Jason Katims Sets ‘Dear Edward’ Series at Apple With Connie Britton, Taylor Schilling, Colin O’Brien

Joe Otterson TV ReporterFX and BBC have announced the main cast for the upcoming “Great Expectations” limited series, Variety has learned.The six-episode version of the Charlies Dickens classic will star: Olivia Colman (“The Favourite,” “The Crown”) as Miss Havisham, Fionn Whitehead (“Dunkirk,” “Bandersnatch”) as Pip, Ashley Thomas (“Them,” “The Night Of”) as Jaggers, Johnny Harris (“London to Brighton,” “This Is England ’86”)  as Magwitch, Shalom Brune-Franklin (“Roadkill,” “Line of Duty”) as Estella, Hayley Squires (“I, Daniel Blake,” “The Electrical Life of Louis Wain”)  as Sara, Owen McDonnell (“Killing Eve,” “Women on the Verge” as Joe, Trystan Gravelle (“A Discovery of Witches,” “The Terror”) as Compeyson, and Matt Berry (“What We Do in the Shadows,” “Toast of London”) as Mr. Pumblechuck. Steven Knight is writing and executive producing the series.

Joe Otterson TV ReporterPaul Reiser has joined the cast of the upcoming Hulu comedy series “Reboot” from Steven Levitan.Reiser is taking over the role of Gordon in the series from Michael McKean. He joins previously announced cast members Judy Greer, Keegan-Michael Key, Johnny Knoxville, Rachel Bloom, Calum Worthy, and Krista Marie Yu.

Joe Otterson TV ReporterMost of the “Teen Wolf” main cast is reuniting for the previously announced Paramount Plus film revival.Variety exclusively reported that the film was in the works in September 2021. “Teen Wolf” creator Jeff Davis will write and executive produce the film. The returning cast includes: Tyler Posey as Scott McCall, Holland Roden as Lydia Martin, Shelley Hennig as Malia Tate, Crystal Reed as Allison Argent, Orny Adams as Coach Bobby Finstock, Linden Ashby as Sheriff Noah Stilinski, JR Bourne as Chris Argent, Seth Gilliam as Dr.

Joe Otterson TV ReporterParamount Plus is mining even more Nickelodeon content to fill out its content slate.The streamer announced a slew of new projects that will be produced by Nickelodeon and Nickelodeon Animation as part of the ViacomCBS investor day presentation on Feb. 15.

Joe Otterson TV ReporterPeacock has given a straight-to-series order to the true crime series “A Friend of the Family,” which tells the story of the multiple kidnappings of Jan Broberg.Anna Paquin, Jake Lacy, Colin Hanks, and Lio Tipton will all star in the series, which hails from “The Act” co-creator Nick Antosca. The show was originally announced as being in development back in May 2020.“A Friend of the Family” is based on the true story of the Broberg family, whose daughter Jan was kidnapped multiple times over a period of years by a charismatic, obsessed family “friend.” The Brobergs — devoted to their faith, family, and community — were utterly unprepared for the sophisticated tactics their neighbor used to exploit their vulnerabilities, drive them apart, and turn their daughter against them.

Joe Otterson TV ReporterThe “Beauty and the Beast” prequel series is no longer moving forward as planned at Disney Plus.According to sources, the live-action musical show is being postponed for an undetermined amount of time due to creative and scheduling issues. The show was meant to begin shooting this summer in Europe, but certain creative elements were not yet ready, which would have delayed shooting. Given the scheduling issues this would cause with the show’s cast as well as weather constraints, it was decided to hold off and revisit the show at a later date.News of the postponement comes just days after it was announced that Rita Ora was set to join the cast of the show, while Variety exclusively reported that “Hawkeye” alum Fra Fee was joining back in January.

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 ReporterABC is planning a spinoff of “The Rookie” with Niecy Nash set to star, Variety has confirmed.The new show will be introduced in a two-episode backdoor pilot during “The Rookie’s” current fourth season. While the mothership show focuses on the LAPD, the potential new show would focus on the FBI.Nash will guest star in the episodes as Simone Clark, described as a force of nature, the living embodiment of a dream deferred – and the oldest rookie in the FBI Academy.

Joe Otterson TV ReporterApple has ordered the dark comedy series “Sunny” with Rashida Jones set to star, Variety has confirmed.The 10-episode series is based on the book “Dark Manual” by Colin O’Sullivan. In the half-hour show, Jones stars as Suzie, an American woman living in Kyoto, Japan, whose life is upended when her husband and son disappear in a mysterious plane crash. As “consolation” she’s given Sunny, one of a new class of domestic robots made by her husband’s electronics company.

Joe Otterson TV ReporterThe upcoming “American Born Chinese” series adaptation at Disney Plus has found its main cast, Variety has confirmed.Ben Wang, Michelle Yeoh, Yeo Yann Yann, Daniel Wu, Chin Han, Ke Huy Quan, Jim Liu, and Sydney Taylor will all star in the series, 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 a new foreign exchange student (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 ReporterThe new “Orphan Black” series in the works at AMC has found its writer.Variety has learned exclusively that Anna Fishko is onboard to write and executive produce the potential new iteration of the series, which was first reported as being in the works back in 2019. A writers’ room for the project is now open, though exact plot details remain under wraps.It is known, however, that the project is not a reboot of the original show, but rather a new story set in the same world.

Joe Otterson TV ReporterShowtime is developing a drama series set in the world of professional football, Variety has learned.The untitled series is executive produced by former NFL quarterback and current NFL broadcaster Tony Romo as well as Chace Crawford and Drew Comins. eOne would produce the series for Showtime.

Joe Otterson TV ReporterApple has given a series order to the drama “Presumed Innocent” from David E. Kelley, J.J. Abrams, and Dustin Thomason.Inspired by the Scott Turow novel of the same name, the courtroom thriller series tells the story of a horrific murder that upends the Chicago Prosecuting Attorneys’ office when one of its own is suspected of the crime.

Joe Otterson TV ReporterAmazon has given a series order to “The Horror of Dolores Roach,” Variety has learned.The half-hour show, based on the Gimlet podcast of the same name, was originally given a pilot order at Amazon in June 2021.“We at Amazon Studios fell in love with this story along with everyone else as the podcast captured listeners,” said Marc Resteghini, head of development for Amazon Studios. “We couldn’t be more excited and fortunate to be working with such world-class creatives to bring Dolores Roach to screen in what is sure to be a captivating series.”In the series, Dolores Roach (Justina Machado) is released from prison after 16 years and returns to a severely gentrified Washington Heights with $200 and the clothes on her back.

Joe Otterson TV Reporter“That ’90s Show,” the Netflix spinoff of “That ’70s Show,” has set its cast of new Point Place teenagers, Variety has learned.Callie Haverda, Ashley Aufderheide, Mace Coronel, Maxwell Acee Donovan, Reyn Doi, and Sam Morelos have all joined the show as series regulars. They will star alongside previously announced cast members and returning original series stars Debra Jo Rupp and Kurtwood Smith.As previously announced, the show centers on Leia Forman (Haverda), the daughter of Eric and Donna. She is visiting her grandparents for the summer, where bonds with a new generation of Point Place kids under the watchful eye of Kitt (Rupp) and the stern glare of Red (Smith).Full character descriptions for the new cast members can be found below.

Joe Otterson TV ReporterNetflix has ordered the drama series “The Brothers Sun” from co-creators Brad Falchuk and Byron Wu, Variety has learned.The streamer has given the series an eight-episode order. It follows a Taipei gangster, Charles Sun, who’s settled into his life as a ruthless killer. But when his father is shot by a mysterious assassin, Charles must go to L.A.

Connie Britton (The White Lotus), Taylor Schilling (Pam and Tommy) and Colin O’Brien (Wonka) headline Dear Edward, a drama written and executive produced by Jason Katims, which has received a formal series greenlight by Apple TV+.

Joe Otterson TV ReporterHulu has ordered the musical romantic comedy series “Up Here,” with an all-star lineup set behind the camera.Kristen Anderson-Lopez and Robert Lopez, the songwriters of “Frozen” and “Frozen 2,” Steven Levenson, who wrote the book for “Dear Evan Hansen,” and veteran TV writer Danielle Sanchez-Witzel (“New Girl,” “My Name Is Earl”) will all serve as writers and executive producers on the series.Levenson will also serve as showrunner, while the Anderson-Lopez and Lopez will write original songs for the series. Thomas Kail, who previously directed Broadway shows like “Hamilton” and “In the Heights,” will direct and executive produce under his Old 320 Sycamore Productions banner.

Joe Otterson TV ReporterParamount Plus has announced the cast for the upcoming series “Grease: Rise of the Pink Ladies.”The musical series takes place four years before the original “Grease” in 1954. Before rock ‘n’ roll ruled, before the T-Birds were the coolest in the school, four fed-up outcasts dare to have fun on their own terms, sparking a moral panic that will change Rydell High forever.The cast includes: Marisa Davila as Jane, Cheyenne Isabel Wells as Olivia, Ari Notartomaso as Cynthia, Tricia Fukuhara as Nancy, Shanel Bailey as Hazel, Madison Thompson as Susan, Johnathan Nieves as Richie, Jason Schmidt as Buddy, Maxwell Whittington-Cooper as Wally and Jackie Hoffman as Asst. Principal McGee.

Joe Otterson TV ReporterThe “Party Down” revival at Starz has added Jennifer Garner, Zoë Chao, and Tyrel Jackson Williams as series regulars, Variety has learned. James Marsden will also appear in the series in a recurring guest star role.The new cast members join previously announced returning original series cast members Adam Scott, Ken Marino, Jane Lynch, Martin Starr, Ryan Hansen, and Megan Mullaly.Garner (“Alias,” “Dallas Buyers Club”) will play Evie, a successful producer of studio franchise movies, who, in the wake of a breakup, is reconsidering her life choices.