‘Why Women Kill’ Canceled at Paramount+ Despite Season 3 Renewal (EXCLUSIVE)

Joe Otterson TV ReporterAtsuko Okatsuka has lined up her first comedy special, which will air on HBO and HBO Max, Variety has learned exclusively.The special will tape this fall. The news comes just over a month after Okatsuka was named one of Variety‘s 10 Comics to Watch. She is a writer, actor, and stand up comedian currently based in Los Angeles.”I’m so excited to work with HBO on what my family calls ‘an hour of you talking funny,'” Okatsuka said.

Joe Otterson TV Reporter“Bridgerton” Season 3 has brought on three new cast members as production on the next installment of the Netflix period drama gets underway.Daniel Francis, Sam Phillips, and James Phoon have all signed on for the new season, which will focus on the love story of Penelope Featherington (Nicola Coughlan) and Colin Bridgerton (Luke Newton).Francis (“Stay Close”) plays Marcus Anderson, described as a charismatic presence who lights up any room he enters, attracting the notice of certain matriarchs in the ton — and the ire of others.Phillips (“The Crown”) plays Lord Debling. A genial lord with unusual interests, he has wealth and a noble title to back up his eccentricities.

J. Kim Murphy Paramount has announced a few updates to its release calendar, delaying upcoming projects like its “A Quiet Place” entry and the John Krasinski-directed “If” by a few months.“A Quiet Place: Day One,” which had previously been untitled, will hit theaters on March 8, 2024. The Michael Sarnoski-directed horror film had been set to bow on Sept.

Joe Otterson TV ReporterHugh Jackman has joined the voice cast of the upcoming Hulu adult animated comedy series “Koala Man,” Variety has learned.The series — which was ordered at Hulu in March 2021 — was created by Michael Cusack, who also voices the title character. The show follows Kevin (Cusack) and his not-so-secret identity, whose only superpower is a burning passion for following rules and snuffing out petty crime in the town of Dapto. Though it may seem like any other Australian suburb, forces of evil both cosmic and man-made lie in wait to pounce on unsuspecting Daptonians.

Joe Otterson TV Reporter“Dr. Death” has been renewed for Season 2 at Peacock, Variety has learned. But while the first season focused on the case of Dr.

Joe Otterson TV ReporterThe changes continue to come at Warner Bros. Discovery. Variety has learned exclusively that the newly merged company is planning to sell off its office complex in Knoxville, Tenn.The announcement came from WBD CFO Gunnar Wiedenfels in a memo to the company’s staff obtained by Variety.

Joe Otterson TV Reporter“The Time Traveler’s Wife” has been canceled after one season at HBO, Variety has confirmed.The series was based on the book of the same name by Audrey Niffenegger. The six-episode first and only season debuted on HBO in May with the finale airing on June 19.“Though HBO will not be moving forward with a second season of ‘The Time Traveler’s Wife,’ it was our privilege to partner with master storytellers Steven Moffat and David Nutter,” an HBO spokesperson said in a statement.

Joe Otterson TV ReporterMichaela Coel, John Turturro, and Paul Dano are set to star in the “Mr. and Mrs.

Joe Otterson TV ReporterShowtime’s comedy pilot based on the 1999 film “The Wood” has set its main cast, Variety has learned exclusively.Vince Staples, Xavier Mills, Karen Obilom, Melvin Gregg, and Essence Renae will star in the pilot, with Richard T. Jones and Tamala Jones set to reprise their roles as Slim and Tanya respectively from the film.Rick Famuyiwa, who wrote and directed the film, will direct and executive produce the pilot.

Joe Otterson TV Reporter“Power Book IV: Force” Season 2 at Starz has added four new cast members, Variety has learned exclusively.Carmela Zumbado (“Chicago PD”), Miriam Hyman (“The Chi,” “The Laundromat”), Manuel Eduardo Ramierz (“Snowfall,” “Queen of the South”), and Adrienne Walker (“Law &. Order: Organized Crime”) will all join the new season of the show as series regulars.“Power Book IV: Force” follows fan-favorite “Power” character Tommy Egan (Joseph Sikora) after he leaves New York following the original series finale. But what was supposed to be a quick stop in Chicago quickly spirals into Tommy being pulled into the city’s drug game.

Joe Otterson TV ReporterThe Jason Momoa-led Apple series “See” will conclude with its upcoming third season.The announcement was made with the release of the Season 3 teaser trailer and premiere date. The eight-episode final season of the show will debut its first episode on Aug.

Joe Otterson TV ReporterTaylor Sheridan is stepping in as showrunner on his Paramount+ series “Lioness,” Variety has learned exclusively.Thomas Brady (“NOS4A2,” “Hell on Wheels”) was originally attached as showrunner and was present throughout the show’s writers’ room. But once the writers’ room wrapped, sources say creative differences led to the producers and Brady agreeing to part ways. Production on the show is slated to begin in September.Sheridan created “Lioness” under his expansive overall deal with Paramount.

Joe Otterson TV ReporterThe “Fallout” TV series adaptation at Amazon has added Kyle MacLachlan, Xelia Mendes-Jones, and Aaron Moten to its cast as series regulars, Variety has learned exclusively.The trio join previously announced cast members Ella Purnell and Walton Goggins in the series version of the popular video game franchise. As with past casting announcements, exact details on who the new additions will be playing are being kept under wraps.Like the video games on which it is based, the “Fallout” series is set in a world where the future envisioned by Americans in the late 1940s explodes upon itself through a nuclear war in 2077.MacLachlan is an iconic actor of the big and small screen, known for his work with David Lynch in projects like “Twin Peaks” (both the original and the Showtime revival), “Dune,” and “Blue Velvet.” On TV, he is also known for playing the mayor of Portland in the comedy series “Portlandia” and recently appeared in the Peacock limited series “Joe vs.

Joe Otterson TV ReporterMelissa Benoist and her Three Things Productions banner have renewed their overall deal with Warner Bros. Television.In addition, Benoist has officially signed on to star in and produce the upcoming HBO Max-WBTV series “The Girls on the Bus.” She was first reported as being in talks for the series back in February.Under the terms of the overall deal, Benoist and Three Things will continue to develop and produce programming across all platforms for WBTV. Benoist runs three things with Sahar Kashi, the company’s vice president of development.“The Girls on the Bus” is inspired by a chapter in Amy Chozick’s book “Chasing Hillary.” Benoist will play Sadie McCarthy, a journalist who romanticizes the original “Boys on the Bus” and who scrapped her whole life for her own shot at covering a presidential campaign for the paper of record.

Joe Otterson TV Reporter“The Old Man” has been renewed for Season 2 at FX.The drama series debuted on FX on June 16. The first season will consist of seven episodes total with the fourth set to air on June 30 before becoming available to stream on Hulu.Based on the novel of the same name by Thomas Perry, centers on Dan Chase (Jeff Bridges), who absconded from the CIA decades ago and has been living off the grid since. When an assassin arrives and tries to take Chase out, the old operative learns that to ensure his future he now must reconcile his past.The series also stars John Lithgow as Harold Harper, the FBI’s Assistant Director for Counterintelligence, as well as Alia Shawkat as Angela Adams, Harper’s protégé.

Joe Otterson TV ReporterKristen Johnson has joined “The Righteous Gemstones” Season 3 at HBO in a recurring role, Variety has learned exclusively.Johnston joins previously announced new Season 3 cast member Steve Zahn in the comedy series. Johnston will play May-May Montgomery, who is said to have a history with the Gemstone family.

Joe Otterson TV ReporterPoppy Liu has been cast in a guest star role in the upcoming Disney+ series “American Born Chinese,” Variety has learned exclusively.Based on the graphic novel of the same name by Gene Luen Yang, the series follows Jin Wang (Ben Wang), a teenager juggling his high school social life with his immigrant home life. When Jin meets foreign exchange student Wei-Chen (Jim Liu) on the first day of school, their worlds collide as Jin becomes entangled in a battle of Chinese mythological gods.

Joe Otterson TV ReporterDavid Oyelowo is set to star in a dramedy series that is nearing a pickup order at Apple, Variety has learned exclusively.The show is titled “Government Cheese” and is based on the short film of the same name made by Paul Hunter. Hunter serves as co-creator on the series version with Aeysha Carr (“Brooklyn Nine-Nine,” “The Carmichael Show”).“Government Cheese” follows Hampton Chambers (Oyelowo), a man recently released from prison who struggles to keep his criminal past at bay and win back his family, all while processing moments of divine intervention that seem to happen with increasing frequency.Hunter and Oyelowo originally brought the short film to MACRO and Apple, which will serve as co-studios on the series.