‘The Simpsons’ Writer Tim Long Joins Fox’s ‘Bloom County’ Animated Series as Co-Showrunner

Lise Pedersen Adapted from the popular Instagram comics by Belgian cartoonist Laura Janssens, “Hamsters” was one of several TV show projects aimed at young adults pitched at this year’s edition of Cartoon Forum in Toulouse.  The 2D series tells the story of Philippe and Gio­van­ni, a couple of gay ham­sters who look at and comment on the world from their cage. Born during lockdown, the characters were inspired by the Dutch word “hamsteren” which means hoarding, as people started panic buying household essentials when the pandemic broke out. The pair have very different personalities which make them complementary: While Giovanni wants to live an Insta-perfect life and is very concerned about what people think, Philippe is easy-going, enjoys eating, and is very supportive of his partner.

Joe Otterson TV Reporter Sheyi Cole has joined the ensemble cast of the upcoming HBO Max limited series “Full Circle,” Variety has learned. The six-episode series hails from writer Ed Solomon and director Steven Soderbergh. Per the official description, “An investigation into a botched kidnapping uncovers long-held secrets connecting multiple characters and cultures in present day New York City.” Cole joins previously announced cast members Dennis Quaid, Claire Danes, Zazie Beetz, Timothy Olyphant, and Jharrel Jerome. Cole made his onscreen debut in the Amazon anthology series “Small Axe,” playing the title role of Wheatle in the fourth episode of the series. He has since gone on to star in the film “Boxing Day” and in an episode of Season 3 of the hit FX series “Atlanta.” Next up, he will be seen in the Netflix film “The Beautiful Game.”

EXCLUSIVE: Feud: Capote’s Women has added another big name to its star-studded core cast. Molly Ringwald has joined the second installment of FX’s anthology series, from Ryan Murphy and Plan B, sources tell Deadline. Reps for FX and 20th Television, which is behind the Feud franchise, declined comment.

Ryuichi Sakamoto has shared two new songs that were made for the Netflix anime series Exception – listen below.The two songs – ‘Opening for ‘Exception’’ and ‘Oxygen’ – soundtrack the new space horror anime series, which is based on a new story by Hirotaka Adachi.The series is due to launch globally on October 14, with ‘Exception (Soundtrack From the Netflix Anime Series)’ out on the same day via Milan Records.The official synopsis of the series reads: “In the distant future, humanity has been forced to leave Earth and migrate to another galaxy. A spacecraft is sent to a planet to terraform it and the crew is created one by one by a biological 3D printer.“However, a fatal error occurs during the creation of one of the members.

Mission: Impossible movie, Dead Reckoning - Part One, is due to hit cinemas in July 2023, but Tom Cruise keeps getting hit with obstacles. The Hollywood star is currently filming the high-octane spy thriller in Britain's stunning Lake District, where he is utilising the picturesque setting and high-speed railway system for his death-defying stunts. But during one scene near a local village, he had no choice but to call "cut" when it became "impossible" to go on.

Todd Spangler NY Digital Editor An anime series based on popular open-world role-playing game “Genshin Impact” is officially in the works. HoYoverse, the Shanghai-based game developer behind “Genshin Impact,” announced a partnership with Japanese animation studio Ufotable to develop an anime based on the RPG. It also released a three-minute “concept trailer” in announcing the project (watch below). “Let’s step into this vast magical world of adventure together!” the games company tweeted Friday. “The long-term collaboration project between Genshin Impact and ufotable has begun.” The companies did not reveal an anticipated release date for the anime series, nor does the trailer provide firm clues as to what the show’s plot may center on.

Andy Samberg is reuniting with “Brooklyn Nine-Nine” writer and producer Neil Campbell for a new animated series called “Digman!,” and the show is rounding out its cast. The show, which will be produced by CBS Studios alongside The Lonely Island, marks the first to be written and produced by Samberg, who also leads the voice cast alongside Mitra Jouhari (“Three Busy Debras”), Tim Robinson (“I Think You Should Leave”), Dale Soules (“Orange Is The New Black”), Guz Khan (“Our Flag Means Death”), Melissa Fumero (“Brooklyn Nine-Nine”) and Tim Meadows (“The Goldbergs”).

Andy Samberg has found his voice cast for animated comedy series Digman!

Joe Otterson TV Reporter Timothy Olyphant is set to star in the upcoming HBO Max series “Full Circle” from Steven Soderbergh and Ed Solomon, Variety has learned. Olyphant is the latest addition to the cast of the six-episode series alongside previously announced cast members Zazie Beetz and Claire Danes. The official logline for the show reads, “An investigation into a botched kidnapping uncovers long-held secrets connecting multiple characters and cultures in present day New York City.” Character details are currently being kept under wraps. Olyphant recently wrapped filming on “Justified: City Primeval,” in which he revived the character of U.S. Marshal Raylan Givens whom he played for six seasons on the FX series “Justified.” Olyphant’s other TV credits include the Disney+ “Star Wars” shows “The Mandalorian” and “The Book of Boba Fett,” as well as “Fargo” at FX and “Santa Clarita Diet” at Netflix. He is also known for his role in the HBO series “Deadwood,” which was revived as an HBO film in 2019. He has starred in films such as “Once Upon a Time in Hollywood,” “Live Free or Die Hard,” “The Crazies,” and “The Girl Next Door.”

Jennifer Maas TV Business Writer Fox’s Susan Sarandon and Trace Adkins-led country music drama “Monarch” didn’t the highest of Nielsen notes Sunday night, but it did manage to keep enough of its NFL lead-in audience to land the network’s most-watched fall scripted premiere in three years. Immediately following an NFL doubleheader, “Monarch” debuted at 7:45 p.m. ET/4:45 p.m. PT to a 0.8 rating among adults in the 18-49 age demographic and 3.8 million total viewers, according to initial Nielsen data. Due to the nature of live sports, these results will likely adjust (likely down) when finalized numbers come in later Monday.

When you hear the premise of “Entergalactic,” the new animated series coming to Netflix, it might not elicit much excitement. It’s a show about a young guy trying to balance love and success while living in New York City.

Jennifer Maas TV Business Writer Magnolia Network’s top PR exec John Marsicano has been tapped as Endeavor’s new vice president of internal communications, Variety has learned exclusively. Beginning in the New York-based position Monday, Marsicano will be leading internal communications efforts across Endeavor’s network of more than 7,000 employees and supporting engagement with the company’s subsidiaries. He will report directly to Kim Ulrich, senior vice president of corporate communications at the Ari Emanuel-run company. Marsicano has worked with the Gaineses since 2017, when he began at the “Fixer Upper” couple’s national home and lifestyle brand by overseeing all communications efforts, both internal and external, for the company and its portfolio of businesses. He exited that role to join Magnolia Network, the Gaineses’ joint venture with Warner Bros. Discovery (previously Discovery, Inc., ahead of the April merger with WarnerMedia), in the comms chief role under network president Allison Page.

Drew Barrymore and Justin Long are looking back on their “hedonistic” relationship in the season 3 premiere of “The Drew Barrymore Show”.

Jennifer Maas TV Business Writer Hillary Clinton remembered Queen Elizabeth II as “a woman who served with such honor and distinction” on Thursday, just hours after news broke of the longtime monarch’s death. “We lost a woman who served with such honor and distinction from literally the time she was a child, until two days ago when she received the new prime minister,” Clinton told Variety at the New York premiere of “Gutsy,” her and daughter Chelsea Clinton’s new Apple TV+ docuseries. “And I was privileged to meet her and spend time with her. Probably one of the highlights of my time in public service was when I was secretary of state, staying in Buckingham Palace and talking with her about her gardens, which were a great love of hers, and actually walking around the gardens with her gardener and going to a white-tie dinner in the grand dining room. I had many really pleasant and wonderful conversations. She loved to ask questions, she was so lively and she’ll be missed.”

EXCLUSIVE: A murderer’s row of rap talent including Ice-T and NWA’s Arabian Prince is behind a new animated series that features an original score from Dr Dre.

The Simpsons veteran Tim Long has been tapped to co-write and showrun Bloom County, an animated series based on Berkeley Breathed’s 1980s comic strip, which has been in development at Fox.

Joe Otterson TV Reporter Zazie Beetz is set to star in Steven Soderbergh’s upcoming HBO Max limited series “Full Circle,” Variety has learned. Variety exclusively reported the show had been ordered at HBO Max back in August 2021. Soderbergh will direct all six episodes and executive produce, with Ed Solomon writing and executive producing. Casey Silver will also executive produce. The three previously worked together on the HBO Max film “No Sudden Move.” Per the official description of the series, “An investigation into a botched kidnapping uncovers long-held secrets connecting multiple characters and cultures in present day New York City.” Exact details on Beetz’ character are being kept under wraps.

Chadwick Boseman was honored at this year's Creative Arts Emmys with an award for his voice acting performance in Marvel's  animated series for Disney+.The awards were handed out at a ceremony on Saturday, and the celebrated actor received the posthumous Emmy in the Outstanding Character Voice-Over Performance category.Boseman lent his voice to his beloved Black Panther character T'Challa — only in an alternate  timeline in which the iconic Wakandan took on the role of Star-Lord, the leader of the Guardians of the Galaxy.Boseman's wife, Simone Ledward Boseman, accepted the award on her late husband's behalf, and delivered a moving speech in his memory.«When I learned that Chad was nominated for this award, I started thinking about everything that was going on when he was recording,» she told the audience, per The Hollywood Reporter, «everything that was going on in the world and in our world and just being in such awe of his commitment and his dedication.»«And what a beautifully aligned moment it really is that one of the last things he would work on would not only be revisiting a character that was so important to him and his career and to the world, but also that it be an exploration of something new, diving into a new potential future,» she continued. «Particularly with everything he spoke about purpose and finding the reason that you are here on the planet at this very time.»You can’t understand your purpose unless you’re willing to ask, ‘What if?’ Unless you’re willing to say, ‘What if the universe is conspiring in my favor, what if it’s me?'" she shared.

Joe Otterson TV Reporter Eiza González has joined Diego Luna and Gael García Bernal in the Hulu limited series “La Máquina.” The Spanish-language series was picked up at Hulu in July. Per the official logline, “‘La Máquina’ follows an aging boxer (García Bernal) whose crafty manager (Luna) secures him one last shot at a title. But to make it to fight night, they must navigate a mysterious underworld force.” González will star as Irasema. Her character descriptions says she is “an aspiring sports journalist who approaches boxing as more of an art form. She’s the ex-wife of Esteban (García Bernal), who she still deeply cares for, and mother to their two children. She’s known Esteban and Andy (Luna) since they were teenagers.”

DC’s Harley Quinn will return to HBO Max.