Dina Shihabi & Dermot Mulroney Star In Showtime Spy Drama Series ‘Ghosts Of Beirut’ From ‘Fauda’ Creators

Marc Malkin Senior Film Awards, Events & Lifestyle Editor Welcome to this week’s “Just for Variety.” In his first comments since it was revealed that he and Justin Britt-Gibson are no longer writing the script for director Sharmeen Obaid-Chinoy’s “Star Wars” movie, Damon Lindelof tells me the project was a “true labor of love.” “Peaky Blinders” creator Steven Knight is now penning the script. “The movie is still happening, but unfortunately not with me,” Lindelof said at the premiere of “Mrs. Davis,” the offbeat Peacock dramady he is shepherding with showrunner Tara Hernandez. “I wish them all the best of luck. Sharmeen Obaid-Chinoy is an incredible director, and I can’t wait to see what she comes up with.”

Joe Otterson TV Reporter Ewan McGregor is set to star in a drama series currently in development at Amazon Prime Video, Variety has learned exclusively. Currently titled “Lodi,” the series is inspired by a true story as told in an Alta online article by Andrew Dubbins. The official description of the series states, “In 1977, a car salesman, Lou (McGregor), goes from ordinary small-town citizen to FBI informant infiltrating the mafia when a key member of organized crime offers to buy his Cadillac dealership. Over the next three years, Lou finds his quest for glory tested when he becomes embroiled in the inner workings of the crime family – from fronting a multimillion-dollar operation, to becoming a surrogate son– before procuring the first-ever conviction of an infamous crime boss.”

EXCLUSIVE: Bret Easton Ellis’ The Shards, which is both a podcast and novel, is in the works at HBO as a drama series, Deadline has learned.

Mischa Barton is joining the new season of the iconic Australian soap Neighbours, which will air on Amazon Freevee.

Cynthia Littleton Business Editor As seasoned espionage pros, they didn’t give up much, and they didn’t indulge in too much nostalgia. But for an hour or so on Wednesday evening, five core players of “The Americans” reunited in Midtown Manhattan to share stories and spread a few compliments for work they did together on the highly lauded FX series. To mark the 10th anniversary of the spy drama’s debut, stars Keri Russell, Matthew Rhys and Noah Emmerich were joined by showrunners Joe Weisberg and Joel Fields for a lively reunion conversation hosted by the Paley Center for Media. Fields reminded his colleagues that Superstorm Sandy made a surprise guest appearance in “The Americans” pilot, turning the production schedule upside down just before they were scheduled to begin shooting the pilot for DreamWorks Television and Fox Television Studios.

HBO has released the official teaser trailer and a new photo for the original limited series The Sympathizer, which will premiere in 2024. They provide a glimpse at the four characters played by Robert Downey Jr. who executive produces the series alongside co-showrunners Park Chan-wook and Don McKellar. The footage, which introduces the cast led by Hoa Xuande, Fred Nguyen Khan, Toan Le, Ky Duyen, and Sandra Oh, was shown today during Warner Bros. Discovery’s unveiling of the Max streaming service.

Leo Barraclough International Features Editor Leading European distributor Global Screen, part of the Telepool group, will launch premium quality spy drama “Davos” at MipTV. The six-part series is inspired by real events that occurred in the early days of the secret services in Europe. Available to buyers for the first time at MipTV, “Davos” boasts a stellar cast headed by Dominique Devenport (“Sisi”), David Kross (“The Reader”), Jeanette Hain (“Never Look Away”), Max Herbrechter (“Rauhnächte”), Sunnyi Melles (“Triangle of Sadness”) and Stipe Erceg (“Vienna Blood”). World War I is ravaging Europe. By contrast, Davos, the aristocratic spa town in the Swiss Alps, seems like an oasis of peace. But behind the scenes, neutral Switzerland takes center stage in a relentless battle between the secret agents of the world powers. Young nurse Johanna Gabathuler unexpectedly gets caught between the fronts: to win back her illegitimate child, she starts to work as a spy for the German secret service – and suddenly becomes the tipping point in a risky plan that decides over war and peace.

Paul Feig already has one intriguing upcoming comedy with “Grand Death Lotto,” starring John Cena, Awkwafina, and Simu Liu — now it’s time to add another to the list. Deadline reports that Feig is set to direct an upcoming spy comedy over at Paramount, with Sebastian Stan and Maria Bakalova to star.   READ MORE: ‘Grand Death Lotto’: John Cena, Awkwafina & Simu Liu To Star In Paul Feig’s Upcoming Action-Comedy On Prime Video Exact plot details are under wraps, but “Welcome To Flatch” writer Jenny Bicks pens the script, and its pitch is about a failed double agent who somehow becomes an unlikely success.

Chrissy Teigen, Tina Fey, Daniel Radcliffe and more are lending their voices for a new adult animated comedy series, , from the producers behind and . The Netflix series will launch Friday, May 12, it was announced Tuesday.picks up «after Earth is destroyed by an alien attack, a rag-tag band of survivors has to start society over from scratch.

Joe Otterson TV Reporter “This Is Us” alums Sterling K. Brown and Dan Fogelman are reuniting for a drama that has been ordered to series at Hulu, Variety has learned. Hulu is not commenting on exact plot details of the untitled series, but sources describe the show as a thriller and say Brown would star as the head of security for a former president. In addition to writing, Fogelman will executive produce via Rhode Island Ave. Productions along with Jess Rosenthal. Brown will executive produce in addition to starring, with John Hoberg also executive producing. 20th Television is the studio, with Fogelman currently under an overall deal there.

Robert Downey Jr. was feeling grateful on his 58th birthday on Tuesday.

BreAnna Bell Showtime has announced its forthcoming spy drama, “Ghosts of Beirut,” will make its debut on Friday, May 19, on Showtime’s streaming site and will air on linear on May 21 at 10 p.m. ET/PT. The four-part limited series tells the origin story of 21-year old Mughniyeh (who is also referred to as “The Ghost”), an elusive Lebanese terrorist who evaded capture from the CIA and Mossad for two decades. He was responsible for more American deaths than any other individual prior to 9/11. “Told from the American, Israeli and Lebanese perspectives, the series traces Mughniyeh’s origins from the Shiite slums of South Beirut to his masterminding of the concept of suicide bombers, a deadly tactic that led to his swift rise as the world’s most dangerous terrorist. Based on extensive research of still-classified events, the drama spans decades and weaves in first-hand, real-life interviews with prominent officials from the CIA and Mossad, connecting the turmoil of 1980s Beirut with the spy games of the modern Middle East,” reads Showtime’s official description.

Last month, we saw the news that Robert De Niro was making the leap into the realm of TV with the new series, “Zero Day,” on Netflix. Well, it seems as if the legendary actor is ready to keep that TV trend going with yet another new show.

EXCLUSIVE: Robert De Niro is attached to star in a Billy Ray-penned crime drama series that is in the works at Paramount+.

found a new home at Starz, and “Ripley,” which landed at Netflix.Charles Babalola stars as the titular Zulu king in the series, which was originally ordered in 2021, alongside additional cast members Thapelo Mokoenaas, Warren Masemola, Aïssa Maïga, Thando DIomo, Charmaine Bingwa and Nkeki Obi-Melekwe.Originally titled “Shaka: King of the Zulu Nation,” the series, billed as an “epic drama centered around one man’s personal journey from stigmatized childhood to warrior king,” centers on “the story of the Zulu Empire chief Shaka and his unlikely rise to power, uniting multiple tribes across vast stretches of Africa in the early 19th century to transform his power into legend, on par with history’s most seminal figures,” per Showtime. Hailing from CBS Studios, Propagate and Fuqua Films, “King Shaka” is executive produced by Antoine Fuqua, Odebunmi, Awosika, Ben Silverman, Howard T.

Elsa Keslassy International Correspondent Netflix is set to reteam with Anne Bjørnstad and Eilif Skodvin, the creators of the popular crime comedy series “Lilyhammer,” on a new Norwegian program, with the working title “Salmon Island.” The series is set up at leading Norwegian production banner Rubicon and will be helmed by Marit Moum Aune (“Made in Oslo”), who also serves as a conceptual director on the series. “Salmon Island” takes place in a small coastal community in Norway and revolves around two families who are sworn enemies in the global salmon industry. The contemporary series delivers a portrait of the fish farming business, weaving together comedy and drama.

EXCLUSIVE: Richard Roxburgh and Rebecca Gibney will front Stan and Lionsgate’s Australian drama series Prosper.

Damian Lewis is returning to the franchise and a multitude of spinoffs are being explored, but Billions could be set to end with its seventh season.

Lena Headey has landed a new gig.

Joe Otterson TV Reporter Lena Headey is set to star in Kurt Sutter’s upcoming Netflix series “The Abandons,” Variety has learned. The Western series was ordered at the streamer in October 2022. The official series description states: “As a group of diverse, outlier families pursue their Manifest Destiny in 1850s Oregon, a corrupt force of wealth and power, coveting their land, tries to force them out. These abandoned souls, the kind of lost souls living on the fringe of society, unite their tribes to form a family and fight back. In this bloody process, ‘justice’ is stretched beyond the boundaries of the law.” Headey will play Fiona, described as “a strong, devout matriarch who, unable to have her own children, took in four orphans to create her own family. Driven by a higher purpose – and a strong-willed Irish temper – her faith and love for her family trump all.”