Craig Mazin Extends HBO, HBO Max Overall Deal

Joe Otterson TV ReporterIssa Rae has landed an eight-episode series order at HBO Max for the half-hour comedy “Rap Sh*t.”The project was first announced as being in development in October 2019. It follows two estranged high school friends from Miami who reunite to form a rap group.Rae is writing the pilot for the series and will executive produce under her Hoorae production banner, with Montrel McKay of Hoorae also executive producing.

Joe Otterson TV Reporter“Brooklyn Nine-Nine” is coming to an end for the second time. NBC announced Thursday that the upcoming Season 8 of the comedy series will be its last.The show was famously canceled after five seasons at Fox in 2018 before NBC revived it for a sixth season that same year.

Joe Otterson TV ReporterThe upcoming “The Last of Us” series adaptation at HBO has cast Bella Ramsey in the lead role of Ellie, Variety has confirmed.Ramsey is best known for her role as Lyanna Mormont in fellow HBO series “Game of Thrones.” The character Ellie is a 14-year old orphan who has never known anything but a ravaged planet.

Joe Otterson TV ReporterHBO Max has given a two-season order to a reboot of adult animated series “Clone High,” as well as a series order to a standalone series about “Scooby-Doo” character Velma Dinkley, who will be voiced by Mindy Kaling.The announcements were part of a larger adult animation slate revealed by HBO Max on Wednesday.

Joe Otterson TV ReporterThe HBO Max comedy series being led by Jean Smart is rounding out its main cast.Variety has learned that the show has cast two series regulars and eight recurring guest star roles. The single-camera comedy series explores a dark mentorship that forms between Deborah Vance (Smart), a legendary Las Vegas comedian, and an entitled, outcast 25-year-old (Hannah Einbinder).Einbinder has been cast as Ava, the young writer that Deborah is forced to hire.

Joe Otterson TV ReporterA scripted GameStop film is in development at HBO.The project hails from executive producers Andrew Ross Sorkin of TBTF Productions, Len Amato of Crash&Salvage, and Jason Blum of Blumhouse Television.The film is described as exploring how a populist uprising of social media day traders beat Wall Street at their own game, turning the stock market upside down and shaking the financial world to its core.This is the latest onscreen project set up to detail the ongoing stock

Joe Otterson TV ReporterA “Yellowstone” prequel series is set at Paramount Plus under an extension of series co-creator Taylor Sheridan’s overall deal with ViacomCBS.The prequel, “Y: 1883,” follows the Dutton family as they embark on a journey west through the Great Plains toward the last bastion of untamed America.

Joe Otterson TV ReporterNew Japan Pro-Wrestling (NJPW) will air on the Roku Channel in the U.S., U.K., and Canada under a new television deal, Variety has learned.The professional wrestling promotion will air a one-hour weekly series on the Roku Channel beginning Feb. 11 and will air every Thursday thereafter beginning at 5 p.m.

Joe Otterson TV ReporterSam’s Esmail ABC drama pilot “Acts of Crime” has found its lead.Newcomer Candace Grace has been cast in the lead role in the pilot, with Josiah Cross, Peter Mark Kendall, and Molly Price also joining in series regular roles.Little is known about the plot of the show, other than being described as a unique spin on the crime procedural. Grace will star as Vivien Lamonte, a Black police detective working homicide in suburban New Jersey.

Joe Otterson TV ReporterTwo new streaming players made their presence known at the 2021 Golden Globe nominations on Wednesday morning.Both Disney Plus and HBO Max scored their first nominations from the Hollywood Foreign Press Association. Disney Plus picked up a nod for “The Mandalorian” in the best drama series category.

Joe Otterson TV ReporterA series set in Wakanda is in development at Disney Plus.The series is part of a new multi-year overall television deal Ryan Coogler and his Proximity Media have signed with The Walt Disney Company and will include other television projects in the future. Coogler previously directed and co-wrote the hit Marvel film “Black Panther,” which takes place in the fictional African nation of Wakanda.

Joe Otterson TV ReporterFormer Disney Channels Worldwide executive Nancy Kanter has signed an overall deal with Netflix.Under the deal, Kanter and her Available Light Productions banner will develop and produce animated and live action projects, both feature films and series, for kids and families audiences on Netflix.“Throughout my career I’ve challenged myself to think differently, imagine bigger and aim higher,” Kanter said.

Joe Otterson TV ReporterThe HBO Max pilot “Verbatim” is rounding out its cast.Sara Gilbert, Rob Huebel, Leland Orser, Lyiq Bent, Tate Donovan, J.R. Cacia, and Kevin Dunn have all joined the project.

Joe Otterson TV ReporterJoel Kinnaman has been cast in the upcoming “In Treatment” reboot at HBO, Variety has learned exclusively.The reimagined series brings a diverse trio of patients in session with the observant, empathetic Dr.

After revealing that a live-action “Harry Potter” series is in the works at HBO Max, The Hollywood Reporter has news of another project that could come together at WarnerMedia‘s streaming service. READ MORE: ‘Harry Potter’ TV Series In Early Stages Of Development For HBO Max The outlet reports that an animated drama series set within the world of George R.R.

Joe Otterson TV ReporterKatie Beth Hall has been cast in the “Head of the Class” reboot pilot at HBO Max, Variety has learned exclusively.She joins previously announced series lead Isabella Gomez as well as cast members Jorge Diaz, Dior Goodjohn, Jolie Hoang-Rappaport, Brandon Severs, and Christa Miller.The rebooted series revolves around a group of overachieving high school students who meet their greatest challenge — a teacher Alicia Adams (Gomez), who wants them to focus less on grades and

Joe Otterson TV ReporterAn animated “Game of Thrones” series is in the very early development stages at HBO Max, Variety has confirmed with sources.There are no details available about what the focus of the potential series would be and no writers or talent are currently attached to the project.HBO Max declined to comment.Variety exclusively reported last week that a series based on George R.R. Martin’s “Tales of Dunk and Egg” is in the works at HBO.

Jordan Moreau HBO Max raised the curtain a bit more on several of their biggest movies coming to the streaming platform on the same day as their theatrical releases in 2021.A brand new promo gave fans extended looks at LeBron James’ “Space Jam” follow-up, the “Sopranos” prequel “The Many Saints of Newark,” the Serena and Venus Williams biographical drama “King Richard” starring Will Smith, the video game adaptation “Mortal Kombat” and the horror sequel “The Conjuring: The Devil Made Me Do

Cynthia Littleton Business EditorHBO and HBO Max have a worldwide subscriber base of about 61 million, a gain of about 4 million in the fourth quarter, AT&T disclosed Wednesday during in its fourth-quarter earnings release.AT&T CEO John Stankey told Wall Street analysts Wednesday during the telco giant’s fourth quarter earnings call that the streaming platform is still feeling the pinch of pandemic-related production slowdowns.

Joe Otterson TV ReporterJamie Dornan has been cast in the lead role of the upcoming limited series “The Tourist.” In addition, HBO Max has boarded the project and will co-produce along with Two Brothers Pictures as well as serve as the show’s streaming home in the U.S.Alongside Dornan, the six-episode series will star Danielle Macdonald, Shalom Brune-Franklin, and Hugo Weaving. Filming is set to begin soon in Australia.