‘Last of Us’ Series at HBO Taps Jasmila Žbanić, Ali Abbasi to Direct

Joe Otterson TV ReporterBetty Gilpin, Shea Whigham, and Darby Camp have all been cast in the upcoming Starz Watergate drama series “Gaslit,” Variety has learned. The trio joins previously announced cast members Julia Roberts, Sean Penn, and Dan Stevens.The story will center on Martha Mitchell (Roberts). A big personality with an even bigger mouth, Martha is a celebrity Arkansan socialite and wife to President Nixon’s loyal Attorney General, John Mitchell (Penn).

Joe Otterson TV ReporterThe long-delayed “Friends” reunion special at HBO Max will finally be there for you, with the streamer announcing the official premiere date.“Friends: The Reunion” will debut on HBO Max on May 27. In addition, HBO Max debuted the first teaser trailer for the special, which can be viewed above.“Friends: The Reunion” will now debut on the one year anniversary of the launch of HBO Max and exactly one year after it was originally supposed to air.

Joe Otterson TV ReporterThe “Joe Exotic” series starring Kate McKinnon and John Cameron Mitchell will now air only on Peacock instead of on the streamer, NBC, and USA Network as originally planned.The show received the multi-platform series order last year. According to an individual with knowledge of the production, the move comes as the multi-platform order was made prior to Susan Rovner assuming her role as chairman of entertainment content for NBCUniversal Television and Streaming.

Joe Otterson TV Reporter“The White House Plumbers” series at HBO is rounding out its main cast.Kiernan Shipka, Ike Barinholtz, Yul Vazquez, David Krumholtz, Rich Sommer, Kim Coates, and Liam James have all been cast in the series. They join previously announced cast members Woody Harrelson, Justin Theroux, Domnhall Gleason, and Lena Headey.

Joe Otterson TV ReporterGillian Jacobs and Wood Harris have both joined HBO’s upcoming drama series about the Los Angeles Lakers, Variety has learned.The untitled series was ordered at HBO in December 2019. It is described as chronicling the professional and personal lives of the 1980s Los Angeles Lakers, one of sports’ most revered and dominant dynasties, in what came to be called the Showtime Era.Jacobs will appear as Chris Riley.

Joe Otterson TV ReporterYaya DaCosta has been cast in the lead role of the upcoming Fox drama series “Our Kind of People,” Variety has learned.

Joe Otterson TV ReporterAMC and AMC Plus have given a formal series order to the series “Moonhaven” from Peter Ocko.News of the order comes after it was reported that AMC had opened a writers’ room for the show under their script-to-series model. The series is expected to debut next year.“Moonhaven” is focused on a utopian colony on the Moon that may hold the keys to preserving life on Earth, which has become increasingly perilous.

Joe Otterson TV ReporterMichael Showalter and Jordana Mollick of Semi-Formal Productions have signed a two-year first-look deal at HBO Max.Showalter is a co-creator and executive producer on the critically-acclaimed series “Search Party,” which moved over to HBO Max from TBS for its third season. The fourth season of the series debuted on Jan.

Joe Otterson TV ReporterKiefer Sutherland is getting back to his espionage roots in a new drama series at Paramount Plus.The untitled series has received an eight-episode order at the streamer.

Joe Otterson TV ReporterDemi Lovato will find out if the truth is out there in a new limited unscripted series about UFOs that has been ordered at Peacock.In “Unidentified with Demi Lovato,” the music superstar and actress, her skeptical best friend Matthew, and her sister Dallas attempt to uncover the truth about the UFO phenomena.

Joe Otterson TV ReporterHulu has released a first look at Lily James and Sebastian Stan as Pamela Anderson and Tommy Lee in the limited series “Pam and Tommy.”The series takes on the true story behind the release of the first ever viral video in history — the sex tape of Pamela Anderson and Tommy Lee. Along with Stan and James, the series also stars Seth Rogen, Nick Offerman, Taylor Schilling, Andrew Dice Clay, Pepi Sonuga, Spencer Granese, and Mozhan Marnò.

Joe Otterson TV ReporterMj Rodriguez will star opposite Maya Rudolph in an upcoming Apple comedy series that hails from Alan Yang and Matt Hubbard, Variety has learned.The series was ordered at Apple in March. It follows Molly (Rudolph), a woman whose seemingly perfect life is upended after her husband leaves her with nothing but 87 billion dollars.

Joe Otterson TV ReporterFox has ordered the drama series “The Cleaning Lady” for the 2021-2022 broadcast season.The one-hour show was originally ordered to pilot last year, but production was delayed by the pandemic. Elodie Young stars as Thony, a whip-smart doctor who comes to the U.S.

Joe Otterson TV ReporterColton Ryan has signed on to star opposite Elle Fanning in the upcoming Hulu drama series “The Girl From Plainville,” Variety has learned.Fanning as Michelle Carter and is inspired by the true story of her controversial “texting-suicide” case.

Joe Otterson TV ReporterThe “Game of Thrones” prequel series “House of the Dragon” at HBO has unveiled its first official images.“House of the Dragon” is set a few hundred years prior to the events of “Game of Thrones” and tells the story of House Targaryen and the Targaryen civil war that became known as the “Dance of the Dragons.” The cast includes Paddy Considine, Olivia Cooke, Emma D’Arcy, Matt Smith, Steve Toussaint, Rhys Ifans, Eve Best, Sonoya Mizuno, and Fabien Frankel.The photos

Joe Otterson TV ReporterElizabeth Olsen is set to star in a new HBO Max limited series that boasts an all-star lineup behind the camera as well.Olsen will star in “Love and Death,” which hails from writer and executive producer David E. Kelley.

Joe Otterson TV ReporterJessica Williams and Chris “Comedian CP” Powell have joined “Love Life” Season 2 at HBO Max.The pair joins William Jackson Harper, who will star in Season 2 of the anthology series.

Joe Otterson TV ReporterTaika Waititi is hitting the high seas as the dreaded pirate Blackbeard in the upcoming HBO Max comedy series “Our Flag Means Death,” Variety has learned.Waititi joins previously announced series lead Rhys Darby.

Joe Otterson TV Reporter“The Last Kingdom” will end with its upcoming Season 5 on Netflix.The announcement comes as the show begins production on its fifth season in Budapest, Hungary.“I love this job,” series star Alexander Dreymon said. “Playing Uhtred for 5 seasons has been a wonderful journey.

Joe Otterson TV ReporterFinn Wittrock has been cast in a lead role of the upcoming “Green Lantern” series at HBO Max, Variety has learned.Wittrock will star as Guy Gardner, who is described as a hulking mass of masculinity, and, as rendered in the comics, an embodiment of 1980s hyper-patriotism. And yet, Guy is somehow likable.