Lifetime announced a two-picture deal with Sarah Drew, who will star, write and executive produce “Reindeer Games” and star in “Stolen Hearts: The Lizbeth Meredith Story” for the channel’s “It’s A Wonderful Lifetime” holiday film slate.
“I’ve absolutely loved working with Lifetime over the past few years and couldn’t be more thrilled to continue my relationship with them as an actor and now as a writer and producer as well. I’m delighted to announce my screenwriting debut with ‘Reindeer Games,’ a romantic comedy about love, loss, and the importance of true community. I’m looking forward to working with Lifetime to bring more stories like this to life,” Drew said.
“Reindeer Games” is currently in development and follows a fading Hollywood star who returns to his small hometown following his breakup. He’s begrudgingly roped into the town’s titular holiday fundraising tradition, but when he suddenly falls for — and is competing against — an old classmate, he tries to not only win the game, but also her heart.
“Stolen Hearts: The Lizbeth Meredith Story” follows Lizbeth (Drew), a mother who says goodbye to her young daughters for a non-custodial visit with their father — her abusive ex-husband — only to discover that he has kidnapped them both and taken them to Greece. Jeff Vanderwal serves as executive producer, with Simone Stock directing from a script by Barbara Kymlicka. The film is produced by Cineflix Media.
Other Lifetime projects that Drew has starred in include holiday films, “Twinkle All the Way” and “Christmas Pen Pals.”
Drew is represented by Innovative Artists; Vault Entertainment; and Yorn, Barnes, Levine, Krintzman, Rubenstein, Kohner, Endlich & Gellman.
Also in today’s TV news roundup…
DATES
Roku announced TV movie “Zoey’s Extraordinary Christmas” will debut on Dec. 1. The service streams all 25 episodes of “Zoey’s Extraordinary Playlist,” which originally aired on NBC, on Nov. 1. “Zoey’s Extraordinary Christmas” follows Zoey (Jane Levy) as she attempts to create a special Christmas on her first holiday without her father, Mitch (Peter Gallagher). Levy, Gallagher, Mary Steenburgen, Skylar Astin, Alex Newell, John Clarence Stewart, Andrew Leeds, Alice Lee, Michael Thomas Grant, Kapil Talwalkar, David St. Louis and Bernadette Peters reprise their roles. Austin Winsberg serves as writer and executive producer; Richard Shepard is executive producer and director; Kim Tannenbaum, Eric Tannenbaum, Paul Feig, David Blackman and Daniel Inkeles serve as executive producers; Dan Magnante, Jason Wang and Mandy Moore serve as co-executive producers; Michele Greco is producer, and Sam Laybourne and Samantha McIntyre are consulting producers. The film is produced by Lionsgate Television in association with the Tannenbaum Company, Feigco Entertainment, Universal Music Group’s Polygram Entertainment and Zihuatanejo Productions. Watch a preview below.
Watch a preview below.
NBC announced it will air the pilot of Peacock original series “The Lost Symbol” on Nov. 8 at 10 p.m., with the first season streaming now on Peacock. Based on Dan Brown’s 2009 thriller, the series follows the early adventures of a young Harvard symbologist Robert Langdon, who must solve a series of deadly puzzles to save his kidnapped mentor and fight a global conspiracy. Ashley Zukerman, Valorie Curry, Sumalee Montano, Rick Gonzalez, Eddie Izzard and Beau Knapp star. Dan Dworkin and Jay Beattie serve as writers and executive producers. Dan Brown, Brian Grazer, Ron Howard, Samie Kim Falvey, Anna Culp, John Weber and Frank Siracusa also executive produce. Dan Trachtenberg serves as executive producer and director of the pilot. The series is produced by CBS Studios, Imagine Television Studios and Universal Television, a division of Universal Studio Group.
AQUISITIONS
HBO Max acquired several series from Warner Bros.: “David Makes Man” Season 2, which first aired this summer on OWN, and classic comedies “Hangin’ with Mr. Cooper,” “In the House,” “The Jamie Foxx Show,” “Martin” and “The Parent ’Hood.” “Dead Makes Man” Season 2 follows the titular David (Kwame Patterson) in his 30s as a rising businessman with an opportunity that will change him forever. “Hangin’ With Mr. Cooper” follows Mark Cooper (Mark Curry), a former basketball superstar turned popular substitute teacher; “In the House” centers on a former pro-football player (LL Cool J) and a newly divorced mother (Debbie Allen) living together without knowing one another; “The Jamie Foxx Show” stars Foxx as an entertainer proving himself musically and romantically; “Martin,” starring Martin Lawrence as Martin Payne, is about a radio talk show host who juggles his work and personal life; and “The Parent ‘Hood” follows parents (Robert Townsend and Suzzanne Douglas) desperately trying to keep up with their high-spirited children.
CASTING
Apple TV Plus announced the addition of Harriet Walter, Avi Nash and Chinaza Uche to the cast of “Wool.” Based on Hugh Howey’s trilogy of dystopian novels, “Wool” is set in a toxic future where a community exists in a giant silo underground, with the men and women living in a society fueled by regulations meant to protect them. Walter plays Martha Walker, a veteran engineer who works in mechanical, with Nash playing Lukas Kyle, an IT worker who rises to prominence, and Uche as Paul Billings, part of the security team in the judicial Department. Walter, Nash and Uche join previously announced stars Rebecca Ferguson, Tim Robbins, Common, Rashida Jones and David Oyelowo in the series, which is written and executive produced by Graham Yost and directed and co-executive produced by Morten Tyldum. Ferguson, Nina Jack, Fred Golan, Remi Aubuchon and Ingrid Escajeda also serve as executive producers. The show is produced by AMC Studios.