It Appears To Be Teddy Roosevelt’s Turn To Get a Prestige Limited Series About His Life
Cable channel Showtime and David McKenna — the screenwriter of American History X — are developing a limited series about the life of the 26th President/Secretary of the Navy/war hero/naturalist/assassination survivor. While no lead actor is yet on board, the creative team says they have somebody in mind who would not only star as Roosevelt but would also be an executive producer. (CB)
It’s Hiring Day At ‘The Daily Show’, as Comedy Central’s Flagship Program Hires a New Trio
As Trevor Noah prepares to sit in the host’s chair, the new hires are Ronny Chieng, a Malaysian-born stand-up comic who currently resides in Australia, Roy Wood Jr., a veteran actor, stand-up, and radio personality, and Desi Lydic, an actress you may recall from Awkward., where she plays crazed guidance counselor Valerie Marks. (VUL)
Good News For ‘Narcos’ Fans, as Netflix Gives Escobar Drama a Second Season
Drama stars Wagner Moura as Escobar and tells the story of the Medellin Cartel, once the world’s most ambitious and violent trafficking organization. Adam Fierro will take over as showrunner for Chris Brancato, who oversaw the freshman series and departed to board ABC’s now-midseason biblical drama Of Kings and Prophets. The series had been ramping up its writers room back in April in anticipation of an expected second-season renewal. (TLF)
‘Parks and Rec’ Producers Re-Team For Interracial Family Comedy At NBC
The show’s creator, Mike Schur, and consulting producer Matt Hubbard are behind a single camera series that centers on Andrew and Josie, a happily married interracial couple whose lives take a turn when they move close to Josie’s family in Missouri. Hubbard will write the script (which has received a production commitment from NBC) and will exec-produce alongside Schur and David Miner. (TVL)
The Writing Team Behind Marvel and Sony’s ‘Spider-Man’ Reboot Are Venturing Into TV, Too
Hot feature writers John Francis Daley and Jonathan Goldstein are venturing into television with a single-camera comedy project for Fox, which has received a script commitment plus penalty. Written by the Daley and Goldstein, the single-camera comedy, described as a mix of adrenaline and heart, follows a group of adult underdogs as they try to ignite a spark in their lives and stand up for themselves when their town is overrun by a teenage street gang. (DH)
‘Luke Cage’ Keeps Casting, Brings In ‘House Of Cards’ Alum To Play Another Villain
Following Wednesday’s announcement that Netflix’s upcoming series added Simone Missick as the female lead opposite Mike Colter, playing a variation of Misty Knight… yesterday, it was announced that Mahershala Ali has booked a key role playing Cornell “Cottonmouth” Stokes, another adversary for the title character to battle. (SAA)
Gerard Butler Signs Up For the Lead Role In ‘The Headhunter’s Calling’
The family drama set in the world of big money recruitment from writer Bill Dubuque and first-time director Mark Williams. The Scottish actor will play a ruthless headhunter called Dane Jensen, who is set on taking over the company he works for when his young son falls ill and his priorities change. Voltage Pictures is representing the movie internationally and will launch the project to foreign buyers at the Toronto Film Festival. (THR)
Selena Gomez Becomes the Latest Former Teen Star To Join ‘Neighbors 2’
The Universal Pictures comedy sequel already has Seth Rogen, Zac Efron and Chloe Grace Moretz on board, as well as other returning stars Rose Byrne and Dave Franco. Nicholas Stoller is also back in the director’s chair, writing alongside Rogen, Evan Goldberg, Andrew Jay Cohen and Brendan O’Brien. (CS)
Before Jason Momoa Truly Embraces His Inner Aquaman, He Will First Be a Lumberjack In ‘Braven’
Lin Oeding is directing the film, based on an original story by Mike Nilon and scripted by Thomas Pa’a Sibbett, which finds Momoa as a logger living and working along the border between the US and Canada with his family. But his happy life is threatened when a group of drug runners decide that the quiet border spot where he works would be the prime location for their new route. He’s forced into a serious battle protect the people he loves the most. (EMP)
Screenwriters: ‘Ordinary People’
The 130-page second draft of the screenplay written by Alvin Sargent. Script is dated September 21st, 1979. (DS)