The Suicide Squad Spin-Off Series Adds Robert Patrick and Danielle Brooks
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Superhero TV adds more players, American Horror Story drops a season 10 teaser poster — is it a Jaws-themed new season? — Chuck Lorre adds to his legacy, TV celebrates the late Alex Trebek, new trailers and more of the week’s top TV and streaming news.
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Upcoming DC Action Comedy Peacemaker Stars John Cena, Steve Agee, Robert Patrick, Danielle Brooks, Jennifer Holland and Chris Conrad
(Photo by Warner Bros. Pictures; Matt Doyle, Manfred Baumann, Dana Patrick, Helen Palmaira/Courtesy HBO Max)
Star John Cena is going to have a stellar line-up of castmates for his upcoming HBO Max action comedy Peacemaker, as Orange Is the New Black star Danielle Brooks and The Sopranos alum Robert Patrick join Steve Agee, Jennifer Holland, and Chris Conrad in the DC series.
Brooks will star as Leota Adebayo, a character written specifically for Brooks. On his Instagram, Peacemaker writer and director James Gunn called Leota “someone you’ll all be talking about.” Meanwhile, Patrick will play a character named Auggie Smith, while Holland will reprise her role of Emilia Harcourt from The Suicide Squad movie, and Conrad will play Vigilante/Adrian Chase.
Agee will reprise his Suicide Squad movie role of John Economos, the warden at Belle Reve Federal Penitentiary, and Cena’s titular role is as the Peacemaker, who believes in peace at any cost, no matter how high the body count is to achieve it.
Gunn, who also confirmed the series will be a part of the DC movie universe, will write all eight episodes of the series, and will direct multiple episodes, including the first. Gunn and Peter Safran will serve as executive producers of Peacemaker, with Cena as co-executive producer.
Chuck Lorre’s New Series Will Make Him One of the Most Prolific Creators in TV History
(Photo by Alberto E. Rodriguez/Getty Images)
CBS has given a series order to the Chuck Lorre comedy United States of Al, starring Adhir Kalyan and Parker Young as two military veterans who are now roommates in Ohio. Riley (Young) is a Marine combat veteran trying to adjust to civilian life, while Al (Kalyan) was an interpreter in Afghanistan and has just moved to America for a fresh start. Breaking Bad alum Dean Norris also stars. The series, expected to premiere during the current TV season, would make the sixth Lorre show on the air, including Young Sheldon, Mom, Bob Hearts Abishola, B Positive, and The Kominsky Method. That would tie Lorre with TV legend Norman Lear, who also had six series on the air for the 1975-76 season.
Marathons to Celebrate Alex Trebek
It was a tough blow in an already tough year to learn that Jeopardy! host Alex Trebek lost his brave battle with pancreatic cancer this week. We’re fortunate enough to have more than a month of new Trebek-led episodes left to enjoy, and thanks to xxx, we can also enjoy a few of his other classic appearances.
On Friday, Nov. 13, MeTV will air episodes of Mama’s Family and Cheers with Trebek guest spots. Vicki Lawrence’s Thelma Harper was a guest on the game show in a 1987 episode of Mama’s Family, and any Cheers fan will probably be able to recite every delicious detail of 1990’s “What Is … Cliff Clavin?” the truly classic Cheers installment in which know-it-all mailman Cliff Clavin got his chance in the Jeopardy! spotlight, and … well, no spoiling it if you haven’t seen it.
Trebek, of course, played himself in both guest spots, and watching them again is a reminder of how many years TV fans have been fortunate enough to have him on our screens.
The Game Show Network will also air six hours of Jeopardy! on Nov. 14, 9 a.m.-3p.m. ET.
NEW TRAILERS: Superintelligence: The Fate of the World Rests in Melissa McCarthy’s Hands in the HBO Max Comedy
Superintelligence is a comedy movie about the world’s first superintelligence (voiced by James Corden), which is studying the world’s most average woman (Melissa McCarthy) to decide if humanity if worth saving. The movie is directed by Ben Falcone, who also stars, along with Brian Tyree Henry, Jean Smart, and Bobby Cannavale. Premieres Nov. 26 (HBO Max).
More trailers and teasers released this week:
• Happiest Season is a romantic comedy about Abby (Kristen Stewart), who plans to propose to Harper (Mackenzie Davis) at Harper’s family’s holiday party, but doesn’t know that Harper hasn’t come out to her family. Also stars Dan Levy, Mary Steenburgen, Victor Garber, and Alison Brie. Premieres Nov. 25 (Hulu).
• Black Beauty, based on the beloved 1877 novel by Anna Sewell gets a remake with Mackenzie Foy playing Jo Green, who bonds with the titular horse, and Oscar winner Kate Winslet narrating as the voice of Black Beauty. Also stars Iain Glen and Claire Forlani. Premieres Nov. 27 (Disney+).
• In The Blacklist season 8, Red (James Spader) is feeling quite “vulnerable” about the fact that Elizabeth (Megan Boone) has committed herself to ending his existence. Premieres Nov. 13 (NBC).
• Bridgerton, season 1, is the first Netflix drama from producer Shonda Rhimes. The period piece, based on bestselling novels from author Julia Quinn, revolves around the competitive high society life of the Regency era of London. Julie Andrews stars. Premieres Dec. 25 (Netflix).
• The Wonderful World of Mickey Mouse is the new animated shorts series with Mickey, Minnie, Donald Duck, Pluto, Goofy, and Daisy, premiering on Nov. 18 (Disney+).
• The Hardy Boys, season 1, is the newest adaptation of the beloved book series, and finds brothers Frank and Joe moving to their parents’ hometown after a family tragedy. There, they become embroiled in their detective father’s (James Tupper) secret investigation. Premieres Dec. 4 (Hulu).
• Pennyworth, season 2, will feature some steamy action between Bruce Wayne’s parents in the Batman prequel that revolves around young Alfred Pennyworth (Jack Bannon), Premieres Dec. 13 (Epix).
• In Adventure Time: Distant Lands – Obsidian, an escaped dragon creates chaos for Marceline the Vampire Queen, Princess Bubblegum, and their new friend Glassboy. The special premieres on Nov. 19 (HBO Max).
• Small Axe is Oscar winner Steve McQueen’s anthology film series with five movies that tell personal stories from London’s West Indian community. Letitia Wright and John Boyega star. Premieres Nov. 20 (Amazon Video).
• Valley of Tears is the 10-part miniseries about the 1973 Yom Kippur War, as told through the stories of four young soldiers, weaving together four parallel plotlines. The series, the biggest budget Israeli TV series ever, debuts on Nov. 12 (HBO Max).
• We Are the Champions is a six-episode docuseries about popular, high-stakes competitions you probably have never heard of, from fantasy hair design to dangerous cheese rolling. Produced and narrated by Rainn “Dwight Schrute” Wilson. Premieres Nov. 17 (Netflix).
• Mosul is a war drama about a group of Iraqi soldiers trying to take down ISIS. Stars Adam Bessa, written and directed by Matthew Carnahan (World War Z), based on a New Yorker article. Premieres Nov. 26 (Netflix).
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CASTING: John Turturro and Christopher Walken Join Apple TV+ Thriller Severance from Ben Stiller
(Photo by Stephan de Sakutin/AFP via Getty Images)
The cast of Apple TV+’s workplace thriller Severance just got even more impressive. The show revolves around a company called Lumen Industries, which is involved with helping to improve the idea of work-life balance, and Emmy winner John Turturro will play a longtime Lumen employee named Irving. Meanwhile, Oscar winner Christopher Walken has signed on for his first series regular role ever, playing Burt, Lumen head of optics and design. Patricia Arquette and Adam Scott round out the drama. The series is directed and executive produced by Ben Stiller (Escape at Dannemora)
Ozark has added new recurring cast and series regulars for its final season. The Netflix drama starring Jason Bateman and Laura Linney announced that its fourth season, which will be released in two parts, ups Felix Solis and Damian Young to series regulars and Alfonso Herrera and Adam Rothenberg join the cast as series regulars. Bruno Bichir, CC Castillo, and Katrina Lenk join the cast as recurring characters.
Tiffany Haddish, Sam Richardson, Zoë Chao, Ben Schwartz, Ike Barinholtz, Ilana Glazer, Dave Franco, Jamie Demetriou, and John Early will star in Apple TV+’s new comedy series The Afterparty, from Oscar winners Chris Miller and Phil Lord. The eight-episode murder-mystery is set at a high school reunion afterparty, and each episode will feature a retelling of the same night told through a different character’s perspective, each with its own unique visual format and film genre to match the teller’s personality.
David Spade, Fortune Feimster, and London Hughes will host The Netflix Afterparty, a weekly panel series in which the hosts will discuss a buzzy Netflix TV show or movie, with the series or movie cast. The series will premiere in 2021 and each new episode will premiere on Netflix on Sundays.
Jim Gaffigan will play Thunderbolt in season 2 of The CW’s Stargirl. The comedian will provide the voice of the CGI character, “a magical, electrical, fun-loving, wish-granting pink imp from the mysterious land of Bahdnesia.” (EW)
Watch also:
Transparent alum Kathryn Hahn has joined Will Ferrell and Paul Rudd in the Apple TV+ limited series Shrink Next Door, based on the fact-based Wondery podcast about a therapist (Rudd) and one of his patients (Ferrell). Hahn, who also co-stars in Disney+’s upcoming WandaVision, will play the younger sister of Ferrell’s character. (THR) Happy Endings alum Casey Wilson was also added to the cast, playing the wife of Rudd’s character. (Variety)
Friends and The Jim Gaffigan Show alum Adam Goldberg has signed on to star opposite Queen Latifah in CBS’s remake of The Equalizer. He’ll play an eccentric trach guy named Harry Keshegian. (Deadline)
Marnee Carpenter (Good Girls, Criminal Minds) has signed on to play Catherine, the woman Clarice Starling (Rebecca Breeds) saved from Buffalo Bill’s basement in CBS’s Clarice, the TV sequel to the movie Silence of the Lambs. Brooke Smith so memorably played Catherine in the movie. The Walking Dead alum Michael Cudlitz and Nick Sandow (Orange Is the New Black) also star.
American Housewife co-star Carly Hughes has left her role as Angela on the ABC sitcom, citing “discrimination” and a “toxic environment.” She had been on the series for four seasons. (THR) Holly Robinson Peete will have a recurring role on the show, playing Tami, who was a close friend of star Katy Mixon’s Katie before Katie and her family moved to snooty Westport. (Deadline)
Tisha Campbell-Martin has joined ABC’s untitled workplace comedy, where she’ll play the assistant to the character played by star Lucy Liu. The Martin and My Wife and Kids star will see her character become a mentor to her diva boss when Liu’s diva character decides to adopt a baby. (Deadline)
Game of Thrones star Sophie Turner will voice Princess Charlotte in HBO Max’s upcoming animated comedy The Prince, from writer Gary Janetti (Will & Grace and Family Guy). The spoof, inspired by Janetti’s Instagram account, pokes fun at the British royal family and the story unfolds through the eyes of Prince George. (TVLine)
PRODUCTION & DEVELOPMENT: Nicole Kidman Will Star In and Produce Amazon Family Drama Things I Know to Be True
(Photo by Vera Anderson/WireImage)
Nicole Kidman will star in and produce (another) family drama: Things I Know to Be True, at Amazon. Based on the play of the same name, the series follows the lives of Bob and Fran Price, whose issues with their adult children may remain unresolved because of a tragedy.
The Weeknd has been announced as the headliner for the Super Bowl LV halftime show in Tampa on Feb. 7.
Netflix will be the home of Arnold Schwarzenegger’s first scripted TV series, the still untitled spy adventure series with Top Gun: Maverick star Monica Barbaro playing The Terminator star’s daughter. The series was created by Nick Santora, who is also the executive producer and showrunner for Amazon’s upcoming Jack Reacher series.
Matthew Perry tweeted that the Friends reunion on HBO Max has been rescheduled for Chandler Bing sweater weather season: the beginning of March.
Glee alum Matthew Morrison will star in NBC’s Dr. Seuss’ The Grinch Musical! on Dec. 9. The two-hour special will be staged at the Troubadour Theater in London, and will feature Morrison as The Grinch, with Denis O’Hare as his dog, Max.
Watch also:
Adult Swim is hosting the virtual Adult Swim Festival (“music, comedy, and mayhem from your couch!”) Nov. 13-14 on the network’s YouTube channel, with live streams of Rick and Morty, The Eric Andre Show, Tuca & Bertie, and Aqua Teen Hunger Force, surprise guests, never-before-seen performances, and the launch of a special Pickle Rick beverage.
Ready Player One writer Zack Penn is adapting the Hugh Howey novel Beacon 23 as a sci-fi series for a partnership between AMC Networks and Spectrum Originals. The space-set psychological thriller will be a Spectrum Originals exclusive for nine months, then an AMC original with a second run across various AMC platforms.
Netflix has picked up the rights to the 2018 Sundance Film Festival favorite Monster, about a 17-year-old young man (Kelvin Harrison Jr.) from Harlem whose life spirals out of control when he is charged with felony murder. Jennifer Hudson, Jeffrey Wright, Jharrel Jerome, John David Washington, Tim Blake Nelson, Jennifer Ehle, Nasir “Nas” Jones, and A$AP Rocky also star.
Awkwafina and Sandra Oh are teaming up to play sisters in a Will Ferrell-produced Netflix comedy film. The movie is the story of a lonely woman whose life turns to chaos when her sister shows up and promises to repair their broken relationship by helping her try to fulfill her dream of being a contestant on her favorite game show.
Ridley Scott will produce The Counsel, a drama based on the life and career of The View co-host Sunny Hostin. The drama, about four thirtysomething Black women who rely on their friendship to help them deal with the challenges of their successful careers in media, law, politics, and PR, has a script order at Fox.
American Horror Story Drops Another Season 10 Tease
Ryan Murphy’s shared the first teaser poster for #AmericanHorrorStory Season 10. pic.twitter.com/gUEUxXhTXw
— Rotten Tomatoes (@RottenTomatoes) November 11, 2020
Ryan Murphy posted on Instagram a poster for American Horror Story season 10, and, given his previous post with a beach scene, the new poster’s spiky teeth have some fans speculating a Jaws theme for the new season.
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