are co-executive producers. (Deadline.com, 5/18)
AMERICAN HORROR STORY (FX) - The show's 13th installment has added John Carroll Lynch, Mena Suvari, Matt Fraser, and Berto Colón. Lynch and Fraser will reprise their "American Horror Story: Freak Show" characters, Twisty the Clown and Paul the Illustrated Seal, respectively; with Colon as Joe the Doorman, "who is employed by Jessica Lange's character." Suvari's character was not specified. (Deadline.com, 5/20)
BISHOP (Amazon) - Jennifer Beals will recur on the upcoming drama as Maggie Loftin, "a psychologist with the San Francisco Police Department." (Deadline.com, 5/19)
ELIZABETH BANKS COMEDY SERIES (Apple TV) - Rob Delaney will star alongside Elizabeth Banks in the comedy series in a yet-to-be-revealed role. (Deadline.com, 5/18)
ELLA ENCHANTED (Disney+, New!) - Ilana Wolpert is spearheading a TV take on Gail Carson Levine's book-turned-film starring Anne Hathaway at the streamer: "In it, when 16-year-old Ella of Frell - cursed at birth to obey every command - is sent to boarding school after her mother's untimely death, she begins to uncover the truth about her curse, builds an unlikely found family, and deals with an extremely inconvenient crush on the prince of her kingdom." Hathaway, Beth Schwartz, Johnathan Rice, and Adam Shulman will executive produce for Somewhere Pictures, iGen Studios, Miramax Television, and Paramount Television Studios. (Deadline.com, 5/18)
GREY'S ANATOMY SPIN-OFF SERIES (ABC, New!) - The Alphabet has given a straight-to-series order to a spin-off series set in the world of "Grey's Anatomy": "It is described as an edgy drama about a team at a rural West Texas medical center - the last chance for care before miles of nowhere." Shonda Rhimes and Meg Marinis are behind the project with Ellen Pompeo and Betsy Beers also executive producing for Shondaland and 20th Television. (Deadline.com, 5/19)
HARRY POTTER AND THE PHILOSOPHER'S STONE (HBO) - Gracie Cochrane, who portrays Ginny Weasley on the series, will not return for the show's second season. "Due to unforeseen circumstances Gracie has made the challenging decision to step away from her role as Ginny Weasley in the HBO Harry Potter series after season one," Cochrane and her family said in a statement. "Her time as part of the Harry Potter world has been truly wonderful, and she is deeply grateful to Lucy Bevan and the entire production team for creating such an unforgettable experience. Gracie is very excited about the opportunities her future holds." (Deadline.com, 5/18)
HOUSE OF THE DRAGON (HBO) - Co-creator Ryan Condal has renewed his overall deal with HBO through 2029. (Deadline.com, 5/20)
HOW TO SURVIVE WITHOUT ME (HBO Max) - The drama pilot has tapped the following guest stars: Joe Romano as "a younger version of family patriarch Leo De Angelis, played by his dad, Ray Romano"; Katie Monds as "a younger version of Leo's late wife Beverly (Rita Wilson)"; Katie Aselton as Parker, "the manager of a new members club she is about to open alongside her husband Josh, with Cooper (Joshua Jackson) as the head chef - her culinary school friend and former flame"; Richard Blackmon as Josh, "the business-minded investor in the member's club he's opening with his wife Parker and where his best friend Cooper will be debuting as head chef"; and Will Yun Lee as Marcus Chen, "the oncologist who treated Beverly after her diagnosis." (Deadline.com, 5/21)
HUNTING WHITEY BULGER (Hulu, New!) - Ben Affleck will narrate a three-part docuseries at the streamer: "Hunting Whitey Bulger is based on fresh reporting including never-before-seen hand-written letters from prison and key players speaking on camera for the first time to tell the "definitive inside story of the pursuit, capture, and killing" of Bulger." Zackary Canepari will direct with Affleck, Kyle Wheeler, Tom Forman, David Metzler, Claire Read, Casey Sherman, and Dave Wedge executive producing for Terminal B TV and Artists Equity. Jesse Kerns is a co-executive producer. (Deadline.com, 5/21)
LIFE IS STRANGE (Amazon) - The video game-turned TV series has cast Tom Cullen as Mark Jefferson, "Max's teacher"; Leisha Hailey as Joyce Price, "Chloe's mother"; Raúl Castillo as David Madsen, "Chloe's stepfather"; and Owen Teague as Frank Bowers, "a local drug dealer." (Variety.com, 5/21)
MOBLAND (Paramount+) - A writers' room has begun for a proposed third season of the series however actor Tom Hardy will not return. Said reports lists "friction between him and [showrunner] Jez Butterworth" as well as "Hardy's chronic lateness" as the reasons. (Deadline.com, 5/22)
MOVING (Hulu) - Won Gyu-bin has joined the cast of the Korean series' second season, replacing Lee Jung-ha as Kim Bong-seok. The report notes "Lee stepped back from his role to partake in the military service." (Deadline.com, 5/18)
MR. AND MRS. SMITH (Amazon) - Francesca Scorsese is bound for the show's second season as a Jane Smith. (Deadline.com, 5/19)
NEMESIS (Netflix) - Co-creator Courtney A. Kemp has signed a new multiyear overall deal with Apple TV where she'll develop new series projects via her End of Episode banner. (Deadline.com, 5/21)
PRISON BREAK (REBOOT SERIES) (Hulu) - Kelli Berglund has joined the cast of the revival as Cheyenne, "a female inmate at one of the deadliest prisons in America." She replaces Priscilla Delgado from the original pilot. (Deadline.com, 5/21)
PROTECTIVE CUSTODY (Apple TV, New!) - Ben Stiller is attached to star in a new comedy at the streamer: "Protective Custody will follow a disgraced financier accused of massive fraud who is thrown into protective custody, where he must navigate prison politics, salvage his reputation, and confront the consequences of his actions while awaiting trial." Mike Judge, Steve Hely, and Dave King are behind the project with Judge directing the pilot and Stiller, John Lesher, Ben Silverman, Howard T. Owens, Rodney Ferrell, Michael Rotenberg, Oly Obst, and Nanette Burstein likewise executive producing for Apple Studios, Red Hour, Propagate Content, and 3 Arts Entertainment. (Deadline.com, 5/22)
RAINMAKER, THE (USA Network) - Libby Kay and Liam O'Halloran will recur on the show's second season as Megan Grenier, "the razor-sharp right hand to cutthroat attorney Amanda Vonn (Merle Dandridge)"; and Boone McCready, "a rising star pitcher on the team that Tom Cassidy, Bruiser's ex-husband, coaches," respectively. (Deadline.com, 5/21)
SPARTACUS: HOUSE OF ASHUR (Starz) - The revival series has been canceled after one season. Producer Lionsgate Television is shopping it to other platforms. (Deadline.com, 5/22)
TASK (HBO) - The show's sophomore season has added Harry Melling as Brennan Boylan, "a powder-keg DEA agent"; Adam Nagaitis as "the loyal and unflappable DEA agent, Luke Clemmons"; and Aminah Nieves as Nataly Zamora, "a no-nonsense FBI agent and dedicated young mother who fights hard to protect the community that raised her." (Deadline.com, 5/21)
TULSA KING (Paramount+) - Eden Lee will recur on season four of the series as Maya, "the officious Chief of Staff for the Governor of Oklahoma." (Deadline.com, 5/18)
WHAT REMAINS (Hulu, New!) - Kerry Washington is attached to star in a small screen take on Wendy Walker's novel at the streamer: "In What Remains, after taking the life of a disturbed man in the line of duty, Detective Elise Sutton (Washington) - a devoted wife, loving mother, and cold case specialist - reels from the guilt of her actions. To convince herself that she did the right thing, she makes contact with a mysterious man that she saved that day, only to discover that he's not at all what he seems. She's soon caught in a dangerous game of cat and mouse, following the clues he leaves for her and realizing that the only person who can stop him... is her." Writer Chris Luccy and director McG are behind the project with Washington, Pilar Savone, Aaron Kaplan, Mary Viola, and Corey Marsh also executive producing for Wonderland Sound and Vision, Kapital Entertainment, and 20th Television. Co-executive producing are Dylan Hammalian, Adam Haiken, and Will McDonald, with Walker as a producer. (Deadline.com, 5/21)
WHITE LOTUS, THE (HBO) - "Survivor" alums Charlie Davis and Kamilla Karthigesu will cameo on the upcoming fourth season of the series. (Deadline.com, 5/21)
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