David Oyelowo, Taylor Sheridan’s ‘Bass Reeves’ Series Casts Shea Whigham

Brent Lang Executive Editor Neon has purchased North American rights to “Eileen,” an adaptation of Ottessa Moshfegh’s acclaimed novel of the same title. The movie debuted to strong reviews at Sundance, but its high price tag, said by sources to be in the range of $15 million, made it difficult for the film to score a distribution deal. It languished on the market for roughly two months as several studios kicked the tires. This despite the combined star wattage of “Jojo Rabbit’s” Thomasin McKenzie and Oscar-winner Anne Hathaway and a twisty plot. The rest of the ensemble includes Shea Whigham, Marin Ireland, and Owen Teague. William Oldroyd (“Lady Macbeth”) directs from a script by Moshfegh who adapted “Eileen” with Luke Goebel. Neon will release the film theatrically this fall. 

NEON has taken the North American rights to the Anne Hathaway starring Sundance Film Festival premiere, Eileen from director William Oldroyd (Lady Macbeth). The distributor is eyeing a fall theatrical release for the film.

Joe Otterson TV Reporter The Butch Cassidy and The Sundance Kid series in the works at Amazon has found its showrunners. Variety has learned that Alex Metcalf has boarded the show, currently titled “Butch & Sundance,” as showrunner and executive producer. Series creators Kaz Firpo and Ryan Firpo will serve as co-showrunners and executive producers alongside Metcalf. The Firpos most recently wrote the screenplay for the Marvel film “Eternals.” Amazon has ordered the show straight-to-series. The show was first reported as being in development in September, with Regé-Jean Page attached to play Cassidy and Glen Powell playing Sundance. At that time, it was reported that deals for the show were not yet closed and discussions were ongoing.

EXCLUSIVE: Wind River alum Gil Birmingham has closed a deal to return for Castle Rock Entertainment’s sequel Wind River: The Next Chapter, with Alan Ruck (Succession), Kali Reis (Catch the Fair One) and Tatanka Means (Killers of the Flower Moon) also joining the cast.

Joe Otterson TV Reporter HBO Max is developing a drama series based on the life of Heidi Fleiss, Variety has learned exclusively. The untitled series hails from writer and executive producer Maggie Cohn, who most recently served as the co-showrunner on HBO Max’s critically acclaimed limited series “The Staircase.” Fleiss will serve as a consultant on the project. Emma Tillinger Koskoff (“Joker,” The Irishman”) of First Love Films will also executive produce, along with Alex Goldstone (“Dickinson”) for Anonymous Content, Bill Gerber (“Muhammed Ali,” “A Star Is Born”) of Gerber Pictures, and David Bernon, Paul Bernon, and Sam Slater of Burn Later Productions (“Support the Girls,” “Mile 22,” “Drinking Buddies”).

Joe Otterson TV Reporter Evan Jones has signed with Buchwald for representation, Variety has learned exclusively. In addition, Jones has landed a recurring guest star role in the upcoming HBO Max crime drama series “Duster” from J.J. Abrams and LaToya Morgan. Jones will continue to be represented by Artists First and Ginsburg Daniels Kallis. Jones is best known for his roles in films like “8 Mile,” in which he played Cheddar Bob, and “Jarhead,” in which he played Fowler. Jones’ other notable film roles include “Den of Thieves,” “The Book of Eli,” “Guardians of the Galaxy 2,” “A Million Ways to Die in the West,” “Shot Caller,” and “Hotel Artemis.” In television, Jones has appeared in shows like “October Road,” “Houdini,” “Brothers & Sisters,” “Midnight, Texas,” and “CSI: Cyber.”

Joe Otterson TV Reporter Best-selling author James Patterson has signed an exclusive first-look deal with Skydance Television. Under the terms of the deal, Patterson will develop television adaptations of his best selling book series “Women’s Murder Club” and Michael Bennett books, as well as book series “Private” and the soon-to-be published books “Jane Smith” and “Holmes, Miss Marple and Poe.” “In speaking with David Ellison, Dana Goldberg and the team, it quickly became clear Skydance is only interested in making quality entertainment with top talent,” said Patterson. “This kind of partnership is exactly what we have been seeking for James Patterson Entertainment, as we continue to grow our brand across every area of the business.”

Five new actors have just joined Taylor Sheridan‘s 1883: The Bass Reeves Story!

EXCLUSIVE: Joaquina Kalukango (Lovecraft Country), Lonnie Chavis (This is Us), Rob Morgan (Mudbound), Ryan O’Nan (Queen of the South), and Justin Hurtt-Dunkley (Mare Of Easttown) have been tapped for key recurring roles opposite David Oyelowo and Dennis Quaid in Bass Reeves, from Yellowstone co-creator/showrunner Taylor Sheridan.

Joe Otterson TV Reporter Halcyon Studios has brought on Phil Abraham to direct and executive produce the series “Beverly Hills Noir,” Variety has learned exclusively. Halcyon, a division of Chicken Soup for the Soul Entertainment, is producing the show, which is based on “Gemstone” by James Ellroy. Per the official logline, the show “follows two female detectives as they are sucked into the vortex of power, greed, and cold-blooded conspiracy in one of the most aspirational cities in the world, Beverly Hills.” Ed Decter is writing the series and will also serve as executive producer and showrunner. Along with Decter and Abraham, Ellroy, Stewart Till, and Richard Potter also executive produce. No network or streaming service is currently attached to the project.

Joe Otterson TV Reporter “The Penguin” series at HBO Max has added Michael Zegen, James Madio, and Scott Cohen to its cast in recurring roles, Variety has learned exclusively. The three join a cast that includes series lead Colin Farrell, who will reprise the role of Oswald “The Penguin” Cobblepot from “The Batman, as well as Cristin Milioti, Rhenzy Feliz, Michael Kelly, Shohreh Aghdashloo, Deirdre O’Connell, and Clancy Brown. HBO Max is not releasing character details for three new additions, but sources say that Zegen is set to play Alberto Falcone. Alberto is the son of Gotham City crime boss Carmine Falcone, who was played by John Turturro in “The Batman,” and the brother of Sofia Falcone, who will be played by Milioti in “The Penguin.” In the comics, Alberto takes credit for being the serial killer known as The Holiday Killer, who targets Gotham gangsters on a holiday each month.

Matthew McConaughey and Woody Harrelson are reuniting on a new television series — and one that will definitely be more light-hearted than their last go-round on .On Tuesday, Apple TV+ announced a new untitled comedy series starring the pair, playing themselves, from writer David West Read.The 10-episode half-hour comedy is described as «a heartfelt odd couple love story revolving around the strange and beautiful bond between Matthew McConaughey and Woody Harrelson. Matthew and Woody's friendship is tested when their combined families attempt to live together on Matthew's ranch in Texas.»No word yet what impact this may have on the reports that McConaughey was in talks to star in a new Yellowstone series amid rumors last month that Kevin Costner was leaving the popular Paramount Network series. «We have no news to report.

BreAnna Bell Garrett Hedlund has been cast in a recurring guest role in Taylor Sheridan’s forthcoming “Bass Reeves” series set at Paramount+, Variety has learned exclusively. He’ll portray Garrett Montgomery, a so-called posse man of the era who Bass hires for his riding know-how and expertise of the area. She joins previously announced stars including lead and executive producer David Oyelowo, and series regulars Lauren E. Banks, Demi Singleton, Forrest Goodluck and Barry Pepper. Dennis Quaid and Grantham Coleman will also appear in recurring roles. Hedlund can currently be seen in Paramount+’s “Tulsa King” and will next star in the film “The Tutor,” which is scheduled March 24th theater release. He recently completed production on the films “Desperation Road” opposite Mel Gibson and “The Marsh King’s Daughter,” co-starring Ben Mendelson and Daisy Ridley. His other credits include Lee Daniels’ “Mudbound,” “On the Road,” “Billy Lynn’s Long Halftime Walk,” “Mojave,” “Inside Llewyn Davis,” “Pan,” “Unbroken,” “Tron: Legacy,” and “Country Strong.”

Joe Otterson TV Reporter The upcoming Shondaland mystery series “The Residence” at Netflix has added four recurring cast members, Variety has learned exclusively. E.L. Losada (“Loot,” “Los Frikis”), Matt Oberg (“Veep,” “Superstore”), Ryan Farrell (“The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel,” “The Deuce”), and Alexandra Siegel (“Bosch,” “American Auto”) are the latest additions to the cast. They join series lead Uzo Aduba in the show along with cast members: Andre Braugher, Edwina Findley, Molly Griggs, Jason Lee, Ken Marino, Al Mitchell, Dan Perrault, Bronson Pinchot, Susan Kelechi Watson, Isiah Whitlock Jr., Mary Wiseman, and Randall Park. The official logline for the show states, “132 rooms. 157 suspects. One dead body. One wildly eccentric detective (Aduba). One disastrous State Dinner. The Residence is a screwball whodunnit set in the upstairs, downstairs, and backstairs of the White House, among the eclectic staff of the world’s most famous mansion.”

Joe Otterson TV Reporter Taylor Sheridan’s upcoming Paramount+ series “Lioness” has cast Bassem Youssef in a guest starring role, Variety has learned exclusively. Youssef will now appear in a cast that includes Zoe Saldaña, Laysla De Oliveira, Dave Annable, Jill Wagner, LaMonica Garrett, James Jordan, Austin Hébert, Jonah Wharton, Stephanie Nur, Hannah Love Lanier, Michael Kelly, Morgan Freeman, and Nicole Kidman. The official logline states that the show “is based on a real-life CIA program and follows Cruz Manuelos (De Oliveira), a rough-around-the-edges but passionate young Marine recruited to join the CIA’s Lioness Engagement Team to help bring down a terrorist organization from within.”

The History Channel has unveiled its latest programming slate, featuring documentaries from top talent including Kevin Costner and Bradley Cooper.

Jason Clarke, Scott Eastwood and Chaske Spencer will star together in “Wind River: The Next Chapter,” the sequel to Taylor Sheridan’s “Wind River,” for Castle Rock Entertainment.Kari Skogland (“The Handmaid’s Tale,” “The Americans”) will direct from a screenplay by writing partners Patrick Massett and John Zinman (“Lara Croft: Tomb Raider,” “Friday Night Lights”).Starring Jeremy Renner and Elizabeth Olsen, the 2017 Taylor Sheridan crime drama followed a seasoned hunter who helped an FBI agent investigate the killing of a young woman living on a Wyoming Native American reservation. The sequel also takes place on the Wind River resevation, where a series of ritualistic murders remain unsolved.

Joe Otterson TV Reporter Ted Danson and Mike Schur are officially reuniting for a series adaptation of the documentary “The Mole Agent” at Netflix, Variety has learned. The streaming giant has ordered eight episodes of the untitled project after it was originally reported that it was being taken out to market in early February. Per the official logline, Danson will star as Charles, “a retired man who gets a new lease on life when he answers an ad from a PI and becomes a mole in a secret investigation.” “The Mole Agent” was directed by Chilean filmmaker Maite Alberdi. It originally debuted at the 2020 Sundance Film Festival and went on to receive an Oscar nomination for best documentary feature.

Jason Clarke (Winning Time), Scott Eastwood (The Outpost) and Chaske Spencer (The English) have signed on to star alongside Martin Sensmeier in Wind River: The Next Chapter — Castle Rock Entertainment’s sequel to the acclaimed 2017 crime drama Wind River, which is currently in production in Calgary.

Joe Otterson TV Reporter Demi Singleton is the latest addition to the cast of the “Bass Reeves” series at Paramount+, Variety has learned exclusively. Singleton will appear in the period drama as a series regular opposite series lead David Oyelowo, who will star as the titular legendary lawman. Additional cast members include Barry Pepper, Dennis Quaid, Forrest Goodluck, Lauren E. Banks, and Grantham Coleman. Per the official logline, the show “will bring the legendary lawman of the wild west to life. Reeves, known as the greatest frontier hero in American history, worked in the post-Reconstruction era as a federal peace officer in the Indian Territory, capturing over 3,000 of the most dangerous criminals without ever being wounded.”