Lucy Liu Joins Jeff Daniels in Netflix Limited Series ‘A Man in Full’ (EXCLUSIVE)

Joe Otterson TV Reporter The upcoming “Spiderwick Chronicles” TV series at Disney+ has cast Joy Bryant, Variety has learned exclusively. Bryant joins previously announced cast members Lyon Daniels and Noah Cottrell as well as Christian Slater. The show is based on the popular book series of the same name by Tony DiTerlizzi and Holly Black. In the show, upon leaving New York and moving to Michigan and into their run-down ancestral home—The Spiderwick Estate—with their mother, twin brothers Jared (Daniels) and Simon Grace (Cottrell), along with their sister Mallory, find themselves pulled into an alternate, fantastical world.

Joe Otterson TV Reporter Jennifer Connelly is set to star opposite Joel Edgerton in the Apple series adaptation of the Blake Crouch novel “Dark Matter,” Variety has learned. The nine-episode series was ordered at Apple in March. It will follow Jason Dessen (Edgerton), a physicist, professor, and family man who – one night while walking home on the streets of Chicago – is abducted into an alternate version of his life. Wonder quickly turns to nightmare when he tries to return to his reality amid the multiverse of lives he could have lived. In this labyrinth of mind-bending realities, he embarks on a harrowing journey to get back to his true family and save them from the most terrifying, unbeatable foe imaginable: himself.

EXCLUSIVE: Bill Camp (The Queen’s Gambit) will reunite once again with his American Rust and The Looming Tower co-star Jeff Daniels in A Man in Full, Netflix’s six-episode limited series from David E. Kelley and Regina King based on Tom Wolfe’s 1998 novel.

Joe Otterson TV Reporter The live-action “Resident Evil” series at Netflix has been canceled after just one season. The eight-episode first season premiered on Netflix July 14. The show was originally ordered to series at Netflix in 2020. The series debuted to a mixed critical response, registering just a 55% approval rating on Rotten Tomatoes coupled with a 27% audience approval rating. Per the weekly Netflix Top 10 rankings that the streamer issues, “Resident Evil” was streamed for over 72 million hours the week it debuted, making it the number two program of the week behind only “Stranger Things” Season 4. It dropped to number three in its second week and fell out of the top 10 by week 3.

Elin Hilderbrand‘s New York Times bestselling novel The Perfect Couple is being developed into a limited series at Netflix by 21 Laps (Stranger Things, Shadow and Bone) as part of their overall deal. Jenna Lamia (Good Girls, Resident Alien) will serve as showrunner and executive producer.

EXCLUSIVE: Ricardo Chavira has been tapped for a heavily recurring role opposite Kim Cattrall in Netflix drama series Glamorous, from Jordon Nardino (Star Trek: Discovery, Smash) and Damon Wayans Jr.

Joe Otterson TV Reporter Netflix has ordered a limited series adaptation of the Elin Hilderbrand novel “The Perfect Couple.” Jenna Lamia (“Good Girls,” “My Best Friend’s Exorcism”) will adapt the book for the screen and serve as executive producer and showrunner. 21 Laps will produce via the company’s overall deal with Netflix, with The Jackal Group also onboard to produce. Netflix has given the series a six-episode order. In the show, which is described as a soapy mystery, it’s Fourth of July weekend and Celeste Otis is about to marry the perfect man, who just so happens to be from the wealthiest family on Nantucket. But when a body is discovered floating in the harbor on the morning of what was to be the wedding of the year, suddenly everyone at the party is a suspect.

Joe Otterson TV Reporter “The Umbrella Academy” has been renewed for Season 4 at Netflix, which will also be the show’s last. “I’m so excited that the incredibly loyal fans of ‘The Umbrella Academy’ will be able to experience the fitting end to the Hargreeves siblings’ journey we began five years ago,” said series creator, executive producer, and showrunner Steve Blackman. “But before we get to that conclusion, we’ve got an amazing story ahead for season four, one that will have fans on the edge of their seats until the final minutes.” Netflix has also announced its overall deal with Blackman and his newly-formed Irish Cowboy production banner with plans to partner on a number of new projects. Two are already in development, including a series adaptation of the PlayStation game “Horizon Zero Dawn” and the original series “Orbital.” More information about those projects can be found below. Blackman has also brought Abbey Morris onboard Irish Cowboy as his senior vice president of development. Morris was previously an executive for Fabrik Entertainment.

Joe Otterson TV Reporter Scott Foley has joined the cast of the upcoming HBO Max series “The Girls on the Bus,” Variety has learned. Foley joins previously announced cast members Melissa Benoist, Christina Elmore, and Natasha Behnam in the show, which was ordered straight-to-series at HBO Max in February after having been set up at both Netflix and The CW. “The Girls on the Bus” is inspired by a chapter in Amy Chozick’s book “Chasing Hillary.” It is described as a comedic character-driven drama that chronicles four female journalists who follow every move of a parade of flawed presidential candidates, while finding friendship, love, and scandal along the way.

Our Beloved Summer, Parasite) and Son Suk-ku (Our Liberation Notes, D.P) are set to star in Netflix’s upcoming South Korean thriller series Murder DIEary.On August 19, Netflix Korea confirmed that Choi and Son would be leading the cast of its upcoming drama adaption of the hit thriller webtoon of the same name by NOMABI.Choi will star as its lead character, Lee Tang, a college student-turned-killer. He learns that all his victims had been criminals themselves, leading him to believe he has an innate urge to sense and eliminate evildoers.Investigating the killings is Gang Nan-gam (played by Son), a police detective said to have “animal-like instincts”.

Neve Campbell will be returning to broadcast television in the upcoming ABC show Avalon, which already has a straight-to-series order.

Joe Otterson TV ReporterKirby Howell-Baptiste has signed on to star opposite Colin Farrell in the Apple series “Sugar,” Variety has learned.The project was first ordered to series in June. Exact plot and character details for the show remain under wraps, aside from the fact that it is described as a genre-bending contemporary take on the private detective story set in Los Angeles.Howell-Baptiste was most recently seen in the Netflix series adaptation of Neil Gaiman’s “The Sandman,” playing the role of Death, one of the seven Endless.

Joe Otterson TV ReporterA rebooted version of the reality series “The Mole” has been ordered at Netflix, Variety has learned.The new version of the former ABC series is expected to bow on Netflix this fall. Like the original American version, the Netflix version is based on the Belgian format “De Mol” created by Bart De Pauw, Michel Vanhove, Michiel Devlieger, and Tom Lenaerts and distributed by Primitives.The streamer has given the new show a 10-episode order.

Joe Otterson TV ReporterMarc Guggenheim has signed with CAA for representation, Variety has learned exclusively.Guggenheim continues to be represented by attorney Wendy Kirk at Johnson Shapiro Slewett & Kole LLP as well as by manager Cliff Roberts at Syndicate Entertainment.Guggenheim is perhaps best known for his work in The CW’s so-called Arrowverse — its collection of shows based on DC Comics characters. He co-created the first of those shows, “Arrow,” along with Greg Berlanti and Andrew Kreisberg.

Lucy Liu has officially joined the limited series A Man in Full alongside Diane Lane and Jeff Daniels.

Joe Otterson TV Reporter“Love, Death, and Robots” has been renewed for Season 4 at Netflix.The streaming giant made the announcement Friday via Instagram. The acclaimed episodic anthology series dropped its nine-episode third season on Netflix on May 20, 2022.

Joe Otterson TV ReporterLil Rel Howery has lined up his second HBO stand up comedy special, Variety has learned exclusively.This will be Howery’s second HBO stand up special after 2019’s “Lil Rel Howery: Live in Crenshaw.” The new special will tape in Howery’s hometown of Chicago in the coming weeks. It will then be available on both HBO and HBO Max.“Getting the opportunity to do another comedy special with HBO is a dream come true, but even more so this time around because I’m excited for the world to see what happens when I go back to my roots,” Howery said.

Joe Otterson TV ReporterApple is preparing to order an eight-episode series from Peter Craig with Brian Tyree Henry attached to star, Variety has learned.In addition, Ridley Scott is attached to executive produce and direct on the series, with Craig set to direct one episode as well.The show is titled “Sinking Spring” and is based on the book “Dope Thief” by Dennis Tafoya. It follows long-time Philly friends and delinquents who pose as DEA agents to rob an unknown house in the countryside, only to have their small-time grift become a life-and-death enterprise, as they unwittingly reveal and unravel the biggest hidden narcotics corridor on the Eastern seaboard.Craig serves as writer and executive producer in addition to directing. Henry will executive produce as well as starring. Scott executive produces via Scott Free Productions along with David W.

Joe Otterson TV ReporterWith streamers making their biggest bets yet on content — and more of them about to include advertising options — Variety spoke with Dan Erlij and Allan Haldeman, UTA co-heads of TV literary, about the state of the television industry.In a rare joint interview, the two covered a wide range of topics, such as Netflix’s and HBO’s domination of the Emmys, and how AVOD streaming could bring “transparency we can find in terms of making deals.” The duo have more than 40 years at the agency between them, as well as a roster of A-list clients that includes “Succession” creator Jesse Armstrong, “The Good Fight” duo Robert and Michelle King, and “Atlanta” director and executive producer Hiro Murai. I want to use the Emmy nominations as a starting point. In particular, the fact that HBO/HBO Max got 140 nominations and Netflix got 105. You’d have to add up the next seven platform totals to equal that 245 number. Is it good or bad to have two major players dominating the awards landscape?Erlij: I would say I think you have to look at the shows that are being nominated first and foremost.