MacFarlane is behind Fox's 'The Orville,' one of the hits of the fall TV season.
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Luc Besson, Jean Dujardin Team for TV's Latest James Patterson Adaptation
The French duo are set to film a pilot, based on Patterson’s Luc Moncrief mysteries, for ABC.
Prolific novelist James Patterson may soon have another TV adaptation on his hands. French filmmaker Luc Besson and Oscar-winning actor Jean Dujardin are teaming to make a potential ABC series out of Patterson's Luc Moncrief books.
Dubbed The French Detective, the drama would follow the titular Parisian detective (turned NYPD officer) who appears in the Patterson books French Kiss, The Christmas Mystery and French Twist. The project is being described as a "light" and "sexy" procedural.
A put pilot commitment makes this Besson's TV directorial debut. The filmmaker is best known for the French works Subway, The Big Blue and Nikita, as well as the 1997 action film The Fifth Element. His latest feature effort, Valerian and the City of a Thousand Planets, suffered at the 2017 box office.
The French Detective is also a stateside first for Dujardin. He has never had an American TV role, and his U.S. film efforts have been outweighed by his French ones since he won the best actor Oscar for his work in the 2011 silent film The Artist.
The project hails from Besson's EuropaCorp TV Studios and James Patterson Entertainment. It is being developed and executive produced by Bill Collage, Jonathan Collier and Adam Cooper. Besson, Patterson, Leopoldo Gout and Bill Robinson are also counted as exec producers.
Patterson has had no shortage of TV projects of late. Though CBS recently canceled Zoo after three seasons, Patterson's hot collaboration with former President Bill Clinton just sold to Showtime.
Dujardin and James Patterson Entertainment are both repped by CAA.
Watch the fallen Heroes, Healers and Hustlers battle it out over one final taste of 'Survivor.'
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'Fear the Walking Dead' Enlists Garret Dillahunt as Season 4 Regular
The actor and franchise superfan previously lobbied to play Negan on AMC's flagship series 'The Walking Dead.'
AMC's Fear the Walking Dead is bringing in a superfan for season four.
Garret Dillahunt has joined the cast of Robert Kirkman's prequel series as a regular for its forthcoming season. Details of the actor's role are being kept under wraps.
Dillahunt, whose credits include Hulu's The Mindy Project, Fox's X-Men show The Gifted, TBS anthology The Guest Book, Amazon's Hand of God and Fox's Raising Hope, is a diehard Walking Dead fan. The actor campaigned in November 2015 to land the role of thevillain Negan on the flagship series. (The part went to Jeffrey Dean Morgan.) "If not Negan, then something else someday," Dillahunt wrote at the time.
Dillahunt joins Fear the Walking Dead at a turning point in its evolution. Showrunner Dave Erickson, who developed the series with Walking Dead creator Kirkman, exited the show after the season three finale. Andrew Chambliss and Ian Goldberg (Once Upon a Time) will take over as showrunners for season four, with Walking Dead boss Scott M. Gimple also joining the spinoff as an executive producer.
Sources say Fear the Walking Dead is also moving its filming location to Texas — a move that was set up in the finale's narrative as a new villain (Ray McKinnon) set sail for "what's left of Houston" with Alicia (co-star Alycia Debnam-Carey). That also opened the door for the upcoming crossover with the flagship drama, as speculation swirls that Michael Cudlitz could reprise his role as Abraham. (The character, killed off of the original series in season seven, would still be living in Houston with his wife, son and daughter during Fear's timeline.)
Dillahunt joins Fear the Walking Dead as the series looks to repopulate its ranks after a third season that killed off Cliff Curtis' male lead Travis Manawa as well as Mercedes Mason's Ofelia Salazar. Season three ended with the fate of nearly everyone on the show — save for star Kim Dickens' Madison — up in the air after a big explosion.
Dillahunt is repped by UTA and D2 Management.
Fear the Walking DeadRead the full article – Hollywoodreporter.com
Eve Takes Over for Aisha Tyler as Co-Host of CBS' 'The Talk'
The Grammy winner previously guest-hosted the daytime talker during the week of Oct. 30.
CBS' The Talk has found the fifth full-time member of its hosting panel.
Grammy winner Eve (full name Eve Jeffers Cooper) has replaced Aisha Tyler on the Emmy-nominated daytime talk show. Eve made her debut Tuesday, joining a panel that includes Julie Chen, Sara Gilbert, Sharon Osbourne and Sheryl Underwood.
The Talk went through a series of guest co-hosts as CBS searched for a full-time replacement for Aisha Tyler, who exited last season following a six-year run. Eve guest hosted during the week of Oct. 30.
"We are thrilled to welcome Eve to the table as she brings a fun and fresh perspective to our already diverse panel,” said Angelica McDaniel, exec vp daytime programs at CBS Entertainment. “The great success of The Talk is due to the undeniable chemistry and bond of friendship between the hosts. Eve is an accomplished and dynamic performer, musician, wife and step mother who fits in seamlessly, while also adding a new layer to the show as we continue to evolve season to season.”
Eve is best known for songs including "What Ya Want" and "Let Me Blow Ya Mind," featuring Gwen Stefani. The latter won the inaugural Grammy for best rap/sung collaboration in 2002. She has released four studio albums, 32 singles and has hosted VH1's Hip-Hop Honors: All Hail the Queens special. On the acting side, her credits include Barbershop and TV comedy Eve. She's repped by ICM Partners, Untitled and Barnes Morris.
Fox is doing well, while Netflix is still behind when it comes to diversity in directing slots.
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Chris Martin — Yes, From Coldplay — to Guest on 'Modern Family'
He's playing himself. And it's not just a cameo.
Modern Family, primetime's reigning queen of comedy stunt casting, is building an episode around celebrity appearances. First up? Chris Martin.
The Coldplay frontman has already filmed his spot for Nov. 29 episode, appropriately dubbed "Brushes With Celebrity." And while he will be playing himself, sources close to the show stress that it's not just a cameo. He's getting a beefy role.
Martin doesn't have much of an acting résumé, though he has played himself on several occasions — perhaps, most famously, in a 2006 episode of Extras. His scenes in the episode will be with Ty Burrell's Phil. And the narrative is a flashback, in which Phil recounts an awkward "health issue" while trying to sell Martin a house.
It's not immediately clear which other guest stars filmed appearances for the episode, but there will be more. The premise finds the Dunphey clan recounting their own stories of run-ins with famous people.
Modern Family airs Wednesday on ABC.
In an interview with 'GQ,' the late-night host expressed his concern for the country’s “recovery” from a Trump presidency and recalls Trump being a “boring guest” on his show.
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Sony Pictures TV Ups Crackle's Eric Berger to Chief Digital Officer
Berger will continue to serve as general manager for Crackle, the studio's ad-supported streaming service.
Sony Pictures Television Networks has promoted Crackle general manager Eric Berger to executive vp and chief digital officer, the studio announced Tuesday morning.
Berger will continue to serve as general manager of Crackle, the company's ad-supported streaming service. In his new role, he will oversee digital strategy for Sony's worldwide network group going forward.
"During his tenure here at Sony, Eric has paved the way for us on the digital front, using a mix of business models and products, including AVOD, SVOD, TV Everywhere, games, virtual reality and more to guide the expansion of SPT Networks' 100+ linear international channels to on-demand, OTT, streaming services and other digital-first initiatives," Andy Kaplan, president of Sony Pictures Television Networks, said in a letter to employees that was provided to The Hollywood Reporter.
Berger joined Sony in 2006 and became GM of Crackle two years later. The streaming service, which offers an array of past Sony film and TV projects, first made a name for itself with original series Jerry Seinfeld's Comedians in Cars Getting Coffee. The show was nominated for an Emmy in the variety talk series category in 2016 and subsequently moved to Netflix as part of an expansive deal that includes two Seinfeld stand-up specials.
Crackle, meanwhile, has doubled down on original scripted programming with such shows as Dennis Quaid-starrer The Art of More and thriller StartUp, though none of its shows have generated the buzz of Comedians. Coming up for Crackle is 50 Cent-produced The Oath, which will star Sean Bean.
'Fear the Walking Dead' Alum Joins Starz Latina Drama 'Vida' in Recasting
Mishel Prada has been cast in a lead role, along with fellow regulars Karen Ser Anzoategui, Chelsea Rendon, Carlos Miranda and Maria Elena Laas.
Starz's Latino drama Vida is rounding out its cast.
Fear the Walking Dead: Passage grad Mishel Prada has been tapped for a starring role in the forthcoming series, The Hollywood Reporter has learned.
Karen Ser Anzoategui (East Los High), Chelsea Rendon (The Fosters), Carlos Miranda (Chicago P.D.) and Maria Elena Laas (The Hot Chick) have also joined the drama in series-regular roles.
The half-hour drama centers on two Mexican-American sisters, Emma and Lyn, who couldn't be more different or distanced from each other. However, circumstances force them to return to their old neighborhood on the Eastside of Los Angeles, where they are confronted by the past and a shocking truth about their mother’s identity.
Prada will play Emma who, estranged from both her sister (Melissa Barrera) and her mother, reluctantly returns for her mother’s funeral and to deal with the family business. Prada replaces Veronica Osorio (The Carmichael Show, Girlboss), who was cast in the role when the pay cabler picked up Vida to series in September.
Nonbinary Latinx/Chicanx actor/playwright/artivist Ser will portray Eddy, a sensitive soul who is trustworthy, generous and passionate but also intimidating looking upon first glance. Their other credits include Crazy Ex-Girlfriend, The Fosters and Shameless.
Rendon will play Marisol, who is the expression of eastside youth culture: woke, politicized and deep in the resistance. Rendon's other credits include The Bridge, Major Crimes, Code Black and the upcoming Netflix Will Smith film Bright.
Miranda is set as Johnny, a stand-up guy who runs his ailing dad’s auto shop and is engaged to his pregnant girlfriend but has a history with Lyn. His credits include Warrior, The Bling Ring, Grandma, as well as How to Get Away With Murder.
Laas rounds out the group as Cruz, an enigmatic lesbian who has a checkered history with Emma. Her recent credits include Kill the Habit, Lunatics, Lovers, and Poets, Sold and Pastor Shepherd.
Tanya Saracho (How to Get Away With Murder) will serve as showrunner on the drama, with Alonso Ruizpalacios (Gueros) set to direct the pilot. Big Beach TV will produce the series with executive producers Marc Turtletaub, Peter Saraf (Everything Is Illuminated) and Robin Schwartz. Lionsgate controls the domestic and international multiplatform rights.
Starz senior vp original programming Marta Fernandez and manager of original programming Kathleen Clifford will oversee for the network.
