Joshua Jackson Joins ‘Fatal Attraction’ Series at Paramount Plus

Joe Otterson TV ReporterAnthony Ramos has joined the upcoming Marvel series “Ironheart” at Disney Plus, Variety has confirmed with sourcesRamos was most recently seen in the film adaptation of “In the Heights.”Marvel Studios declined to comment.More to come…

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 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.

Jennifer Maas TV Business WriterParamount Plus and Showtime are two separate subscription services owned by the same company in a market that is already overcrowded with streaming and pay-TV competition. But that’s the way it’s going to stay for the two ViacomCBS brands — for now at least — as Paramount Plus president of original scripted series Nicole Clemens says the young streamer continues to carve out its identity as the home of “big blockbuster originals” versus Showtime’s slightly “more coastal” audience.“I think they’re complementary and I think there’s going to be some overlap in a Venn diagram,” Clemens told Variety Tuesday, following Paramount Plus’ day of presentations at the virtual Television Critics Association winter press tour.

Criminal Minds,” the CBS procedural which wrapped in 2020 only to have a second life due to pandemic binge-watching on streaming services and memes on TikTok, was set to have a revival in 2021. However, star Paget Brewster set fans up for heartbreak when she tweeted that the new series was “dead” a few months later.

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.

Joe Otterson TV Reporter“SEAL Team” has been renewed for Season 6 at Paramount Plus.This will now be the second season of the military drama to air on the streaming service, as the show moved over to Paramount Plus from CBS for Season 5.“We are very excited to welcome ‘SEAL Team’ back for another season on Paramount+,” said Nicole Clemens, president of Paramount Plus Original Scripted Series. “The show’s loyal fanbase followed the series to its new exclusive home, and it has proven to be a high-performing title for the service, consistently in the top 10 most-watched original series.

Jennifer Maas TV Business WriterParamount Plus has renewed its revival of “The Game” for Season 2.Starring Wendy Raquel Robinson and Hosea Chanchez, the show is a continuation of the-CW-network-and-later-BET-show of the same name. “A modern-day examination of Black culture through the prism of pro football,” “The Game” follows the team as they face racism, classism and more, all while fighting for fame, fortune, respect and love.“The Game” revival also stars Adriyan Rae, Vaughn Hebron, Analisa Velez and Toby Sandeman.The first iteration of “The Game” debuted on The CW in 2006.

Joe Otterson TV Reporter“Mayor of Kingstown” has been renewed for Season 2 at Paramount Plus.The first season of the drama series debuted in November, with the season finale airing on Jan. 9. The first two episodes of the series also aired on Paramount Network immediately after “Yellowstone.” The series premiere drew 2.6 million viewers on the linear network, with the second episode drawing 2.1 million.The series follows the McLusky family – power brokers in Kingstown, Mich., where the business of incarceration is the only thriving industry.

The cast of Grease: Rise of the Pink Ladies has just been announced!

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.

Starz has set the new cast additions for its upcoming Party Down revival. Jennifer Garner (Yes Day), Tyrel Jackson Williams (Brockmire) and Zoë Chao (The Afterparty) have been tapped as series regulars and James Marsden (Dead to Me) has signed on for a key recurring role in the new iteration of the cult comedy.

The O.C. alum Adam Brody is set to star alongside Jesse Eisenberg, Lizzy Caplan and Claire Danes in FX’s Fleishman is in Trouble, a limited series adaptation of Taffy Brodesser-Akner’s bestselling debut novel of the same name, which will stream on Hulu. Maxim Jasper Swinton (Halston) and Meara Mahoney Gross (Don’t Look Up) will also be featured in the series.

Joe Otterson TV Reporter“The Vampire Diaries” creators Julie Plec and Kevin Williamson are teaming up again on the supernatural drama series “Dead Day” at Peacock.Based on the AfterShock comic book series of the same name, “Dead Day” has been given a straight-to-series order at the NBCU streaming service. Plec and Williamson will serve as writers, executive producers, and co-showrunners on the series.“We have been looking for a project to do together and ‘Dead Day’ has all the ingredients we love as storytellers,” said Plec and Williamson.

Joe Otterson TV ReporterThe “Percy Jackson and the Olympians” series has officially been picked up at Disney Plus, Variety has learned.The series adaptation of the Rick Riordan book series was first reported as being in the works at the streamer back in May 2020. Casting is currently underway on the series.

Joe Otterson TV ReporterJosh Duhamel has joined Season 2 of the Disney Plus series “The Mighty Ducks: Game Changers.”Duhamel joins the show as a new character named Gavin Cole, a former NHL player turned coach. Described as inspirational, charming, and hardcore, he’s big on the hockey metaphor that applies to life.

Joshua Jackson will star in Paramount+'s upcoming  series, joining Lizzy Caplan in the new reimagining.The new series, which is being billed as a contemporary reinterpretation of the 1987 film that starred Glenn Close and Michael Douglas, will explore fatal attraction and themes of marriage and infidelity through the lens of modern attitudes toward strong women, personality disorders and coercive control.Jackson plays Dan Gallagher, the object of his lover's (Caplan) obsession after a brief affair. “Joshua is an incredible talent who creates beautifully complicated characters on both the screen and stage,” said Nicole Clemens, President of Paramount+ Original Scripted Series, in a statement Thursday. “He and Lizzy are perfectly matched to tell a nuanced and modern narrative about the complexities of the human psyche.