PREMIUM SPOTLIGHT ON 'STILL STAR CROSSED' ROMEO & JULIET SEQUEL TV SERIES STARRING WADE BRIGGS, TORRANCE COOMBS, ANTHONY HEAD, GRANT BOWLER

 'STILL STAR CROSSED'

NEW PERIOD SET TV SERIES  

I have a very distinct feeling ABC will cancel this one around or before its fifth episode, but some of you might still give STILL STAR CROSSED, the small screen adaptation of Melinda Taub's novel, a go when it starts airing at ABC this late spring, Monday, May 29th! The mini series picks up where the famous story of Romeo and Juliet ends, charting the treachery, fight for power and ill-fated romances of the Montagues and Capulets in the wake of the young lovers’ tragic fate.

AFTER THE LOVERS' DEATH  
In the wake of Romeo and Juliet’s tragic deaths, the Montague and Capulet rivalry escalates. A new royal takes the throne and struggles to determine what is best for his city when Verona becomes an epicentre of mayhem.

Following the death of her cousin Juliet, Rosaline Capulet (Lashana Lynch) finds herself in the middle of a political play to try and save Verona. She will prove she’s a force to be reckoned with especially when it comes to her destiny and must make tough decisions regarding her loyalty to the Capulet name. Rosaline’s sister, Livia Capulet (Ebonee Noel), is a hopeless romantic who dreams of a marriage to provide her with a life she’s always wanted, but her yearning for love makes her an easy target, and she gets drawn into a sordid secret unbeknownst to her.

Romeo’s death thrusts his cousin, Benvolio Montague (Wade Briggs), into a position of responsibility as he becomes the sole heir to the Montague name and must abide by a sinister plan to solidify his family’s prominence. A newly crowned Prince Escalus (Sterling Sulieman) is determined to end the bloodshed between the Montagues and Capulets, but his only solution forces him to decide between following his heart or protecting his kingdom. Eager to help her brother rule Verona, Princess Isabella (Medalion Rahimi) finds herself drawn to the throne, but quickly realizes that obtaining power as a woman will require succumbing to a twisted scheme. 

 Lord Capulet (Anthony Head) is the patriarch of the Capulet dynasty and is willing to maintain the legacy of his family’s name at any cost. Lady Capulet (Zuleikha Robinson) may want the same as her husband, but a mystery behind her true ambitions will slowly come to light. The Montagues are on the precipice of matching the Capulets social status, but Romeo’s death threatens to stall their ascent. Angered by grief and the loss of his son, Lord Montague (Grant Bowler) will stop at nothing to ensure the Montagues are the most respected family in Verona.

The sparring families aren’t the only one’s affected by Romeo and Juliet’s tragic fate. The keeper of Verona’s darkest confessions, Friar Lawrence (Dan Hildebrand), feels a deep responsibility for their deaths, along with the Capulet’s lifelong caretaker, the Nurse (Susan Wooldridge). She holds many secrets of her own including the fact that she is tending to Count Paris (Torrance Coombs), who was supposed to wed Juliet but was left for dead after a brutal fight with Romeo.

FULL TRAILERS FOR ABC'S EPIC SERIES 'STILL STAR CROSSED' ROMEO AND JULIET SEQUEL AND TIME TRAVELLING 'TIME AFTER TIME' ADVENTURE

'STILL STAR CROSSED' TRAILER

FOR ROMEO & JULIET SEQUEL

Full trailers have been released this week for ABC's freshly ordered new historical shows. Starting with their sequel to Shakespeare's Romeo and Juliet STILL STAR CROSSED, which will hit the small screens probably in the mid season and smells like a potential flop, if you ask me, because of the rather poor casting - I just don't see any charisma nor star power in Lashana Lynch especially not in a love story like this. It also stars magnetic Wade Briggs as Benvolio Montague, Anthony Head as Lord Capulet, Zuleikha Robinson as Lady Capulet, Sterling Sulieman as Prince Escalus, Medalion Rahimi as Princess Isabella, Grant Bowler as Damiano Montague, Torrance Coombs as Paris and Dan Hildebrand as Friar Lawrence.

16TH CENTURY VERONA

 STILL STAR CROSSED is set in 16th century Verona charting the treachery, palace intrigue and ill-fated romances of the Montagues and Capulets in the wake of the young lovers’ tragic fate. The story will revolve around Rosaline (Lashana Lynch), Juliet’s cousin who is taken in by the Capulets after her parents die, forced to suffer her aunt's cruelty as a servant, and then ordered to marry dangerous and deadly handsome Benvolio (Wade Briggs), a Montague!

'TIME AFTER TIME' SERIES

YOUNG  H.G.WELLS ADVENTURES

On the other hand, another of ABC's freshly ordered new shows will have modern times mixed with history!  TIME AFTER TIME  will chronicle the epic adventures of young H.G. Wells (Freddie Stroma) who travels through time chasing Jack the Ripper (Josh Bowman) who, in our day, is a brilliant and charismatic surgeon. Upon arriving in modern New York, he is captivated by museum curator Jane Walker (Genesis Rodriguez). Pop star Jordin Sparks will play a New York stylist Jesse Givens who is also Jane Walker’s roommate, while Regina Taylor will play a billionaire who owns and protects the Time Machine. It is based on the novel written by Karl Alexander.

ABC FINISHES CASTING FOR ROMEO & JULIET SEQUEL EPIC TV SERIES 'STILL STAR CROSSED' WITH TORRANCE COOMBS, ANTHONY HEAD, GRANT BOWLER, WADE BRIGGS

'STILL STAR CROSSED' EPIC

'ROMEO & JULIET' TV SEQUEL

Now, here's an extreme example of the current trend of diversity in Hollywood: a new historical series in which the young nobles of the 16th century Verona will be played by black actors! What do you say about that? ABC has finished casting actors for their new epic series STILL STAR CROSSED with the pilot ready to start shooting this month.

The small screen adaptation of the book by Melinda Taub, STILL STAR CROSSED is set in 16th century Verona and picks up where William Shakespeare’s Romeo & Juliet left off, charting the treachery, palace intrigue and ill-fated romances of the Montagues and Capulets in the wake of the young lovers’ tragic fate.

TORRANCE COOMBS, ANTHONY HEAD, GRANT BOWLER STAR

This time the story will revolve around Rosaline (Lashana Lynch), an intelligent and headstrong Capulet and Juliet’s cousin who is taken in by the Capulets after her parents die, forced to suffer her aunt's cruelty as a servant, and then ordered to marry dangerous and deadly handsome Benvolio (Wade Briggs), a Montague, who is against it at first but will later on fall in love with Rosaline who is smart, although not beautiful. Since they're dead, Romeo and Juliet will appear only in flashbacks, and will be played by Danish actress Clara Rugaard and British black hunk Lucien Laviscount. Among the more famous names in the cast, Anthony Head plays Lord Capulet. Kind and powerful, Lord Capulet is a thoughtful man with a sunny, jovial disposition. However, he will turn on you if you cross him. ROME's Zuleikha Robinson is his evil wife Lady Capulet. His fellow SyFy star Grant Bowler will play rival Lord Montague, scary, rugged, ruthless and brilliant man hellbent on raising his family’s fortunes, no matter the cost. Meanwhile, magnetic Torrance Coombs, who left CW's REIGN in which he played French prince Sebastian, will be prince again, this time Paris, the chivalrous and seductive Count of Mantua, who was betrothed to Juliet before she died. Dan Hildebrand will play Friar Lawrence, who uses the church to climb the social ladder. Sterling Sulieman will be Prince Escalus, while Medalion Rahimi will play Princess Isabella, intelligent, outspoken and practical with inner steel. Ebonee Noel will play Rosaline's younger sister Livia,