‘City of Ghosts’ Series Adaptation in the Works at ABC Signature, Searchlight Television (EXCLUSIVE)

Joe Otterson TV ReporterJack Reynor has been cast in a lead role of the Amazon series adaptation of the William Gibson novel “The Peripheral,” Variety has learned.Reynor will star as Burton. He joins previously announced cast members Chloë Grace Moretz and Gary Carr, with Moretz set to play Flynne and Carr set to play Wilf.

Joe Otterson TV ReporterNaveen Andrews has been cast alongside Amanda Seyfried in the Hulu drama series “The Dropout,” which will tell the story of Elizabeth Holmes.Holmes, the enigmatic Stanford dropout, founded medical testing start-up Theranos. She was lauded as a Steve Jobs for the next tech generation.

Joe Otterson TV ReporterChristina Ochoa has been cast in a major role of the ABC drama pilot “Promised Land,” Variety has learned.The show is described as an epic, generation-spanning drama about two Latinx families vying for wealth and power in California’s Sonoma Valley.Ochoa will star as Veronica Sandoval, the eldest daughter of the Sandoval family, a wealthy vineyard-owning family in the Sonoma Valley.

Joe Otterson TV ReporterAmanda Seyfried has signed on to play Theranos founder Elizabeth Holmes in the Hulu series “The Dropout.”Seyfried takes over the role from Kate McKinnon, whose exit from the project was reported in February. The series tells the story of Holmes, the enigmatic Stanford dropout who founded medical testing start-up Theranos.

Joe Otterson TV ReporterKrista Vernoff has renewed her multi-year overall deal at ABC Signature.Vernoff will continue to serve as president of Trip the Light Productions, with Alexandre Schmitt serving as president of production and development. In addition, Kasha Foster has been named Trip the Light’s director of diversity, equity, and inclusion.

Joe Otterson TV ReporterJason Segel has been cast as Paul Westhead in the HBO series about the Los Angeles Lakers of the 1980s.The untitled series was ordered at HBO in December 2019.

Joe Otterson TV ReporterBo Burnham has been cast as Boston Celtics star Larry Bird in HBO’s upcoming series about the Los Angeles Lakers of the 1980s.The untitled series was ordered at HBO in December 2019. It is described as chronicling the professional and personal lives of the 1980s Los Angeles Lakers, one of sports’ most revered and dominant dynasties, in what came to be called the Showtime Era.Bird is widely regarded as one of the best basketball players of all time.

Joe Otterson TV ReporterJane Lynch has been cast in a lead role in the ABC multi-cam comedy pilot “Bucktown,” Variety has learned.Lynch joins previously announced cast members Shannon Woodward and Nicole Richie.In the multi-cam sitcom, after being dumped by her boyfriend and kicked out of her apartment on the eve of a big promotion, Amy (Woodward) finds refuge at her mom’s (Lynch) house in the blue-collar neighborhood where she grew up.

Joe Otterson TV ReporterMichael Chiklis will play Red Auerbach in HBO’s upcoming scripted series about the Los Angeles Lakers of the 1980s.The untitled series was ordered at HBO in December 2019. It is described as chronicling the professional and personal lives of the 1980s Los Angeles Lakers, one of sports’ most revered and dominant dynasties, in what came to be called the Showtime Era.As the coach of the Celtics, Auerbach won 9 NBA championships.

Joe Otterson TV ReporterNicole Richie has been cast in the ABC comedy pilot “Bucktown,” Variety has learned.In the multi-cam sitcom, after being dumped by her boyfriend and kicked out of her apartment on the eve of a big promotion, Amy finds refuge at her mom’s house in the blue-collar neighborhood where she grew up.

Joe Otterson TV ReporterShowtime is developing a limited series about the Jan. 6 riot at the U.S.

Joe Otterson TV ReporterVera Farmiga has been cast in a lead role of the Apple drama series “Five Days at Memorial,” Variety has learned.The series is based on the Sheri Fink novel of the same name. It chronicles the first five days in a New Orleans, LA, hospital after Hurricane Katrina made landfall.

Joe Otterson TV ReporterMatthew McConaughey is attached to star in a series adaptation of the John Grisham novel “A Time for Mercy,” which is currently in development at HBO, Variety has learned from sources.The book, published in 2020, is a followup to Grisham’s books “A Time to Kill” and “Sycamore Row,” all of which center on the character of attorney Jake Brigance. McConaughey previously starred as Brigance in the film adaptation of “A Time to Kill” in 1996.

Joe Otterson TV ReporterDianne Wiest is set to star opposite Jeremy Renner in the Paramount Plus series “Mayor of Kingstown” from Taylor Sheridan, Variety has learned.The series follows the McLusky family – power brokers in Kingstown, Michigan where the business of incarceration is the only thriving industry. Tackling themes of systemic racism, corruption and inequality, the series provides a look at their attempt to bring order and justice to a town that has neither.

Joe Otterson TV ReporterSally Field will be taking the court for HBO’s scripted series about the Los Angeles Lakers in the 1980s.The untitled series was ordered at HBO in December 2019. It is described as chronicling the professional and personal lives of the 1980s Los Angeles Lakers, one of sports’ most revered and dominant dynasties, in what came to be called the Showtime Era.Field will star as Jessie Buss, mother of Lakers owner Jerry Buss, who will be played by John C.

Joe Otterson TV ReporterThe team behind “Justified” is reuniting to develop an FX series based on the Elmore Leonard novel “City Primeval: High Noon in Detroit,” with Timothy Olyphant potentially returning as Raylan Givens, Variety has learned exclusively.“Justfied” creator Graham Yost will serve as executive producer, with “Justified” writers and executive producers Michael Dinner and Dave Andron onboard to co-write, executive produce, and serve as co-showrunners.

Joe Otterson TV ReporterAdrien Brody will play legendary basketball coach Pat Riley in HBO’s upcoming drama series about the Los Angeles Lakers in the 1980s, Variety has learned. The untitled series was ordered at HBO in December 2019.

Joe Otterson TV ReporterElisha “EJ” Williams has been cast in the main role of “The Wonder Years” pilot at ABC, Variety has learned.The project will show how a black middle-class family in Montgomery, Alabama in the turbulent late 1960s, made sure it was The Wonder Years for them too.Williams will star in the role of Dean, described as an inquisitive and hopeful 12-year-old kid coming of age in a turbulent time.

Joe Otterson TV ReporterWill Forte is attached to star in a drama series in development at Peacock from Harry and Jack Williams.Titled “Expiration Date,” the series is described as a dark suburban soap about Robin (Forte), who, consumed by grief, finds a life insurance policy that covers suicide, provided that the individual doesn’t carry out the deed within one year.

Joe Otterson TV ReporterFX has ordered a limited series based on the Taffy Brodesser-Akner novel “Fleishman Is in Trouble.”Brodesser-Akner will serve as the writer and executive producer on the series, with Sarah Timberman, Carl Beverly, and Susannah Grant also executive producing. ABC Signature is the studio, with Timberman-Beverly currently under an overall deal at the studio.