Michael Chiklis to Star in First Episode of Fox Crime Anthology Series ‘Accused’

Oscar winner Marlee Matlin is set to make her directorial debut in an episode of Fox’s new anthology drama series Accused, from Homeland EPs Howard Gordon and Alex Gansa, and Howard Shore (The Good Doctor, House).

Joe Otterson TV ReporterAmazon has ordered two seasons of an animated comedy from Ramy Youssef, Variety has learned exclusively. The series is part of new first-look deal Youssef and his Cairo Cowboy production banner have signed with the streamer.Youssef leads Cairo Cowboy with Andy Campagna, the former senior vice president of television for Sam Esmail’s Esmail Corp.“Ramy has only scratched the surface of his incredible creative gifts,” said Vernon Sanders, head of global television for Amazon.

Obi-Wan Kenobi series on Disney+ has been shared.The clip, which you can view below, begins with Ewan McGregor reprising his role as the titular Star Wars character on the sand dunes of Tatooine looking over a young Luke Skywalker before The Phantom Menace theme ‘Duel Of The Fates’ plays out.It goes on to show Obi-Wan’s new nemesis, Inquisitor Reva played by Moses Ingram (The Queen’s Gambit), who comes face to face with Skywalker’s Uncle Owen, played once again by Joel Edgerton.The trailer comes after new images for the series were shared earlier today (March 9).Obi-Wan Kenobi is set 10 years after the events of the 2005 Star Wars film Revenge Of The Sith, where Kenobi witnessed the downfall of his best friend and Jedi apprentice, Anakin Skywalker, who turned to the dark side as evil Sith Lord Darth Vader.“We find Obi-Wan at the beginning of our story rather broken, and faithless, and beaten, somewhat given up,” McGregor told Entertainment Weekly of the new series.The show’s director Deborah Chow added of Inquisitor Reva that the character is “ruthlessly ambitious”, while Ingram compared her to the Grand Inquisitor and Darth Vader.“They share a common dark-side goal. They’re on the same team,” she said, before adding that “it’s all heart” in terms of Reva’s ambition.

Joe Otterson TV ReporterThe “Quantum Leap” sequel series pilot at NBC has rounded out its main cast with three new additions.Caitlin Bassett, Nanrisa Lee, and Mason Alexander Park have all joined the cast of the project. They join previously announced cast members Raymond Lee and Ernie Hudson.In the followup to the original “Quantum Leap,” the new version takes place 30 years after Dr. Sam Beckett stepped into the Quantum Leap accelerator and vanished.

Obi-Wan Kenobi series on Disney+ have just been released – take a look below.Ewan McGregor is set to reprise his role as the titular Star Wars character in the new TV show, which will see him face off against Inquisitor Reva.Entertainment Weekly has shared a number of new images, featuring McGregor as well as Moses Ingram (The Queen’s Gambit) who has been cast as Reva.Check out the new images here:A post shared by Entertainment Weekly (@entertainmentweekly)Obi-Wan Kenobi is set 10 years after the events of the 2005 Star Wars film Revenge Of The Sith, where Jedi Master Obi-Wan Kenobi witnessed the downfall of his best friend and Jedi apprentice, Anakin Skywalker, who turned to the dark side as evil Sith Lord Darth Vader.“We find Obi-Wan at the beginning of our story rather broken, and faithless, and beaten, somewhat given up,” McGregor told the publication of the new series.The show’s director Deborah Chow added of Inquisitor Reva that the character is “ruthlessly ambitious”, while Ingram compared her to the Grand Inquisitor and Darth Vader.“They share a common dark-side goal. They’re on the same team,” she said, before adding that “it’s all heart” in terms of Reva’s ambition.

Joe Otterson TV ReporterRenée Zellweger has lined up another TV role with NBCUniversal. Variety has learned exclusively that the actress is set to star in the drama “Avenger Field” that is in development at Peacock.The one-hour drama series, which hails from MGM Television, tells the story of those that established a clandestine all female US Airforce program called the WASPs (Women Airforce Service Pilots) to battle Hitler from home. Inspired by the true story of WASP leader Jackie Cohran (Zellweger) and the diverse group of women who fought the system, skeptics and even sabotage to bring everyone home safely.Felicia D.

Joe Otterson TV ReporterMia Katigbak has been cast in the upcoming ABC comedy pilot “Josep.”Katigbak will appear opposite previously announced series lead Jo Koy and Rory O’Malley. The show follows a recently divorced Filipino American nurse (Koy) attempting to navigate dating, fatherhood and a very Filipino mother who loves to “help.”Katigbak will star as Lorna, Jo’s mom. She is described as a little Filipino force of nature.

Joe Otterson TV ReporterThe upcoming Netflix comedy series “Blockbuster” has added five new cast membersTyler Alvarez (“Never Have I Ever,” “American Vandal”), Madeline Arthur (“To All the Boys I’ve Loved Before,” “Devil in Ohio”), and Olga Merediz (“In the Heights,” “Encanto”) have all joined the show as series regulars. JB Smoove (“Curb Your Enthusiasm,” “Spider-Man: No Way Home”) and Kamaia Fairburn (“Overlord and the Underwoods,” “Endlings”) will appear in recurring guest star roles. Full character descriptions can be found below.The new cast members join previously announced leads Randall Park and Melissa Fumero.

Joe Otterson TV ReporterAll past and future seasons of the Ryan Murphy shows “American Crime Story” and “American Horror Story” and all three seasons of “Pose” will soon be available to stream on Hulu.While all past seasons of “American Horror Story” are currently available on Hulu, both “American Crime Story” and “Pose” had previously only been available on Netflix due to a deal between Netflix and studio 20th Television. All three seasons of both “ACS” and “Pose” will become available on Hulu on March 7, while all future seasons of both “AHS” and “ACS” will then stream exclusively on Hulu.“AHS” has been renewed through Season 13 at FX, with Season 11 due to debut this fall.

Joe Otterson TV ReporterRobin De Jesús has joined the Hulu series “Immigrant,” which tells the story of the founding of Chippendales.He joins previously announced series lead Kumail Nanjiani as well as series regulars Annaleigh Ashford, Murray Bartlett, and Dan Stevens.“Immigrant” is the true story of Somen “Steve” Banerjee (Nanjiani), the Indian-American entrepreneur who started Chippendales. The series will detail the darkly comedic, crime-ridden story behind the unique male revue that became a cultural phenomenon.De Jesús will appear in the recurring role of Ray Colon. Described as a proud Nuyorican from the Bronx, Colon comes on the Chippendales scene as the resident handyman and self-proclaimed jack of all trades.

Joe Otterson TV ReporterSam Esmail’s “Metropolis” series has been greenlit at Apple, Variety has learned.The drama series is inspired by the 1927 Fritz Lang sci-fi film of the same name. Hailed as one of the greatest and most influential films of the silent film era, the story takes place in the futuristic city of Metropolis.While the city’s wealthy elite enjoy a lavish life of comfort and ease in penthouses and pleasure gardens, scores of workers labor at dangerous machinery in the bowels of the city to keep everything running. Freder Fredersen, the son of the most powerful man in Metropolis, has an awakening after meeting a young worker named Maria and witnessing a number of workers die in an industrial accident.

Joe Otterson TV ReporterMichael Douglas will star as U.S. Founding Father Benjamin Franklin in a new limited series for Apple, Variety has learned.The untitled series is based on the book “A Great Improvisation: Franklin, France, and the Birth of America” by Pulitzer Prize winner Stacy Schiff. Kirk Ellis, the writer behind HBO’s “John Adams” series, will write the show for Apple and serve as an executive producer.Emmy-winning director Tim Van Patten will direct and executive produce.

EXCLUSIVE: In his return to Fox, Emmy winner Michael Chiklis is set to headline the premiere episode of the network’s straight-to-series crime anthology drama, Accused, executive-produced by Howard Gordon, Alex Gansa and David Shore. Fellow Emmy winner Michael Cuesta (Homeland) has been tapped to direct the premiere, reuniting with Homeland executive producers Gordon and Gansa.

Emmy Rossum (Shameless, Angelyne) has been tapped as a lead opposite Tom Holland and Amanda Seyfried in The Crowded Room, Apple’s seasonal anthology series from New Regency.

Joe Otterson TV ReporterThe “Fallout” TV series at Amazon has cast Walton Goggins in a lead role, Variety has learned.Like the video games on which it is based, the “Fallout” series is set in a world where the future envisioned by Americans in the late 1940s explodes upon itself through a nuclear war in 2077.Amazon had no comment on the character Goggins will play in the series. According to sources, he will play a character based on the ghouls from the games.

Walton Goggins is set as a lead in Fallout, Prime Video’s series adaptation of the bestselling game franchise, which comes from Jonathan Nolan and Lisa Joy’s Kilter Films, with Nolan set to direct the premiere.

Joe Otterson TV ReporterFans of “American Crime Story” were perplexed when “Impeachment,” the newest installment of the show, was not available to stream on Hulu after its linear premiere other FX titles these days. Network chairman John Landgraf says that fact may have hurt the show’s standing in the cultural conversation.“I think that not being on a streaming platform played to ‘Impeachment’s’ disadvantage,” Landgraf said in an interview with Variety.

Showtime is on a bit of a roll lately. Obviously, the network has series such as “Billions,” which is consistently lauded as one of the best shows on TV.

Oscar nominee Amanda Seyfried is set as the female lead opposite Tom Holland in The Crowded Room, Apple’s seasonal anthology series from A Beautiful Mind‘s Akiva Goldsman and New Regency.