ALL HAIL NEW PONTIFF JUDE LAW IN 'THE YOUNG POPE' TV SERIES! FIRST TRAILER AND POSTERS FOR CW'S NEW SF APOCALYPTIC SERIES 'CONTAINMENT' WITH CHRIS WOOD, DAVID GYASI, GEORGE YOUNG

JUDE LAW IS OFFICIALLY

 'THE YOUNG POPE'!

It seems that fictional realities are trendy these days on TV, so after the success of E!'s THE ROYALS, which follows a fictional British royal family, now we are getting a fictional pope too! I've already mentioned earlier this year that Jude Law is in negotiations to take the lead role in THE YOUNG POPE eight episode TV series, but now it has been officially confirmed! In the Paolo Sorrentino's series he will be fictional pope Lenny Belardo, the first Italian American pope in history. He is a conservative American pontiff, recruited for the role by a Vatican which has become fed up with liberal Popes. But he is full of compassion for the weak and the poor. Sky, Canal+ and HBO are producing.

'CONTAINMENT' NEW TV SHOW

FIRST POSTERS & TRAILER WITH CHRIS WOOD & GEORGE YOUNG

Another new series coming to CW this Autumn will be CONTAINMENT (previously much better known as CORDON)!  When a mysterious and deadly epidemic breaks out in Atlanta, a vast urban quarantine is quickly enforced, forcing those stuck on the inside to fight for their lives while local and federal officials desperately search for a cure.

Trying to keep the peace on the streets is police officer Lex Carnahan (David Gyasi), whose job becomes even harder when he learns that his longtime girlfriend, Jana (Christina Moses), and his best friend and fellow officer Jake (Chris Wood), are trapped within the cordoned area. Also quarantined in viral ground zero is 17 year-old Teresa, who is eight months pregnant and now separated from her boyfriend on the other side; Katie Frank (Kristen Gutoskie), an elementary school teacher now placed on lockdown with her entire class, and CDC researcher Dr. Victor Cannerts (George Young), the doctor who initially made the controversial call to quarantine the area and is now racing to find a cure for the virus.  Torn apart from their loved ones, the survivors trapped within the cordon are fighting against not only fatal infection, but also isolation, fear, and the disintegration of society around them.

GEOFFREY RUSH & ARMIE HAMMER TO PAINT 'FINAL PORTRAIT'! 'INTO THE GRIZZLY MAZE' TRAILER WITH JAMES MARSDEN, TOM JANE, BILLY BOB THORNTON. VANESSA KIRBY IS PRINCES MARGARET IN 'THE CROWN' EPIC TV SERIES

'FINAL PORTRAIT' CASTS

ARMIE HAMMER,GEOFFREY RUSH

In movie news today, I have period set project to announce: as 'Deadline' reports Armie Hammer has joined Stanley Tucci’s FINAL PORTRAIT opposite Geoffrey Rush. The story describes the relationship between legendary Swiss painter Alberto Giacometti (Geoffrey Rush) and American art critic James Lord (Armie Hammer), who decides to sit for a portrait by his friend. He is unprepared, however, for the painter’s demanding intensity, and the experience tests their relationship to the core.

'THE CROWN' EPIC TV SERIES

IS VANESSA KIRBY GOING TO PLAY  PRINCESS MARGARET?
Meanwhile, in TV news after nabbing Claire Foy for the lead role, Netflix might hire Vanessa Kirby to star in their new ten episode royal series THE CROWN as Princess Margaret! Spanning decades, this extremely expensive epic drama will have each season exploring the political rivalries and personal intrigues across a decade of Queen Elizabeth II’s reign, exploring the delicate balance between her private world and public life. Story begins with a 25-year-old Princess faced with the daunting prospect of leading the most famous monarchy in the world while forging a relationship with the domineering, war-hardened Prime Minister Winston Churchill.

'INTO THE GRIZZLY MAZE' TRAILER

JAMES MARSDEN & TOM JANE

An action packed trailer for you this weekend for scary outdoor thriller INTO THE GRIZZLY MAZE which will paw and claw its way into cinemas next month! James Marsden, Thomas Jane, Piper Perabo and Billy Bob Thornton star in this adventure set in the Alaskan wilderness. After a relentless grizzly starts to wreak havoc on a small town, the sheriff heads into the forest to find his ecologist wife but instead crosses paths with his estranged, ex-con brother. They soon find themselves on the run from the massive killer bear. The hunted become the hunter in this edge-of-your seat thriller about the power of nature and the smell of blood.

MATT BOMER JOINS CHRIS PRATT, JASON MOMOA IN 'MAGNIFICENT SEVEN' REMAKE! TNT ORDERS EDGY AND HIP 'WILL' TV SERIES ON SHAKESPEARE! 'LEGENDS OF TOMORROW' CW SHOW TRAILER & POSTERS WITH WENTWORTH MILLER, BRANDON ROUTH, DOMINIC PURCELL

MATT BOMER JOINS

'MAGNIFICENT SEVEN' REMAKE

Well, I'm sure the ladies will sigh and agree that this cast has become uber hunky: Matt Bomer is the latest one to join the remake of THE MAGNIFI= CENT SEVEN and he is set to play the husband of Haley Bennett's character, the woman who hires seven mysterious gunmen to protect her town from a gang of bandits, lead by a nefarious robber baron. Earlier this week I informed you that Jason Momoa has joined the cast which already has Chris Pratt, Ethan Hawke, Luke Grimes, Vicent D'Onofrio, Byung-hun Lee and Denzel Washington. Antoine Fuqua is directing!

'WILL' EPIC TV SERIES

FROM MOULIN ROUGE WRITER
Meanwhile, another fun historical series that awaits us is WILL over at TNT and TBS! As 'Deadline' reports  the ten episode series will revolve around a young William Shakespeare and it will be told in raucous style by Craig Pearce, the longtime writing partner of auteur filmmaker Baz Luhrmann who worked with him on MOULIN ROUGE and ROMEO AND JULIET. It is a period drama with a hip soundtrack, contemporary shooting style and edgy production design.

'LEGENDS OF TOMORROW' 

TRAILER WITH WENTWORTH MILLER, BRANDON ROUTH AND DOMINIC PURCELL

And yet another series with superheros will be CW's new show LEGENDS OF TOMORROW which has just got its first trailer. When heroes alone are not enough the world needs legends. Having seen the future, one he will desperately try to prevent from happening, time-traveling rogue Rip Hunter is tasked with assembling a disparate group of both heroes and villains to confront an unstoppable threat — one in which not only is the planet at stake, but all of time itself. Can this ragtag team defeat an immortal threat unlike anything they have ever known? Brandon Routh as The Atom,  Dominic Purcell as Heat Wave, Wentworth Miller as Captain Cold, Caity Lotz as White Canary and Ciara Renee as Hawkgirl star!

 

'SUPERGIRL' TV SERIES TRAILER IS HERE! 'THE INTERN' TRAILER WITH ROBERT DE NIRO, ANNE HATHAWAY! ITV ORDERS 'JERICHO' 19TH CENTURY SERIES! BBC'S FRENCH REVOLUTION 'PLACE OF GREATER SAFETY' TV SERIES

'SUPERGIRL' TV SERIES

TRAILER HAS BEEN RELEASED

CBS has released the first, rather long, trailer for their upcoming new TV series SUPERGIRL which will see young Melissa Benoist playing the super heroine on  Monday nights this November! She plays the Kryptonian refugee Kara Zor-El, who decides to embrace her powers after a lifetime of hiding on earth under the name Kara Danvers. Kara's civilian life includes working for the demanding Cat Grant (Calista Flockhart) at the media conglomerate CatCo along with photographer Jimmy Olsen (Mehcad Brooks). The journey for Kara to become SUPERGIRL will see her cross paths with Toyman (Jeremy Jordan), the alien convict Vartox (Owain Yeoman) and secretive government agent Hank Henshaw (David Harewood).

ITV ORDERS 'JERICHO'

19TH CENTURY TV SERIES
And I have a bunch of TV news coming from UK, starting with ITV ordering JERICHO historical series! Set in the 1870s, it will focus on the shantytown of Jericho, home to a community that will live, thrive and die in the shadow of the viaduct they’ve been brought together to build. Pioneers, settlers and outcasts, they include people with secrets to hide and those looking to start again. One of the central characters is Annie Quaintain (Jessica Raine), who refuses to let tragedy define her. After being disgraced by her husband, she arrives in JERICHO with her two children; there she meets Ralph Coates (Clarke Peters), a self-styled railway agent skilled at reading people. She also encounters Johnny Jackson (Hans Matheson), also new to Jericho.
BBC TO ADAPT 'PLACE OF GREATER SAFETY' INTO EPIC SERIES
Meanwhile, after rather bland and uninspired WOLF HALL BBC is going to adapt Hilary Mantel's A PLACE OF GREATER SAFETY too into TV series. RIPPER STREET creator Richard Warlow will adapt the 18th century story based on Georges Danton, Camille Desmoulins and Maximilien Robespierre's involvement in the French Revolution.

'THE INTERN' TRAILER

ROBERT DE NIRO IS ANNE HATHAWAY'S ASSISTANT

You can also check out the first trailer for Nancy Meyer's new comedy THE INTERN which is out this September with Robert De Niro playing a 70-year-old widower who has discovered that retirement isn't all it's cracked up to be. Seizing an opportunity to get back in the game, he becomes a senior intern at an online fashion site, founded and run by Anne Hathaway.

EDDIE REDMAYNE TO LEAD 'FANTASTIC BEASTS AND WHERE TO FIND THEM'! 2ND 'CRIMSON PEAK' EPIC TRAILER WITH TOM HIDDLESTON, CHARLIE HUNNAM! 'OF KINGS AND PROPHETS' EPIC TV SERIES TRAILER

EDDIE REDMAYNE 

TO LEAD 'FANTASTIC BEASTS AND WHERE TO FIND THEM'

Probably the main news today is that fresh Oscar winner Eddie Redmayne is close to getting the lead role of Newt Scamander in HARRY PLOPPER prequel FANTASTIC BEASTS AND WHERE TO FIND THEM! The script, adapted by J.K. Rowling herself, will be set 70 years before HARRY PLOPPER  long before Harry and his friends ever arrived at Hogwarts! The story revolves around Scamander as he sets out to write a text book about all of the fantastical creatures living in the real world, undetected by mankind. David Yates is directing, and this will be his fifth movie in the franchise. The movie arrives into theatres November 2016.

'OF KINGS AND PROPHETS'

FIRST EPIC SERIES TRAILER
ABC has revealed the first trailer for their new epic series OF KINGS AND PROPHETS which will air Sunday nights and I can't say I'm thrilled. The costumes look offensively bad and even the cast seems random at times! It's a Biblical saga of faith, ambition and betrayal as told through the eyes of a battle-weary king, a powerful and resentful prophet and a resourceful young shepherd on a collision course with destiny. Ray Winstone is King Saul, Oliver Rix is King David, Simone Kessell is Queen Ahinoam, while James Floyd is prince Ish-Boseth!

2ND 'CRIMSON PEAK' TRAILER

WITH TOM HIDDLESTON

You can also check out the second trailer for epic horror CRIMSON PEAK which arrives this Halloween starring our most beloved Tom Hiddleston alongside Charlie Hunnam and Mia Wasikowska.   In the aftermath of a family tragedy, an aspiring author is torn between love for her childhood friend and the temptation of a mysterious

outsider. Trying to escape the ghosts of her past, she is swept away to a house that breathes, bleeds... and remembers.  Between desire and darkness, between mystery and madness, lies the truth behind Crimson Peak.

'TEXAS RISING' EPIC SERIES TRAILER WITH OLIVIER MARTINEZ, BRENDAN FRASER, BILL PAXTON, CHAD MICHAEL MURRAY, THOM JANE! LUC BESSON TO ADAPT 'VALERIAN AND THE CITY OF THOUSAND PLANETS' SF EPIC! DOUGLAS BOOTH IS SHELLEY IN 'A STORM IN THE STARS'

LUC BESSON TO ADAPT

VALERIAN AND THE CITY OF THOUSAND PLANETS

In his first tweets ever, French director Luc Besson has revealed today that this December he will start production on the big screen adaptation of VALERIAN AND THE CITY OF A THOUSAND PLANETS science fiction graphic novel! Dane DeHaan and Cara Delevigne are set to lead the cast. As 'Deadline' reports they will play Valerian and Laureline in the adaptation of the original story, which centred on a pair of spatio temporal agents who help defend a utopian 28th century Earth and its neighbouring planets from bad guys, with the pair’s adventures rooted in space opera and time travel themes not so much unlike Besson's 'Fifth Element'!

DOUGLAS BOOTH VENTURES

INTO 'A STORM IN THE STARS'
Meanwhile, ROMEO AND JULIET, JUPITER ASCENDING and NOAH's  Douglas Booth play poet Percy Shelley in Haifaa Al-Mansour’s  A STORM IN THE STARS joining Elle Fanning and Bel Powley! This brand new take on the unconventional life of 18 year-old Mary Shelley, charts Mary’s tempestuous love affair with charismatic poet Percy Shelley, her notorious trip to Lake Geneva with Lord Byron and the rocky road that made her into an icon. It remains to be seen who will play Byron in the movie which starts production later this year!

'TEXAS RISING' TRAILER

 WITH THE MIND BLOWING CAST

Something premiering at History Channel worldwide on May 25th is dynamic new historical series TEXAS RISING which will depict the formation of the legendary Texas Rangers during the state's revolution against Mexico in five episodes. In 1836, west of the Mississippi was considered the Wild West and the Texas frontier was viewed as hell on earth. Crushed from the outside by Mexican armadas and attacked from within by ferocious Comanche tribes, no one was safe. But this was a time of bravery, a time to die for what you believed in and a time to stand tall against the cruel rule of the Mexican General Santa Anna (Olivier Martinez). General Sam Houston (Bill Paxton), the rag tag Rangers and the legendary “Yellow Rose of Texas” lead this story of the human will to win against insurmountable odds. At the end, the Texas flags stood tall and victorious, claiming a piece of history for all eternity. Brendan Fraser, Ray Liotta, Jeffrey Dean Morgan, Thomas Jane, Crispin Glover, Jeremy Davies, Chad Michael Murray and Kris Kristofferson also star!

TIM ALLEN'S 'LAST MAN STANDING' GETS 5TH SEASON, 'EMPIRE' LONGER 2ND RUN! 1ST PICS FROM EVA LONGORIA'S SITCOM 'HOT & BOTHERED'! STUNNING 'TERMINATOR GENISYS' CHARACTER POSTERS

TELEVISION HEADLINES!

 'LAST MAN STANDING' GETS 5TH SEASON, 'EMPIRE' LONGER 2ND

With leading TV news today being that ABC has confirmed Tim Allen's beloved sitcom LAST MAN STANDING (which has helped them dominate Friday ratings for years now) for the fifth season, and that last year biggest breakout hit EMPIRE will have 18 episodes to be aired in two 9 episode parts at Fox (and with r'n'b superstar Ne-Yo joining hip hop legend Timbaland in writing the music for the new run), you can also check out the first photos from HOT & BOTHERED, a new sitcom at NBC.

EVA LONGORIA IS

TOTALLY 'HOT & BOTHERED'
Unlike the sitcoms we reviewed yesterday, that have just been ordered, HOT & BOTHERED, previously known as TELENOVELA, had a straight to series order last winter. Eva Longoria will lead the cast of the comedy about drama behind the drama. If you think the steamy sex, sensational scandals and heart wrenching heartbreak on Latino soap operas are a little extreme, just wait until you see what happens behind the scenes! Eva Longoria is Ana Sofia, a sizzling TV superstar, and her lively family of cast and crew all competing to steal the spotlight. When the cameras turn off, the drama turns up as Ana battles pesky network execs, drunken scriptwriters, narcissistic co-stars and an unfortunately familiar new on-screen love interest. Jencarlos Canela and Jose Moreno Brooks also star.

'TERMINATOR GENISYS'

NEW CHARACTER POSTERS

While the AVENGERS are breaking records at the  box office, another major science fiction franchise looking to return to the big screens is gearing up its engines: today you can check out stunning new character posters for TERMINATOR GENISYS showing Emilia Clarke as Sarah Connor, Jai Courtney as Kyle Reese, Arnold Schwarzenegger as the good old T-800 who comes to protect them, Jason Clarke as John Connor the leader of the resistance and Byung hun-Lee as the advanced shape shifting T-1000.

THE START OF NEW TRILOGY  
Coming out this July, TERMINATOR GENISYS is set in 2029, when the Future War is raging and a group of human rebels has the evil artificial intelligence system Skynet on the ropes. John Connor (Jason Clarke) is the leader of the resistance, and Kyle Reese (Jai Courtney) is his loyal soldier, raised in the ruins of post apocalyptic California. As in the original film, Connor sends Reese back to 1984 to save Connor's mother, Sarah (Emilia Clarke), from a Terminator programmed to kill her so that she won't ever give birth to John. But what Reese finds on the other side is nothing like he expected.

NEW 2015 SITCOMS ORDERED INTO SERIES: NBC'S 'PEOPLE ARE TALKING' WITH MARK PAUL GOSSELAAR, 'SUPERSTORE' WITH BEN FELDMAN, ABC'S 'REAL O'NEALS' & 'UNCLE BUCK', FOX'S 'GRANDFATHERED' WITH JOHN STAMOS, 'GRINDER' WITH ROB LOWE

NBC'S 'PEOPLE ARE TALKING'

 WITH MARK PAUL GOSSELAAR

It's that time of the year when networks are ordering new projects into series, so today I'm presenting you with some of the comedy shows that have been greenlit so far! First off with dashing Mark Paul Gosselaar whose sitcom PEOPLE ARE TALKING has been ordered by NBC. He, Meaghan Rath, Tone Bell and Bresha Webb will play two couples, best friends and neighbours. The sometime neurotic couples can't help but over-analyse every facet of their lives, from race to sex and beyond. The sitcom will air on Friday Evenings following UNDATEABLE all live 3rd season episodes.

NBC OPENS UP A 'SUPERSTORE'

BEN FELDMAN, AMERICA FERRERA

NBC has also picked up SUPERSTORE sitcom with America Ferrera and Ben Feldman about a unique family of employees at a super-sized megastore. From the bright-eyed newbies and the seen-it-all veterans to the clueless summer hires and in-it-for-life managers, together they hilariously tackle the day-to-day grind of rabid bargain hunters, riot-causing sales and nap-worthy training sessions. 

ABC'S 'REAL O'NEALS'

BEING GAY, BEING REAL
ABC has ordered  REAL O'NEALS, about a seemingly perfect Catholic family, whose lives take an unexpected turn when when their son comes out as gay. Instead of ruining their family, the honesty triggers a new chapter where everyone stops pretending to be perfect and actually starts being real. Martha Plimpton, Jay R. Ferguson and Noah Galvin lead the cast.

'UNCLE BUCK' BRINGS LUCK
They've also ordered UNCLE BUCK (Mike Epps), a fun loving but irresponsible guy who needs a job and a place to stay. By happy coincidence, his nieces and nephew’s Nanny has just quit and his brother needs his help. His unconventional personality just may make him the right fit for the family and they may be the answer to his problems, too. James Lesure and Nia Long also star.

'GRANDFATHERED' AT FOX

WITH JOHN STAMOS

Fox has picked up GRANDFATHERED for series. John Stamos is playing a version of himself: a charismatic longtime bachelor whose life is upended when he discovers he’s a father — and a grandfather. THE OFFICE's Danny Chun is writing the script.

'GRINDER' AT FOX

ROBIN LOWE AND FRED SAVAGE

Another 80's star Rob Lowe will also have his sitcom at Fox. GRINDER will see him play a beloved TV lawyer while Fred Savage will play his brother. When his long-running hit series comes to an end, he finds himself at a crossroads in life and decides to move back to his small home town, thinking he has the experience to take over his family’s law firm.

STUNNING 1ST PHOTO FROM 'OF KINGS AND PROPHETS' NEW EPIC TV SERIES! KATHERINE MCNAMARA, MATTHEW DADDARIO, ISAIAH MUSTAFA JOIN 'SHADOWHUNTERS' SF SHOW. 'UNDATEABLE' RENEWED FOR LIVE 3RD SEASON!

'OF KINGS AND PROPHETS'

1ST LOOK AT NEW EPIC TV SERIES

Before I bring you first photos from all the new sitcoms that have been ordered into series for the next season tomorrow, check out the stunning first photo from ABC's epic series OF KINGS AND PROPHETS a saga of faith, ambition and betrayal as told through the eyes of a battle-weary king, a powerful and resentful prophet and a resourceful young shepherd on a collision course with destiny. Ray Winstone is King Saul, Haaz Sleiman is Jonathan, Maisie Richardson Sellers is princess Michal, Oliver Rix is King David, Simone Kessell is Queen Ahinoam, James Floyd is Prince Ish-Boseth!

'SHADOWHUNTERS' SERIES

 KATHERINE MCNAMARA, MATTHEW DADDARIO AND ISAIAH MUSTAFA JOIN THE CAST

Meanwhile, ABC Family has rounded up its cast for their new fantasy series SHADOW HUNTERS based on MORTAL INSTRUMENTS books. Katherine McNamara will take the lead role of 18-year old Clary who finds out  that she comes from a long line of SHADOW HUNTERS — human angels who hunt down demons. When her mother Jocelyn is kidnapped, Clary is thrown into the world of demon hunting with mysterious Shadowhunter Jace (Dominic Sherwood) and her best friend Simon (Alberto Rosende). Now living among faeries, warlocks, vampires and werewolves, Clary begins a journey of self discovery as she learns more about her past and what her future may hold. Matthew Daddario will play Alec Lightwood, who joins Jace (towards whom he develops romantic love) and his sister Isabelle (Emeraude Toubia) to hunt down creatures, while Isaiah Mustafa will appear as Luke Garroway, a detective and a werewolf pack leader who was once a powerful and strong Shadowhunter himself.

'UNDATEABLE' GETS 3RD SEASON

WITH ALL EPISODES TO AIR LIVE!

While many sitcoms were axed this week (MCCARTHYS, ONE BIG HAPPY, MARRY ME, ABOUT A BOY, CRISTELA) our favourite UNDATEABLE has been ordered for third, 13 episode, season which will, listen to this, all air live next year!  It is the only returning comedy series at NBC! The cast is lead by outstanding comedians Brent Morin, Chris D'Elia, Bjanka Kaylich and Rick Glassman!

SAM CLAFLIN JOINS CHRIS HEMSWORTH, EMILY BLUNT, CHARLIZE THERON IN 'HUNTSMAN' EPIC AND TAKES LEAD IN 'ROBIN FRIDAY'! 'FREEDOM' HISTORICAL DRAMA TRAILER WITH CUBA GOODING JR.

SAM CLAFLIN IN 'HUNTSMAN'

WITH CHRIS HEMSWORTH, EMILY BLUNT AND CHARLIZE THERON

One of our dearest of the young British actors, delightful Sam Claflin is eyeing a role in his fourth major movie franchise (beside PIRATES OF THE CARIBBEAN, HUNGER GAMES and STAR WARS): he will return to his original role in SNOW WHITE prequel THE HUNTSMAN. Even though the Snow White has been kicked out of the picture (a joyful news given how bad Kirsten Stewart was in the role), Sam Claflin will again play prince William whose kiss awoke her from her death. He will again return in a smaller part, in the prequel which will now explain how THE HUNTSMAN (Chris Hemsworth) and Queen Ravenna (Charlize Theron) have first met. Emily Blunt is supposed to play another villainous queen, while Jessica Chastain will be Huntsman's first love. I've informed you recently that the film will have female dwarves for the first time played by Sheridan Smith and Alexandra Roach.

AND IN ROBIN FRIDAY
 It has also been announced today that Sam Claflin will take the lead role in ROBIN FRIDAY biopic playing the controversial and wild English soccer legend who played for Reading and Cardiff, Wales in the 1970s and died tragically at the young age of thirty eight.

'FREEDOM' EPIC TRAILER

FOR CUBA GOODING JR. DRAMA

Meanwhile, we shall finish this week with the trailer for historical drama FREEDOM which is out this June, starring Cuba Gooding Jr. and William Sadler! In 1856 a slave, Samuel Woodward and his family, escape from the plantation. A secret network of ordinary people known as the Underground Railroad guide the family on their journey north to Canada. They are relentlessly pursued by the notorious slave hunter Plimpton. Hunted like a dog and haunted by the unthinkable suffering he and his forbears have endured, Samuel is forced to decide between revenge or freedom. 100 years earlier in 1748, John Newton the Captain of a slave trader sails from Africa with a cargo of slaves, bound for America. On board is Samuel's great grandfather whose survival is tied to the fate of Captain Newton. The voyage changes Newton's life forever and he creates a legacy that will inspire Samuel!