TAGGED AS: HBO
This week in TV news, TV super-powers Fox and Marvel finally team up! Plus, Bitmoji releases a Curb Your Enthusiasm theme pack, NBC unveils a new comedy streaming service, and Showtime greenlights Cameron Crowe’s Roadies!
Variety reported Wednesday that Marvel is developing a Hellfire series for Fox broadcast, and a Legion pilot for FX. Both projects are based on X-Men comics and will be executive-produced by Bryan Singer, director of the movies in the X-Men franchise. Fargo showrunner Noah Hawley is writing and producing the Legion pilot for FX and will feature the X-Men character David Haller, a troubled young man diagnosed with schizophrenia who starts to questions whether or not the voices in his head might be real after an encounter with another patient at a psychiatric ward. “Legion is just the sort of ambitious story that Noah excels at,” said Nick Grad, head of programming for FX Networks. “His adaption of Fargo for television was one of the most acclaimed television events in recent memory.” Patrick McKay and JD Payne (Flash Gordon) are on board to write Hellfire, which takes place in the 1960s and follows a young special agent investigating a secret society of millionaires known as “The Hellfire Club.”
Showtime announced this week that it will be turning Roadies, a pilot executive-produced by Cameron Crowe and J.J. Abrams’ outfit Bad Robot, into a 10-part series to air next year. Described as a “music-infused ensemble comedy,” Roadies will take a look at the passionate behind-the-scenes crew who brings The Staton-House Band to arenas around the world. Luke Wilson (Old School) will play the band’s tour manager and Carla Gugino (Wayward Pines) will play the production manager; Kelly Curtis, Pearl Jam’s real-life manager, will serve as a producer and music supervisor. “Showtime has a great track record with music-based projects, and they’ve been wonderful partners,” Crowe said as part of Showtime’s Roadies press statement. “The actors are all so passionate about music too, and the whole show has the feeling of stories and music shared between friends. We can’t wait to bring it all to life in 2016.”
No need to curb your enthusiasm over a Larry David-inspired theme pack for Bitmoji users. To celebrate the 15th anniversary of the HBO comedy Curb Your Enthusiasm, which originally premiered on October 15, 2000, Bitmoji has teamed up with HBO to create a special set of Curb-isms. Users can go full David, or accentuate their own Bitmojis with his signature glasses and balding ‘do. The theme pack also comes with six very Larry David-ian quotes, including “Pretty, pretty, pretty, pretty good” and “Sorry if you’re offended,” which are free of charge for Bitmoji users. The Curb Bitmoji pack is available on the iTunes and Google Play stores. Visit Bitmoji.com for more info.
NBCUniversal Digital Enterprises unveiled a new comedy platform Thursday called Seeso, an ad-free streaming service that will showcase original content by “comedy illuminati.” Seeso will stream 20 new originals starting in January, including HarmonQuest, a “comedy epic,” combining live action and animation from creator Dan Harmon (Community, Rick & Morty); The UCB Show from Upright Citizens Brigade alums Amy Poehler, Matt Walsh, Ian Roberts, and Matt Besser; and Bajillion Dollar Propertie$, a reality series spoof from the Comedy Bang! Bang! team. Beyond its originals, Seeso will also curate an “artisanal selection” of iconic comedy, such as Monty Python’s Flying Circus and Kids in the Hall. The new streamer costs $3.99 a month and will be available on streaming platforms, connected devices, and other distribution partners.
