‘Blindspotting’ Series Starring Jasmine Cephas Jones Gets Greenlight at Starz

Joe Otterson TV ReporterSamuel L. Jackson is set to reprise the role of Nick Fury in a new Marvel series currently in development at Disney Plus, Variety has learned exclusively from sources.The exact plot details of the show are being kept under wraps, but multiple sources say Jackson is attached to star with Kyle Bradstreet attached to write and executive produce.

Joe Otterson TV ReporterDemi Moore is attached to star in a series adaptation of the QCode podcast “Dirty Diana” that is currently in development at Amazon.The erotic drama podcast debuted in August, with Moore lending her famous voice to the leading role.

Joe Otterson TV ReporterHBO Max has given a straight-to-series order for “Peacemaker,” a spinoff from the upcoming “Suicide Squad” film. John Cena will play the title role, reprising his role from the film.

Joe Otterson TV ReporterPatricia Arquette and Ben Stiller are set to collaborate once again on half-hour comedy series that has been ordered at Apple.Titled “High Desert,” the show follows Peggy (Arquette), a former addict, who decides to make a new start after the death of her beloved mother with whom she lived in the small desert town of Yucca Valley, California, and makes a life-changing decision to become a private investigator.The series is written by Nancy Fichman, Katie Ford, and

Joe Otterson TV ReporterNatasha Lyonne and Alia Shawkat are developing a half-hour series at Amazon, Variety has learned exclusively.Titled “Desert People,” the series follows a family of Iraqi immigrants who run a gentleman’s club in Palm Springs. Shawkat will star as the parents’ adult daughter in LA who is coming to terms with her sexuality and identity as a first generation American.Shawkat and Lyonne co-created the series.

Joe Otterson TV ReporterStarz is in early development on a drama series titled “The Venery of Samantha Bird,” Variety has learned exclusively.The project hails from writer and executive producer Anna Moriarty. Should the show get ordered to series, it would mark her first TV writing credit.

Joe Otterson TV ReporterTatiana Maslany is near a deal to play the lead role of the upcoming “She-Hulk” series at Disney Plus, Variety has learned from sources.The series centers on Jennifer Walters (Maslany), cousin of Bruce Banner who inherits his Hulk powers after she receives a blood transfusion from him. Unlike Bruce, however, when she hulks out, Jennifer is able to retain most of her personality, intelligence, and emotional control.Reps for Maslany declined to comment.

Joe Otterson TV ReporterABC has given out a straight-to-series order to the drama series “Rebel.”Katey Sagal stars in the show, which is inspired by the life of Erin Brockovich. It is slated to debut in 2021.

Joe Otterson TV ReporterRobert and Michelle King are attached to executive produce a series adaptation of the iHeart Media true crime podcast “Happy Face” currently in development at CBS All Access, Variety has learned.“Happy Face” is inspired by the true story of Melissa Moore, who discovered at age 15 that her father, whom she loved dearly, was the prolific serial killer known as Happy Face.

Joe Otterson TV ReporterCurtis “50 Cent” Jackson is adding to his already deep roster of shows at Starz, with the premium cabler developing two new shows on which Jackson will serve as executive producer under his rich Starz overall deal. Both shows will be produced by Jackson’s G-Unit Film & Television.The first series is an untitled drama inspired by the life of sports agent and attorney Nicole Lynn.

Joe Otterson TV ReporterIssa Rae’s ColorCreative is set to produce a dramedy in development at Quibi from writer Brittani Nichols, Variety has learned exclusively.Titled “Toothbrush,” the series follows Rae. A queer woman living on the east side of Los Angeles, she struggles to find balance and boundaries with Emma, her ex-girlfriend turned best friend whose apartment she finds herself staying over more often than not.

Joe Otterson TV ReporterSpectrum Originals and Paramount Network are teaming to co-produce a limited series starring Jessica Chastain as country music legend Tammy Wynette.After a nine-month exclusive run for Spectrum subscribers, the series, titled “George & Tammy,” will have a second window on ViacomCBS’ forthcoming streaming service and Paramount Network.The series chronicles the country music power couple, Wynette and George Jones, whose complicated relationship inspired some of the most

Joe Otterson TV ReporterThe scripted series about “Tiger King’s” Joe Exotic starring Nicolas Cage has been set up at Amazon for development, Variety has learned.Variety exclusively reported the project was in the works from CBS Television Studios and Imagine Television in May.

Joe Otterson TV ReporterPeacock has picked up two seasons of the planned drama series reboot of the classic sitcom “Fresh Prince of Bel-Air.”Will Smith made the announcement Tuesday on YouTube, which can be viewed below. The series, titled “Bel-Air,” will be based on Morgan Cooper’s viral video that reimagined the NBC comedy series as a drama.

Joe Otterson TV ReporterNetflix has ordered a comedy series starring Jamie Foxx titled “Dad Stop Embarrassing Me,” Variety has learned.The multi-camera series is inspired by Foxx’s relationship with his daughter, Corinne Foxx. The series will also star David Alan Grier, Kyla-Drew, Porscha Coleman, and Jonathan Kite.

Joe Otterson TV ReporterEmma Roberts and her Belletrist TV banner have signed a first-look TV deal with Hulu.The deal will focus on literary adaptations, as Belletrist was originally founded by Roberts and Karah Preiss as a book club.

Joe Otterson TV ReporterJohn Ridley and Carlton Cuse are set to adapt Sheri Fink’s novel “Five Days at Memorial” for Apple as a limited series, Variety has learned.The book chronicles the first five days in a New Orleans, LA, hospital after Hurricane Katrina made landfall.

Joe Otterson TV ReporterNetflix has ordered a drama series based on the award-winning Chinese book series “The Three-Body Problem” with David Benioff, D.B. Weiss, and Alexander Woo set to write and executive produce.The series order covers all three books in the trilogy — “The Three-Body Problem,” “The Dark Forest,” and “Death’s End,” all of which were written by Liu Cixin.

Joe Otterson TV ReporterAmazon is developing a series about human rights lawyer Jared Genser with Orlando Bloom attached to executive produce, Variety has learned.The untitled series is inspired by Genser and his firm. He and his team work to free prisoners of conscience (Human Rights prisoners) in high-risk areas throughout the world’s most difficult Hot Zones.

Joe Otterson TV ReporterAn animated “X-Files” comedy series is in the works at Fox, Variety has confirmed.The project is currently titled “The X-Files: Albuquerque.” It has received a script and presentation commitment at the broadcaster. The show would revolve around an office full of misfit agents who investigate X-Files cases too wacky, ridiculous or downright dopey for Mulder and Scully to bother with.