HBO Max and A24 to Develop Megan Stalter Comedy Pilot ‘Church Girls’

If you know the work of Ethan Hawke, and we mean beyond acting in movies—the novels he’s written, the stageplays he’s appeared in, the films he’s written and directed both dramas and documentaries—you know Hawke more as an ever-curious artist and adventurous one at that, omnivorous in his taste and hard to be pigeonholed. READ MORE: Ethan Hawke: The Essential Performances His latest project, “The Last Movie Stars,” is his second documentary project following 2014’s excellent, “Seymour: An Introduction,” only this time, rather than a doc feature, it’s an epic six-part documentary about movie stars and married couple Paul Newman and Joanne Woodward, their romance, married life, stardom, kids and juggling it all.

Issa Rae is unveiling a sneak peek at her latest project, and fans of the “Insecure” star appear to be in for a treat.

Issa Rae (“Insecure”). The series premiere on July 21 with two episodes at 6 p.m. PT/9 p.m.

Job cuts are expected at HBO Max Europe following a major strategic review that will see development of local originals halted in the Nordics and Central Europe.

EXCLUSIVE: Natasha Behnam is set as a lead opposite Melissa Benoist in The Girls On The Bus, HBO Max’s political drama series from Warner Bros. TV.

Legendary DC villain Harley Quinn is back on our screens with Season 3 of the adult-animated comedy “Harley Quinn” series. Originally created as a sidekick to the Joker, Harley made her first debut in “Batman: The Animated Series” and quickly grew to stardom.

Just a few days after HBO and HBO Max canceled their first TV show of the year, they also handed out a few more renewals!

Joe Otterson TV ReporterMelissa Benoist and her Three Things Productions banner have renewed their overall deal with Warner Bros. Television.In addition, Benoist has officially signed on to star in and produce the upcoming HBO Max-WBTV series “The Girls on the Bus.” She was first reported as being in talks for the series back in February.Under the terms of the overall deal, Benoist and Three Things will continue to develop and produce programming across all platforms for WBTV. Benoist runs three things with Sahar Kashi, the company’s vice president of development.“The Girls on the Bus” is inspired by a chapter in Amy Chozick’s book “Chasing Hillary.” Benoist will play Sadie McCarthy, a journalist who romanticizes the original “Boys on the Bus” and who scrapped her whole life for her own shot at covering a presidential campaign for the paper of record.

Neftlix, and later the CW.Benoist plays Sadie McCarthy, “a journalist who romanticizes the original ‘Boys on the Bus’ and who scrapped her whole life for her own shot at covering a presidential campaign for the paper of record,” per a logline from Warner Bros. TV.

Megan Stalter, one of the breakout stars of HBO Max’s Hacks, is fronting a new comedy in development by HBO Max and A24.

HBO Max and A24 are developing a pilot for the Megan Stalter-created comedy “Church Girls,” inspired by the “Hacks” breakout’s life. “Church Girls” is described as “a grounded, half-hour comedy” that centers on Beth Parker (Stalter), a 20-year-old Christian closeted lesbian who struggles with her sexuality and faith in God as she navigates adulthood in suburban Ohio.

EXCLUSIVE: Mistresses exec producer Rina Mimoun is joining the campaign trail.

Paul Giamatti has joined the cast of 30 Coins, the Spanish mystery horror series that premiered on HBO Max in 2020 and was renewed for a second season in February. The eight-part Season 2 is now in production in Spain, Italy, the U.S., France and the UK, with a 2023 premiere date planned on HBO Max worldwide and on HBO in the U.S.

EXCLUSIVE: HBO Max has rounded out its cast of series regulars for comedy pilot Wild Life, which is fronted by Izabella Alvarez in the role of Ciara.

Joe Otterson TV ReporterComedian Aida Rodriguez is stepping behind the camera to direct two installments of the comedy special series “Entre Nos” for HBO Max, Variety has learned exclusively.Rodriguez will direct a standalone special featuring comedian Ian Lara as well as a special featuring both Ralph Barbosa and Gwen La Roka. Barbosa and La Roka are the two winners of the HBO & NYLFF Latino Stand-Up Comedy Competition.

Jem Aswad Senior Music EditorLincoln Center has announced a musical tribute to Greg Tate, a veteran music writer and musician and a ‘godfather of hip-hop journalism’ who died in December at 64.The performance will feature more than 30 members of Burnt Sugar the Arkestra Chamber, the group that Tate founded (head here for more information). “For this homecoming concert, curated and presented with The Tate Family at one of his favorite venues, more than thirty BSAC members will perform in celebration and tribute to one of the most essential voices in the history of 21st Century Avant Groidd music and thought,” the announcement reads.Titled
“More Than Posthuman: Rise of the Burnt Sugar Arkestra Mojosexual Cotillion”
An “Oh the Utter Negrocity of It All,” the tribute is one of three in Tate’s honor being held this summer: one last week at the New York Public Library’s Schomburg Center for Research in Black Culture, and another, also featuring Burnt Sugar, on August 20 at Marcus Garvey Park in Harlem as part of New York’s SummerStage concert series.

EXCLUSIVE: Deadline has a pair of exclusive tracks from composer Carlos Rafael Rivera’s Season 1 soundtrack for HBO Max’s Peabody and multi-Emmy Award-winning comedy series Hacks, which is set for digital release tomorrow via Lakeshore Records.

“Hacks.” HBO Max has renewed the award-winning comedy for Season 3 following the side-splitting yet tear-jerking season 2 finale earlier this month. “We congratulate ‘Hacks’ extraordinarily gifted executive producers and cast, and our partners at Universal Television,” Sarah Aubrey, HBO Max’s head of original content, said.

Deborah Vance and Ava Daniels will be back for more stand-up stories after HBO Max renewed Hacks for a third season.

HBO Max's upcoming series, , which will premiere Thursday, July 28 with the first three episodes, it was announced Wednesday. Two episodes drop Aug.