FX to Develop Series About Benihana Founder Hiroaki Aoki, Steve and Devon Aoki to Produce (EXCLUSIVE)

Naman Ramachandran Leading entertainment marketing and content production company Trailer Park Group is continuing its Asia Pacific expansion drive with the hiring of two key executives.The company, which recently acquired Mumbai-based boutique creative agency White Turtle Studios, has appointed Tamagna Ghosh as APAC MD, and Gina Grosso as senior VP of global production, both reporting into group CEO Rick Eiserman. Specializing in streaming, film, gaming, technology and lifestyle brand clients, including Amazon, Disney, HBO, Netflix and Xbox, the group has production capabilities across its specialty studios – Trailer Park, Art Machine, MXW, Mirada, and now White Turtle Studios.Mumbai-based Ghosh joins from Amazon India, where during his six years as head of creative marketing for Prime Video, he led campaigns for hit originals “The Family Man,” “Mirzapur,” “Paatal Lok” and “Made in Heaven.” During a previous stint with Walt Disney Studios he introduced Indian localized theatrical marketing strategies for the Avengers and Star Wars franchises and for “The Jungle Book.” He will be in charge of Trailer Park’s expansion across the APAC entertainment and gaming landscape, which is expected to include further mergers and acquisitions and significant investment in state-of-the-art technology.

Joe Otterson TV ReporterPoppy Liu has been cast in a guest star role in the upcoming Disney+ series “American Born Chinese,” Variety has learned exclusively.Based on the graphic novel of the same name by Gene Luen Yang, the series follows Jin Wang (Ben Wang), a teenager juggling his high school social life with his immigrant home life. When Jin meets foreign exchange student Wei-Chen (Jim Liu) on the first day of school, their worlds collide as Jin becomes entangled in a battle of Chinese mythological gods.

Joe Otterson TV ReporterPeacock is developing an American adaptation of the Australian comedy series “Laid” with Nahnatchka Khan and Sally Bradford McKenna.Khan and Bradford McKenna will serve as writers and executive producers on the project. It follows a woman who finds out her former lovers are dying in unusual ways. In investigating their deaths, she must come to terms with her complicated past.Khan executive produces the show via Fierce Baby Productions along with Jennifer Carreras.  John Davis and John Fox of Davis Entertainment also executive produce along with Liz Watts, Marieke Hardy and Kirsty Fisher of Porchlight Films.

Emily Longeretta Netflix is cashing in on reality TV and renovation.On Thursday, the streaming service announced that “Selling Sunset” has been renewed for Seasons 6 and 7, with production kicking off this summer.Produced by Adam DiVello’s Done and Done Productions and Lionsgate, “Selling Sunset” follows the real estate agents of the Oppenheim Group — run by Jason and Brett Oppenheim. The cast includes Chrishell Stause, Mary Fitzgerald, Heather Rae El Moussa, Davina Potratz, Emma Hernan, Amanza Smith and Maya Vander.Christine Quinn appeared in the first five seasons of the show but did not attend the reunion and has not given a straight answer to whether she’ll be returning.

John Hopewell Chief International CorrespondentParis-based Cottonwood Media and the Paris National Opera are re-teaming with U.S. streamer Hulu, Germany’s ZDF and  ZDF Studios and France Televisions, all partners on “Find Me in Paris,” for another premium live action tween series, “Spellbound.”Scheduled to commence production this summer in Paris, moving later to Brussels, “Spellbound” is created by Jill Girling and Lori Mather (“Ride”), the same original executive produces and showrunners of “Find Me in Paris.”Renaud Mathieu serves as line producer, a position he also held on “Emily in Paris.”Series lead director is Alexander Jacob (“Theodosia,” “4 O’clock Club,” “Hollyoaks”). Directors include Annie Bradley (“The Handmaid’s Tale,” “The Expanse”), as well as Robert Burke (“Find Me in Paris,” “Free Rein”).

Wilson Chapman editorSteve Fickinger, the Broadway producer who won a Tony for “Dear Evan Hansen,” died suddenly on Friday in Laguna Beach, Calif., representatives confirmed to Variety. He was 62.Born in Winnetka, Ill., Fickinger began his career at Disney as a temp mail room worker, and worked his way up to become director of creative development for Walt Disney Feature Animation, where he oversaw the production of animated films including “Mulan,” “Tarzan” and “Lilo and Stitch.”He later transitioned to the Disney Theatrical Group, where he served as V.P.

Joe Otterson TV ReporterDana Delany has joined the cast of “Tulsa King” opposite Sylvester Stallone at Paramount+, Variety has learned exclusively.Stallone leads the series, with other cast members including Andrea Savage, Martin Starr, Max Casella, Domenick Lombardozzi, Vincent Piazza, Jay Will, A.C. Peterson, and Garrett Hedlund.The show follows New York mafia capo Dwight “The General” Manfredi (Stallone), just after he is released from prison after 25 years and unceremoniously exiled by his boss to set up shop in Tulsa, Okla.

Steve Albini won big at the World Series of Poker tournament this the weekend, picking up $196,089 (£160,000) in prize money.Albini, a legendary producer and keen poker player, had won the major prize at the World Series once before in 2018, and returned on Saturday night (June 18) to reign supreme again.According to Pitchfork, Albini took part in the H.O.R.S.E. event, which required a $1,500 (£1,226) buy-in. He then went on to beat 773 other players to the title.After the win, he told WSOP: “Everything in my life comes in pieces, in parts.

Joe Otterson TV ReporterEthan Hawke will star in and executive produce a limited series currently in development at Showtime, Variety has confirmed.The series is titled “The Whites” and is based on the novel of the same name by Richard Price. It begins with the idea that every detective is haunted by their White Whale, the perpetrator who got away because the justice system failed. Billy Graves (Hawke), once a rising star in his department and former member of a group of well-respected cops called the “Wild Geese,” walks away from NYPD Homicide and joins the Nightwatch division, where his cases end when he clocks out— but his past comes calling when a seemingly straightforward murder case involving a White Whale unfolds, threatening his career, enduring friendships, and family.

EXCLUSIVE: Lara Jean Chorostecki has been tapped for a heavily recurring role in the upcoming second season of USA Network and Syfy’s Chucky. A premiere date is TBD. The series hails from the movie franchise creator/writer Don Mancini who serves as showrunner, and Channel Zero creator Nick Antosca.

John Lydon has criticised his former Sex Pistols bandmates’ new Danny Boyle-directed biopic series in a new interview.Pistol premiered on Hulu and Disney+ on May 31. It stars Anson Boon as Johnny Rotten, Louis Partridge as Sid Vicious, Jacob Slater as Paul Cook and Christian Lees as Glen Matlock among a cast line-up that also includes Maisie Williams.

Joe Otterson TV ReporterDamon Lindelof and Tara Hernandez’s Peacock series “Mrs. Davis” has cast Margo Martindale, Andy McQueen, and Ben Chaplin.The trio join previously announced series leads Betty Gilpin and Jake McDorman in the series.

Addie Morfoot ContributorAntonio Campos’ depiction of documentary filmmakers Jean-Xavier de Lestrade and Sophie Brunet in HBO Max’s “The Staircase” has led to a public dispute over their portrayal in the miniseries adaptation. But now, the real-life main subject of both series – Michael Peterson – is speaking out in an exclusive series of emails to Variety.Peterson’s wife Kathleen was found dead at the bottom of the staircase of their North Carolina home in 2001.

Joe Otterson TV ReporterThe “Dead Boy Detectives” series at HBO Max has brought on Beth Schwartz to serve as co-showrunner and executive producer, Variety has learned exclusively.Schwartz will now co-showrun the series with Steve Yockey. This is not the first time Schwartz has been at the helm of a show based on a DC property, as she served as the showrunner on the final two seasons of “Arrow” at The CW.

Apple TV+ has a sweet update to share about its big acquisition from 2021: The streamer has greenlit Sugar to series. It stars Colin Farrell and is from creator Mark Protosevich (The Cell, I Am Legend).

EXCLUSIVE: Steve Coogan’s Baby Cow is forging Live at the Moth Club for UKTV, a comedy series from the legendary East London venue featuring major UK comedy stars such as Stath Lets Flats creator Jamie Demetriou and What We Do In The Shadows star Natasia Demetriou.

Joe Otterson TV ReporterHBO Max is developing a series adaptation of the novel “Dava Shastri’s Last Day” by Kirthana Ramisetti, Variety has learned exclusively.In the novel, Dava Shastri is one of the world’s wealthiest women. But when she learns she is dying of brain cancer, she decides to leak news of her death early so that she can read the obituaries from around the world. But once the news is out, secrets from her past are exposed that shake her and her children to their core.The project was sold to HBO Max in what sources describe as a competitive situation.

Joe Otterson TV ReporterA new “Ghostbusters” animated series is in development at Netflix, Variety has learned exclusively. The series hails from Sony Pictures Animation, with Jason Reitman and Gil Kenan of Ghost Corps, Inc. onboard as executive producers.

Joe Otterson TV ReporterCarol Burnett has joined the cast of the Apple comedy series “Mrs. American Pie,” Variety has learned.Burnett joins previously announced series lead Kristen Wiig in the show, along with cast members Allison Janney, Leslie Bibb, Josh Lucas and Ricky Martin.The 10-episode comedy follows Maxine Simmons’ (Wiig) attempt to secure her seat at America’s most exclusive table: Palm Beach high society in the early 1970s. As Maxine attempts to cross that impermeable line between the haves and the have-nots, “Mrs.