NBC Orders Drama ‘Ordinary Joe’ Starring James Wolk to Series

Joe Otterson TV ReporterThe “Wings of Fire” books by Tui T. Sutherland are being adapted into an animated series at Netflix with Ava DuVernay set to executive produce.The “Wings of Fire” books have sold more than 14 million copies around the world to date.

Joe Otterson TV ReporterAmazon Studios has ordered a YA pilot based on the Harlan Coben novel “Shelter,” Variety has learned exclusively.Shelter” is the first novel in Coben’s Mickey Bolitar book series. MGM has acquired the rights to all the other books in the Mickey Bolitar series as well.

Joe Otterson TV ReporterCecilia Suárez and Augusto Aguilera have joined the ABC drama pilot “Promised Land,” Variety has learned.The show is described as an epic, generation-spanning drama about two Latinx families vying for wealth and power in California’s Sonoma Valley.

Joe Otterson TV ReporterOlivia Colman is in negotiations to join the “Secret Invasion” series at Disney Plus, Variety has confirmed with sources.Should Colman join the series, she would join previously announced cast members Samuel L.

Joe Otterson TV ReporterThe “Joe Exotic” limited series in which Kate McKinnon will play Carole Baskin has cast John Cameron Mitchell to play the infamous “Tiger King” himself, Variety has learned.Mitchell has been cast as Joe “Exotic” Schreibvogel, the larger-than-life zoo owner in Oklahoma who loses himself in his hatred for Carole Baskin (McKinnon).

Joe Otterson TV ReporterHenry Lloyd-Hughes and Thalissa Teixeira will star alongside Lucy Hale in the AMC-Alibi series “Ragdoll,” Variety has learned.The six-episode show, which was ordered to series back in February, is set to begin production on April 19 in London.

Joe Otterson TV ReporterJohn Ortiz has been cast in a leading role of the ABC drama pilot “Promised Land,” Variety has learned.The show is described as an epic, generation-spanning drama about two Latinx families vying for wealth and power in California’s Sonoma Valley. Ortiz joins previously announced cast members Christina Ochoa and Mariel Molino.Ortiz will star as Joe Sandoval, the patriarch of the Sandoval family, a wealthy vineyard-owning family in the Sonoma Valley.

Joe Otterson TV ReporterThe horror comedy “Shining Vale” starring Courteney Cox, Greg Kinnear, and Mira Sorvino has been ordered to series at Starz, Variety has learned.The half-hour show had originally been picked up to pilot back in 2019. The premium cabler has given the series an eight-episode order.

Joe Otterson TV Reporter“The Last of Us” series adaptation at HBO has added Gabriel Luna to its cast, Variety has learned.Luna joins previously announced series leads Pedro Pascal and Bella Ramsey, who will star as Joel and Ellie respectively.

Joe Otterson TV Reporter“House of the Dragon,” the “Game of Thrones” prequel series currently in the works at HBO, has added Fabien Frankel to its cast.“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.”Frankel will appear Ser Criston Cole, of Dornish descent, the common-born son of the steward to the Lord of Blackhaven.

Joe Otterson TV ReporterNBC has given out a pair of comedy pilot orders, including one starring music superstar Demi Lovato.The Lovato project is titled “Hungry.” NBC had previously given the single-camera show a put pilot commitment back in January.

Joe Otterson TV ReporterMcKenna Grace and Lexi Underwood will star in their own standalone episodes of the upcoming Disney Plus anthology series “Just Beyond,” with Nasim Pedrad set to join Grace in a guest starring role.The horror-comedy series is based on the RL Stine graphic novels of the same name. Disney Plus ordered eight episodes of the show last year.

Joe Otterson TV ReporterNBC has ordered two more drama pilots for the 2021-2022 broadcast season.The first is an untitled project co-created by Nick Wootton and Jake Coburn, with Wootton having written the pilot.

Joe Otterson TV ReporterShowtime has ordered the anthology series “Cinema Toast” from creator Jeff Baena and executive producers the Duplass brothers.The series is described as a post-modernist reinvention of older movies that turns pre-existing imagery from the public domain on its head to tell brand new unique stories. It will feature the voices of actors like Alison Brie, Nick Offerman, Fred Armisen, John Early, Christina Ricci, Megan Mullally, Chloe Fineman and Chris Meloni.

Joe Otterson TV ReporterMichael Cera will star opposite Amy Schumer in the upcoming Hulu comedy series “Life & Beth.”Formerly known as “Love, Beth,” the show received a 10-episode order in July 2019 as part of a first-look deal Schumer signed with Hulu. She will serve as the writer, director, executive producer, and star of the series.In the show, Beth’s (Schumer) life looks pretty great on paper.

Joe Otterson TV ReporterNikolaj Coster-Waldau will star in and executive produce a series adaptation of the Christina Clancy novel “The Second Home” currently in the works at Sony’s TriStar TV, Variety has learned.The story follows the Gordon and Shaw families beyond a fateful summer on Cape Cod. Told through two generations, the story explores how a devastating secret can derail young love, tear apart families, and change the fate of countless individuals forever if they let it.

Joe Otterson TV ReporterRenée Elise Goldsberry is in talks to star in the “She-Hulk” series at Disney Plus, Variety has confirmed with sources.She joines previously announced series lead Tatiana Maslany and Ginger Gonzaga. The series centers on lawyer Jennifer Walters (Maslany), cousin of Bruce Banner, who inherits his Hulk powers after she receives a blood transfusion from him.

Joe Otterson TV ReporterAdepero Oduye has been cast in the upcoming Apple series “Five Days at Memorial.”Oduye joins previously announced cast member Vera Farmiga. The series is based on the Sheri Fink novel of the same name.

Joe Otterson TV ReporterTom Holland is set to star in “The Crowded Room,” an anthology series from Akiva Goldsman that has been ordered at Apple.The first season of the series will be based on the biography “The Minds of Billy Milligan” by Daniel Keyes. It tells the story of Billy Milligan (Holland), the first person ever acquitted of a crime because of Multiple Personality Disorder (now known as Dissociative Identity Disorder).

Joe Otterson TV ReporterNick Offerman will star alongside Lily James, Sebastian Stan, and Seth Rogen in the Hulu limited series about the theft and release of Pam Anderson and Tommy Lee’s sex tape, Variety has learned.The eight-episode series is currently titled “Pam and Tommy.” Stan will play Lee while James will play Anderson. Offerman will star as Uncle Miltie.