Mary J. Blige, Gina Rodriguez, Jake Johnson Among Six Cast in Netflix Hybrid Series ‘Lost Ollie’

Joe Otterson TV ReporterThe “Obi-Wan Kenobi” series at Disney Plus is preparing to begin production, with the series also adding several new cast members.Moses Ingram, Joel Edgerton, Bonnie Piesse, Kumail Nanjiani, Indira Varma, Rupert Friend, O’Shea Jackson Jr., Sung Kang, Simone Kessell and Benny Safdie have all joined series lead Ewan McGregor, who will reprise the role of Kenobi from the “Star Wars” prequel films.

Joe Otterson TV Reporter“The Witcher: Blood Origin,” the “Witcher” prequel series currently in the works at Netflix, has cast Laurence O’Fuarain in a lead role.Set in an elven world 1200 years before the events of “The Witcher,” “Blood Origin” will tell a story lost to time – the creation of the first prototype Witcher, and the events that lead to the pivotal “conjunction of the spheres,” when the worlds of monsters, men, and elves merged to become one.O’Fuarain will star as Fjall.

Joe Otterson TV ReporterTisha Campbell, Essence Atkins, Tahj Mowry, Isaiah Mustafa, and Beth Grant have all been cast in ABC’s multi-cam comedy pilot “Black Don’t Crack,” Variety has learned.The group joins previously announced series star Sherri Shepherd. The show follows three former sorority sisters (Shepherd, Atkins, Campbell) who lost touch after college and reunite during a pivotal point in their lives.

Joe Otterson TV ReporterBen Hardy has been cast in the upcoming BBC One, HBO Max series “The Girl Before,” Variety has learned exclusively.Hardy joins previously announced cast members David Oyelowo, Gugu Mbatha-Raw, and Jessica Plummer. The four-episode series is based on the book of the same name by J.P.

Joe Otterson TV ReporterShowtime is developing a limited series about the Jan. 6 riot at the U.S.

Joe Otterson TV ReporterMatthew McConaughey is attached to star in a series adaptation of the John Grisham novel “A Time for Mercy,” which is currently in development at HBO, Variety has learned from sources.The book, published in 2020, is a followup to Grisham’s books “A Time to Kill” and “Sycamore Row,” all of which center on the character of attorney Jake Brigance. McConaughey previously starred as Brigance in the film adaptation of “A Time to Kill” in 1996.

Joe Otterson TV ReporterApple has ordered a half-hour comedy series starring Maya Rudolph that hails from Alan Yang and Matt Hubbard.The series is about Molly (Rudolph), a woman whose seemingly perfect life is upended after her husband leaves her with nothing but 87 billion dollars.Yang and Hubbard created the series and will serve as executive producers. Rudolph will executive produce in addition to starring under her Animal Picture banner.

Joe Otterson TV ReporterNatasha Lyonne will star in a mystery series for Peacock that hails from Rian Johnson.Johnson will serve as writer, director and executive producer on the one-hour series, which is titled “Poker Face,” with Lyonne executive producing in addition to starring. Peacock has ordered 10 episodes.“I’m very excited to dig into the type of fun, character driven, case-of-the-week mystery goodness I grew up watching,” Johnson said.

Joe Otterson TV ReporterAdrien Brody will play legendary basketball coach Pat Riley in HBO’s upcoming drama series about the Los Angeles Lakers in the 1980s, Variety has learned. The untitled series was ordered at HBO in December 2019.

Joe Otterson TV ReporterWill Forte is attached to star in a drama series in development at Peacock from Harry and Jack Williams.Titled “Expiration Date,” the series is described as a dark suburban soap about Robin (Forte), who, consumed by grief, finds a life insurance policy that covers suicide, provided that the individual doesn’t carry out the deed within one year.

Joe Otterson TV Reporter“Star Trek: Strange New Worlds” is officially in production, Paramount Plus announced Friday.The announcement came in the form a video featuring series leads Anson Mount, Rebecca Romijn, and Ethan Peck, as well as newly added series regulars Babs Olusanmokun, Christina Chong, Celia Rose Gooding, Jess Bush, and Melissa Navia.

Also Read: Jonathan Groff, Mary J Blige, Gina Rodriguez to Star in Netflix's 'Lost Ollie' Limited SeriesWhit Anderson, a writer on “Ozark” and Marvel’s “Daredevil,” wrote the screenplay for “Players.” The producers are Platt and Ryan Christians for Marc Platt productions and Ross Dinerstein for CampfireRodriguez is also executive producing along with Molly Breeskin for I Can and I Will Productions, as are Ross Girard for Campfire and Dan Clarke.Rodriguez most recently starred in “Miss Bala” and

Joe Otterson TV Reporter“The Boys” spinoff at Amazon is nearing a series order.

Joe Otterson TV ReporterNatalie Portman and Lupita Nyong’o will star in a series adaptation of the Laura Lipman novel “Lady in the Lake,” which has been ordered straight-to-series at Apple.The series will be co-written by Alma Har’el and Dre Ryan, with Har’el writing the pilot. Endeavor Content is the studio.

Joe Otterson TV ReporterThe Netflix series “First Kill” has cast Imani Lewis and Sarah Catherine Hook in the lead roles, Variety has learned.The one-hour show is based on the short story of the same name by Victoria “V.E.” Schwab that was published in the Imprint story collection “Vampire Never Get Old: Tales with Fresh Bite” in September 2020. Netflix ordered eight episodes back in October.

Joe Otterson TV ReporterJosh Holloway is set to star in the HBO Max series “Duster,” which hails from co-writers LaToya Morgan and J.J. Abrams, Variety has learned from sources.Set in the 1970’s Southwest, “Duster” explores the life of a getaway driver for a growing crime syndicate.

Netflix has set its main cast for Lost Ollie, a live-action/animation hybrid family series based on William Joyce and Brandon Oldenburg’s book Ollie’s Odyssey. Jonathan Groff (Frozen, Hamilton), Mary J.

Joe Otterson TV ReporterTessa Blake has signed on to direct the untitled nun dramedy pilot at The CW, Variety has learned exclusively.The project centers on two millennial nuns: one a true believer and the other a new arrival who hasn’t taken her final vows. The two strangers become sisters on a spiritual – and spirited – journey to understand their own faith and their place in the Catholic Church.

Joe Otterson TV ReporterThe upcoming NBC drama series “La Brea” has added four new castmembers.Eoin Macken, Jack Martin, Jon Seda, and Lily Santiago have all joined the series. They join previously announced cast members Natalie Zea, Zyra Gorecki and Chiké Okonkwo.In the show, when a massive sinkhole mysteriously opens in Los Angeles, it tears a family in half, separating mother and son from father and daughter.

Joe Otterson TV ReporterA “Terminator” anime series has been ordered at Netflix, Variety has learned.As the project is still in the early stages, plot details are being kept under wraps. Netflix has partnered with Skydance on the series, with Skydance having produced the last two “Terminator” films.