‘Sphere’ Drama Series Based On Book In Works At HBO From Denise Thé, Kilter Films & Team Downey

As we recently talked about with the unfortunate prequel series, “Ratched,” there are certain characters and films that don’t need to be explored further. Some who read this website would say that most films and iconic characters don’t need sequels or prequels, but I digress.

Denise Petski Senior Managing EditorMarie Lu’s bestselling YA sci-fi novel Warcross is in the works for the small screen. Bruna Papandrea’s Made Up Stories and Emmy-winning producer John Cameron have optioned the rights to adapt the novel as a television series.

Denise Petski Senior Managing EditorEXCLUSIVE: Claws alumna Karrueche Tran has been tapped for a lead role in the second season of Games People Play, BET’s hour-long scripted drama series from executive producer Tracey Edmonds.She’ll join returning series regulars Sarunas J. Jackson, Karen Obilom, Parker McKenna Posey, Jackie Long, and Kendall Kyndall.

Dino-Ray Ramos editorEXCLUSIVE: Emmy-nominated actress Lucy Liu has signed on to star in the upcoming dramatic feature Rosemead directed by Eric Lin.

Will Thorne Staff WriterAn anthology series on the history of the NFL is in the works.Game1, the sports content studio founded by Greg Economou, Basil Iwanyk and Michael Smith, is teaming with Gifford Media Group to adapt Frank Gifford’s bestselling memoir “The Glory Game: How the 1958 NFL Championship Changed Football Forever” into a series.Gifford, the late New York Giants Hall of Famer and “Monday Night Football” broadcaster, published the book in 2008, alongside Peter Richmond.The project

Denise Petski Senior Managing EditorWarnerMedia’s Crunchyroll and Adult Swim are teaming on Shenmue, a 13-episode original anime series based on the SEGA game franchise. The co-production will stream worldwide outside of Japan and mainland China on Crunchyroll and air on Adult Swim’s Toonami in the domestic U.S.Shenmue follows the journey of Ryo Hazuki.

Denise Petski Senior Managing EditorEXCLUSIVE: CBS has put in development Closure, a one-hour drama loosely based on the life of baseball Hall-of-Famer turned funeral home owner, Andre Dawson, from Samantha Corbin-Miller (Swagger, Absentia), DeVon Franklin (Breakthrough) and his Franklin Entertainment and CBS Television Studios, where Franklin is under an overall deal.Your Complete Guide to Pilots and Straight-to-Series ordersWritten by Corbin-Miller, in Closure, a beloved baseball Hall-of-Famer

last year, which was supposed to include a suite of new TV series based on Sony’s Marvel Universe. Silk is set to be part of a larger roster of characters, similar to Netflix’s “Defenders” franchise that included Daredevil, Jessica Jones, Luke Cage and Iron Fist.

Joe Otterson TV ReporterEmma Roberts and her Belletrist TV banner have signed a first-look TV deal with Hulu.The deal will focus on literary adaptations, as Belletrist was originally founded by Roberts and Karah Preiss as a book club.

Nellie Andreeva, Denise Petski Daniel Kyri, who has been heavily recurring on Chicago Fire since Season 7 as rookie firefighter Darren Ritter, has been promoted to series regular for the upcoming ninth season.Kyri has appeared almost every episode of Chicago Fire since he made his debut in the second episode of Season 7 for a total of 36 episodes to date.“Very excited Daniel is going to be a series regular this year, said series co-creator/executive producer Derek Haas.

Robert Downey, Jr. is helping to develop a new drama series based on Michael Crichton’s sci-fi novel Sphere.The Avengers star and his producer wife Susan Downey have joined forces with Westworld writer and executive producer Denise The, among others, for the HBO project.Adapted by The, Sphere will take viewers on a deep dive into the ocean to examine a newly-discovered alien spacecraft.The 1987 book was previously turned into a film starring Dustin Hoffman, Sharon Stone, and Samuel L. Jackson.

HBO is going all in on Michael Crichton.

Nellie Andreeva Co-Editor-in-Chief, TVEXCLUSIVE: Martin Lawrence and Snoop Dogg are teaming up to star in Game, a political drama set in Washington, D.C. The duo co-wrote the story for the project, which reunites Bad Boys star Lawrence with the feature franchise’s producer Jerry Bruckheimer.

Denise Petski Senior Managing EditorSchitt’s Creek alums Tim Rozon and Sarah Levy, along with Adam Korson (Seed), Maurice Dean Wint (The Kid Detective), Savannah Basley (Wynonna Earp) and Tennille Read (Workin’ Moms) are set as series regulars in The Surrealtor, Syfy’s upcoming drama series from Blue Ice Pictures.

Joe Otterson TV ReporterCBS All Access is developing a series about former NYPD detective Derrick Parker with Tip “T.I.” Harris attached to star and Curtis “50 Cent” Jackson onboard as an executive producer, Variety has learned.The project is currently titled “Twenty Four Seven.” It is based on the book “Notorious C.O.P.: The Inside Story of the Tupac, Biggie, and Jam Master Jay Investigations from NYPD’s First ‘Hip-Hop Cop'” by Parker and Matt Diehl.During his time with the NYPD, Parker worked

Nellie Andreeva, Denise Petski Days after Greenleaf wrapped its five-season run on OWN, the network has given a formal straight-to-series order to drama Delilah from the same creative team, Greenleaf creator Craig Wright, Warner Bros. Television and Oprah Winfrey’s Harpo Films.

Joe Otterson TV ReporterOWN has given a straight-to-series order to the drama series “Delilah,” which hails from “Greenleaf” creator Craig Wright, Variety has learned.The series will star Maahra Hill as Delilah Connolly, a headstrong, highly principled lawyer living in Charlotte, North Carolina.

Nellie Andreeva Co-Editor-in-Chief, TVEXCLUSIVE: Mary McCormack has been tapped as a lead opposite Stephen Amell and Alexander Ludwig in Heels, Starz’s eight-episode hourlong drama set in the outrageous world of independent professional wrestling.Written by Michael Waldron, with Mike O’Malley as showrunner, Heels is a story about the men and women who chase their dreams in the world of small town pro wrestling.

the trailer, which asks “What if Africa had colonized Europe?” above.Also Read: Harry Belafonte and Malcolm Jenkins Documentaries Lead Peacock Original Films SlateHere is the official synopsis from Peacock:“NOUGHTS + CROSSES imagines an alternate universe in which history happened in racial reverse. In this world, Africa – or “Aprica” – invaded Europe centuries ago, enslaving its people.

Nellie Andreeva Co-Editor-in-Chief, TVUPDATED, 7:15 AM: Disney+ has set an October premiere date for National Geographic Channel’s The Right Stuff. The period drama, starring Patrick J.