Essence Atkins, Tetona Jackson Join Wayans Father/Son Comedy Pilot at CBS, Andy Ackerman to Direct

Joe Otterson TV Reporter Netflix has canceled the comedy series “Freeridge” after just one season, Variety has learned exclusively. The half-hour show was a spinoff of the Netflix YA comedy series “On My Block.” It was originally ordered to series back in September 2021 ahead of the fourth and final season of “On My Block.” “Freeridge” debuted its one and only eight-episode season at the streamer on Feb. 2. According to the “Freeridge” official logline, it “is a coming of age comedy following sibling rivals Gloria and Ines and their friends Demi and Cameron who have unleashed a curse bringing dark misfortune into their lives.”

Joe Otterson TV Reporter The upcoming Netflix animated comedy series “Mulligan” has set its full voice cast. The series regulars for the show include: Nat Faxon, Chrissy Teigen, Tina Fey, Sam Richardson, Phil Lamarr, and Dana Carvey. Kevin Michael Richardson, Ayo Edebiri, Daniel Radcliffe, Ronny Chieng have been cast in recurring guest star roles. Full character descriptions can be seen below. The series, which was originally ordered at Netflix in March 2020, hails from co-creators Robert Carlock and “Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt” writer and executive producer Sam Means. Per the official logline, “After Earth is destroyed by an alien attack, a rag-tag band of survivors has to start society over from scratch. It’s an opportunity to learn from humanity’s past mistakes and get things right this time. Or make the same mistakes all over again. Probably the second one.”

Marlons Wayans is opening up about his grief.During an appearance on , the actor discusses his role in the acclaimed new film,, where he plays George Raveling, one of Michael Jordan's coaches at the 1984 Olympics, in the film about how Nike signed the superstar to a groundbreaking shoe deal.When asked how life informs his work, Marlon shares how his own pain motivates him to help heal others through laughter. «In my life right now, I have so much stuff that can be depressing. I lost my mom recently, I lost my dad three days ago.

Joe Otterson TV Reporter Ryan Michelle Bathé has been cast in a leading role in CBS’ comedy pilot based on the “JumpStart” comic strip, Variety has learned exclusively. Bathé will now star in the pilot opposite previously announced cast member Terry Crews. The multi-cam pilot was originally ordered at CBS in February. The official logline states that the show “follows Joe (Crews), a cop, his wife Marcy (Bathé), a nurse, and Joe’s partner Crunchy. Joe and Marcy are young, hip, urban parents with old school values who are willing to sacrifice for their kids and have some laughs while doing it!” Marcy is further described as “a hard-working nurse who is naturally maternal and wise beyond her years. She and Joe share a close bond and are supportive of one another even when they don’t agree. The two have a good life in their middle-class Philly neighborhood with their two teen kids — meeting all challenges, and enjoying their share of goofy times as well.”

Joe Otterson TV Reporter Amazon is developing a series version of the Philip K. Dick novel “Clans of the Alphane Moon,” Variety has learned exclusively. The project is being developed under Electric Shepherd Productions and Patrick Moran’s first look deals with Amazon Studios. Moran, via Patrick Moran Productions, is executive producing the project along with John Leguizamo, as well as as Isa Dick Hakcett, the CEO of Electric Shepherd. Bradley Kaplan will also executive produce. “Clans of the Alphane Moon” is described as a “a subversive, genre-bending, sci-fi comedy about desperately trying to escape, and ultimately having to embrace our flaws, told through the prism of a Latinx family en route to a new, faraway moon.”

Despite discovering that his father, Howell Wayans, had just died, comedian Marlon Wayans reportedly performed a comedy set in Los Angeles on Friday night.

Joe Otterson TV Reporter Netflix has ordered its first ever pilot. The streaming giant, which has typically opted to order projects straight to series, has greenlit a pilot for the single-camera comedy “Little Sky,” Variety has confirmed. Samara Weaving is attached to star in the pilot, which hails from creator Rightor Doyle. According to an invidual with knowledge of the situation, Netflix does not plan to shift to the traditional broadcast model of ordering multiple pilots and comparing them for potential series orders. The “Little Sky” pilot is the only one planned at present. Nevertheless, the fact that Netflix is willing to order a pilot is significant. The streamer has heavily influenced broadcast networks and other outlets in recent years into using a script-to-series model and mini rooms, the latter of which are a sticking point in the current WGA negotiations. To that point, the number of pilots ordered at the major broadcast networks during the current traditional pilot season has reached an all-time low, with just 14 pilots ordered to date.

Brian Steinberg Senior TV Editor Al Franken spent nine years as a U.S. Senator from Minnesota, and it all finally paid off in recent weeks when he logged a stint as a guest host on “The Daily Show.” Franken turned in some robust impressions of Charles Schumer, Mitch McConnell and Susan Collins during one sketch on the Comedy Central program that suggested he was taking some pretty interesting notes when he served in that chamber. “I didn’t give them a heads up,” Franken says in a recent interview, after his run. “I served wth those people. Some I could do. I’m not one othose impressionists who can do everyone. I do who I can do.” While Franken is one of a number of noted hosts who have helped the show keep spinning after the depature last year of Trevor Noah, you might say he has been training for such an appearance for much of his professional life. Franken made some famous appearances on the long-running “Weekend Update” segment of “Saturday Night Live,” and, after a few stints on the show as a writer and performer, tried his hand at other exploits. He led comedic coverage of the the run-up to the 1992 presidential election for Comedy Central, presaging efforts to do so by Jon Stewart and Stephen Colbert. He later became a progressive radio host for Air America. In recent months, he has been doing a comedy tour around the nation.

The Wayans family is in mourning. The patriarch, Howell Wayans, has died. He was 86.

A post shared by Marlon Wayans (@marlonwayans)“Thank you Pop for being an example of a man to all your boys. I pray all young Black boys can grow up to be a man like you,” Marlon wrote. “Baby boy loves you.

Marlons Wayans, one of Howell's 10 famous children, took to Instagram on Saturday and announced the tragic news while also paying tribute to his late father. Marlon recalled a story from his childhood, when he asked his father what he wanted to be when he grew up.«He simply said 'I wanted to be a man,'» Wayans wrote in his caption.

Rebecca Rubin Film and Media Reporter As it rolls the dice at the weekend box office, “Dungeons & Dragons: Honor Among Thieves” is aiming to emerge victorious over last weekend’s champion “John Wick: Chapter 4.” A natural 20 isn’t guaranteed, but Paramount and eOne’s adaptation of the popular role-playing game is hoping to collect $30 million to $40 million from 3,850 North American locations. It’ll be a close race for first place between that and the fourth “John Wick,” which topped the box office with $73.5 million and looks to add about $36 million in its sophomore outing. Internationally, “Dungeons & Dragons” is opening in 58 markets, where it’s aiming for $25 million or more.

Ben Affleck shared his excitement at the world premiere of his latest film ‘Air,’ alongside his longtime friend and collaborator Matt Damon. The Hollywood star gave an emotional speech, revealing to the audience that this is an incredible achievement as director, producer, and actor.

Marc Malkin Senior Film Awards, Events & Lifestyle Editor It’s been more than 25 years since Ben Affleck became the youngest Oscar winner for best original screenplay for “Good Will Hunting,” which he co-wrote and starred in with Matt Damon. Isn’t it time for a sequel? Not so much. Damon laughed when revealing that Affleck was recently approached for a follow-up movie. “Someone just tried to pitch Ben ‘Good Will Hunting 2,’” Damon told me Monday at the premiere of “Air” in Los Angeles. “I shit you not — that happened. He told me today. He was like, ‘You’re not going to believe what I heard.’ This was a flat-out sequel. I don’t get it.”

The “Air” premiere was a family affair.

Viola Davis is making us green with envy with her incredible look at the L.A. premiere of AIR!

Ben Affleck and Jennifer Lopez were a picture perfect pair as they cute couple walked the red carpet at the premiere of Affleck's new movie, Affleck and Lopez were all smiles as they posed for photos outside the Regency Village Theatre in West Hollywood on Monday, were they sweetly cozied up on the carpet.Lopez stunned, as usual, in a gorgeous gown with a semi-sheer beige top glimmering with silver beaded embellishments and a neon green skirt.Affleck, meanwhile, looked dapper in a dark navy blue suit with matching tie and light blue button-down, and dark brown dress shoes.Affleck spoke with ET's Kevin Frazier at the premiere, and praised his wife for the guidance she gave them during the filming of «She's brilliant,» Affleck marveled, «and [she] helps me in every conceivable way.»Affleck — who stars in, as well as directed and produced the project -- previously opened up to about how Lopez helped him and co-producer Matt Damon with the story.«She is incredibly knowledgeable about the way fashion evolves through the culture as a confluence of music, sports, entertainment and dance,» Affleck explained in an Interview that came out earlier this month.Speaking with ET on Monday, Affleck shared, «This whole process really has been a collaboration with this entire cast, the crew, the group of people. You have to be open to, as far as I'm concerned, all the good ideas you can possibly get.

Essence Atkins and Tetona Jackson are joining Damon Wayans and Damon Wayans Jr in the latter pair’s CBS family comedy.

EXCLUSIVE: We can tell you first that TriStar Pictures has acquired Jim and Brian Kehoe’s original action comedy, Joel in Accounting Must Die, which Entertainment 360 is producing.

Joe Otterson TV Reporter The Butch Cassidy and The Sundance Kid series in the works at Amazon has found its showrunners. Variety has learned that Alex Metcalf has boarded the show, currently titled “Butch & Sundance,” as showrunner and executive producer. Series creators Kaz Firpo and Ryan Firpo will serve as co-showrunners and executive producers alongside Metcalf. The Firpos most recently wrote the screenplay for the Marvel film “Eternals.” Amazon has ordered the show straight-to-series. The show was first reported as being in development in September, with Regé-Jean Page attached to play Cassidy and Glen Powell playing Sundance. At that time, it was reported that deals for the show were not yet closed and discussions were ongoing.