The opening theme song of Busy Philipps’s new E! talk show, “Busy Tonight,” features the actress and host in several low-fi videos of exactly the sort she’s known for posting on Instagram. We see her working out, dancing with a friend, and speaking directly to the camera, saying, “Let’s start a campaign for a television show
Television
November 1, 2018 10:00AM PT Travis Braun has entered an overall deal with Disney Channels Worldwide, Variety has learned exclusively. Under the deal, Braun will develop and produce both animated and live-action content across Disney Channel, Disney XD, Disney Junior, as well as Disney’s upcoming direct-to-consumer streaming service. “Travis has created and written some of the most
Comedian Anjelah Johnson is set to star in a multi-camera comedy in development at NBC which both Kevin Hart and America Ferrera will executive produce, Variety has learned. The project is titled “All Fancy.” Inspired by Johnson’s life and stand-up, the series is seen through the point of view of Veronica Jimenez (Johnson), a newly successful 30-something
Eric Lange has logged decades of credits, including roles in “Lost,” “CSI: NY” and “Weeds,” but he says his favorite role is in Showtime’s “Escape at Dannemora,” which bows Nov. 18. Lange plays Lyle Mitchell, husband of the real-life woman who aided two inmates in their escape from the Clinton Correctional Facility in Dannemora, N.Y.
21st Century Fox executive chairman Lachlan Murdoch defended Fox News and gave a glimpse of the vision for New Fox during a wide-ranging Q&A on Thursday with Andrew Ross Sorkin at the New York Times’ DealBook conference. Murdoch also weighed in on the fate of Megyn Kelly as she departs NBC News and the hiring
Production designer Anastasia White is no stranger to “oners” — those long, sweeping, single-take scenes. She’s had plenty of experience, having worked with Sam Esmail, the writer, director and producer of USA Network’s “Mr. Robot” since 2016, when she joined the show’s second season. Now White is teamed up with Esmail once again on “Homecoming,”
November 1, 2018 9:30AM PT Oscar winner Barry Jenkins and his PASTEL production banner have set a first-look television deal at Amazon. Jenkins is slated to direct the entire limited series “Underground Railroad” at Amazon, based on Colson Whitehead’s Pulitzer Prize and National Book Award-winning novel of the same name. Under the deal, he will
November 1, 2018 5:33AM PT AMC Networks, known for premium cable dramas like “The Walking Dead” and “Better Call Saul,” said third-quarter profit soared 28% on robust performance at its national and international holdings. The New York owner of the AMC, IFC and Sundance cable networks said net income totaled $111.2 million, or $1.93 a
October 31, 2018 9:59PM PT For the first time in its 40-plus-year history, a blackout will keep HBO off the air of one of its biggest distributors. The signal for the AT&T-owned channel went dark on satcaster Dish and its sister virtual MVPD service Sling TV as of midnight Thursday. Dish alone represents 2.5 million
SPOILER ALERT: Do not read if you have not yet watched “Sojurn,” the eighth episode of “American Horror Story: Apocalypse.” There is usually a point in every “American Horror Story” season where everything gets really weird. “Sojourn” was that point for “Apocalypse.” There were some bright spots, like Sandra Bernhard as a Satanist preacher and the
October 31, 2018 3:26PM PT In today’s TV news roundup, Freeform announced the development of the new Stephen King series “Joyland” and Netflix renewed “Castlevania” for a third season. DATES Oxygen’s upcoming TV docu-special “Up and Vanished” is set to premiere Nov. 18 at 7 p.m. ET/PT. Based on a true-crime podcast of the same
October 31, 2018 3:02PM PT Netflix has renewed “The Ranch” for a fourth season. The multi-camera comedy debuted the first half of it third season in June. A premiere date for the second half is yet to be set. The fourth season will consist of 20 episodes. Ashton Kutcher, Sam Elliott, Debra Winger, and Elisha
October 31, 2018 2:13PM PT Emma Roberts has stepped down from the leading role in the upcoming Netflix drama series “Spinning Out,” Variety has confirmed. Roberts departed the series due to a scheduling conflict. Netflix still plans to continue with the show, with the search now on for a new lead. Roberts currently appears on “American Horror
“Rescue 911” could be returning to the airwaves. Variety has learned exclusively that a reboot of the classic series is currently in the works. However, unlike the original show, this new weekly, two-hour format would offer a live look at first responders taking real emergency calls every week. Original series host William Shatner would return
October 31, 2018 1:25PM PT Jonah Hill and Liev Schreiber will each host an upcoming episode of “Saturday Night Live.” Hill stars in the recent Netflix series “Maniac” alongside Emma Stone. His feature directorial debut, “Mid90s,” is currently in theaters. He will host the Nov. 3 show and be joined by musical guest Maggie Rogers,
October 31, 2018 1:00PM PT ABC is developing a comedy series inspired by the real life friendship of Kelly Ripa and Ryan Seacrest. The multi-camera series is titled “Work Wife” and has received a put pilot commitment at the network. It is described as an ensemble comedy that explores the dynamics surrounding people’s “work spouses,”
October 31, 2018 12:20PM PT The “Game of Thrones” prequel pilot at HBO is starting to round out its cast. Josh Whitehouse has joined the project, though the exact nature of his role is being kept under wraps. Whitehouse is now the second actor officially cast in the pilot, with Naomi Watts having been announced
October 31, 2018 11:28AM PT Julia Franz has joined Charter Communications as head of development and production, Spectrum originals. She will report to the company’s head of original content, Katherine Pope, and be based in Los Angeles. In her new role, Franz will oversee development and production of Charter’s upcoming original-series slate made available to
October 31, 2018 11:00AM PT Fox is developing an adaptation of the Endemol Shine France drama series “Quadras.” The American version is titled “Let’s Spend the Night Together.” It is described as a dramedy in which the entire first season takes place over the course of single night at a wedding. Tom Kapinos will serve
Channel 4 will set up a new national headquarters in Leeds, and new creative hubs in Bristol and Glasgow. The British pubcaster has been weighing where to relocate, having committed to increasing its out of London operations. It has said it will spend over $300 million more on shows that come from outside of the
October 31, 2018 10:05AM PT BBC America has given a series order to the Sir Terry Pratchett series “The Watch.” Based on Pratchett’s popular “Discworld” novels, “The Watch” will follow Pratchett’s misfit cop characters as they struggle to save a ramshackle city based on the “City Watch” subset of the series. Many of Pratchett’s literary characters will
Leslie Odom Jr. is set to star in a comedy with a put pilot commitment at ABC that boasts Kerry Washington among its executive producers. The untitled multi-camera series focuses on Leslie (Odom Jr.) and Hope, joint pastors at a young, hip, diverse church in Los Angeles. Through their services, online streams and books, they are
Some of the most eye-popping paydays in broadcast TV these days are being generated by unscripted TV show hosts. Kevin Hart, Ellen DeGeneres and Dwayne Johnson are pulling in some $500,000 per episode for hosting competition series on CBS and NBC: CBS’ “TKO: Total Knock Out” for Hart, NBC’s “Ellen’s Game of Games” for DeGeneres
October 31, 2018 9:00AM PT Hannah Simone has set up a comedy project with a put pilot commitment at ABC, Variety has learned. The “New Girl” alum will star in, write, and executive produce the untitled single camera project, which is inspired by Simone’s non-traditional Indian family. It follows a woman (Simone) who is broke, single, and
Nickelodeon has selected five participants for its 19th annual Writing Program, including the program’s first preschool-specific finalist. Based in Burbank, the year-long program allows aspiring television writers worldwide to hone their skills writing for both live-action and animated shows, network with executives and show creators, and gain access to workshops, seminars, classes, and real-world writers’
October 31, 2018 2:00AM PT Upcoming paranormal series “Rendlesham” just got some star power, with Laurence Fishburne signing on to appear in the show and exec produce. Sony-backed Eleventh Hour Films is making the series and Sony Pictures Television is taking it out internationally. It is inspired by events that took place on a U.S.
MADRID — The 2nd Madrid TV Pitchbox, a pitching event focused on Spanish TV drama series in development, will take place Tuesday, Dec. 18, organized by online platform Filmarket Hub. A selection of seven TV drama projects will be presented before executives from some of the most important Spain-based TV broadcasters and OTTs. After the
Marvel heroes Falcon and Winter Soldier are teaming up for a potential limited series at the Disney streaming service. Variety has learned exclusively that Malcolm Spellman has been tapped to write a series featuring the two superheroes, which is currently in development at the streamer. It is the first of the proposed Marvel limited series
In theory and logline, “Tell Me a Story” is about the intertwining lives of New Yorkers that resemble some of the most famous fairy tales of yore. The new girl in town is an unwitting Red Riding Hood with a wolf tattooed on her thigh, surrounded by predatory men. A brother and sister, long estranged
“Modern Family” co-creator Steve Levitan has renewed his criticism Fox News and its parent company amid backlash to the cable channel’s coverage following the mass shooting Saturday at a synagogue in Pittsburgh. “By espousing unfounded conspiracy theories and justifying Trump’s reprehensible statements and actions, Fox News fuels our country’s divisiveness,” Levitan told Variety. “I sincerely hope