Toni Collette Joins Colin Firth in Michael Peterson Limited Series ‘The Staircase’ at HBO Max

Joe Otterson TV ReporterJon Bernthal, Josh Charles, and Jamie Hector are set for three of the lead roles in the HBO limited series “We Own This City” from the team behind “The Wire.”In addition to the castings, Reinaldo Marcus Green has joined the series as director and executive producer. Variety reported that the series was set up at the premium cabler back in March.Based on the book of the same name by Baltimore Sun reporter Justin Fenton, “We Own This City” is a six-hour limited series

Joe Otterson TV ReporterA new Batman animated series has been ordered at HBO Max and Cartoon Network, with “Batman: The Animated Series” co-creator Bruce Timm attached as an executive producer.“Batman: Caped Crusader” will be executive produced by Timm along with J.J. Abrams and Matt Reeves.

Joe Otterson TV ReporterKumail Nanjiani will play Chippendales founder Somen “Steve” Banerjee in a limited series that has been ordered at Hulu, Variety has learned.The eight-episode series is titled “Immigrant.” It will tell the true story of Banerjee, the Indian-American entrepreneur who started Chippendales.

Joe Otterson TV ReporterCherry Jones has joined the cast of the upcoming Apple drama series “Five Days at Memorial,” Variety has learned.The series is based on the Sheri Fink novel of the same name. It chronicles the first five days in a New Orleans, LA, hospital after Hurricane Katrina made landfall.

Joe Otterson TV ReporterThe long-delayed “Friends” reunion special at HBO Max will finally be there for you, with the streamer announcing the official premiere date.“Friends: The Reunion” will debut on HBO Max on May 27. In addition, HBO Max debuted the first teaser trailer for the special, which can be viewed above.“Friends: The Reunion” will now debut on the one year anniversary of the launch of HBO Max and exactly one year after it was originally supposed to air.

Joe Otterson TV ReporterGillian Jacobs and Wood Harris have both joined HBO’s upcoming drama series about the Los Angeles Lakers, Variety has learned.The untitled series was ordered at HBO in December 2019. It is described as chronicling the professional and personal lives of the 1980s Los Angeles Lakers, one of sports’ most revered and dominant dynasties, in what came to be called the Showtime Era.Jacobs will appear as Chris Riley.

Joe Otterson TV ReporterMichael Showalter and Jordana Mollick of Semi-Formal Productions have signed a two-year first-look deal at HBO Max.Showalter is a co-creator and executive producer on the critically-acclaimed series “Search Party,” which moved over to HBO Max from TBS for its third season. The fourth season of the series debuted on Jan.

Joe Otterson TV ReporterMj Rodriguez will star opposite Maya Rudolph in an upcoming Apple comedy series that hails from Alan Yang and Matt Hubbard, Variety has learned.The series was ordered at Apple in March. It follows Molly (Rudolph), a woman whose seemingly perfect life is upended after her husband leaves her with nothing but 87 billion dollars.

Joe Otterson TV ReporterColton Ryan has signed on to star opposite Elle Fanning in the upcoming Hulu drama series “The Girl From Plainville,” Variety has learned.Fanning as Michelle Carter and is inspired by the true story of her controversial “texting-suicide” case.

Joe Otterson TV ReporterAli Wong is set to appear in the upcoming “Paper Girls” series adaptation at Amazon.Wong joins previously announced series leads Sofia Rosinsky, Camryn Jones, Riley Lai Nelet, and Fina Strazza. The series, which hails from Amazon Studios and Legendary Television in association with Plan B, is based on the graphic novel series by writer Brian K.

Joe Otterson TV ReporterElizabeth Olsen is set to star in a new HBO Max limited series that boasts an all-star lineup behind the camera as well.Olsen will star in “Love and Death,” which hails from writer and executive producer David E. Kelley.

Joe Otterson TV ReporterJessica Williams and Chris “Comedian CP” Powell have joined “Love Life” Season 2 at HBO Max.The pair joins William Jackson Harper, who will star in Season 2 of the anthology series.

Joe Otterson TV ReporterTaika Waititi is hitting the high seas as the dreaded pirate Blackbeard in the upcoming HBO Max comedy series “Our Flag Means Death,” Variety has learned.Waititi joins previously announced series lead Rhys Darby.

Joe Otterson TV ReporterFinn Wittrock has been cast in a lead role of the upcoming “Green Lantern” series at HBO Max, Variety has learned.Wittrock will star as Guy Gardner, who is described as a hulking mass of masculinity, and, as rendered in the comics, an embodiment of 1980s hyper-patriotism. And yet, Guy is somehow likable.

Joe Otterson TV ReporterJK Simmons is set to star opposite Sissy Spacek in the Amazon sci-fi series “Lightyears,” taking over a lead role in the series from Ed O’Neill.O’Neill’s casting was reported in March, but according to an individual with knowledge of the production, he has exited for personal reasons.The series follows Irene (Spacek) and Franklin (Simmons) York, a couple who years ago discovered a chamber buried in their backyard which inexplicably leads to a strange, deserted planet.

Joe Otterson TV ReporterLena Headey has joined the HBO series “The White House Plumbers,” which delves into the Watergate scandal, Variety has learned.Headey joins previously announced cast members Woody Harrelson, Justin Theroux, and Domhnall Gleeson. The five-episode series tells the story of how President Nixon’s own political saboteurs and Watergate masterminds, E.

Joe Otterson TV Reporter“Walker” Season 2 at The CW has upped Odette Annable to series regular status.Annable currently recurs on the series as Geri, an old friend of Walker (Jared Padalecki) and his late wife.

Joe Otterson TV ReporterKyle Marvin has been cast in a lead role opposite Anne Hathaway and Jared Leto in the upcoming Apple limited series “WeCrashed,” which details the fall of WeWork, Variety has learned exclusively.The series is based on the Wondery podcast of the same name. It is described as following the greed-filled rise and inevitable fall of WeWork, one of the world’s most valuable startups, and the narcissists whose chaotic love made it all possible.

Joe Otterson TV Reporter“The Last of Us” series adaptation at HBO has found its directors in Jasmila Žbanić and Ali Abbasi.Žbanić’s latest film, “Quo vadis, Aida” was nominated for the Oscar for best international film feature. The film won the Film Independent Spirit Award for best international film on Thursday.

Joe Otterson TV Reporter“The Flight Attendant” Season 2 at HBO Max is bringing in a new co-showrunner.Natalie Chaidez has joined the critically-acclamed series as co-showrunner alongside Steve Yockey, who developed the series. Season 1 co-showrunners Meredith Lavender and Marcie Ulin are exiting the series.