Movement on the She-Hulk front gives Marvel fans another hero to look forward to, big changes are ahead for CBS All Access and DC Universe, Starz doubles-down on 50 Cent, and more of the week’s top news, trailers, and other TV and streaming developments.
(Photo by Marvel Comics; Valerie Macon/AFP via Getty Images)
The MCU’s TV wing just got a little more badass: Orphan Black star Tatiana Maslany has been tapped by Marvel to star in its Disney+ She-Hulk series, playing the leading lady who snagged super powers after sharing some of cousin Bruce Banner’s — a.k.a. The Hulk’s — blood.
She-Hulk is attorney Jennifer Walters in her regular life, but she grows green and large and super strong and powerful as She-Hulk. She-Hulk, unlike Bruce, usually maintains her personality and intelligence when she Hulks out. The character was set to be featured in a live-action movie played by Brigitte Nielsen in the 1990s, but the film was never made.
In addition to Maslany’s casting, which was first reported by Deadline, Kat Corio, who has directed episodes of It’s Always Sunny in Philadelphia, Modern Family, and Dead to Me, was announced as the director of the She-Hulk pilot and several additional eps, as well as an executive producer on the series, which will be under the showrunner leadership of Rick and Morty Emmy winner Jessica Gao.
Maslany, an Emmy winner for Orphan Black, most recently starred with Matthew Rhys in HBO’s Perry Mason remake.
(Photo by Paramount Pictures)
Goodbye, CBS All Access, hello Paramount+ and some new programming to be excited about. The Viacom-owned streaming service that is currently home to all things new in the Star Trek series world will revamp and rename itself Paramount+ early in 2021, and will add a lineup of additional series that, like Trek, will be new versions of old favorites.
The service, which will offer TV programming from Viacom networks like BET, Comedy Central, MTV, VH1, and Nickelodeon, as well as movies, is combining both genres for The Offer, a 10-episode limited TV series from writer and executive producer Michael Tolkin about Al Ruddy’s experience producing The Godfather. Ruddy won the Best Picture Oscar for The Godfather, and was presented with the statue by Clint Wastwood. He later shared his second Best Picture Oscar with Eastwood (and Tom Rosenberg) for the Eastwood-directed and starring drama Million Dollar Baby.
Also in the lineup for Paramount+, which will boast more than 30,000 TV episodes and movies:
• A revival of Mara Brock Akil’s The Game, the 2006-15 CW and BET sitcom now streaming on Netflix
• The Real Criminal Minds, a true crime docuseries based on the CBS procedural
• A reboot of the classic VH1 musical biography series Behind the Music that will now focus on the top 40 artists of the last 40 years
• Lioness, a new spy drama from Yellowstone creator Taylor Sheridan, about a Marine who is tasked with befriending the daughter of a terrorist to help destroy the criminal organization
• The SpongeBob SquarePants spin-off Kamp Koral
Paramount+ will also be the home of continuing CBS All Access original series like The Good Fight, The Twilight Zone, Star Trek: Discovery, Star Trek: Picard, Star Trek: Lower Decks, and the upcoming Star Trek: Strange New Worlds.
(Photo by DC Universe)
As HBO Max takes over streaming DC premium video content, including classics and originals, the DC Universe will evolve into DC Universe Infinite, a digital comic book subscription service scheduled for a January 21 relaunch. Subscribers to the service will get digital-first comics, exclusive access to DC fan events, as well as recently released comics six months after the physical versions hit store shelves.
Along with the news, HBO Max announced it has ordered a third season of Warner Bros. Animation’s critically acclaimed DC Universe adult animated comedy series Harley Quinn, starring Kaley Cuoco.
(Photo by Mireya Acierto/Getty Images)
Starz might want to consider renaming itself The 50 Cent Network, because the rapper, producer, and star of the cable network’s hit drama Power (which has already launched a spin-off and has three more in the works) is loading another pair of dramas into the Starz development lineup.
50 Cent’s G-Unit Film and Television company is developing a series about a female sports agent, based on real-life agent and attorney Nicole Lynn (who will be an executive producer on the series). The project is from writer Tash Grey, who is also writing Power Book III: Raising Kanan, the upcoming second Power spin-off, a prequel that will focus on the character played by 50 Cent.
50 Cent (real name: Curtis Jackson) is also developing an anthology series about hip hop, Moment in Time: The Massacre, with plans for the first season of the show to revolve around Jackson’s feud with fellow musician The Game, which included a murder-for-hire plot and music executive Jimmy Rosemond going to prison for life. The series will be written and produced by Abdul Williams, writer and producer of BET’s fantastic The New Edition Story and The Bobby Brown Story miniseries.
And Jackson is an executive producer on the first Power spin-off, Power Book II: Ghost, which debuted on Starz on September 6. Picking up right after the series finale of Power, the sequel is already a big hit for Starz. New subscriptions rose 42 percent in the week after the premiere of the series – created by Courtney A. Kemp – and viewership was up 36 percent versus the season premiere of the final season of Power.
(Photo by Axelle/Bauer-Griffin/FilmMagic)
We thought Ted Lasso star and former SNL cast member Jason Sudeikis was doing a fine job playing presidential contender Joe Biden on the late-night sketch comedy series, but SNL producer Lorne Michaels has other ideas for the new season. Michaels told Vulture.com that he’s decided to go with Jim Carrey as a new Biden for season 46.
“… It came down to discussions about what the take was. He and (head writer) Colin Jost had a bunch of talks,” Michaels said of the Golden Globe winner and four-time SNL host. “(Carrey) and I as well. He will give the part energy and strength, and … (laughs) hopefully it’s funny.”
Alec Baldwin is returning to play the POTUS for the new season. Maya Rudolph will also return as potential vice-president Kamala Harris, while Beck Bennett will continue to play current VP Mike Pence.
The show, which weathered the pandemic last season with remotely-shot At Home episodes, will premiere the new season on October 3, with the cast and a very small audience in its Studio 8H home. The show will be live for five consecutive weeks to start the new run, and while no season 45 cast members left, three new featured players will include Lauren Holt, Punkie Johnson, and SNL writer Andrew Dismukes. (Vulture)
Your Honor, a legal thriller starring Bryan Cranston as a well-respected New Orleans judge whose career and family are threatened when he tries to help his son after the young man is involved in a hit-and-run accident. The 10-episode series, which also stars Margo Martindale, Lorraine Toussaint, Amy Landecker, Hope Davis, Isiah Whitlock Jr., and Michael Stuhlbarg, premieres in December (Showtime)
More trailers and teasers released this week:
• The Mandalorian, Season 2, starring Pedro Pascal, Gina Carano, Carl Weathers, Giancarlo Esposito, Rosario Dawson, Sasha Banks, Michael Biehn, and Timothy Olyphant premieres on Oct. 30 (Disney+)
• The Great British Baking Show kicks off a new season on September 25, with delightful British actor Matt Lucas joining the series as a new host (Netflix)
• Christmas Chronicles 2, stars Goldie Hawn and Kurt Russell star as Mrs. Claus and Santa in a sequel to the 2018 Netflix movie that introduced them both as the holiday supercouple. Premieres November 25 (Netflix)
• The Lie is a psychological thriller about a teen (Joey King) who confesses to killing her best friend, prompting her parents (Mireille Enos and Peter Sarsgaard) to help cover up the crime, which leads to disastrous results. Premieres October 6 (Amazon Video)
• Emily in Paris, Season 1, stars Lily Collins as the titular Emily, who lands a job opportunity in Paris, where she’s tasked with bringing an American point of view to a French marketing film. The Darren Star-created series premieres on October 2 (Netflix)
• The Walking Dead: World Beyond, Season 1, is the second spin-off in The Walking Deaduniverse and follows the first generation of survivors after the initial outbreak. It premieres on October 4 (AMC)
• Fargo, Season 4, stars Chris Rock as the leader of the Black crime syndicate in Kansas City in the 1950s. The season premieres on September 27 (FX)
• Hubie Halloween stars Adam Sandler as Hubie, his hometown’s biggest Halloween fan, and the guy who has to save it when spooky things start happening. Also starring Kevin James, Julie Bowen, Maya Rudolph, Ray Liotta, Steve Buscemi, Kenan Thompson, Tim Meadows, Shaquille O’Neal, Rob Schneider, and Michael Chiklis, the movie premieres on October 7. (Netflix)
• Moonbase 8, Season 1, is a comedy about three mediocre astronauts (Fred Armisen, Tim Heidecker and John C. Reilly) who live in a space simulator in the middle of the desert, waiting for a shot to go to the moon. Premieres November 8 (Showtime)
• Filthy Rich, Season 1, is a soapy drama starring Kim Cattrall as the head of a wealthy family who made its money as owners of a Christian TV network. Premieres September 21 (Fox)
• Sneakersheads, Season 1, is a comedy about Devin (Allen Maldonado), a stay-at-home dad and sneaker junkie who teams with a group of fellow shoe lovers to try to earn money before his wife founds out he got scammed. Premieres September 25 (Netflix)
• Tiny World, is a nature series, narrated by Paul Rudd, about the tiniest creatures and the amazing things they do to survive. Premieres October 2 (Apple TV+)
• Gangs of London, Season 1, the hit British drama about a struggle for control amongst international gangs makes its U.S. debut. Starring Colm Meaney, Michelle Fairley, and Joe Cole, the series premieres October 1 (AMC+)
• Song Exploder, a reality series in which Alicia Keys, Lin-Manuel Miranda, R.E.M., and Ty Dolla $ign reveal how their songs are brought to life, premieres October 2 (Netflix)
• Long Way Up, season 1, a reality series following Ewan McGregor and his best friend Charley Boorman on a 13,000-mile, 100-day motorcycle trip through South America premieres Sept. 18 (Apple TV+)
• Black Box, a thriller about a man trying to regain his memory after a tragic accident, stars Phylicia Rashad and Mamoudou Athie and premieres October 6 (Amazon Video)
• Evil Eye, a Priyanka Chopra-produced thriller about a mother trying to protect her daughter from a potentially dangerous new boyfriend, stars Sarita Choudhury, Sunita Mani, Omar Maskati, and Bernard White, and premieres on October 13 (Amazon Video)
For all the latest TV and streaming trailers, subscribe to the Rotten Tomatoes TV YouTube channel.
(Photo by ABC)
Among the stars making appearances during Sunday’s Jimmy Kimmel-hosted 72nd Annual Emmy Awards virtual telecast: Anthony Anderson, Jason Bateman, Sterling K. Brown, Laverne Cox, Count Von Count, America Ferrera, Morgan Freeman, Ilana Glazer, Abbi Jacobson, Lin-Manuel Miranda, D-Nice, Randall Park, Issa Rae, RuPaul, Patrick Stewart, Jason Sudeikis, Gabrielle Union, J.J. Watt, Lena Waithe, and Oprah Winfrey. H.E.R. will be performing during the show’s “In Memoriam” segment.
Related: Rotten Tomatoes Predicts the 2020 Emmy Winners
Frasier’s bro, David Hyde Pierce, has joined the cast of the HBO Max pilot Julia, about legendary chef/cookbook author/TV star Julia Child. Pierce is replacing Tom Hollander, who was originally set to play Paul Child, Julia’s devoted husband. Hollander reportedly dropped out of the project because of the scheduling changes caused by a pandemic-related filming delay, and because of travel concerns; the pilot will film in Boston, and he is located in England. Sarah Lancashire will play the title role.
Ophelia Lovibond (Trying, Elementary) will star in the HBO Max comedy pilot Minx, about a feminist who teams up with a publisher in 1970s Los Angeles to launch the first erotic magazine for women. Series creator Ellen Rapoport will write and produce the series with Paul Feig, and Rachel Lee Goldenberg (Angie Tribeca) will direct the comedy. (Deadline)
Vanessa Kai (New Amsterdam) will star opposite Olivia Liang in the CW’s Kung Fu remake. Kai is playing Pei-Ling Zhang, a fighter and mentor to Nicky Shen (Liang). Pei-Ling’s murder sets Shen off on a journey to avenge her, and Pei-Ling will live on on screen via Shen’s memories of her. (Deadline)
(Photo by Kimberly French/©Fox Searchlight Pictures)
HBO Max has given a series order to a period pirate comedy, Our Flag Means Death, from Oscar winner Taika Waititi, Garrett Basch (The Night Of and What We Do in the Shadows), and David Jenkins (People of Earth). Waititi will direct the pilot, which is inspired by the life of Stede Bonnet, a rich guy who left his wealth behind for a life of crime as a pirate in the 18th century.
Cobra Kai creators Jon Hurwitz, Josh Heald, and Hayden Schlossberg are producing Unsportsmanlike Conduct, a limited series in development at Sony. Based on Walter Byers’ book Unsportsmanlike Conduct: Exploiting College Athletes, the series will unfold the story of how the late Byers, the first executive director of the NCAA, took the college sports organization from a non-profit to one of the most profitable businesses in history. Emmy-nominated director Lesli Linka Glatter (Homeland) will direct and executive produce the series, which also comes from Cobra Kai co-executive producers Joe Piarelli and Luan Thomas. (Deadline)
ABC has ordered the Erin Brockovich-inspired drama Rebel, starring Katey Sagal as Annie “Rebel” Bello, a blue-collar legal advocate with no law degree but a commitment to fighting for the people and causes she cares about, straight to series. The real Brockovich and Grey’s Anatomy and Station 19 showrunner Krista Vernoff are producers, which means Vernoff will be the showrunner on three ABC series at once.
Tiger King star and Dancing with the Stars contestant Carole Baskin is making another move in TV land: she and her husband Howard Baskin will produce a new reality series exposing people who are guilty of animal cruelty, as she so famously accused her Tiger King co-star Joe Exotic of. The Baskins are set to pitch the series to broadcast, cable, and streaming networks. (Variety)
And more Tiger King: the scripted Joe Exotic series starring Nic Cage has landed at Amazon. The still-untitled series is expected to debut on Amazon Video in 2021.
Norman Lear, Seth MacFarlane, and NBA star Steph Curry are producers on Netflix’s upcoming remake of Lear’s classic 1974-79 comedy Good Times, the animated version. The series, which has a 10-episode order, was created by Carl Jones (The Boondocks and Black Dynamite), who will also be the series’ showrunner. The new comedy will continue to follow the Evans family, now living in current times.
South Park will air an hour-long pandemic special episode on Sept. 30, putting their special take on the events of 2020. The official description: “Randy comes to terms with his role in the COVID-19 outbreak as the on-going pandemic presents continued challenges to the citizens of South Park. The kids happily head back to school, but nothing resembles the normal that they once knew; not their teachers, not their homeroom, not even Eric Cartman.”
Single Parents writers and producers Taylor Cox and Kim Rosenstock are developing a new comedy at ABC. Happy for You is the story of two unmarried sisters and their recently separated mother, who are stressed out by the news that the family’s youngest daughter is about to get married, and they have to help plan the big day.
Quibi has ordered a second season to its Kevin Hart comedy Die Hart: Die Harter. Season 1 found wannabe action movie star Kevin Hart (played by Kevin Hart) attending an action star school run by a lunatic teacher played by John Travolta.
Quibi is also developing a dramedy series, Toothbrush, starring and produced by Issa Rae, and written by Brittani Nichols. Rae will play a Los Angeles woman who becomes best friends with her ex-girlfriend after their breakup, leading to a codependency that forces them to confront their feelings for each other and answer the question of whether or not two exes can really be just friends.
(Photo by Mark Hill/HBO)
The Television Critics Association announced its award winners this week:
• Individual Achievement in Drama: Regina King (Watchmen, HBO)
Individual Achievement in Comedy: Catherine O’Hara (Schitt’s Creek, Pop TV)
• Outstanding Achievement in News and Information: The Last Dance (ESPN)
• Outstanding Achievement in Reality Programming: Cheer (Netflix)
• Outstanding Achievement in Youth Programming: Molly of Denali (PBS Kids)
• Outstanding Achievement in Sketch/Variety Shows: A Black Lady Sketch Show (HBO)
• Outstanding New Program: Watchmen (HBO)
• Outstanding Achievement in Movie, Miniseries, or Special: Watchmen (HBO)
• Outstanding Achievement in Drama: Succession (HBO)
• Outstanding Achievement in Comedy: Schitt’s Creek (Pop TV)
• Program of the Year: Watchmen (HBO)
• Career Achievement Honoree: Alex Trebek, and Heritage Award: Star Trek (CBS).
