Ray Fisher is set co-star in ABC’s limited series Women of the Movement, from creator-writer Marissa Jo Cerar and a producing team that includes Jay-Z, Will Smith and Aaron Kaplan.
The six-episode series, set to premiere in 2021, centers on Mamie Till-Mobley (Adrienne Warren), who devoted her life to seeking justice for her son Emmett Till (Cedric Joe), following his brutal killing in the Jim Crow South.
Fisher will play Gene Mobley, the man who would have been Emmett Till’s stepfather, if not for his murder. A devoted partner to Emmett’s mother, Mamie, Gene was considered the love of her life. They later married.
Gina Prince-Bythewood is set to direct the first episode of the limited series, which is assembling a team of directors who are all women of color.
“It is an honor to be joining Women of the Movement’s powerful portrayal of Mamie Till-Mobley’s journey,” Fisher said. “To be in service of her story with so many talented women of color at the helm is truly a privilege. Mrs. Till-Mobley’s actions inspired the fight for fundamental change in our country, and her legacy will continue to serve as a much-needed reminder that a single person can indeed change the world.”
Glynn Turman and Niecy Nash also star.
Women of the Movement is inspired by the book Emmett Till: The Murder That Shocked the World and Propelled the Civil Rights Movement by Devery S. Anderson. Cerar serves as showrunner and executive produces with Jay-Z, Jay Brown and Tyran “Ty Ty” Smith via Roc Nation; Will Smith and James Lassiter for Overbrook; as well as Aaron Kaplan, Dana Honor and Michael Lohmann of Kapital Entertainment. Also executive producing are Prince-Bythewood, Rosanna Grace for Serendipity Film Group; Alex Foster and John Powers Middleton of Middleton Media Group; and David Clark via Mazo Partners. Kapital Entertainment is the studio.
Fisher is best known for his role as ‘Victor Stone/Cyborg’ in Warner Brothers’ DC Cinematic Universe. ‘Cyborg’ is first introduced in Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice and was last seen in Justice League. Fisher this past summer spoke up about alleged misconduct on the set of Justice League by replacement director Joss Whedon and others. It led to an Warner Bros. investigation, which resulted in “remedial action.”
In TV, Fisher co-starred in the third installment of HBO’s anthology series True Detective opposite Mahershala Ali. On stage, Fisher is known for his portrayal of Muhammed Ali in the Off-Broadway production, Fetch Clay, Make Man from Tony-winning director, Des McAnuff. Fisher is repped by Paradigm and Management 360.
Source: Deadline
Jennifer Lopez is teaming with Netflix to mount a film adaptation of the bestselling book “The Cipher.”
Lopez will produce and star in the feature vehicle, written by Isabella Maldonado. Lopez will play FBI agent Nina Guerrera, who finds herself drawn into a serial killer’s case after he strategically posts complex codes and riddles online. The codes correspond to recent murders, designed to lure her into a cat-and-mouse chase.
The streamer optioned the book for Lopez and producing partners Elaine Goldsmith-Thomas and Benny Medina. Liza Fleissig, Ginger Harris-Dontzin, Catherine Hagedorn and Maldonado will executive produce. Courtney Baxter will serve as associate producer.
Lopez is represented by CAA, The Medina Co., and Hirsch Wallerstein Hayum Matlof and Fishman. Maldonado is represented by CAA, and Liza Fleissig and Ginger Harris-Dontzin of the Liza Royce Agency.
Lopez has a slew of movies in the pipeline, including: “Marry Me” from Universal Pictures, the tale of a pop star who spontaneously weds a fan during an arena performance; “The Godmother,” a look at the rise and fall of the late drug lord Griselda Blanco from director Reed Morano at STX; and “Shotgun Wedding,” about a couple whose destination wedding is highjacked by criminals, co-starring Armie Hammer and distributed by Lionsgate.
She’ll also serve as the headline performer for the 2020 edition of “Dick Clark’s New Year’s Rockin’ Eve.”
Source: Variety
Samuel L. Jackson is set to star in the limited series “The Last Days of Ptolemy Grey” at Apple.
The six-episode series is based on the novel of the same name by Walter Mosley, who will adapt the book for the screen. Jackson stars as the titular Ptolemy Grey, a 91 year old man forgotten by his family, by his friends, by even himself. On the brink of sinking even deeper into a lonely dementia, Ptolemy experiences a seismic shift when he’s given the tremendous opportunity to briefly regain his memories, and uses this precious and fleeting lucidity to solve his nephew’s death and come to terms with his past.
Jackson and Mosley will both executive produce the series, along with David Levine and Eli Selden of Anonymous Content and Diane Houslin. Apple Studios will produce.
Jackson previously partnered with Apple on the release of the film “The Banker,” in which he starred opposite Anthony Mackie. This also marks the second series starring role Jackson has signed onto in his career. It was reported in September that Jackson would reprise the role of Nick Fury in a new series for Disney Plus, which was confirmed to be based on the “Secret Invasion” comics during Disney Investors Day.
Jackson is repped by ICM, Anonymous Content, and Jackoway Austen Tyerman.
Mosley is the author of over sixty books and was recently awarded the National Book Award’s Medal for Distinguished Contribution to American Letters. His work has previously been adapted into television and film, including the 1995 feature “Devil in a Blue Dress” starring Denzel Washington. He has also written for shows like “Snowfall” at FX.
Source: Variety
Some of the darndest things are happening in the television world of late.
CBS has announced that it has picked up the revival of “Kids Say the Darndest Things,” which ABC canceled earlier this year, for a second season. Tiffany Haddish will return to serve as host and executive producer.
News of the pickup comes around seven months after ABC gave the series the chop. It also represents a return to the show’s original home, as CBS aired the Bill Cosby-hosted version from 1998 to 2000.
Hailing from CBS Studios and Anvil 1893 Entertainment, the new edition will debut sometime in the 2020-21 broadcast season, with a precise premiere date yet to be announced at a later date. Casting is already underway, per CBS.
“Few things have more universal appeal and humor than the unfiltered honesty of a child, and the comedic genius of Tiffany Haddish takes that to the next level. It’s great to have ‘Kids Say’ back on CBS and part of our expanding alternative slate for 2021,” said Mitch Graham, senior vice president of alternative programming at CBS Entertainment.
The reimagined unscripted series sees Haddish interact with real kids from across the country in an unpredictable and hilarious way. The kids in question are all unrehearsed and have no filters as they share their opinions about the world the way they see it.
“I see my role as giving kids a safe environment where they can say anything they want with complete freedom and no judgement. What I love about this show is that we let kids truly be themselves. I’m the straight man here, and that’s fine with me,” added Haddish.
“Kids Say the Darndest Things” is produced in association with She Ready Productions. Eric Schotz, Bellamie Blackstone and Ruth Rivin executive produce alongside Haddish.
Haddish is represented by UTA, Ziffren Brittenham and Kovert Creative. Anvil 1893 Entertainment is repped by UTA.
Source: Variety
Let’s Make a Deal host Wayne Brady is set to topline an autobiographical hybrid comedy, which is in development at CBS.
Brady is collaborating on the project with his ex-wife, Mandie Taketa, as well as veteran Will & Grace writer-producers Tracy Poust and Jon Kinnally.
I hear the untitled comedy written and executive produced by the quartet is about a divorced couple who successfully co-parent in a blended multiracial family. CBS Studios is the studio.
In an interview with Access Hollywood, Brady spoke how his personal experience being part of a blended family during the pandemic helped shape the idea for the series.
He said that he has been spending a lot of time with his ex-wife, her boyfriend and their daughter while in quarantine. “It’s been natural for us. We didn’t need a quarantine to do this, we’ve been doing it for Maile’s whole life,” Brady said. “Now we have a sitcom that we are working on with our friends who were the showrunners over at Will & Grace, Tracy and Jon. We’re writing a script about our life as a blended family, we call ourselves the ‘core four.’”
Longtime friends Kinnally and Poust first began to work together in the mid-1990s in New York when they did a live, weekly soap opera show at an East Village club. They started writing some of their own material and soon formed a small comedy sketch group. In 1997, they reunited in Los Angeles, where they worked odd jobs while doing sketch comedy at the Arcade Theater and writing sitcom spec scripts. In 1998, one of their specs found its way to David Kohan and Max Mutchnick, creators/executive producers of then-newly picked-up series Will & Grace. Kinnally and Poust – a gay man and a straight woman in real life, just like the title characters on the NBC sitcom – were offered staff writing jobs and went on to work on Will & Grace for the show’s entire eight-year original run, rising to executive producers/showrunners on the final two seasons. The two also returned for the Will & Grace revival on NBC as executive producers. Kinnally and Poust’s series credits also include 2 Broke Girls and The Crazy Ones.
Brady hosts CBS’ daytime game show Let’s Make a Deal, which will air a primetime special Dec. 22. As an actor, he recently did stints on CBS’ The Bold and the Beautiful and The Neighborhood, the CW’s Black Lightning and ABC’s Mixed-ish.
Source: Deadline
Thirty-two years after Eddie Murphy and Arsenio Hall became movie royalty in Coming to America, Prince Akeem and his trusty friend Semmi are reuniting in the first look at Coming 2 America, which arrives March 5, 2021 on Amazon Prime Video.
Set in the lush and royal country of Zamunda, newly-crowned King Akeem (Eddie Murphy) and his trusted confidante Semmi(Arsenio Hall) embark on an all-new hilarious adventure that has them traversing the globe from their great African nation to the borough of Queens, New York – where it all began.
Directed by Craig Brewer
Screenplay by Kenya Barris and Barry W. Blaustein & David Sheffield
Story by Barry W. Blaustein & David Sheffield and Justin Kanew
Based on characters created by Eddie Murphy
Produced by Kevin Misher and Eddie Murphy
Costumes by Ruth E. Carter
Executive Produced by Brian Oliver, Bradley Fischer, Valerii An, Kenya Barris, Charisse Hewitt-Webster, Michele Imperato Stabile and Andy Berman
Starring Eddie Murphy, Arsenio Hall, Jermaine Fowler, Leslie Jones, Tracy Morgan, KiKi Layne, Shari Headley, with Wesley Snipes and James Earl Jones. Also starring John Amos, Teyana Taylor, Vanessa Bell Calloway, Paul Bates, Nomzamo Mbatha, Bella Murphy
Eddie Murphy and Shari Headley star in COMING 2 AMERICA
Photo Courtesy of Amazon Studios
Will Packer Productions and Universal are developing a comedy feature, Hot Mess, which will be toplined by British comedian and actress London Hughes. The film is based on a pitch by Hughes and screenwriter Noushin Jahanian, who will pen the screenplay.
Will Packer and James Lopez will produce through Will Packer Productions with Johanna Byer serving as executive producer. Erik Baiers will oversee the project on behalf of Universal.
Hughes is gearing up for the release of her Netflix special To Catch a D*ck, which debuts on December 22. She was recently announced as one of the hosts of The Netflix Afterparty, a weekly comedy aftershow, along with David Spade and Fortune Feimster, as well as a guest-star on the forthcoming History of Swear Words series hosted by Nicolas Cage.
“After witnessing London’s first performance of her one-woman show in the States I knew I had to be in business with her,” said Lopez. “We are thrilled to be working with London and Noushin on this project and look forward to audiences experiencing their edgy brand of humor.”
Said Hughes, “Will Packer and James Lopez are my LA Fairy God-Dudes! James was one of the first executives I met when I got to the States and he immediately believed in me. I’m beyond excited for the world to see what we’ve been up to.”
Hughes is repped by UTA, Haven, Curtis Brown, and Ziffren Brittenham. Jahanian is with Kaplan/Perrone.
Source: Deadline
Issa Rae is jumping into yet another TV project, this time with Adam McKay.
According to Variety, Rae and McKay are adapting the Serial Productions five-part podcast Nice White Parents into an HBO TV series. The series currently has a pilot commitment and is in the process of hiring a showrunner.
The series will take “a satirical look at the conflict and comedy that arise when highly resourced white parents, who claim to have the best intentions, wield their influence over generations of Black and Brown students within the NY public school system.”
Rae will executive produce via her new HooRae production company with Montrel McKay. HooRae’s Sara Rastogi will also produce.
Adam McKay and Todd Schulman will also executive produce through Hyperobject Industries. Also executive producing are Serial Productions’ Sarah Koenig, Chana Joffe-Walt, Julie Snyder and Alissa Shipp, as well as 3 Arts Entertainment’s Dave Becky and Jonathan Berry.
Source: Variety
HBO Max is honoring a request by Dave Chappelle to remove “Chappelle’s Show” from the streaming service at the end of this year.
Casey Bloys, chief content officer of HBO and HBO Max, made the revelation during the keynote conversation on day one of Variety’s Virtual FYCFest.
“We had a conversation with Dave. I won’t get into it, but it’s very clear that it’s a very unique and specific and emotional issue he’s got,” Bloys told Variety‘s executive editor of TV, Daniel Holloway. “So at the end of the year, at the end of this year, December 31st, we’re going to honor his request and take the show down.”
Chappelle previously got Netflix to take the show which bears his name down as well. In a lengthy video of one of his standup sets posted to Instagram, Chappelle explained that due to the nature of the deal he signed years ago when the show was made, he does not receive any compensation when ViacomCBS licenses it to streamers like HBO Max or Netflix.
“They (ViacomCBS) didn’t have to pay me because I signed the contract,” Chappelle said in the video. “But is that right? I found out that these people were streaming my work and they never had to ask me or they never have to tell me. Perfectly legal ‘cause I signed the contract. But is that right? I didn’t think so either.”
In the same video, Chappelle told the story of how HBO rejected his pitch for the show when he brought it to them before Comedy Central.
“They said, literally, ‘What do we need you for?’ That’s what they told me as they kicked me out of the office, ‘What do we need you for?’” he said. “And here we are all these years later and they’re streaming the very show I was pitching to them. So I’m asking them, what do you need me for?”
Source: Variety
The potential “Empire” spinoff centered on Cookie Lyon starring Taraji P. Henson is not moving ahead at Fox, Variety has learned.
The spinoff was first announced as being in development back in July, part of a first-look deal Henson had signed with studio 20th Television. Details on the series were sparse at the time it was announced except to say it would “follow what’s next for Cookie” following the series finale of “Empire.” According to an individual with knowledge of the situation, the project will be shopped to other outlets.
“Empire” co-creator Danny Strong was attached to write the series alongside Stacy A. Littlejohn and Yolonda Lawrence, with Sanaa Hamri on board to direct. Lee Daniels served as an executive producer alongside Imagine Entertainment’s Brian Grazer and Samie Falvey. Henson was also an executive producer on the project. 20th Television and Imagine Entertainment would produce.
Both Strong and Henson have other projects in the works at 20th TV. Strong is currently prepping the drama “Dopesick” for Hulu, while Henson has other TV projects in development.
One potential hiccup for the project was the fact that when it launched, 20th Television and Fox were part of the same company. Since then, 20th Television has been acquired by Disney and retains ownership of the show, while Fox Entertainment has no stake in it.
Henson skyrocketed to fame when “Empire” proved to be a breakout hit for Fox when it originally launched in 2015 to critical acclaim and massive ratings. The role ultimately earned her two Emmy nominations and a Golden Globe win for best actress in a drama series. “Empire” ended up running for six seasons on the broadcaster. The final episodes aired earlier this year, with the sixth and final season having been cut short due to the pandemic shutting down production.
Already an accomplished actress long before “Empire,” Henson’s star has only risen since the show debuted. She recently starred in the Oscar-nominated film “Hidden Figures” and previously starred in hits like “The Curious Case of Benjamin Button,” “Hustle & Flow,” and “Think Like a Man.” She earned an Academy Award nomination for best supporting actress for her role in “Benjamin Button.”
Source: Variety