Debbie Allen, Amber Riley Join ‘The Lower Bottoms’ Season 2 Podcast Series From iHeartMedia and Will Packer Media

Todd Spangler NY Digital Editor It’s not a dream: The third installment of Neil Gaiman’s “The Sandman” audio drama on Audible is now available. All 19 episodes of “The Sandman: Act III,” with James McAvoy again lending his voice to the title role, are now available exclusively on Audible. It’s a surprise release for the third seasons of the popular series that brings to aural life the world of Gaiman’s best-selling fantasy graphic novels published by DC. The third installment is again adapted and directed by co-executive producer Dirk Maggs and narrated by Gaiman, who also returns as creative director and co-executive producer. “The Sandman: Act III” also features an original score from BAFTA-winning composer James Hannigan.

Todd Spangler NY Digital Editor Ed Helms has managed to find the amusing parts of impending nuclear Armageddon. The actor, writer and comedian hosts “Snafu,” a nonfiction comedy series in which he’ll dissect some of history’s most notorious screw-ups. In the inaugural season, set to premiere Oct. 5 on major podcast platforms, Helms tells the story of Able Archer 83, the NATO military exercise that may have almost triggered a real nuclear war in November 1983. “It kind of felt like a story that needed to be told, and it also seemed like a story that would be fun to tell – it’s loaded with drama and spy-thriller intrigue,” Helms told Variety. “There’s a lot of comedy baked in. But ultimately it’s an intense and somewhat mortifying chain of events.”

Netflix’s Avatar: The Last Airbender has rounded out its cast, adding 20 actors, including George Takei, Utkarsh Ambudkar, Danny Pudi and Arden Cho.

Selome Hailu Netflix has rounded out the cast of its upcoming live-action adaptation of “Avatar: The Last Airbender,” with 20 new additions including George Takei, Utkarsh Ambudkar, Arden Cho and Danny Pudi. Playing characters in the Water Tribe are Amber Midthunder (“Prey,” “Roswell”) as Princess Yue, the compassionate spiritual leader of the Northern Water Tribe; A Martinez (“Cowboy Bebop,” “Ambulance”) as Pakku, the veteran waterbending master of the Northern Water Tribe and a fierce defender of their traditions; Irene Bedard (“Pocahontas,” “The Stand”) as Yagoda, an empathetic healer who serves as a role model for her tribe’s female waterbenders; Joel Oulette (“Trickster,” “Ruby and the Well”) as Hahn, a strong and skilled warrior with an unwavering loyalty to his tribe; Nathaniel Arcand (“Heartland,” “FBI: Most Wanted”) as Chief Arnook, father to Princess Yue and the respected leader of their tribe; and Meegwun Fairbrother (“Burden of Truth,” “Mohawk Girls”) as Avatar Kuruk, a previous Avatar with a haunted past.

Thania Garcia Shawn Mendes, Stevie Wonder, Elton John and more are on the soundtrack to the upcoming animated movie “Lyle, Lyle, Crocodile!” Mendes, as the voice of the titular character, also revealed that he will be sharing one of the original tracks he wrote for the set titled “Heartbeat,” next Friday (Sept. 30). He is credited on eight tracks on the list and is also joined by co-stars Constance Wu and Javier Bardem, as well as Anthony Ramos. The full soundtrack will be available for streaming on Oct. 7, the same day as the film’s official premiere. A post shared by Shawn Mendes (@shawnmendes) Based on Bernard Waber’s 1965 children’s book, the Will Speck and Josh Gordon film follows Lyle the crocodile as he navigates New York. After the Primm family moves into their house on 88th Street, Mrs. Primm, played by Wu, is shocked to find the singing crocodile in her bathtub. Eventually, the croc makes friends with her son Josh (Winslow Fegley) and his owner Héctor P. Valenti, played by Bardem.

EXCLUSIVE: Wilmer Valderrama has expanded his role with My Cultura Podcast Network from iHeartMedia by becoming a shareholder. In addition, Valderrama will help to curate the network’s slate of Latinx-focused podcasts and has committed to 5 new shows that will be executive produced by and/or star him.

Brian Steinberg Senior TV Editor Jake Tapper, Laura Coates and Alisyn Camerota will take on temporary assignments on CNN’s primetime schedule as the Warner Bros. Discovery-backed network prepares to cover the run-up to the 2022 midterm elections. Tapper, CNN’s chief Washington correspondent, will host the network’s 9 p.m. from Washington, while Camerota and Laura Coates will share anchor responsibilities between 10 p.m. and midnight. Tapper is the first anchor to get a semi-regular perch at 9 since the much-scrutinized departure of the time slot’s previous occupant, Chris Cuomo. Camerota. who has held down slots in both the morning and the afternoon, and Coates, a legal analyst who has in thepast been under consideration for a primetime assignment, will take over a time period that has been led by Don Lemon, who is moving soon to work on a new CNN morning program.

Todd Spangler NY Digital Editor Kevin Hart’s “Die Hart” action-hero spoof is bringing in some fresh faces for Season 2 of the Roku original comedy: John Cena, Ben Schwartz and Paula Pell have joined the cast of “Die Hart 2: Die Harter,” the streaming company announced. In addition to the new cast, Nathalie Emmanuel will reprise her role in Season 2. Eric Appel returns to direct with Tripper Clancy returning as writer. Production of “Die Hart 2: Die Harter” has begun in Atlanta. The series will stream free (with ads) on the Roku Channel but a premiere date has not been set. In “Die Hart” Season 1, which co-starred John Travolta, Hart played a fictionalized version of himself who ultimately achieved his dream of becoming a bona-fide action hero. In the second season, Hart now wants to cement his legacy as the greatest action star of all time. He’s developed a concept for a revolutionary movie where the action is so unscripted and unexpected that even Kevin won’t know what’s coming next. But Kevin’s vision comes with a blind spot, and he soon finds himself the victim of an evil revenge plot, orchestrated by someone from his past. To survive, Hart must enlist the help of his favorite co-star, Jordan King (Emmanuel), his overeager assistant Andre (Schwartz), Andre’s mom Cynthia (Pell) and legendary Hollywood stuntman Mr. 206 (Cena).

hoping for Toy Story 5 on the horizon can probably relax. The pair were probably just having lunch. Due to the fact that Tom Hanks and Tim Allen have been part of the Toy Story franchise for years, the pair have certainly had enough time to get to know each other.

Taking a sip of his tea, John Henshaw watches on as Her Majesty's coffin is carried through Westminster Abbey.

Sacheen Littlefeather has formally accepted an apology from the Academy for the way in which she was treated at the 45th Oscars. 

Todd Spangler NY Digital Editor The controversial defamation case between Johnny Depp and Amber Heard is the subject of a new movie, “Hot Take: The Depp/Heard Trial,” set to debut exclusively on the free Tubi streaming service. The film stars Mark Hapka (“Parallels,” “Days of Our Lives”) as Depp and Megan Davis (“Alone in the Dark”) as Heard. It’s set to premiere Friday, Sept. 30, on Fox’s Tubi. Melissa Marty (“Station 19”) will join Hapka and Davis as Depp’s lawyer Camille Vasquez and Mary Carrig (“Law & Order True Crime”) will portray as Heard’s lawyer, Elaine Bredehoft. “Hot Take” follows the tumultuous relationship — in and out of court — of Depp and Heard, dramatizing the two-month defamation trial that concluded June 1, with the jury finding that Heard had defamed Depp by alluding to domestic violence allegations against him in a December 2018 op-ed piece. The jury also held Depp liable for a defamatory statement made about Heard by his lawyer.

Todd Spangler NY Digital Editor In today’s podcast news roundup, Katy Perry’s retrospective about Elizabeth Taylor as “the original influencer” is set to hit next month; Remi Adeleke gets a two-series podcast deal with Tenderfoot TV; John Allen (aka MrBallen) hires Nick Witters as CEO of Ballen Studios and signs with UTA; and more. “Elizabeth the First,” a 10-episode podcast series narrated by Katy Perry, will premiere on Monday, Oct. 3. The series comes from Imperative Entertainment, House of Taylor, which oversees the late actor’s estate, and Perry’s Kitty Purry Productions. “Elizabeth the First” will be available on all major podcast platforms and the Imperative Entertainment Premium Channel on Apple Podcast Subscriptions. Originally, it was slated to debut this spring.)

Oscar-winning filmmaker Laura Poitras sharply criticized the Toronto and Venice film festivals today for programming documentaries connected with former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton, suggesting the decision bordered on a “whitewashing” of history.

Red carpet date night! While the 74th Primetime Emmy Awards aims to celebrate the best of television, many stars are feeling the romance.