Lizzo Sets First-Look TV Deal at Amazon

Joe Otterson TV ReporterCBS All Access is developing a series about former NYPD detective Derrick Parker with Tip “T.I.” Harris attached to star and Curtis “50 Cent” Jackson onboard as an executive producer, Variety has learned.The project is currently titled “Twenty Four Seven.” It is based on the book “Notorious C.O.P.: The Inside Story of the Tupac, Biggie, and Jam Master Jay Investigations from NYPD’s First ‘Hip-Hop Cop'” by Parker and Matt Diehl.During his time with the NYPD, Parker worked

Joe Otterson TV ReporterOWN has given a straight-to-series order to the drama series “Delilah,” which hails from “Greenleaf” creator Craig Wright, Variety has learned.The series will star Maahra Hill as Delilah Connolly, a headstrong, highly principled lawyer living in Charlotte, North Carolina.

Buzzfeed News story titled “Meet the Women Who Are Building a Better Romance Industry” by Bim Adewunmi.Published in 2018, the story focuses on the Kensington Publishing Corporation and author Alyssa Cole’s Black women-centric “Loyal League” trilogy of romance novels.

Denise Petski Senior Managing EditorBuzzfeed is making an expanded push into television, signing a first-look deal with Universal TV, in which the studio will produce scripted content based on stories and original reporting published by the tech-powered media company.

Joe Otterson TV ReporterFox is developing a one-hour music anthology series, Variety has confirmed.The series is currently titled “Icon.” Each season would focus on the true stories of the music legends we think we know.

Joe Otterson TV ReporterRobin Thede has signed a multi-year overall deal at Warner Bros. Television Group.Under the terms of the deal, Thede will develop new television projects for all platforms, including streaming, premium and basic cable, and broadcast.Thede’s most recent project was “A Black Lady Sketch Show,” the HBO comedy series that Thede created, stars in, and also serves as showrunner and executive producer.

Joe Otterson TV ReporterCynthia Erivo has signed a first-look television deal with MRC Television and Civic Center Media, MRC’s joint venture with UTA.Under the deal, Erivo will develop and produce television projects through her newly formed production company, Edith’s Daughter. Edith’s Daughter will focus on projects that express the beauty in the stories and people who are often overlooked and underrepresented.

Joe Otterson TV ReporterFamilystyle has entered into a first-look deal with Entertainment 360, the joint venture between MRC Television and Management 360, Variety has learned exclusively.Familystyle is the production company run by Karyn Kusama, Matt Manfredi, and Phil Hay. The first project being developed under the deal is the series “The Occupant.” Kusama is attached to direct with Manfredi and Hay attached to write.

Joe Otterson TV ReporterTanya Saracho has signed an overall deal with Universal Content Productions (UCP).Under the deal, Saracho will develop original television projects for UCP as well as podcasts via the studio’s UCP Audio division. She will also establish a lab and incubator program aimed to nurture, amplify, guide, and empower intersectional Latinx voices.

Joe Otterson TV ReporterAmazon has given a straight-to-series order to an adaptation of David Cronenberg film “Dead Ringers” with Rachel Weisz attached to star and executive produce, Variety has learned.In the original film, which debuted in 1988, Jeremy Irons played twin gynecologists who both begin a relationship with the same woman. In the series version, Weisz will play the double lead role of the Mantle twins.

Joe Otterson TV ReporterLilly Singh is expanding her presence at NBC, with the broadcast network ordering a primetime sketch comedy series from the YouTube star and late-night host.The network has ordered two episodes of “Sketchy Times with Lilly Singh.” The show will see Singh perform in multiple sketches where she will portray every character. Each episode will feature a specific theme and include her Singh’s well-known musical parodies.

Joe Otterson TV Reporter“Supernatural” will return for its final seven episodes starting in October.In announcing its fall premiere dates for the 2020-2021 broadcast television season on Monday, The CW revealed that the first of the long-running show’s final episodes will debut on Oct. 8 at 8 p.m.

Joe Otterson TV ReporterThe Comedy Central shows “The Other Two” and “South Side” are moving to HBO Max.In a deal between Comedy Central Productions and the streaming service, the first seasons of both shows will become available on HBO Max in 2021, with future seasons debuting exclusively on HBO Max instead of Comedy Central.In addition, HBO Max will become the exclusive streaming home of the Comedy Central series “Awkwafina is Nora from Queens.” The first season is now available on HBO Max.

Mike Fleming Jr Co-Editor-in-Chief, FilmAppian Way Productions’ Leonardo DiCaprio and Jennifer Davisson have set the production company into a multi-picture, multi-year first look deal with Sony Pictures Entertainment to produce scripted feature films.

Joe Otterson TV ReporterApple has ordered an animated series based on the classic children’s book “Harriet the Spy” by Louise Fitzhugh, Variety has learned.Beanie Feldstein will voice the titular Harriet, while Jane Lynch will play her nanny, Ole Golly. In addition, Lacey Chabert will voice Marion Hawthorne, the queen bee at Harriet’s school.Like the book, the series will be set in 1960s New York City.

Joe Otterson TV ReporterMartin Scorsese and his Sikelia Productions banner have signed a first-look film and television deal with Apple.The acclaimed director is currently working with the streamer on the film “Killers of the Flower Moon,” which will directed by Scorsese and stars Leonardo DiCaprio and Robert De Niro.

Joe Otterson TV ReporterSara Bareilles has been cast in a lead role of the upcoming Tina Fey-Robert Carlock produced Peacock comedy series “Girls5eva.”In the series, when a one-hit-wonder girl group from the 90’s gets sampled by a young rapper, its members reunite to give their pop star dreams one more shot.Bareilles will star as Dawn, a former member of Girls5eva, who is now a bit restless in life managing her family’s small Italian restaurant in Queens.

Peter White Television EditorAmazon has struck a first-look deal with Good As Hell singer Lizzo.Lizzo, real name Melissa Viviane Jefferson, is to work with the streamer to develop and produce TV series.Albert Cheng and Vernon Sanders, Co-Heads of Television at Amazon Studios, revealed the news as part of the company’s virtual TCA press tour.

Joe Otterson TV ReporterAmazon’s series adaptation of “A League of Their Own” has been ordered to series, Variety has learned.Like the 1992 Penny Marshall film, the hour-long series will tell the story of an entire generation of women who dreamed of playing professional baseball.

Joe Otterson TV ReporterICM Partners is close to signing a franchise agreement with the Writers Guild of America, Variety has learned from sources.Sources say that the agreement between the agency and the guild would be similar to the one recently signed by UTA in July. Under that deal, UTA agreed to end packaging fees in two years as well as agreeing to disclose financial details around deals they broker for writers, but only at the express consent of those clients.