Peacock Bolsters Animated Kids Programming Slate With ‘Megamind,’ ‘Abominable’ Series & More

The brand new Netflix series, The Guardians of Justice is now available to stream on the popular platform. The first season has eight episodes and is categorised in the mystery programmes, sci-fi TV and comedy programmes section on Netflix.

Animal House to Ghostbusters. Known for bawdy comedies that caught the spirit of their time, Reitman’s big break came with the raucous, college fraternity send-up National Lampoon’s Animal House, which he produced. Reitman, who died peacefully in his sleep, directed Bill Murray in his first starring role in the summer camp flick Meatballs, and then again in 1981’s Stripes, but his most significant success came with 1984’s Ghostbusters.

Peacock has handed a series order to Twisted Metal, a comedic half-hour live-action adaptation of the popular video game, from Sony Pictures TV, Playstation Productions and Universal Television. Anthony Mackie (The Falcon and the Winter Soldier) stars and executive produces the project, first announced in September, which is written and executive produced by Cobra Kai writer Michael Jonathan Smith, who will serve as showrunner. Will Arnett and Marc Forman, who secured the rights to the material and helped put the adaptation together, also executive produce via their Electric Avenue production company.

Joe Otterson TV ReporterAn “Outlander” prequel series is in development at Starz, Variety has learned exclusively.According to sources, “Outlander” executive producer and showrunner Matthew B. Roberts is attached to write and executive produce the prequel. A writers’ room is currently being assembled with an eye to begin work in the coming weeks.Exact plot details for what the prequel would focus on are being kept under wraps.

Elliot Page is speaking out.

Jennifer Maas TV Business WriterWith Peak TV still getting peak-ier, it’s harder than ever for a series to really break through with audiences. And that means it’s even harder for a new writer to get their project noticed with the studio executives who are sifting through pitches looking for the next show that will break through with audiences.During a “Meet the Executives” virtual panel at SCAD TVfest last Thursday, five top programming execs offered up some key advice to SCAD students on what they are looking for in a script from the next generation of TV series creators.The panel, which was hosted by Variety‘s TV business writer Jennifer Maas, included JoAnn Alfano, executive vice president of scripted current series and head of international business development at Universal Studio Group; Jasmine Russ, vice president of development and production at Fabel Entertainment; Max Kisbye, executive vice president of development and production at MGM/UA Television; Tana Nugent Jamieson, senior vice president of creative affairs at A+E Studios; and Naomi Funabashi, senior vice president of film and television at Hillman Grad Productions.

“Aziz Ansari is an incredible talent and, with this script, he brings a singular combination of insightful humor and pathos,” Searchlight presidents David Greenbaum and Matthew Greenfield said in a statement. “We’re thrilled to be partnering with him on his feature directorial debut which is long overdue, and of course working with the genius Bill Murray once again.”Taylor Friedman and Cameron Chidsey are overseeing the project for Searchlight Pictures.

Aziz Ansari (Master of None, Parks and Recreation) is making his feature directorial debut with an untitled dramedy for Searchlight, based on the 2014 non-fiction book Being Mortal: Medicine and What Matters in the End by surgeon Atul Gawande, in which he’ll star alongside Oscar nominee Bill Murray (The French Dispatch, Lost in Translation), Deadline has confirmed.

EXCLUSIVE: His reps declined to comment, but word in publishing circles is that Elliot Page’s memoir Pageboy sold to Flatiron Books for north of $3 million. The deal was made based on a 49 page proposal shopped by UTA. Deadline read the document, and it sounds like Page has a truly compelling story to tell about a long struggle to find himself amidst a torrent of homophobic hatred, not only in his hometown of Halifax, Novia Scotia but also in Hollywood where Page first came to fame as an Oscar nominee for Juno. Before he transitioned, Page describes numerous occasions where he was set upon by homophobic bullies, with few willing to help. A beer thrown at Page in Toronto, a menacing loudmouth chasing Page into a restaurant in Hollywood, this was something that happened often to the diminutive Page. The loathsome industry people in Hollywood weren’t named, but there was the male film director who tried to seduce Page at age 16; and the time that a big movie star — who would later say he was ossified and blacked out in a clumsy apology — berated Page at a party in an outrageous homophobic rant. This was just after Page — then known as Ellen — had come out as queer. The actor accused Page’s bold announcement of being false. “You aren’t gay. You are just afraid of men…I’m going to fu*k you to make you realize you aren’t gay.” As the torrent grew louder and more graphic, nobody in the room, even Page’s closest friends, stood up for their friend. It was unclear if they were shocked, or afraid to say anything because the actor was one of the biggest stars in town.

The Guardian in a 2016 profile of Hill. “He always took being a drag king to a new level, which was more fully realized than most kings.” As the years have gone by, Hill has become far more than a pioneering drag king, queer New York nightlife fixture, or campy, charismatic trans comedian/actor. The 50-year-old has long struggled to find the right words and terminology to describe himself.“I keep saying, when I talk to young people: We just didn’t have the language and the ID politics, we had nothing.

Sony Pictures Television has named kids programming vet Joe D’Ambrosia has been named EVP & General Manager of its Silvergate Media subsidiary.

EXCLUSIVE: Marquise Vilsón (Blindspot), April Parker Jones (Supergirl) and Albert Mwangi (Bump) round out the series regular cast for CW’s Nancy Drew spinoff Tom Swift. They join previously announced leads Tian Richards and Ashleigh Murray in the series from Nancy Drew co-creators/executive producers Josh Schwartz and Stephanie Savage, their Fake Empire banner and CBS Studios.

“Teen Wolf” will howl again.

Paramount+, the ViacomCBS streaming service, has unveiled a new slate of original kids and family programming, including a Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles CG-animated movie series, and a Transformers: Earthspark animated series, among others. The announcements were made Tuesday by Brian Robbins, Chief Content Officer, Movies and Kids & Family for Paramount+, during the ViacomCBS’ Investors Event.

Teen Wolf star Tyler Posey is set to reprise his role as Scott McCall in Paramount+’s upcoming movie sequel to the 2011 MTV series. Eleven other series regular and recurring cast members of the original series are set for the full-length reunion film, including Crystal Reed, Holland Roden, Colton Haynes and Shelley Hennig, the streamer’s chief content officer of unscripted entertainment and adult animation Chris McCarthy announced during today’s ViacomCBS Investors Event.

The first look at HBO Max’s The Staircase eight-episode series just debuted online!