‘Twisted Metal’ Peacock Series Casts Thomas Haden Church

Joe Otterson TV ReporterHBO Max is developing a series adaptation of the novel “Dava Shastri’s Last Day” by Kirthana Ramisetti, Variety has learned exclusively.In the novel, Dava Shastri is one of the world’s wealthiest women. But when she learns she is dying of brain cancer, she decides to leak news of her death early so that she can read the obituaries from around the world. But once the news is out, secrets from her past are exposed that shake her and her children to their core.The project was sold to HBO Max in what sources describe as a competitive situation.

Joe Otterson TV ReporterThe Jenny Han drama series “The Summer I Turned Pretty” has been renewed for Season 2 at Amazon before Season 1 has even premiered, Variety has learned exclusively.“When I decided to adapt ‘Summer’ for television, I knew we’d need more than one season to honor the story we are telling,” said Han. “To receive a second season pickup ahead of the premiere of Season One is beyond my wildest dreams.

Joe Otterson TV ReporterFX is developing a series based on the life of Hiroaki “Rocky” Aoki, best known as the founder of the Benihana restaurant chain, Variety has learned exclusively from sources.The series is currently titled “American Hiro” and is based in part on the book “Making It in America: The Life and Times of Rocky Aoki” by Jack McCallum.Representatives for FX and 20th Television declined to comment.The series will delve into Aoki’s colorful life as a mogul and businessman, from founding Benihana to being an Olympic wrestler, professional speed boat racer, hot air balloonist, and nightclub impresario. It will also examine his complicated relationship with his family and his attempts to reconcile his Japanese heritage with his American dreams. Jonathan Abrams created the series and will serve as an executive producer.

Joe Otterson TV ReporterCarol Burnett has joined the cast of the Apple comedy series “Mrs. American Pie,” Variety has learned.Burnett joins previously announced series lead Kristen Wiig in the show, along with cast members Allison Janney, Leslie Bibb, Josh Lucas and Ricky Martin.The 10-episode comedy follows Maxine Simmons’ (Wiig) attempt to secure her seat at America’s most exclusive table: Palm Beach high society in the early 1970s. As Maxine attempts to cross that impermeable line between the haves and the have-nots, “Mrs.

Joe Otterson TV ReporterAllison Williams has boarded the upcoming Showtime limited series “Fellow Travelers” alongside Matt Bomer, Variety has learned exclusively.The series was picked up at Showtime back in April with an eight-episode order. It is based on the novel of the same name by Thomas Mallon.The show is described as an epic love story and political thriller, chronicling the volatile romance of two very different men who meet in the shadow of McCarthy-era Washington.

Joe Otterson TV ReporterHulu has ordered a series adaptation of “Tiny Beautiful Things” starring Kathryn Hahn, with Liz Tigelaar writing and Laura Dern and Reese Witherspoon executive producing.Based on Cheryl Strayed’s New York Times bestseller of the same name, the half-hour series is about a woman (Hahn) who reluctantly becomes Dear Sugar — an anonymous, revered advice columnist — when her own life is falling apart.“As we emerge from a pandemic during which stories like those told in ‘Tiny Beautiful Things’ helped us feel a sense of community and camaraderie at a moment we most needed it, this is a prescient story to be able to tell at this moment in time and we’re grateful to be able to tell it,” said · Said Craig Erwich, president of Hulu Originals and ABC Entertainment. “We’re excited to work with Liz, Kathryn, and Cheryl to tell this story, and to reunite with Reese, Liz, and our partners at ABC Signature following our incredible collaboration on ‘Little Fires Everywhere.’” Tigelaar is adapting the book for the screen and will also serve as executive producer and showrunner.

“Twisted Metal,” the streamer announced Wednesday. Arnett, who will also executive produce, joins previously announced series leads Anthony Mackie, Stephanie Beatriz and Thomas Haden Church as well as guest star Neve Campbell. Mackie will also executive produce.

It’s official. Will Arnett will voice the iconic main character Sweet Tooth in Peacock’s Twisted Metal live-action video game adaptation.

Joe Otterson TV ReporterWill Arnett is officially set to voice the iconic character Sweet Tooth in the “Twisted Metal” TV series at Peacock.The character in the show is described as a hilarious and terrifying hulk of a man, who is as emotional as he is cunning. A lover of chaos, this majestic rage-filled killer dons an ever-smiling clown mask and uses “Lost Vegas” as his own personal kill-ground, all while he drives his infamous doomsday ice cream truck.

Joe Otterson TV ReporterDanielle Macdonald has been cast in the Natasha Lyonne-led Peacock series “Poker Face,” which hails from creator Rian Johnson.Macdonald is the latest addition to the growing cast. In addition to Lyonne, previously announced cast members include Joseph Gordon-Levitt, Benjamin Bratt, Stephanie Hsu, and David Castañeda.

Jordan Moreau More Sony video games are getting the TV treatment, as president Jim Ryan revealed in an investor briefing on Thursday that popular PlayStation titles “Horizon Zero Dawn” and “Gran Turismo” are the latest games going Hollywood.The “Horizon Zero Dawn” series, based on the popular video games where robotic dinosaurs roam a post-apocalyptic America, is in development at Netflix, while “Gran Turismo,” a racing series, hasn’t landed a distributor yet.In addition to the new projects, Sony confirmed that the “God of War” series, which was first announced in March as being shopped around to Amazon, has landed at the Prime Video streamer.Sony and PlayStation Productions are ramping up their projects based on their popular video games, which was first kicked off with the “Uncharted” movie starring Tom Holland earlier this year. The next highly anticipated title is the “Last of Us” series coming to HBO, which stars Pedro Pascal and Bella Ramsey as the zombie apocalypse survivors Joel and Ellie.

Joe Otterson TV ReporterNeve Campbell has joined the “Twisted Metal” series adaptation at Peacock.Campbell joins previously announced cast members Anthony Mackie, Stephanie Beatriz, and Thomas Haden Church in the series version of the Playstation video game franchise.More to come…

EXCLUSIVE: Neve Campbell (Scream, The Lincoln Lawyer) has joined the cast of Peacock‘s in a recurring role. Campbell will portray the character of Raven opposite Anthony Mackie, Stephanie Beatriz, and Thomas Haden Church.

Oscar nominee Thomas Haden Church is set as a lead alongside Anthony Mackie and Stephanie Beatriz in Twisted Metal, Peacock’s comedic half-hour live-action adaptation of the popular video game.

Joe Otterson TV ReporterThe “She-Hulk” series at Disney+ is officially set to premiere in August.The 10-episode show, which is now officially titled ““She-Hulk: Attorney at Law,” will bow on the streamer on Aug. 17. Marvel boss Kevin Feige confirmed the news at the Disney upfront presentation in New York on Tuesday alongside series star Tatiana Maslany.

Joe Otterson TV ReporterThe “Washington Black” series at Hulu has cast Billy Boyd, Ntare Guma Mbaho Mwine, and Julian Rhind-Tutt in recurring roles, Variety has learned exclusively.“Washington Black” is adapted from Esi Edugyan’s novel of the same name. The nine-episode series is set in the 19th century and follows Washington “Wash” Black (Ernest Kingsley Jr.) as he flees from a Barbados sugar plantation after a shocking death threatens to upend his life. He becomes the protégé of Medwin Harris (Sterling K.

Joe Otterson TV ReporterEdie Falco has been cast opposite Pete Davidson in the upcoming Peacock comedy series “Bupkis,” Variety has learned.The announcement was made during NBCUniversal’s upfront presentation on Monday. “Bupkis” was picked up straight-to-series at Peacock back in April. The show is described as a heightened, fictionalized version of Davidson’s real life.

Manori Ravindran International EditorA new series of “Black Mirror” is in the works at Netflix, Variety can reveal.It’s been almost three years since Season 5 of the dystopian drama premiered on the streaming service in June 2019, but sources indicate that a new anthology series of “Black Mirror” is shaping up, and casting is now underway.While details about specific stories are being kept under lock and key, Variety understands that Season 6 will have more episodes than Season 5, which comprised of just three instalments and starred Andrew Scott, Anthony Mackie, Yahya Abdul-Mateen II, Topher Grace and Miley Cyrus.A source close to the production tells Variety that the latest season is even more cinematic in scope, with each instalment being treated as an individual film. This is, of course, in line with recent seasons of “Black Mirror,” for which episodes usually exceeded 60 minutes and had incredibly high production values.

Joe Otterson TV ReporterStephanie Beatriz is set to star opposite Anthony Mackie in the “Twisted Metal” series currently in the works at Peacock, Variety has learned.The show was ordered to series at the NBCU streamer back in February. It is an adaptation of the video game series of the same name.In the half-hour show, Mackie will play John Doe, a motor-mouthed outsider who is offered a chance at a better life, but only if he can successfully deliver a mysterious package across a post-apocalyptic wasteland.

Stephanie Beatriz (Encanto, Brooklyn Nine-Nine) will star in Peacock’s , the live-action video game adaptation starring Anthony Mackie.