‘Shameless’ Alum Shanola Hampton to Lead NBC Drama Pilot ‘Unfound’ From Nkechi Okoro Carroll

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 ReporterABC has ordered a new pilot for the drama about the National Parks Investigative Services Branch, Variety has learned.The broadcaster commissioned a pilot for the project last year as well with a different creative team, though it ultimately did not go forward. The original team included Kevin Costner as co-writer and executive producer, but Costner is no longer attached to the project in any capacity.Instead, Rashad Raisani is writing and executive producing the pilot, which is described as a propulsive, soapy procedural set in the stunning world of National Parks.

Sasha Urban editorIn one of the most star-studded lineups of this year’s awards season, Serena Williams, Nick Jonas and Oscar nominees Kristen Stewart and Ciaran Hinds have been tapped as presenters at the 33rd annual Producers Guild Awards Saturday evening, Variety has learned exclusively.They will be joined at the Fairmont Century Plaza Hotel by Josh Brolin, Rachel Brosnahan, Daniel Durant, Alana Haim, Jude Hill, Chris Pine, Daniel Dae Kim, Emilia Jones, Marlee Matlin, Ryan Murphy, Simon Rex and Kerry Washington, as well as previously announced presenters Meryl Streep, Casey Bloys, Jamie Dornan, Michelle Yeoh, Aunjanue Ellis, Jung Ho-yeon, Linda Lavin, David Alvarez, Jessica Chastain, Denis Villeneuve, Troy Kotsur, Andrew Garfield, Lin-Manuel Miranda and Steven Spielberg. The PGA Awards are known to be a strong predictor of which film will take home best picture at the Academy Awards, which will be held on March 27.

Joe Otterson TV ReporterAlice Eve is set to headline the “Early Edition” reboot pilot at CBS, Variety has confirmed.In the rebooted version, ambitious but uncompromising journalist Beth (Eve) starts receiving tomorrow’s newspaper today. She then finds herself in the complicated business of changing the news instead of reporting it.Beth is further described as the executive producer of KSEA, a local Seattle TV news station.

Joe Otterson TV ReporterChris Sullivan is set to star in the ABC comedy pilot “The Son-in-Law,” Variety has confirmed.Sullivan will star as Jake, a divorced dad with one 21 year old daughter. Jake never thought he would love again, until Asha came along.

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.

Joe Otterson TV ReporterApple has ordered a Spanish-language series inspired by the documentary “Midnight Family” (“Familia de Medianoche”).The series will be Apple’s first series produced entirely in Spanish. “Midnight Family” follows Marigaby Tamayo (Renata Vaca), an ambitious and gifted medical student by day, who spends her nights saving lives throughout a sprawling, contrasted and fascinating Mexico City aboard her family’s privately owned ambulance. Along with her father Ramón (Joaquín Cosío) and her siblings Marcus (Diego Calva) and Julito (Sergio Bautista), Marigaby serves a population of millions by tackling extreme medical emergencies to make a living.“Midnight Family” also stars Yalitza Aparicio, Itzan Escamilla, José María de Tavira, Óscar Jaenada, Dolores Heredia, and Mariana Gómez.

Joe Otterson TV ReporterSPOILER ALERT: Do not keep reading if you have not finished Season 5 of “The Last Kingdom.”“The Last Kingdom” is coming to an end.Although a two-hour movie followup is currently filming, Season 5 of the Netflix historical drama wraps up the story of its central character, Uhtred of Bebbanburg, played by Alexander Dreymon, in a very satisfying way — as the sins of Uhtred’s past collide head on with his present and the future of England.Uhtred finds himself in an unusual place at the beginning of the season — unable to be with Aethelflaed (Millie Brady), the woman he loves and the Lady of Merica, he presides over a Mercian border town at her request. But strange things are in the air, as Brida (Emily Cox) is determined to have her vengeance once and for all and the enemies of the House of Wessex are gathering.

Joe Otterson TV ReporterThe “Gotham Knights” pilot at The CW has added three new cast members, Variety has learned.Olivia Rose Keegan, Navia Robinson, and Oscar Morgan have all joined the pilot. Variety exclusively reported earlier this week that Fallon Smythe and Tyler DiChiara are also set to star.Based on characters created for DC by Bob Kane with Bill Finger, the one-hour drama takes place in in the wake of Bruce Wayne’s murder. His rebellious adopted son forges an unlikely alliance with the children of Batman’s enemies when they are all framed for killing the Caped Crusader.

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 ReporterActor Tim Daly has signed with Verve representation, Variety has learned exclusively. Daly continues to be represented by Gateway Management and attorney Howard Abramson.Daly is most recently known for his starring role in the hit CBS political drama “Madam Secretary.” He starred on the show throughout its six-season run at the broadcast network.

Joe Otterson TV ReporterErnie Hudson has joined the “Quantum Leap” sequel series pilot at NBC, Variety has confirmed.Hudson joins previously announced series lead Raymond Lee in the pilot. Serving as a sequel series to the original “Quantum Leap,” the new version takes place 30 years after Dr.

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 ReporterHulu has picked up the drama series “Career Opportunities in Murder and Mayhem” to series, Variety has learned.The series was ordered to pilot at the streamer in 2021. Hulu has given the one-hour drama a 10 episode first season order. Per the official description of the show, it asks the question how do you solve a murder in a post-fact world? Especially when sailing the Mediterranean on an ocean liner filled with the wealthy and powerful.

Joe Otterson TV ReporterGiancarlo Esposito is staying in business with AMC, with the renowned actor set to star in the newly greenlit drama series “The Driver” for the basic cabler.The six-episode first season is based on a U.K. format created by Danny Brocklehurst and Jim Poyser. Brocklehurst and Sunu Gonera developed the new series for U.S.

Joe Otterson TV ReporterShondaland has scored another series order at Netflix, with the streamer picking up the murder mystery drama “The Residence,” Variety has learned.The series is inspired by Kate Andersen Brower’s book “The Residence: Inside the Private World of the White House.” It is described as a screwball whodunnit set in the upstairs, downstairs, and backstairs of the White House, among the eclectic staff of the world’s most famous mansion. The show is said to feature “one dead body, one wildly eccentric detective, and one disastrous State Dinner,” per Netflix.The show has received an eight-episode order. Paul William Davies is the showrunner and executive producer on the show.

Fallon Smythe (grown-ish) and Tyler DiChiara (The Virgin of Highland Park) are set as series regulars in the CW’s DC universe-set Gotham Knights pilot, Deadline has confirmed

Joe Otterson TV ReporterThe “Gotham Knights” pilot at The CW has cast both Fallon Smythe and Tyler DiChiara as series regulars, Variety has learned exclusively.Smythe and DiChiara are the first announced castings for the pilot, which is based on characters created for DC by Bob Kane with Bill Finger. The one-hour drama takes place in in the wake of Bruce Wayne’s murder. His rebellious adopted son forges an unlikely alliance with the children of Batman’s enemies when they are all framed for killing the Caped Crusader.

Joe Otterson TV Reporter“Ordinary Joe” has been canceled at NBC, Variety has confirmed with sources.The series aired one season on the broadcast network. The show debuted in September and aired 13 episodes through January. It received mixed reviews from critics and failed to make a significant impact in the ratings.

Joe Otterson TV ReporterABC has ordered the drama pilot “The Company You Keep” with Milo Ventimiglia attached to star, Variety has learned.The pilot is based on the Korean format “My Fellow Citizens.” A night of passion leads to love between con-man Charlie (Ventimiglia) and undercover CIA officer Emma, who are unknowingly on a collision course professionally. While Charlie ramps up the “family business” so he can get out for good, Emma’s closing in on the vengeful criminal who holds Charlie’s family debts in-hand – forcing them to reckon with the lies they’ve told so they can save themselves and their families from disastrous consequences.The pilot keeps Ventimiglia in the broadcast TV business.