‘Unplanned In Akron’ Comedy From Schuyler Helford & Picturestart Lands CBS Pilot Order

Skylar Astin, coming off his starring role on Zoey’s Extraordinary Playlist, has been tapped as the male lead opposite Geena Davis in CBS’ mother-and-son legal drama pilot from writer/executive producer Scott Prendergast and executive producer Phil McGraw.

Brent Lang Executive Editor of Film and MediaWhen Christopher Nolan was shopping for a studio for “Oppenheimer,” his look at the creation of the atomic bomb, Donna Langley sprang into action. The Universal Filmed Entertainment Group chairman believes that Nolan, along with Steven Spielberg and Jordan Peele, is one of the few filmmakers whose name above the title demands that audience will pay attention.

In the first five minutes of his conversation with Universal Film Entertainment Group Chairman Donna Langley today at SXSW, CNN’s Frank Pallotta got to the aorta of what anyone in Hollywood wants to know from the studio boss: what’s the situation on theatrical-day-and-date, the state of moviegoing and whether the pandemic truly messed the business up.

EXCLUSIVE: Diane Farr (Splitting Up Together), Jordan Calloway (Black Lightning), Stephanie Arcila (Penny Dreadful: City of Angels) and Jules Latimer (Guilty Party) are set as series regulars opposite Max Thieriot in CBS’ drama pilot Cal Fire, from Jerry Bruckheimer Television and CBS Studios. They join previously announced series regulars Billy Burke and Kevin Alejandro.

Career Opportunities in Murder and Mayhem has scored a ten-episode series order at Hulu.

EXCLUSIVE: Billy Burke (Maid) and Kevin Alejandro (Lucifer) have been tapped as leads opposite Max Thieriot in CBS’ drama pilot Cal Fire,fromJerry Bruckheimer Television and CBS Studios.

Jennifer Maas TV Business Writer“Call Me Kat” actress Schuyler Helford’s teen-parenting comedy “Unplanned in Akron” has received a pilot order at CBS.Written by Helford with Emily Wilson (“The Conners”) supervising, the multi-cam project follows two teenagers navigating parenthood in the best way they know how. With a little help from their friends and parents, they’ll learn that mistakes in life don’t have to derail your life – that no matter what age you are, taking care of a child is no joke – but sometimes, you just gotta laugh (or cry) your way through it.Helford is co-executive producing the potential series.

EXCLUSIVE: Matt Schuler, who has produced stand-up comedy specials including Netflix’s Ronny Chieng: Asian Comedian Destroys America and Michael Che Matters, has joined 800 Pound Gorilla Media to head up a new production arm.

Coronation Street star Tina O'Brien was beaming with pride today as she announced her daughter had landed a TV role.

CBS is going back into the vault for one of its latest comedy pilots.

Political comedy prince Bill Maher will be featured in a new, one-hour HBO comedy special, #Adulting, which will air sometime this spring, exact date TBA. It will debut on the network and will stream on HBO Max.

Sasha Urban editorBill Maher has a new HBO comedy special on the way. Slated for release this spring, “#Adulting” will mark Maher’s 12th special with the network and is scheduled to be taped on March 4 and 5 at the Fillmore Theater in Miami.Maher’s first HBO special dates back to 1989, and he’s since starred in the hour-long presentations “Bill Maher: Live From Oklahoma,” “Bill Maher: Live from D.C.,” “Bill Maher… But I’m Not Wrong,” “Victory Begins at Home,” “Be More Cynical,” “The Golden Goose Special,” “Stuff That Struck Me Funny” and the Emmy-nominated comedy specials “The Decider” and “I’m Swiss.” He also appeared in two half-hour stand-up specials as well as the specials “30 Seconds Over Washington” and “Comic Relief VI.” Maher is best known for hosting the talk show “Real Time with Bill Maher” on HBO, which is currently in its 20th season.

CBS is moving on to its comedy pilots.

Former Flight of the Conchords and What We Do In The Shadows collaborators Rhys Darby and Taika Waititi set sail for the high seas and charter a return to the mockumentary in HBO Max’s Our Flag Means Death.

It’s a busy morning of pilot pickups at ABC.

Joe Otterson TV ReporterABC has ordered a drama pilot from Kay Oyegun.In the untitled one-hour series, five therapists in Philadelphia find unique ways to solve problems in their patients’ lives while grappling with their own. Ellen Roman, the owner of the practice and a brilliant therapist, has her life shockingly turned upside down when she begins working with a sociopathic patient who may hold the key to the disappearance of her sister five years earlier.Oyegun will serve as the writer and executive producer on the pilot.

ABC has ordered a drama pilot about a group of therapists in Philadelphia from This Is Us writer/director Kay Oyegun.

Jamie-Lynn Sigler reprised her role as Meadow Soprano in a very nostalgic Chevrolet ad. The actress, who played the character from 1999-2007 cruised down the New Jersey Turnpike in the first-ever all electric Silverado as the series theme song “Woke Up This Morning” by Alabama 3 plays.  After taking the same path from Manhattan to New Jersey as on-screen dad, Tony Soprano (James Gandolfini), the commercial takes another twist as Sigler is reunited with Robert Iler, who played her on-screen brother, A.J.

Jamie-Lynn Sigler reprised her role as Meadow Soprano in a very nostalgic Chevrolet ad. The actress, who played the character from 1999-2007 cruised down the New Jersey Turnpike in the first-ever all electric Silverado as the series theme song “Woke Up This Morning” by Alabama 3 plays.  After taking the same path from Manhattan to New Jersey as on-screen dad, Tony Soprano (James Gandolfini), the commercial takes another twist as Sigler is reunited with Robert Iler, who played her on-screen brother, A.J.

The Sopranos, which ran from 1999-2007, but no time like the present, right? The actor revisited the iconic series in a new Super Bowl ad for Chevrolet's electric 2024 Silverado EV, which aired on Sunday, February 13. The commercial was a modern recreation of the show' s opening credit sequence, which involved Tony Soprano (played by James Gandolfini) driving from Manhattan to New Jersey in a Chevy Suburban.This time, was behind the wheel. At the end of the spot, she's seen reuniting with her Sopranos costar Robert Iler, who played A.J.