Ahsoka Tano Disney Plus Series Adds Mary Elizabeth Winstead

Joe Otterson TV ReporterThe “Beauty and the Beast” prequel series is no longer moving forward as planned at Disney Plus.According to sources, the live-action musical show is being postponed for an undetermined amount of time due to creative and scheduling issues. The show was meant to begin shooting this summer in Europe, but certain creative elements were not yet ready, which would have delayed shooting. Given the scheduling issues this would cause with the show’s cast as well as weather constraints, it was decided to hold off and revisit the show at a later date.News of the postponement comes just days after it was announced that Rita Ora was set to join the cast of the show, while Variety exclusively reported that “Hawkeye” alum Fra Fee was joining back in January.

, the newest spinoff series from Lucasfilm, will premiere on Wednesday, May 25 on Disney+. The news comes as debuted its final chapter, bringing the fan-favorite character’s saga to a close. , meanwhile, sees Ewan McGregor reprising his role as the titular Jedi master, with the series picking up with him 10 years after the events of. At the time, Kenobi suffered his greatest defeat as his apprentice and friend, Anakin Skywalker (Hayden Christensen), turned to the dark side and became Sith Lord Darth Vader.

Jennifer Maas TV Business Writer“Obi-Wan Kenobi” has received a May 25 premiere date at Disney Plus, Disney CEO Bob Chapek announced on the company’s earnings call Wednesday.Disney Plus ended 2021 with 129.8 million paying customers worldwide, gaining 11.8 million for the quarter ended Jan. 1, 2022 and blowing past expectations.

Joe Otterson TV ReporterAnthony Ramos has joined the upcoming Marvel series “Ironheart” at Disney Plus, Variety has confirmed with sourcesRamos was most recently seen in the film adaptation of “In the Heights.”Marvel Studios declined to comment.More to come…

Big-budget non-fiction series from Will Smith, Darren Aronofsky, Jon Favreau, James Cameron and David Blaine make up Nat Geo’s latest slate for Disney+.

Joe Otterson TV ReporterThe upcoming “American Born Chinese” series adaptation at Disney Plus has found its main cast, Variety has confirmed.Ben Wang, Michelle Yeoh, Yeo Yann Yann, Daniel Wu, Chin Han, Ke Huy Quan, Jim Liu, and Sydney Taylor will all star in the series, based on the graphic novel of the same name by Gene Luen Yang.The series follows Jin Wang (Ben Wang), a teenager juggling his high school social life with his immigrant home life. When Jin meets a new foreign exchange student (Jim Liu) on the first day of school, their worlds collide as Jin becomes entangled in a battle of Chinese mythological gods.

Joe Otterson TV ReporterCatherine Zeta-Jones has been cast in the upcoming “National Treasure” series at Disney Plus, Variety has learned.Zeta-Jones joins previously announced cast members Lisette Alexis, Zuri Reed, Jordan Rodrigues, Antonio Cipriano, and Jake Austin Walker, and Lyndon Smith in the series continuation of the film franchise of the same name. Production is set to begin this month in Baton Rouge, LA.The series focuses on a young heroine, Jess (Alexis), a brilliant and resourceful DREAMer who embarks on the adventure of a lifetime to uncover the truth about her family’s mysterious past and save a lost Pan-American treasure.Zeta-Jones will portray Billie, described as a badass billionaire, black-market antiquities expert, and treasure hunter who lives by her own code.

Joe Otterson TV ReporterThe new “Goosebumps” TV series has been picked up by Disney Plus, Variety has learned exclusively.The new series version of the beloved R.L. Stine books was first reported as being in the works in April 2020. Disney Plus has given the show a 10-episode order.The series follows a group of five high schoolers who unleash supernatural forces upon their town and must all work together – thanks to and in spite of their friendships, rivalries, and pasts with each other – in order to save it, learning much about their own parents’ teenage secrets in the process.Nick Stoller and Rob Letterman serve as writers and executive producers on the show, with Stoller executive producing via Stoller Global Solutions.

Joe Otterson TV ReporterDisney Branded Television has brought on Charlie Andrews to serve as executive vice president of live-action and alternative series, Variety has learned.Andrews joins Disney Branded TV from Fox Entertainment, where he most recently worked as head of drama development for the broadcaster before exiting in December. Andrews will begin in his new role on Feb.

Joe Otterson TV ReporterThe new “Orphan Black” series in the works at AMC has found its writer.Variety has learned exclusively that Anna Fishko is onboard to write and executive produce the potential new iteration of the series, which was first reported as being in the works back in 2019. A writers’ room for the project is now open, though exact plot details remain under wraps.It is known, however, that the project is not a reboot of the original show, but rather a new story set in the same world.

Joe Otterson TV Reporter“SEAL Team” has been renewed for Season 6 at Paramount Plus.This will now be the second season of the military drama to air on the streaming service, as the show moved over to Paramount Plus from CBS for Season 5.“We are very excited to welcome ‘SEAL Team’ back for another season on Paramount+,” said Nicole Clemens, president of Paramount Plus Original Scripted Series. “The show’s loyal fanbase followed the series to its new exclusive home, and it has proven to be a high-performing title for the service, consistently in the top 10 most-watched original series.

Joe Otterson TV Reporter“Mayor of Kingstown” has been renewed for Season 2 at Paramount Plus.The first season of the drama series debuted in November, with the season finale airing on Jan. 9. The first two episodes of the series also aired on Paramount Network immediately after “Yellowstone.” The series premiere drew 2.6 million viewers on the linear network, with the second episode drawing 2.1 million.The series follows the McLusky family – power brokers in Kingstown, Mich., where the business of incarceration is the only thriving industry.

Joe Otterson TV ReporterParamount Plus has announced the cast for the upcoming series “Grease: Rise of the Pink Ladies.”The musical series takes place four years before the original “Grease” in 1954. Before rock ‘n’ roll ruled, before the T-Birds were the coolest in the school, four fed-up outcasts dare to have fun on their own terms, sparking a moral panic that will change Rydell High forever.The cast includes: Marisa Davila as Jane, Cheyenne Isabel Wells as Olivia, Ari Notartomaso as Cynthia, Tricia Fukuhara as Nancy, Shanel Bailey as Hazel, Madison Thompson as Susan, Johnathan Nieves as Richie, Jason Schmidt as Buddy, Maxwell Whittington-Cooper as Wally and Jackie Hoffman as Asst. Principal McGee.

Joe Otterson TV ReporterThe “Party Down” revival at Starz has added Jennifer Garner, Zoë Chao, and Tyrel Jackson Williams as series regulars, Variety has learned. James Marsden will also appear in the series in a recurring guest star role.The new cast members join previously announced returning original series cast members Adam Scott, Ken Marino, Jane Lynch, Martin Starr, Ryan Hansen, and Megan Mullaly.Garner (“Alias,” “Dallas Buyers Club”) will play Evie, a successful producer of studio franchise movies, who, in the wake of a breakup, is reconsidering her life choices.

Joe Otterson TV ReporterPeacock has set seven cast members for the upcoming comedy thriller series “The Resort,” Variety has learned.Luis Gerardo Méndez, Nina Bloomgarden, and Gabriela Cartol will all appear in series regular roles, while Debby Ryan, Dylan Baker, Michael Hitchcock and Becky Ann Baker will recur. The show is described as a multi-generational, coming-of-age love story disguised as a fast-paced mystery about the disappointment of time. An anniversary trip puts a marriage to the test when the couple finds themselves embroiled in one of the Mayan Riviera’s most bizarre unsolved mysteries that took place fifteen years prior.Méndez (“Narcos: Mexico,” “Murder Mystery”) will play Baltasar Frías, the head of security at the Oceana Vista Resort in 2007.

Joe Otterson TV Reporter“The Santa Clause” series at Disney Plus has brought on Elizabeth Mitchell to reprise her role from the film franchise, Variety has confirmed.The series, which was announced on Jan. 14, will see Tim Allen once again play Santa Claus/Scott Calvin. Mitchell will play Scott’s wife, Carol Calvin, a.k.a.

Joe Otterson TV Reporter“The Vampire Diaries” creators Julie Plec and Kevin Williamson are teaming up again on the supernatural drama series “Dead Day” at Peacock.Based on the AfterShock comic book series of the same name, “Dead Day” has been given a straight-to-series order at the NBCU streaming service. Plec and Williamson will serve as writers, executive producers, and co-showrunners on the series.“We have been looking for a project to do together and ‘Dead Day’ has all the ingredients we love as storytellers,” said Plec and Williamson.

Joe Otterson TV ReporterFlula Borg is returning to the world of “Pitch Perfect,” with the German actor and comedian signing on for a role in the Peacock series continuation of the film franchise.Variety exclusively reported that the series had been ordered by Peacock in September 2021. Borg will star alongside previously announced series lead Adam Devine.

Joe Otterson TV ReporterThe “Percy Jackson and the Olympians” series has officially been picked up at Disney Plus, Variety has learned.The series adaptation of the Rick Riordan book series was first reported as being in the works at the streamer back in May 2020. Casting is currently underway on the series.

Birds of Prey badass Mary Elizabeth Winstead has signed up for a mission in a galaxy far, far away. According to The Hollywood Reporter, the Huntress herself will be part of the Ahsoka cast, opposite Rosario Dawson's striking, titular Jedi and Hayden Christensen's Anakin Skywalker.