J.J. Abrams, David E. Kelley, Dustin Thomason Team for Apple Series ‘Presumed Innocent’

David Ellison’s Skydance Media prove the tech giant is willing to spend big to build a global tentpole movie business, sources tell Variety.Nearly a month after it was announced that Apple had landed a slate of live action films from longtime Paramount Pictures partner Skydance, producer of the mega-franchise “Mission: Impossible” and the upcoming sequel to “Top Gun,” the town is still abuzz about what a lucrative and rarified deal Skydance carved out for itself.The agreement closely resembles a “put deal,’ according to sources, an increasingly rare Hollywood arrangement wherein a distributor is obligated to release movies its partner chooses (Jason Blum’s Blumhouse, Jordan Peele’s Monkeypaw and Arnon Milchan’s New Regency are a few of the players that have commanded similar pacts). Though not unprecedented, industry observers say the deal between Skydance and Apple is among the richest received by any production company.

Schitt’s Creek alumna Karen Robinson and The Sinner alum Michael Mosley round out the series regular cast for The Missing, Peacock’s eight-episode series from David E. Kelley based on Israeli crime writer Dror A. Mishani’s international bestselling novel The Missing File. They join previously announced leads Jeff Wilbusch and Juliana Canfield in the drama series.

Amanda Seyfried has joined Tom Holland in the cast of the new Apple anthology series The Crowded Room.

Oscar nominee Amanda Seyfried is set as the female lead opposite Tom Holland in The Crowded Room, Apple’s seasonal anthology series from A Beautiful Mind‘s Akiva Goldsman and New Regency.

Wyatte Grantham-Philips editorAn eight-hour drama inspired by Carolyn Arnold’s “Madison Knight” detective novels is being developed by Muse Entertainment and Pop Fiction Entertainment.Hélène Joy (“Durham County,” “Murdoch Mysteries”) will star as Madison Knight, a daring detective who works to investigate criminals throughout the series. Orion Lee (“First Cow”) will portray Knight’s work partner, Detective Steven Hung.

David Ayer is bringing his 2012 movie End of Watch to television. Fox has handed a script-to-series commitment to the police drama project based on original film which starred Jake Gyllenhaal and Michael Peña.

Joe Otterson TV ReporterA series adaptation of the 2012 film “End of Watch” has gotten a script to series commitment at Fox, Variety has learned.The one-hour drama project hails from writers and executive producers David Ayer and David Matthews, with Ayer having written and directed the film. Like the film, the show would follow the daily grind of two young police officers in Los Angeles who are partners and friends, and what happens when they meet criminal forces greater than themselves.Ayer will executive produce via Cedar Park Studios, with the company’s Chris Long and Darryll C. Scott also executive producing.

EXCLUSIVE: Quiver Distribution has acquired Mayim Bialik’s feature directorial debut As They Made Us, starring Diana Agron (Shiva Baby, Glee), Simon Helberg (Annette, The Big Bang Theory), Oscar nominee Candice Bergen (Let Them All Talk, Starting Over) and two-time Oscar winner Dustin Hoffman (The Meyerowitz Stories, Rain Main), slating it for release in theaters and on VOD on April 8.

Joe Otterson TV ReporterLiane Moriarty’s novel “Apples Never Fall” is being adapted into a limited series at Peacock, Variety has learned exclusively.In a competitive situation, Peacock has won the rights to the book, which was published in September 2021, and given it a straight-to-series order. Since its debut, the book has sold over one million copies.The series centers on the Delaneys, who from the outside appear to be an enviably contented family.

Joe Otterson TV ReporterCBS has ordered a pilot for a reboot of the drama series “Early Edition,” Variety has learned.The original series starred Kyle Chandler as a man who magically received tomorrow’s edition of the Chicago Sun-Times today, delivered to his door each morning by a mysterious ginger tabby cat. His knowledge of the future then gave him the chance to change it for the better.In the rebooted version, an ambitious but uncompromising journalist starts receiving tomorrow’s newspaper today.

EXCLUSIVE: Djouliet Amara (Devil in Ohio, Superman and Lois), Ally Maki (Home sweet Home Alone, Wrecked) and Crystal Fox (The Haves and the Have Nots, Big Little Lies) are set as series regulars opposite Chris O’Dowd, rounding out the cast of  Apple’s The Big Door Prize, a half-hour comedy based on M.O. Walsh’s bestselling novel. The series hails from Emmy-winning Schitt’s Creek writer/executive producer David West Read, Skydance Television and Parasite producer CJ ENM/Studio Dragon. Gabrielle Dennis, Damon Gupton, Josh Segarra and Sammy Fourlas also star.

Joe Otterson TV ReporterCatherine Zeta-Jones has been cast in the upcoming “National Treasure” series at Disney Plus, Variety has learned.Zeta-Jones joins previously announced cast members Lisette Alexis, Zuri Reed, Jordan Rodrigues, Antonio Cipriano, and Jake Austin Walker, and Lyndon Smith in the series continuation of the film franchise of the same name. Production is set to begin this month in Baton Rouge, LA.The series focuses on a young heroine, Jess (Alexis), a brilliant and resourceful DREAMer who embarks on the adventure of a lifetime to uncover the truth about her family’s mysterious past and save a lost Pan-American treasure.Zeta-Jones will portray Billie, described as a badass billionaire, black-market antiquities expert, and treasure hunter who lives by her own code.

Bill Nighy (Love Actually) has been tapped to star opposite Chiwetel Ejiofor and Naomie Harris in Showtime’s The Man Who Fell To Earth drama series, based on the Walter Tevis novel and the cult classic 1976 film starring David Bowie. Nighy will play the role played by Bowie in the film in the series, which comes from Alex Kurtzman, Jenny Lumet and John Hlavin. It will premiere later this year.

Joe Otterson TV ReporterBill Nighy has signed on to star in the upcoming Showtime series version of “The Man Who Fell to Earth,” Variety has learned.Nighy joins previously announced cast members Chiwetel Ejiofor, Naomie Harris, Jimmi Simpson, Rob Delaney, Sonya Cassidy, Joana Ribeiro, Annelle Olaleye, Kate Mulgrew and Clarke Peters in the series.Based on the Walter Tevis novel of the same name and the film that starred David Bowie, the series will follow a new alien character named Faraday (Ejiofor) who arrives on Earth at a turning point in human evolution and must confront his own past to determine our future.Nighy will play Thomas Newton, the main character of the novel and the character played by Bowie in the film version. Newton was the first alien to arrive on earth over 40 years ago. Alone and desperate, Newton summons Faraday to complete his original mission.

Wilson Chapman editorPeacock has unveiled the official trailer for its new miniseries “Joe vs. Carole,” starring John Cameron Mitchell and Kate McKinnon.Based on the Robert Moor-hosted Wondery podcast “Joe Exotic,” “Joe vs. Carole” focuses on the bitter rivalry between big cat zookeeper Joe Exotic (Mitchell) and animal sanctuary CEO Carole Baskin (McKinnon), which was immortalized in the first season of the popular Netflix docuseries “Tiger King.” In addition to Mitchell and McKinnon, the miniseries also stars Kyle MacLachlan, Brian Van Holt, Sam Keeley, Nat Wolf, Marlo Kelly, William Fichtner, Dean Winters and David Wenham.The trailer depicts McKinnon and Mitchell in character, as Baskin and her husband (MacLachlan) set out to take down Exotic for his abuse of his animals and breeding of big cats for profit.

David E. Kelley and J.J. Abrams are teaming up for a limited series adaptation of courtroom thriller Presumed Innocent for Apple.

Joe Otterson TV ReporterApple has given a series order to the drama series “Dear Edward” from Jason Katims, Variety has learned.Based on the Ann Napolitano novel of the same name, the series will star Connie Britton (“The White Lotus,” “Dirty John”), Taylor Schilling (“Pam and Tommy,” “Orange Is the New Black”), and Colin O’Brien (“Wonka,” “Mr. Harrigan’s Place”). The role reunites Britton and Katims, who previously worked together on the series version of “Friday Night Lights.”“Dear Edward” tells the story of Edward Adler (O’Brien), a 12-year-old boy who survives a devastating commercial plane crash that kills every other passenger on the flight, including his family.

EXCLUSIVE: JJ Abrams’ Bad Robot is putting together a limited-series package based on the Stephen King bestselling novel Billy Summers. Ed Zwick & Marshall Herskovitz will adapt, Deadline hears, with Zwick directing what will likely be six to 10 episodes. The package will be shopped shortly to high-end cable networks and streamers.

Foundation is expanding with the addition of 10 actors to its Season 2 cast. Joining the Apple TV+ sci-fi drama opposite Lee Pace and Jared Harris are Isabella Laughland, Kulvinder Ghir, Sandra Yi Sencindiver, Ella-Rae Smith, Dimitri Leonidas, Ben Daniels, Holt McCallany, Mikael Persbrandt, Rachel House and Nimrat Kaur. Foundation comes from showrunner and executive producer David S. Goyer and Skydance Television.