Ramy Youssef Nets Two-Season Animated Series Order at Amazon Under New First-Look Deal (EXCLUSIVE)

Joe Otterson TV ReporterThe scripted series about WWE boss Vince McMahon’s federal steroids trial has brought on Micah Fitzerman-Blue and Noah Harpster, Variety has learned.The pair will serve as writers, executive producers, and co-showrunners on the limited series, which is titled “The United States of America vs. Vince McMahon.” It was first announced as being in development back in July 2021.

Joe Otterson TV ReporterThe upcoming live-action “One Piece” series at Netflix has cast Peter Gadiot in the role of Shanks.Gadiot joins previously announced cast members: Iñaki Godoy as Monkey D Luffy, Mackenyu as Rorona Zoro, Emily Rudd as Nami, Jacob Romero Gibson as Usopp, Taz Skylar as Sanji, Morgan Davies as Koby, Ilia Isorelýs Paulino as Alvida, Aidan Scott as Helmeppo, Jeff Ward as Buggy, McKinley Belcher III as Arlong, and Vincent Regan as Garp.Based on the iconic Japanese manga of the same name, “One Piece” centers on Monkey D. Luffy (Godoy), a young man who embarks on a journey to become king of the pirates and find the celebrated “One Piece” treasure.

Joe Otterson TV ReporterCharlotte Ritchie is set for a main role in Season 4 of “You” at Netflix, Variety has confirmed.Ritchie will appear opposite series stars Penn Badgley as Kate. The character is described as fearsomely smart, independent, suspicious, misses nothing.

Joe Otterson TV ReporterHendrix Yancey has been cast in a main role of the Peacock true crime series “A Friend of the Family.”She joins previously announced cast members Mckenna Grace, Anna Paquin, Jake Lacy, Colin Hanks, and Lio Tipton. The series is based on the true story of the Broberg family, whose daughter Jan was kidnapped multiple times over a period of years by a charismatic, obsessed family “friend.”Yancey will play Jan Broberg in the early years. Jan is the oldest daughter of Bob (Hanks) and Mary Ann Broberg (Paquin) and leads a happy, traditional life in an idyllic American city.

Joe Otterson TV ReporterMckenna Grace has joined the upcoming Peacock limited series “A Friend of the Family.”Grace joins previously announced cast members stars  Anna Paquin, Jake Lacy, Colin Hanks, and Lio Tipton. The series is based on the true story of the Broberg family, whose daughter Jan was kidnapped multiple times over a period of years by a charismatic, obsessed family “friend.”Grace will star as Jan Broberg in the later years. Jan is the oldest daughter of Bob (Hanks) and Mary Ann Broberg (Paquin) and leads a happy, traditional life in an idyllic American city.

Joe Otterson TV Reporter“East New York,” the drama pilot currently in the works at CBS, has added four new cast members.Ruben Santiago Hudson (“Ma Rainey’s Black Bottom,” Broadway’s “Lackawanna Blues”), Richard Kind (“Argo,” “A Serious Man”), Lavel Schley (“Barriers,” “Tell My Family I Love Them”), and Olivia Luccardi (“The Thing About Pam,” “The Deuce”) have all joined the pilot alongside previously announced series lead Amanda Warren.In the pilot, Regina Haywood (Warren) is the newly promoted deputy inspector of East New York, an impoverished, working-class will neighborhood at the eastern edge of Brooklyn. She leads a diverse group of officers and detectives, some of whom are reluctant to deploy her creative methods of serving and protecting during the midst of social upheaval and the early seeds of gentrification.

Joe Otterson TV ReporterAdina Porter and Clark Backo have been cast opposite LaKeith Stanfield in the upcoming Apple drama series “The Changeling,” Variety has learned.The series is based on the book of the same name by Victor LaValle. It is descirbed as a horror story, a parenthood fable, and a perilous odyssey through a New York City you didn’t know existed.Stanfield stars as Apollo. Porter will play Lillian, his mother.

NEW YORK -- In her new NBC limited series, “The Thing About Pam,” Renee Zellweger wears prosthetics and padding to appear heavier in the role of a convicted killer. It's a decision that some critics have questioned, arguing a larger actor could have filled the role.Zellweger famously gained weight twice for “Bridget Jones's Diary” in 2001 and “Bridget Jones: The Edge of Reason” in 2004.

Joe Otterson TV ReporterThe “Interview with the Vampire” series at AMC has cast Eric Bogosian in the role of Daniel Molloy.The series, which is currently in production, is based on the Anne Rice book of the same name and follows follows Louis de Pointe, Lestat De Lioncourt and Claudia’s epic story of love, blood and the perils of immortality. Bogosian joins previously announced cast members such as Sam Reid as Lestat, Jacob Anderson as Louis, and Bailey Bass as Claudia.Molloy is described as an investigative journalist nearing the end of his career who’s given a second chance at the interview of a lifetime.

Juliette Lewis has been tapped for a key role opposite Kumail Nanjiani and Murray Bartlett in the Hulu limited series Immigrant (working title), from Pam & Tommy creator Robert Siegel.

Joe Otterson TV ReporterHulu has ordered the comedy pilot “Bammas” written by and starring Opeyemi Olagbaju and Biniam Bizuneh, Variety has learned.The show follows a pair of young Ethiopian- and Nigerian-American best friends as they struggle to overcome their loser reputations in a magical realist version of Washington DC.Olagbaju and Bizuneh serve as executive producers in addition to starring and writing. Danny Chun (“The Office” “The Simpsons”), who mentored the pair at the Sundance Lab in 2019, will serve as showrunner and executive producer.

Michael Appler Renée Zellweger and showrunner Jenny Klein gathered on Monday at the chic Whitby Hotel in New York City to fete the release of their NBC series “The Thing About Pam.”In “The Thing About Pam,” a limited series based on the viral “Dateline” episode and true crime podcast of the same name, Zellweger plays Pam Hupp, a sadistic, yet unassuming Missouri woman who was charged with the murder of her best friend Betsy after framing Betsy’s husband. But the real Hupp looks nothing like the two-time Oscar winner.

Amazon Studios has handed a two-season order to an adult animated comedy series from Emmy-nominated Ramy Youssef and A24. The series is part of a new first-look deal between Amazon Studios and Youssef’s production imprint Cairo Cowboy. The as-yet untitled comedy will exclusively stream on Prime Video in more than 240 countries and territories worldwide.

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.

Joe Otterson TV Reporter“Power Book IV: Force” has been renewed for Season 2 at Starz.The third spinoff of the original “Power” to debut on Starz, the series saw Joseph Sikora return as Tommy Egan, who leaves New York and finds himself caught up in the Chicago drug game. The series also stars Isaac Keys, Lili Simmons, Gabrielle Ryan, Shane Harper, Kris D.

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 Reporter“Never Have I Ever” has been renewed for Season 4 at Netflix, which will also be the show’s last season, Variety has confirmed.News of the fourth season renewal comes before Season 3 of the series even has a premiere date. Production on the third season recently wrapped and will debut over the summer.The comedy series hails from co-creators Mindy Kaling and Lang Fisher.