‘Westing Game’ Series Adaptation in the Works at HBO Max

Joe Otterson TV ReporterSamuel L. Jackson is set to reprise the role of Nick Fury in a new Marvel series currently in development at Disney Plus, Variety has learned exclusively from sources.The exact plot details of the show are being kept under wraps, but multiple sources say Jackson is attached to star with Kyle Bradstreet attached to write and executive produce.

Joe Otterson TV ReporterDemi Moore is attached to star in a series adaptation of the QCode podcast “Dirty Diana” that is currently in development at Amazon.The erotic drama podcast debuted in August, with Moore lending her famous voice to the leading role.

Joe Otterson TV ReporterHBO Max has given a straight-to-series order for “Peacemaker,” a spinoff from the upcoming “Suicide Squad” film. John Cena will play the title role, reprising his role from the film.

Joe Otterson TV ReporterPatricia Arquette and Ben Stiller are set to collaborate once again on half-hour comedy series that has been ordered at Apple.Titled “High Desert,” the show follows Peggy (Arquette), a former addict, who decides to make a new start after the death of her beloved mother with whom she lived in the small desert town of Yucca Valley, California, and makes a life-changing decision to become a private investigator.The series is written by Nancy Fichman, Katie Ford, and

Joe Otterson TV ReporterNatasha Lyonne and Alia Shawkat are developing a half-hour series at Amazon, Variety has learned exclusively.Titled “Desert People,” the series follows a family of Iraqi immigrants who run a gentleman’s club in Palm Springs. Shawkat will star as the parents’ adult daughter in LA who is coming to terms with her sexuality and identity as a first generation American.Shawkat and Lyonne co-created the series.

Joe Otterson TV Reporter“Harley Quinn” has been renewed for a third season at HBO Max rather than DC Universe.The news comes as Warner Bros. officially announced Friday that DC Universe will no longer be home to scripted original series and will instead transition to solely a comic book subscription service called DC Universe Infinite.“Harley Quinn” is an adult animated series starring Kaley Cuoco as the DC anti-heroine.

Joe Otterson TV ReporterTatiana Maslany is near a deal to play the lead role of the upcoming “She-Hulk” series at Disney Plus, Variety has learned from sources.The series centers on Jennifer Walters (Maslany), cousin of Bruce Banner who inherits his Hulk powers after she receives a blood transfusion from him. Unlike Bruce, however, when she hulks out, Jennifer is able to retain most of her personality, intelligence, and emotional control.Reps for Maslany declined to comment.

Joe Otterson TV Reporter“Raised by Wolves” has been renewed for a second season at HBO Max. The news comes two weeks after the drama series debuted on the streaming service.Aaron Guzikowski created the series and serves as executive producer. Ridley Scott also executive produces via Scott Free Productions in addition to directing the first two episodes, marking his television directorial debut.

Joe Otterson TV ReporterHBO Max has given a series order to the period comedy “Our Flag Means Death,” Variety has learned.The series hails from writer, showrunner, and executive producer David Jenkins. Taika Waititi will also executive produce and direct the pilot.

Joe Otterson TV ReporterCurtis “50 Cent” Jackson is adding to his already deep roster of shows at Starz, with the premium cabler developing two new shows on which Jackson will serve as executive producer under his rich Starz overall deal. Both shows will be produced by Jackson’s G-Unit Film & Television.The first series is an untitled drama inspired by the life of sports agent and attorney Nicole Lynn.

Joe Otterson TV ReporterThe scripted series about “Tiger King’s” Joe Exotic starring Nicolas Cage has been set up at Amazon for development, Variety has learned.Variety exclusively reported the project was in the works from CBS Television Studios and Imagine Television in May.

Joe Otterson TV ReporterSilk could soon be the next Marvel character to get her own TV series, Variety has learned from sources.Variety has learned that Sony, which controls the rights to the Spider-Man universe, is developing a live-action series centered on Silk. Lauren Moon is in talks to write.

Joe Otterson TV ReporterNetflix has ordered a comedy series starring Jamie Foxx titled “Dad Stop Embarrassing Me,” Variety has learned.The multi-camera series is inspired by Foxx’s relationship with his daughter, Corinne Foxx. The series will also star David Alan Grier, Kyla-Drew, Porscha Coleman, and Jonathan Kite.

Joe Otterson TV ReporterEmma Roberts and her Belletrist TV banner have signed a first-look TV deal with Hulu.The deal will focus on literary adaptations, as Belletrist was originally founded by Roberts and Karah Preiss as a book club.

Joe Otterson TV ReporterJohn Ridley and Carlton Cuse are set to adapt Sheri Fink’s novel “Five Days at Memorial” for Apple as a limited series, Variety has learned.The book chronicles the first five days in a New Orleans, LA, hospital after Hurricane Katrina made landfall.

Joe Otterson TV ReporterNetflix has ordered a drama series based on the award-winning Chinese book series “The Three-Body Problem” with David Benioff, D.B. Weiss, and Alexander Woo set to write and executive produce.The series order covers all three books in the trilogy — “The Three-Body Problem,” “The Dark Forest,” and “Death’s End,” all of which were written by Liu Cixin.

Joe Otterson TV ReporterAmazon is developing a series about human rights lawyer Jared Genser with Orlando Bloom attached to executive produce, Variety has learned.The untitled series is inspired by Genser and his firm. He and his team work to free prisoners of conscience (Human Rights prisoners) in high-risk areas throughout the world’s most difficult Hot Zones.

Joe Otterson TV ReporterThe cast of “The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air” is reuniting at HBO Max to celebrate the show’s 30th anniversary.Series star Will Smith and series regulars Tatyana Ali, Karyn Parsons, Joseph Marcell, Daphne Maxwell Reid, and Alfonso Ribeiro will all be part of the special, as will DJ Jazzy Jeff. It is set to tape on Sept.

Joe Otterson TV ReporterAn animated “X-Files” comedy series is in the works at Fox, Variety has confirmed.The project is currently titled “The X-Files: Albuquerque.” It has received a script and presentation commitment at the broadcaster. The show would revolve around an office full of misfit agents who investigate X-Files cases too wacky, ridiculous or downright dopey for Mulder and Scully to bother with.

Joe Otterson TV ReporterABC has given a series order to the limited anthology series “Women of the Movement,” which will tell the story of key female figures in the Civil Rights Movement.The show was first announced as being in development in August 2019. The first six-episode season is slated to debut in 2021.