Dakota, Elle Fanning Launch Production Company, Sign First Look Deal With Civic Center Media and MRC TV

Joe Otterson TV ReporterWWE is set to shift its ThunderDome residency to its third location thus far. The sports entertainment company announced Wednesday it will move ThunderDome to the Yuengling Center in Tampa, Florida starting April 12.The WWE had been set up at Tampa’s Tropicana Field since December, and previously established the ThunderDome model at the Amway Center in Orlando in August.

Joe Otterson TV ReporterPatrick Coker and Adam Wiesen have been named the new head writers of the BET series “Tales” going into the show’s third season, Variety has learned exclusively.The series is a scripted anthology of “song stories” weaving classic and current hip-hop songs into visual narratives from the lyrics of some of hip-hop’s greatest hits.

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 ReporterForest Whitaker has joined Tom Hardy in the upcoming Netflix crime drama film “Havoc,” Variety has learned.The film hails from writer, director, and producer Gareth Evans, the first under a new exclusive multi-year deal to produce and direct films for the streamer.In “Havoc,” after a drug deal gone wrong, a bruised detective must fight his way through a criminal underworld to rescue a politician’s estranged son, while unraveling a deep web of corruption and conspiracy

Joe Otterson TV Reporter“The L Word: Generation Q” at Showtime has added Vanessa Williams in a recurring role for Season 2, Variety has learned exclusively.The new iteration of the series follows the intermingled lives of Bette Porter (Jennifer Beals), Shane McCutcheon (Katherine Moennig) and Alice Pieszecki (Leisha Hailey) from the original “The L Word” drama series that aired from 2004 to 2009.

Joe Otterson TV ReporterDulé Hill and Laura Kariuki have been cast in “The Wonder Years” reboot pilot at ABC, Variety has learned.They join previously announced cast members Elisha Williams, who will play main character Dean, and Saycon Sengbloh, who will play family matriarch Lillian.

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 ReporterApple has ordered a half-hour comedy series starring Maya Rudolph that hails from Alan Yang and Matt Hubbard.The series is about Molly (Rudolph), a woman whose seemingly perfect life is upended after her husband leaves her with nothing but 87 billion dollars.Yang and Hubbard created the series and will serve as executive producers. Rudolph will executive produce in addition to starring under her Animal Picture banner.

Joe Otterson TV ReporterNatalie Portman and Sophie Mas’ MountainA production company has set a first-look TV deal at Apple.News of the deal comes a week after it was reported that Portman had signed on to star in the Apple series “Lady in the Lake” with Lupita Nyong’o. Portman is also an executive producer on the series, as is Mas via MountainA.

Joe Otterson TV Reporter“Killing Eve” will end with its upcoming Season 4.The critically-acclaimed BBC America series was renewed for a fourth season in January 2020, but filming was delayed due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Production on Season 4 is now slated to begin in early summer in the U.K.

Joe Otterson TV Reporter“Outlander” has been renewed for Season 7 at Starz.The news comes as the show is currently in production on Season 6, which was supposed to begin last year but was delayed due to the pandemic.

Joe Otterson TV Reporter“Star Trek: Strange New Worlds” is officially in production, Paramount Plus announced Friday.The announcement came in the form a video featuring series leads Anson Mount, Rebecca Romijn, and Ethan Peck, as well as newly added series regulars Babs Olusanmokun, Christina Chong, Celia Rose Gooding, Jess Bush, and Melissa Navia.

Joe Otterson TV ReporterDakota Fanning has joined the cast of the Showtime drama series “Ripley,” Variety has learned.The series is based on Patricia Highsmith’s Tom Ripley novels. She joins previously announced cast members Andrew Scott and Johnny Flynn.In the series, Tom Ripley (Scott), a grifter scraping by in early 1960s New York, is hired by a wealthy businessman to travel to Italy to try to convince his vagabond son to return home.

Joe Otterson TV ReporterNatalie Portman and Lupita Nyong’o will star in a series adaptation of the Laura Lipman novel “Lady in the Lake,” which has been ordered straight-to-series at Apple.The series will be co-written by Alma Har’el and Dre Ryan, with Har’el writing the pilot. Endeavor Content is the studio.

Joe Otterson TV ReporterLexi Underwood has been cast in the recurring role of Malia Obama in the Showtime anthology series “The First Lady,” Variety has learned.The series is described as a reframing of American leadership, told through the lens of the women at the heart of the White House. Viola Davis will play Michelle Obama, while O-T Fagbenle will appear as President Barack Obama.

Joe Otterson TV ReporterAnnie Murphy has been cast in “Russian Doll” Season 2 at Netflix.News of Murphy’s casting comes as the series recently began production on its second season. The details of Murphy’s character are being kept under wraps.Murphy is best known for her role as Alexis Rose in the hit comedy series “Schitt’s Creek.” The role won her an Emmy Award for best supporting actress in a comedy in 2020, part of the show’s historic sweep of the comedy categories at the Emmys.

Joe Otterson TV Reporter“Pose” will end with Season 3 at FX.The groundbreaking series was renewed for a third season back in 2019. The seven-episode final season is now set to debut on May 2 at 10 p.m.

Joe Otterson TV ReporterSarah Niles has been cast in “Ted Lasso” Season 2 at Apple.Niles will play Sharon, a sports psychologist who has been brought in to work with AFC Richmond. The second season of the popular series is currently in production, with Apple having ordered a third season already.Niles recently wrapped on the limited series “Viewpoint” for creators Harry Bradbeer and Ed Whitmore.

Joe Otterson TV ReporterSaycon Sengbloh is the first cast member confirmed for the “Wonder Years” reboot pilot at ABC.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.Sengbloh will star as family matriarch Lillian Williams. Sharp as a tack, Lillian is confident, kind, perceptive and has a good sense of humor. She knows exactly the right thing to say to convince you of anything.

Joe Otterson TV ReporterJenny Lumet has signed a four-year overall deal with CBS Studios.According to an individual with knowledge of the situation, the deal is in the eight-figure range. Lumet most recently co-created the CBS drama series “Clarice,” on which she also serves as an executive producer.“I feel genuine support and creative partnership at CBS Studios,” said Lumet.