Tessa Blake to Direct CW Nun Dramedy Pilot (EXCLUSIVE)

Joe Otterson TV ReporterDon Cheadle will serve as the narrator on the “Wonder Years” reboot pilot currently in the works at ABC, Variety has confirmed.Cheadle will voice the adult version of main character Dean, who will played by Elisha Williams. Daniel Stern served as the narrator on the original series.The pilot will show how a black middle-class family in Montgomery, Alabama in the turbulent late 1960s, made sure it was The Wonder Years for them too.

Joe Otterson TV ReporterTisha Campbell, Essence Atkins, Tahj Mowry, Isaiah Mustafa, and Beth Grant have all been cast in ABC’s multi-cam comedy pilot “Black Don’t Crack,” Variety has learned.The group joins previously announced series star Sherri Shepherd. The show follows three former sorority sisters (Shepherd, Atkins, Campbell) who lost touch after college and reunite during a pivotal point in their lives.

Joe Otterson TV ReporterJohn Waters has joined the cast of “The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel” Season 4 at Amazon, Variety has learned exclusively.Waters will be appear in a guest starring role in the fourth season of the critically-acclaimed series, with the exact nature of the character he is playing being kept under wraps.

Joe Otterson TV ReporterBen Hardy has been cast in the upcoming BBC One, HBO Max series “The Girl Before,” Variety has learned exclusively.Hardy joins previously announced cast members David Oyelowo, Gugu Mbatha-Raw, and Jessica Plummer. The four-episode series is based on the book of the same name by J.P.

Joe Otterson TV ReporterPatrick Coker and Adam Wiesen have been named the new head writers of the BET series “Tales” going into the show’s third season, Variety has learned exclusively.The series is a scripted anthology of “song stories” weaving classic and current hip-hop songs into visual narratives from the lyrics of some of hip-hop’s greatest hits.

Joe Otterson TV ReporterJane Lynch has been cast in a lead role in the ABC multi-cam comedy pilot “Bucktown,” Variety has learned.Lynch joins previously announced cast members Shannon Woodward and Nicole Richie.In the multi-cam sitcom, after being dumped by her boyfriend and kicked out of her apartment on the eve of a big promotion, Amy (Woodward) finds refuge at her mom’s (Lynch) house in the blue-collar neighborhood where she grew up.

Joe Otterson TV ReporterErica Watson is set to direct the pilot episode of The CW’s upcoming reboot of “The 4400,” Variety has learned exclusively.“The 4400” reboot was ordered to series at CW in February.

Joe Otterson TV ReporterThe Giannis Antetokounmpo movie at Disney is taking shape, with Variety learning exclusively that the film has found three of its leads.Newcomer Uche Agada will star as the NBA great in the film, which is titled “Greek Freak” in honor of the nickname Antetokounmpo earned for his otherworldly basketball skills.

Joe Otterson TV ReporterFX has ordered a half-hour pilot from Christopher Storer, Variety has learned.“The Bear,” as the show is called, is about a young chef who returns to Chicago to run the family restaurant. Storer will write, direct, and executive produce the pilot.

Joe Otterson TV ReporterDulé Hill and Laura Kariuki have been cast in “The Wonder Years” reboot pilot at ABC, Variety has learned.They join previously announced cast members Elisha Williams, who will play main character Dean, and Saycon Sengbloh, who will play family matriarch Lillian.

Joe Otterson TV ReporterNicole Richie has been cast in the ABC comedy pilot “Bucktown,” Variety has learned.In the multi-cam sitcom, after being dumped by her boyfriend and kicked out of her apartment on the eve of a big promotion, Amy finds refuge at her mom’s house in the blue-collar neighborhood where she grew up.

Joe Otterson TV ReporterThe CW has cast the lead for “Naomi,” the pilot based on the DC Comics character of the same name. In addition, the pilot has added three series regulars.The pilot hails from from Ava DuVernay and Jill Blankenship. Kaci Walfall will star in the title role as Naomi, described as an effortlessly cool and confident high school student who is the adopted daughter of doting parents.

Joe Otterson TV ReporterShowtime has ordered a drama series about Zulu king Shaka, with Antoine Fuqua onboard to direct and executive produce, Variety has learned.“Shaka: King of the Zulu Nation” hails from writers and executive producers Olu Odebunmi and Tolu Awosika.

Joe Otterson TV ReporterShowtime has ordered a pilot inspired by the hit Swedish novel and film “Let the Right One In,” Variety has learned.Demián Bichir is attached to star in the series, with Andrew Hinderaker onboard as showrunner and executive producer.

Joe Otterson TV ReporterElisha “EJ” Williams has been cast in the main role of “The Wonder Years” pilot at ABC, Variety has learned.The project will show how a black middle-class family in Montgomery, Alabama in the turbulent late 1960s, made sure it was The Wonder Years for them too.Williams will star in the role of Dean, described as an inquisitive and hopeful 12-year-old kid coming of age in a turbulent time.

Joe Otterson TV ReporterPatti LuPone and Erinn Hayes have signed on to star in the HBO Max comedy pilot “OK Boomer,” Variety has learned.In the show, a self-centered boomer (LuPone) shows up at her estranged daughter’s (Hayes) house hoping to live off the family’s money, but forms an unexpected bond with her progressive granddaughter who’s quick to challenge her on their differing views, of which there are plenty.LuPone’s character, Barbara, is described as a comically outrageous, wildly

Joe Otterson TV ReporterCaitlin Kinnunen and Bella Ortiz have signed on for the lead roles in the untitled nun dramedy pilot at The CW, Variety has learned.The pilot centers on two millennial nuns: one a true believer and the other a new arrival who hasn’t taken her final vows.

Joe Otterson TV ReporterDominique Fishback has signed on to co-star with Samuel L. Jackson in the Apple drama series “The Last Days of Ptolemy Grey,” Variety has learned.In addition, Ramin Bahrani has come onboard to direct and executive produce the limited series, which is based on the novel of the same name by Walter Mosley.Jackson stars as Grey, a 91 year old man forgotten by his family, by his friends, by even himself.

Joe Otterson TV ReporterThe live-action “Powerpuff Girls” pilot at The CW has found its three leads, with Chloe Bennet, Dove Cameron, and Yana Perrault all joining the show.The “Powerpuff Girls” live-action series was first announced as being in development back in August. Based on the Cartoon Network series created by Craig McCracken, the new series sees the pint-sized superheroes as disillusioned twentysomethings who resent having lost their childhood to crime fighting.

Joe Otterson TV ReporterNetflix has set an all-star cast for the animation-live action hybrid limited series “Lost Ollie.”Mary J. Blige, Gina Rodriguez, Jake Johnson, Tim Blake Nelson, Kesler Talbot, and Jonathan Groff have all been cast in major roles in the four-episode series.The show is inspired by the book “Ollie’s Oddyssey” by William Joyce.