Apple Partners With Jane Goodall Institute, Sinking Ship Entertainment on Children’s Series

Joe Otterson TV ReporterA “Terminator” anime series has been ordered at Netflix, Variety has learned.As the project is still in the early stages, plot details are being kept under wraps. Netflix has partnered with Skydance on the series, with Skydance having produced the last two “Terminator” films.

Joe Otterson TV Reporter“Cobra Kai” has promoted both Vanessa Rubio and Peyton List to series regular status ahead of Season 4 on Netflix.Rubio has been with the show since Season 1 in the role of Carmen Diaz, the mother of Johnny Lawrence’s star pupil, Miguel.

Joe Otterson TV ReporterWagner Moura has signed on to star opposite Elisabeth Moss in the Apple series “Shining Girls,” Variety has learned.The series is an adaptation of the 2013 Lauren Beukes novel of the same name. Moss plays a Chicago reporter who survived a brutal assault only to find her reality shifting as she hunts down her attacker.

Joe Otterson TV ReporterAustin Butler and Callum Turner will play the lead roles in Apple’s World War II drama “Masters of the Air,” a continuation of the “Band of Brothers”/”The Pacific” franchise from Steven Spielberg and Tom Hanks.Based on the book of the same name by Donald L. Miller, “Masters of the Air” follows the true story of the American bomber boys in World War II who brought the war to Hitler’s doorstep.

Joe Otterson TV ReporterFreeform has given a series order to the single-camera comedy “Single Drunk Female.”The series stars Sofia Black-D’Elia and Ally Sheedy in the lead roles. In the show, after a spectacularly embarrassing public breakdown, irreverent alcoholic Samantha Fink (Black-D’Elia) is forced to move back home with her “Smother” (Sheedy) to sober up and avoid jail time.

Joe Otterson TV ReporterJon Stewart has lined up the key creative team for his upcoming Apple current events series.Brinda Adhikari, Chelsea Devantez and Lorrie Baranek have all joined the untitled show.

Joe Otterson TV ReporterGillian Anderson has been cast as Eleanor Roosevelt in the upcoming Showtime anthology series “The First Lady,” Variety has learned.The show is described as a reframing of American leadership, told through the lens of the women at the heart of the White House.

Joe Otterson TV ReporterA live-action series adaptation of the “Twisted Metal” PlayStation game franchise is officially moving forward, Variety has learned.Sony Pictures Television and PlayStation Productions are developing a series based on the “Twisted Metal” vehicular combat games, the first of which was released in 1995.

Joe Otterson TV ReporterA “Constantine” series is in early development at HBO Max, Variety has learned from sources.The search is currently on for an actor to lead the series in the role of John Constantine, with Guy Bolton attached to write. According to sources, the show would tie in to the “Justice League Dark” series that is currently at the works at the streamer with J.J.

Joe Otterson TV ReporterThe series based on Sally Rooney’s book “Conversations With Friends” has cast Alison Oliver, Sasha Lane, Joe Alwyn, and Jemima Kirke in four lead roles, Variety has learned.The Hulu-BBC Three series follows Frances (Oliver), a 21 year old college student, as she navigates a series of relationships that force her to confront her own vulnerabilities for the first time. Frances is observant, cerebral and sharp.

Joe Otterson TV ReporterAunjanue Ellis and Andrene Ward-Hammond have been cast in the upcoming AMC series “61st Street,” Variety has learned.They join previously announced cast members Courtney B. Vance, Tosin Cole, and Bentley Green.

Joe Otterson TV ReporterThe upcoming “Peacemaker” series at HBO Max has cast Alison Araya and Lenny Jacobson in recurring roles, Variety has learned exclusively.They join previously announced series lead John Cena as well as series regulars Danielle Brooks, Chris Conrad, Jennifer Holland, Steve Agee, Robert Patrick, and Chukwudi Iwuji.

Joe Otterson TV ReporterClaire Danes has signed on for the lead role in the upcoming Apple drama series “Essex Serpent,” Variety has learned exclusively.Danes takes over the role from Keira Knightley, whose exit from the project was reported back in October. The series is based on the book of the same name by Sarah Perry.

Joe Otterson TV ReporterThe HBO Max comedy series being led by Jean Smart is rounding out its main cast.Variety has learned that the show has cast two series regulars and eight recurring guest star roles. The single-camera comedy series explores a dark mentorship that forms between Deborah Vance (Smart), a legendary Las Vegas comedian, and an entitled, outcast 25-year-old (Hannah Einbinder).Einbinder has been cast as Ava, the young writer that Deborah is forced to hire.

Joe Otterson TV ReporterDan Harmon has set up the first series under his broadcast network-only exclusive direct animation deal with Fox Entertainment.The untitled series is set in mythical ancient Greece. It centers on a flawed family of humans, gods and monsters that tries to run one of the world’s first cities without killing each other.

Joe Otterson TV ReporterWWE shares were down in after-hours trading Thursday after falling well short of fourth-quarter earnings and revenue forecasts.In Q4, revenue fell 26% from the prior-year quarter to $238.2 million. Net income was $13.6 million, or 16 cents per diluted share.

Joe Otterson TV ReporterAnne Hathaway and Jared Leto have signed on to star in Apple’s scripted WeWork project, which has been ordered to series at the streamer.The series is titled “WeCrashed,” based on the Wondery podcast of the same name. It is described as following the greed-filled rise and inevitable fall of WeWork, one of the world’s most valuable startups, and the narcissists whose chaotic love made it all possible.Hathaway and Leto are both Oscar winners.

Joe Otterson TV Reporter“The Sandman” series at Netflix has set its main cast. Tom Sturridge is officially set to star as Dream, with the show also adding Gwendoline Christie, Vivienne Acheampong, Boyd Holbrook, Charles Dance, Asim Chaudhry, and Sanjeev Bhaskar.The series is based on “The Sandman” comic book series created for DC by Neil Gaiman.

Joe Otterson TV ReporterAn animated “Game of Thrones” series is in the very early development stages at HBO Max, Variety has confirmed with sources.There are no details available about what the focus of the potential series would be and no writers or talent are currently attached to the project.HBO Max declined to comment.Variety exclusively reported last week that a series based on George R.R. Martin’s “Tales of Dunk and Egg” is in the works at HBO.

Joe Otterson TV Reporter“State of the Union” has been renewed for Season 2 at SundanceTV.The second season of the short form series will star Brendan Gleeson, Patricia Clarkson, and Esco Jouléy.