'Hacks' Teaser: The HBO Max Series Hits the Road in Season 2

, the captivating HBO Max true-crime series, explores the complicated lives of Michael Peterson, who is suspected of killing his wife, Kathleen, after she is found dead at the bottom of the stairs, and members of his large family, who are trying to cope with the unexpected death of their matriarch all the revelations that emerged in the investigation that followed. Inspired by the real-life story that was first captured in the Netflix docuseries of the same name and later lampooned in season 1 of NBC’s, the limited scripted series adapted by showrunners Maggie Cohn and creator Antonio Campos features an all-star cast, including Colin Firth as Michael and Toni Collette as Kathleen as well as Dane DeHaan, Odessa Young, Olivia DeJonge, Patrick Schwarzenegger and Sophie Turner as their various kids. Additionally, Juliette Binoche, Michael Stuhlbarg, Parker Posey, Rosemarie DeWitt, Tim Guinee and Vincent Vermignon appear as extended family members and other people involved in the investigation. While Michael’s story may be familiar to some, especially given the attention that surrounded the many iterations of the docuseries and the scripted parody that followed, ET has put together a guide to the sprawling Peterson family, the various theories surrounding Kathleen’s death as well as the ins and outs of the HBO Max series. “While it feels like this story has kind of been told before, the reality is there's so much of the story that hasn’t been explored,” Campos said, with Firth adding that this version “messes with your expectations.” Michael’s immediate family is quite large – and quite layered – especially considering it’s a blended family made up of kids from previous marriages and the adoption of two daughters.

EXCLUSIVE: Once again, ABC and Tom Werner’s Werner Entertainment have taken a key step toward the renewal of popular comedy series The Conners by making new deals with the four principal cast members of the Roseanne spinoff.

HBO series, which follows her dynamic with young comedy writer Ava Daniels (Hannah Einbinder).In the second season, Deborah and Ava embark on a cross-country tour to test out their new stand-up material – joined by a roster of new guest stars, including Laurie Metcalf (The Big Bang Theory) as tour manager Alice who, as mentioned in the trailer, is nicknamed ‘Weed’ by Pete Wentz.Other new guest stars for the second season include Martha Kelly (Baskets), Ming-Na Wen (The Mandalorian) and Susie Essman (Curb Your Enthusiasm), while Margaret Cho and Devon Sawa will also make appearances.They’ll join returning cast members Carl Clemons-Hopkins, Christopher McDonald, Kaitlin Olson, Paul W. Downs, Poppy Liu, Rose Abdoo, Mark Indelicato, Meg Stalter, Angela E.

Damien Chazelle’s latest film “Babylon” dazzled with its Old Hollywood glamour and other more eccentric charms and mayhem at CinemaCon on Thursday, one of the showpieces of Paramount’s presentation. Chazelle’s film, which is a “Once Upon a Time in Hollywood” reunion of Brad Pitt and Margot Robbie, has a lot of style, some jazz but also some madcap humor, including a closing scene to the trailer in which Pitt’s producing tent is precariously located next to where an elaborate battlefield is staging a period war scene, only for a spear to come flying in inches next to his head.

Rebecca Rubin Film and Media ReporterDirector Damien Chazelle brought the ol’ razzle dazzle to CinemaCon, showcasing the first look at his next film “Babylon,” a star-studded homage to Hollywood’s golden era.Attendees of CinemaCon, the annual gathering of movie theater owners that’s currently unfolding at Caesar’s Palace in Las Vegas, were treated to never-before-seen footage of “Babylon,” which puts the spotlight on Brad Pitt as silent film star John Gilbert and Margot Robbie as Roaring Twenties icon Clara Bow.Prior to Paramount’s presentation at CinemaCon, little had been revealed about “Babylon,” which is set in the late 1920s during the movie industry’s transition from silent films to talkies.Based on the first-look footage of glamorous parties against a backdrop of an entertainment business in flux, “Babylon” looks like a mix between Baz Luhrmann’s “The Great Gatsby” and Quentin Tarantino’s “Once Upon a Time in Hollywood.” “You know what we have to do… we have to redefine the form,” Pitt’s character. “When I first moved to Hollywood, the stars on all the doors said ‘No actors and no dogs allowed.'”Robbie’s character is less worried about her place in showbiz.

Angelique Jackson In celebration of Asian American Pacific Islander heritage month, HBO Max is launching a special collection dedicated to AAPI stories.Starting May 1, HBO Max will spotlight its Asan American and Pacific Islander Voices Collection, with hours of curated programming including its Max Originals like “The Sex Lives of College Girls,” “Tokyo Vice,” “Take Out With Lisa Ling” and “House of Ho.” The collection also boasts hit movies including “In the Mood for Love,” “Crazy Rich Asians,” “Aquaman” and “Bend It Like Beckham;” as well as Warner Bros. streaming exclusive “Moonshot.” Plus, it will highlight anime and other global animation with a dedicated page that includes content from Studio Ghibli.

Joe Otterson TV Reporter“The Afterparty” Season 2 at Apple is bringing back Season 1 stars Sam Richardson and Zoë Chao while also adding seven new cast members, Variety has learned.Richardson and Chao join previously announced returning Season 1 star Tiffany Haddish. The new season will revolve around a murder at a wedding.The new cast members are: Zach Woods (“Silicon Valley,” “The Office”) as Edgar; Elizabeth Perkins (“Sharp Objects,” “Weeds”) as Isabel; Poppy Liu (“Dead Ringers,” “Hacks,” “Better Call Saul”) as Grace; Paul Walter Hauser (“Black Bird,” “Cruella”) as Travis; Anna Konkle (“Pen15”) as Hannah; Jack Whitehall (“Travels With My Father,” “Jungle Cruise”) as Sebastian; and Vivian Wu (“Away,” “Dead Pigs”) as Vivian. Created by Chris Miller, each episode of “The Afterparty”  explores a different character’s account of one fateful evening, all told through the lens of popular film genres and unique visuals to match the storyteller’s perspective.Miller and Phil Lord executive produce “The Afterparty” under their Lord Miller banner along with Anthony King. King and Miller will work as co-showrunners on Season 2.

Apple TV+ has set its cast for Season 2 of the murder mystery comedy The Afterparty. Sam Richardson and Zoë Chao are set to return alongside previously announced star Tiffany Haddish. They will be joined by high-profile new Season 2 cast additions Elizabeth Perkins (Sharp Objects), Zach Woods (Silicon Valley), Paul Walter Hauser (Black Bird), Poppy Liu (Hacks), Anna Konkle (PEN15), Jack Whitehall (Jungle Cruise) and Vivian Wu (Away) in the comedy from Oscar winners Chris Miller and Phil Lord.

Jean Smart and Hannah Einbinder are hitting the road!

The second season of “Hacks” is right around the corner, and HBO Max has just dropped a wild new trailer.

Hacks,” which premieres on the streamer May 12 with two episodes, followed by two more each week until June 2. Picking up after stand-up legend Deborah Vance (Jean Smart) lost her Vegas residency, she and young comedian Ava (Hannah Einbinder) travel across the country to workshop her new act.Additional cast includes Carl Clemons-Hopkins, Jane Adams, Christopher McDonald, Kaitlin Olson, Paul W. Downs, Poppy Liu, Rose Abdoo, Mark Indelicato, Meg Stalter, Angela E.

If you watched the first season of the Emmy-winning and critically-acclaimed HBO Max comedy series “Hacks”—and you probably should if you didn’t, it’s a great conflict between two generations of comedians—you probably remember that things ended on a cliffhanger. The dark mentorship between legendary Las Vegas comedian Deborah Vance (Jean Smart) and her young, entitled writer Ava (Hannah Einbinder) is still very much touch and go.

is back with season 2. The HBO Max series starring Jean Smart is set to premiere almost exactly one year later, on May 12, 2022.

If there is any category that is ripe for a major Emmys upset it may be Lead Actress in a Comedy Series. Last year’s winner, Jean Smart (“Hacks”), should easily earn a repeat nomination.

Jean Smart is adding another feather to her cap. On Monday, the Hollywood Chamber of Commerce awarded the 70-year-old actress a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame, an honor, she told ET, that ranks «incredibly high» on the list of her career accomplishments.«It's funny because I never get nervous at the award shows or anything when I'm working, but I was so nervous today. I was shaking and… I couldn't remember my speech,» she said.

HBO Max has released a first look at their new series Irma Vep!

Clayton Davis Variety Awards Circuit section is the home for all awards news and related content throughout the year, featuring the following: the official awards predictions for the upcoming Oscars and Emmys ceremonies, curated by Variety senior awards editor Clayton Davis; Awards Circuit Column, a weekly analysis dissecting the trends and contenders by television editor Michael Schneider (for Emmys) and Davis (for Oscars); Awards Circuit Podcast, a weekly interview series with talent and an expert roundtable discussion; and Awards Circuit Video analyzes various categories and contenders by Variety's leading awards pundits. Variety's unmatched coverage gives its readership unbeatable exposure in print and online, as well as provide inside reports on all the contenders in this year's awards season races.

A nearly three-hour Batman film, bordering on R-Rated, certainly not for kids, that’s nihilistic, darker than the Christopher Nolan films, and not really much of a traditional superhero movie released during a pandemic seemed like a risky endeavor for Warner Bros. earlier this year (read our review here).

Can you believe it’s already been a year since the HBO Max series Hacks premiered?!