TAGGED AS: AMC, streaming, television, TV
Anne Rice’s vampire novels will be adapted to series by AMC. Tell us who you’d like to see play Lestat and Louis below. Plus, Peabody award winners, Jerry Seinfeld’s Pop-Tarts movie, a Game of Thrones alum joins Taika Waititi’s pirate comedy Our Flag Means Death, a Supernatural prequel is in the works, Ted Lasso season 2 in the week’s top trailers, Jason Momoa and others getting a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame in 2022, and more TV and streaming news.
TOP STORY
(Photo by Francois Duhamel/Sygma via Getty Images)
Last year, AMC acquired the rights to Anne Rice’s literary works, 18 titles that include the Vampire Chronicles and Mayfair Witches series. Now, fans are about to see the first TV series spring from that deal, as AMC has announced an Interview with the Vampire series will debut on AMC and AMC+ in 2022.
No casting news is available yet, but the behind-the-scenes teams are led by Oscar and Emmy-winning producer Mark Johnson, who has been an executive producer on Breaking Bad, Better Call Saul, and Rectify at AMC Networks, and won an Academy Award as a producer on Rain Man. Johnson, who has an overall agreement with AMC Studios, is taking the lead on developing AMC’s entire Anne Rice collection into streaming and television franchises.
Meanwhile, Rolin Jones, a producer on HBO’s Perry Mason and Boardwalk Empire, as well as being an Emmy nominee for Weeds and Friday Night Lights, is the creator, showrunner, and executive producer of Interview with the Vampire. Johnson will also be an executive producer for the show’s eight-episode first season, while Anne Rice and her son Christopher will be non-writing executive producers.
Tom Cruise played Lestat and Brad Pitt played Louis in the 1994 film, which has a 63% Tomatometer score.
A movie about nothing? Kinda, but we still can’t wait for this one: expanding on a joke from his stand-up routine, Jerry Seinfeld will star in and direct Unfrosted, a Netflix movie all about the creation of Pop-Tarts, that classic breakfast toaster pastry. (Deadline)
Seinfeld will also produce Unfrosted, which he wrote with Spike Feresten and Barry Marder. Production will begin next spring on the movie, which sparked from a joke the comedian told about the joy of discovering Pop-Tarts as a child. “How did they know that there would be a need for a frosted fruit-filled, heated rectangle in the same shape as the box it comes in, and with the same nutrition as the box it comes in?” Seinfeld mused.
In 2012, Seinfeld deconstructed the joke, which he wrote across two years, and shared his joke-writing process (which famously involves yellow legal pads and Bic pens) in a New York Times video that hints at the comedic potential of Unfrosted.
For the record, despite the movie’s title, we all agree that frosted Pop-Tarts are always the preferred Pop-Tarts, right?
(Photo by Apple TV+)
The Peabody Awards, for excellence in “storytelling that reflects the social issues and the emerging voices of our day,” were announced this week, and TV-related projects recognized for the 81st annual honors include Ted Lasso (Apple TV+), The Late Show with Stephen Colbert (CBS), The Owl House on Disney Channel, The Good Lord Bird (Showtime), Unorthodox (Netflix), 76 Days (MTV), Whose Vote Counts on PBS, VICE on Showtime: Losing Ground (Showtime), I May Destroy You (HBO), La Llorona (Shudder), Collective (HBO Europe), Immigration Nation (Netflix), Crip Camp (Netflix), PBS NewsHour: Coverage of the COVID-19 Pandemic (PBS), Small Axe (Amazon Prime), The Cave (NatGeo), Welcome to Chechnya (HBO), ABC News 2020: Breona Taylor (ABC), PBS NewsHour: Desperate Journey (PBS), Cops and Robbers (Netflix), and Stillwater (Apple TV+). For the complete list of winners, check out the Peabody site.
In other awards news, the Critics Choice Real TV Awards were announced this week, with RuPaul’s Drag Race (VH1) tying for Best Competition Series with Netflix’s The Great British Baking Show; The Masked Singer (Fox) and The Voice (NBC) tying for Best Competition Series: Talent/Variety; and Food Network’s Diners, Drive-Ins and Dives and Apple TV+’s The Oprah Conversation tying for Best Structured Series. RuPaul’s Drag Race also won for Best Ensemble Cast in an Unscripted Series, while Netflix’s Deaf U won Best Unstructured Series. Sandra Lee for TLC’s Dr. Pimple Popper was Female Star of the Year, and Phil Rosenthal, of Netflix’s Somebody Feed Phil (which was just renewed for a fifth season) was named Male Star of the Year. A complete list of winners is here.
Speaking of Ted Lasso, the beloved Peabody winner returns for season 2 with the characters just as charming and funny as ever, and with a few surprises: dating dilemmas, a case of the yips, and the appearance of “Led Tasso,” Ted’s more aggressive alter ego. Stars Jason Sudeikis, Hannah Waddingham, Brendan Hunt, Brett Goldstein, and Juno Temple. Premieres July 23. (Apple TV+)
More trailers and teasers released this week:
• The White Lotus is Mike White’s limited series social satire set at a tropical vacay spot. Stars Connie Britton, Jennifer Coolidge, Molly Shannon, John Gries, and Steve Zahn. Premieres July 11. (HBO)
• American Horror Stories, Ryan Murphy’s American Horror Story spin-off, a new anthology series that will feature a new story each week. Season 1 features Matt Bomer and Evan Peters. Premieres July 15. (FX and FX on Hulu)
• The Harder They Fall is an all-star Western about an outlaw out to get revenge against his enemy, who has just been released from jail. The film stars LaKeith Stanfield, Regina King, Idris Elba, Delroy Lindo, Jonathan Majors, Zazie Beetz, Danielle Deadwyler, Edi Gathegi, R.J. Cyler, Damon Wayans Jr., and Deon Cole. Premieres this fall. (Netflix)
• Sexy Beasts is a remake of the BBC dating show, now narrated by Rob Delaney, which features people going on blind dates dressed as animals and other costumed beings. Premieres July 21. (Netflix)
• Turner & Hooch is the series sequel to the 1989 Tom Hanks movie, with Scott Turner (Josh Peck) as the son of Hanks’ Scott Sr. and a U.S. Marshal who also inherits a big, unruly dog who turns out to be his best friend and partner. Also stars Reginald VelJohnson, Brandon Jay McLaren, Lyndsy Fonseca, and Vanessa Lengies. Premieres July 21. (Disney+)
• I Think You Should Leave with Tim Robinson, season 2, finds the critically-acclaimed sketch comedy welcoming guest stars Bob Odenkirk, Paul Walter Hauser, and Patti Harrison. Premieres July 6. (Netflix)
• Only Murders in the Building is a comedy about three apartment building neighbors (Martin Short, Steve Martin, and Selena Gomez) who are obsessed with true crimes, and then find themselves embroiled in one. Premieres Aug. 31. (Hulu)
• Schmigadoon! finds a couple hiking into a magical musical town — of no escape! The series is executive produced by Lorne Michaels and stars Cecily Strong, Keegan-Michael Key, Fred Armisen, Dove Cameron, Jaime Camil, Kristin Chenoweth, Alan Cumming, Ariana DeBose, Ann Harada, Jane Krakowski, and Aaron Tveit. Premieres July 16. (Apple TV+)
• The Pursuit of Love is a three-episode romantic dramedy set between WWI and WWII, following the adventures and misadventures of the charismatic and fearless Linda (Lily James) and her BFF and cousin Fanny (Emily Beecham). Also stars Dominic West, Andrew West, and Emily Mortimer, who also wrote and direct the series. Premieres July 30. (Amazon Prime)
For all the latest TV and streaming trailers, subscribe to the Rotten Tomatoes TV YouTube channel.
(Photo by HBO)
We’re loving it for the character’s name alone: seven-foot-tall Game of Thrones star Kristian Nairn will play a pirate named Wee John Feeney in HBO Max’s upcoming pirate comedy Our Flag Means Death. The Hodor actor and DJ joins a handful of new cast members in the series, which stars Oscar-winner Taika Waititi as the pirate Blackbeard: Rory Kinnear (Penny Dreadful), Nathan Foad (Bloods), Con O’Neill (Chernobyl), Samson Kayo (Truth Seekers), and Vico Ortiz (Vida). Waititi also directs the pilot and is an executive producer on the series, which is loosely based on the true story of Stede Bonnet, a wealthy guy who left his privileged lifestyle behind to become a pirate. Our Flag Means Death was created by series showrunner David Jenkins (People of Earth). (THR)
Glenn Close is joining the cast of Apple TV+’s Tehran for season 2. She’ll play Marjan Montazeri, a British woman living in Tehran, where Mossad agent Tamar Rabinyan (Niv Sultan) is undercover. (THR)
Amazon Prime’s The Boys has added three recurring actors – Sean Patrick Flanery (The Boondock Saints), Nick Wechsler (Roswell), and Miles Gaston Villanueva (The Resident) – who will play the superheroes Gunpowder, Blue Hawk, and Supersonic, respectively. Gunpowder, a minor villain, is the only character of the three in The Boys comics, and Amazon has provided no details on the other two. (The Wrap)
Gary Cole (The Good Fight) and Katrina Law (Hawaii 5-0) are joining the cast of NCIS next season, where they’ll play FBI Special Agent Alden Park and Special Agent Jessica Knight, respectively. The castings come as longtime star of the series Mark Harmon is rumored to be returning for season 19, but only for a handful of episodes.
(Photo by Randy Holmes/ABC via Getty Images)
Mike Epps (The Upshaws) will play legendary comedian Richard Pryor in Showtime’s ever-expanding cast for its upcoming Los Angeles Lakers drama series. Carina Conti (The Last Tycoon) will play Paula Abdul (Dreamland) during her choreographer for the Laker Girls, Max E. Williams will play the Lakers’ most famous fan, Jack Nicholson, and director and writer Mariama Diallo (Master) will play supermodel Iman, who was married to Laker and future Basketball Hall of Famer Spencer Haywood during the series’ ’80s timeframe. (Deadline)
Chicago Fire alum Annie Ilonzeh is returning to NBC to star in the network’s drama pilot Getaway, about a wedding party at an isolated island resort that finds the happy occasion turning dangerous when a group of criminals takes them hostage. Ilonzeh plays Tessa, the sister of the bride and a tough Army vet who may be the hostages’ best chance at staying alive.
Buffy the Vampire Slayer and How I Met Your Mother alum Alyson Hannigan will be a panelist on MTV’s Ridiculousness spin-off Adorableness. The series, which will feature all manner of cuteness – puppies, kitties, and kiddies – will also include RuPaul’s Drag Race judge Ross Mathews as a panelist. (The Wrap)
Comedian Wanda Sykes (The Upshaws) has a recurring role on the new season of The Good Fight on Paramount+, where she’ll play Allegra Durado, a talented attorney who’s resuming her work as an attorney after taking a decade off to write a book. (Deadline)
Dexter and Lucifer alum Aimee Garcia has joined the season 2 cast of Hulu’s Woke, where she’ll play a Silicon Valley venture capitalist who wants to work with star Lamone Morris’ Keef Knight. (Deadline)
(Photo by Craig Barritt/Getty Images; David Parry/PA Images via Getty Images)
Paramount+ announced its latest feature film project, Jerry and Marge Go Large, starring Bryan Cranston and Annette Bening. Cranston and Bening play the titular couple, who, thanks to a mathematical loophole husband Jerry discovers with wife Marge’s help, wins $27 million in the Massachusetts lottery and vows to use the windfall to help revitalize their small Michigan hometown. The movie, which will be directed Oscar winner David Frankel (The Devil Wears Prada and Marley & Me), is based on a true story.
Jensen and Danneel Ackles are working on a Supernatural prequel, The Winchesters, for the CW. The new series has a script commitment, is written and executive produced by former Supernatural co-executive producer Robbie Thompson. Jensen Ackles’ character Dean Winchester will narrate the new series about how Sam and Dean’s parents John and Mary met and began hunting demons and other supernatural beings. (Deadline)
Another upcoming Paramount+ production: Dragging the Classics: The Brady Bunch, a crossover special in which the original cast of The Brady Bunch will team up with RuPaul’s Drag Race favorites to recreate the classic Bunch episode “Will the Real Jan Brady Please Stand Up?” — the one where Jan wants to stand out from her sisters and their blond hair, so she buys a black wig to wear to a party. The special will premiere on June 30, in honor of Pride Month.
Netflix has ordered a Lakers-inspired workplace comedy from Mindy Kaling. The streaming service ordered 10 half-hour episodes of the series, which will revolve around the family owners of the team and the front office employees who work together like a family to run the NBA franchise. The fictional team owner in the story will be Eliza Reed, who works with her best friend to operate the Lakers. Kaling will executive produce the still untiled comedy, while Modern Family’s Elaine Ko will serve as showrunner. Current Lakers owner Jeanie Buss and Linda Rambis (Lakers director of special projects, wife of former Lakers star player and current Lakers adviser Kurt Rambis, and Buss’ best friend) will also be executive producers.
Amazon picked up the action-comedy Hysteria, a film starring Kate Beckinsale as a bouncer with anger management issues. When her boyfriend is murdered, she goes on a quest for revenge, while being pursued by police as the lead murder suspect. Bobby Cannavale, Jai Courtney, and Laverne Cox co-star, while Susan Sarandon and Stanley Tucci also appear. The movie hits Amazon Prime on July 23.
(Photo by HBO)
HBO has started production on the third and final season of His Dark Materials. The eight-episode season will be based on The Amber Spyglass, the final novel in Philip Pullman’s series. Production will take place throughout Wales and England, as season 3 follows Will (Amir Wilson), the bearer of The Subtle Knife, and Lyra (Dafne Keen), the prophesied child, as they travel through multiple worlds to find and protect each other. Other returning cast include Ruth Wilson, Simone Kirby, Will Keen, Jade Anouka, Ruta Gedminstas, and James McAvoy, while new faces include Adewale Akinnuoye-Agbaje (Lost and Oz) as Commander Ogunwe, Jamie Ward (Tyrant) as Father Gomez, Kobna Holdbrook-Smith (Justice League), Simon Harrison (Everest) and Chipo Chung (Into the Badlands) as rebel angels Balthamos, Baruch, and Xaphania, and Amber Fitzgerald-Woolfe as Ama.
FX ordered the limited series Class of ’09, starring Brian Tyree Henry (Atlanta) and Kate Mara (A Teacher) in a suspense thriller about a class of FBI agents set in a near future where the U.S. criminal justice system has been transformed by artificial intelligence. The eight-episode story will pick up with the 2009 class of Quantico agents reuniting after the death of one of their friends. Spanning three decades and three interweaving timelines, the drama examines “the nature of justice, humanity, and the choices we make that ultimately define our lives and our legacy.”
A&E’s new reality series Fasten Your Seatbelt will showcase “the most shocking moments in air travel,” from unruly passengers to in-flight weddings to passengers giving themselves pedicures. The best part: the series, which premieres July 21, is hosted by Airplane! star (and son of a fighter pilot) Robert Hays.
Apple TV+ has ordered the animated series Strange Planet, from Dan Harmon (Rick and Morty) and Nathan Pyle, the creator of the webcomic and New York Times bestseller the series will be based on. The comic tells profound and heartfelt stories about beings on a distant planet not unlike our own.
(Photo by Jasin Boland/ ™ & © DC Comics)
The Hollywood Chamber of Commerce has announced its 2022 class of celebs who will receive a star on the Walk of Fame, and TV stars on the list include Bob Odenkirk, Jean Smart, Regina King, Norman Reedus, Greg Berlanti, Ming-Na Wen, Ricky Gervais, Peter Krause, Kenan Thompson, Holly Robinson-Peete, Tracee Ellis Ross, Ewan McGregor, Macaulay Culkin, Adam McKay, Patti LuPone, Michael Strahan, Michael B, Jordan, James Hong, Helen Hunt, Byron Allen, and Jason Momoa.
