‘Game of Thrones’ prequel series revealed — second spinoff of HBO hit

CONGRATS, RENA!!!

Queen Charlotte: A Bridgerton Story premieres next week on Netflix and we’re learning that there are four Bridgerton stars who make appearances in the new prequel series.

Myleene Klass amazed viewers as she made her return to our TV screens for the all-stars edition of I'm A Celebrity... Get Me Out Of Here! set in South Africa. As a host of famous faces were brought together from over 20 years of the hit ITV reality show, musician and broadcaster Myleene was one of the late arrivals along with Coronation Street's Andy Whyment and Made in Chelsea's Georgia 'Toff' Toffolo.

McKinley Franklin editor Amazon has acquired the animated film “Merry Little Batman” after it was previously scrapped at HBO Max. “Merry Little Batman” has been picked up alongside the spinoff series, “Bat-Family.” The acquisitions follow the previously announced two-season order for “Batman: Caped Crusader,” which was similarly axed at HBO Max in 2022. “We are excited to partner with Amazon to begin an all-new animated chapter of ‘Batman.’ From the cinematic noir storytelling of ‘Batman: Caped Crusader’ to the comedic adventures of ‘Merry Little Batman’ and ‘Bat-Family,’ these new projects ensure that there will be an animated Batman story ready to excite fans of all ages,” said Sam Register, president of Warner Bros. Animation and Cartoon Network Studios.

Lionsgate is behind an upcoming “Hunger Games” prequel film with “The Hunger Games: The Ballad of Songbirds & Snakes,” looking to expand that story with a different setting without having a pricey star like Jennifer Lawrence return. However, that’s not the only young adult genre franchise from their IP library they’re looking to resurrect from the grave as a series reboot based on the “Twilight” franchise is in the works at Lionsgate Television.

George R.R. Martin has shared new details about the newly-announced Game of Thrones prequel, A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms.The author explained that the series has already been commissioned for a first season, which will comprise the three works wrapped up in the book of the same name.

EXCLUSIVE: Revenge actress Madeleine Stowe and Daredevil‘s Stephen Rider have joined Andy and Barbara Muschietti and Jason Fuchs’ Max Original series, Welcome to Derry (working title), which is a prequel to New Line’s hit Stephen King film franchise, It.

BreAnna Bell Madeleine Stowe (“Soundtrack,” “Revenge”) and Stephen Rider (“Daredevil”) have joined the cast of HBO Max’s “It” prequel series currently titled, “Welcome to Derry.” HBO Max is scheduled to formally become Max on May 23. Variety exclusively reported the addition of previous cast members Taylour Paige (“Zola,” “Ma Rainey’s Black Bottom”), Jovan Adepo (“Babylon,” “Watchmen”), Chris Chalk (“Perry Mason,” “All Dirt Roads Taste of Salt”), and James Remar (“Oppenheimer,” “Megalopolis”). The duo’s exact roles remain under wraps along with the show’s plot details. But Variety has confirmed Stowe will appear in a recurring guest role while Rider is a series regular. The official logline for the series states, “Set in the world of Stephen King’s ‘It’ universe, ‘Welcome to Derry’ is based on King’s ‘It’ novel and expands the vision established by filmmaker Andy Muschietti in the feature films ‘It’ and ‘It Chapter Two.’” HBO Max first order the show to series in February.

The John Wick prequel series is here!

Harry Potter book series has been confirmed at HBO Max.It was reported earlier this month that talks were in place for the first ever series based on the iconic books, with Bloomberg reporting that each season of the series would be based on one of Rowling’s seven main entries in the Harry Potter series.Today (April 12), HBO Max have now confirmed the upcoming series in a tweet and short accompanying video.“Your Hogwarts letter is here,” the tweet reads, adding that “Max has ordered the first ever Harry Potter scripted television series, a faithful adaptation of the iconic books.”No further details are available yet, but you can watch the announcement video below.Your Hogwarts letter is here. Max has ordered the first ever #HarryPotter scripted television series, a faithful adaptation of the iconic books.

John Wick spin-off prequel series The Continental has arrived – check it out below.The series was first teased in 2017, and was confirmed to be a prequel to the Keanu Reeves-starring movie series, with set “way back in terms of timing of the movies.”Ahead of its September 2023 release date on the Peacock streaming service, the first trailer has arrived for the show.A synopsis for The Continental reads: “The three-part event series will explore the origin behind the iconic hotel-for-assassins centerpiece of the John Wick universe through the eyes and actions of a young Winston Scott, as he’s dragged into the Hell-scape of 1970’s New York City to face a past he thought he’d left behind.“Winston charts a deadly course through the hotel’s mysterious underworld in a harrowing attempt to seize the hotel where he will eventually take his future throne.”Watch the trailer below.Speaking about the show’s premise, Lionsgate chairman Kevin Beggs explained: “What we’re exploring in The Continental is the young Winston and how it came to be that he and his team of confederates found their way into this hotel which we have met for the first time in the movie franchise 40 years later. That’s the arena.“I won’t give away more than that, but Starz really leaned into this take also, and they have been great collaborators.

Joe Otterson TV Reporter The “Game of Thrones” prequel based on George R.R. Martin’s “Dunk and Egg” books is officially moving forward at HBO. The announcement was made during Warner Bros. Discovery presentation to press and investors on April 12, in which it was announced that the combined HBO Max and Discovery+ streaming service will be known simply as Max. It also comes a little over two years after Variety exclusively reported that the series was in development. The show is based on the series of fantasy novellas by Martin, which follow the adventures of Ser Duncan the Tall (Dunk) and a young Aegon V Targaryen (Egg) 90 years prior to the events of “A Song of Ice and Fire.”

BreAnna Bell The horror of “The Conjuring” is getting the TV treatment. HBO Max is developing a TV series based on New Line Cinema’s “The Conjuring” universe. The news was announced on Wednesday exclusively during Warner Bros. Discovery’s unveiling of the Max streaming service on the Warner Bros. lot in Los Angeles. According to Warner Bros., “The Conjuring” television series will continue the story established in the feature films. Producer Peter Safran is attached to executive produce the series via his Safran Company banner. James Wan, who also produced and directed several films within the franchise, is in talks to also executive produce. Wan’s Atomic Monster Productions is backing the project alongside Warner Bros. Television.

Jennifer Maas TV Business Writer Warner Bros. Discovery finally revealed the plans (and confirmed the long-rumored name) for its new streaming service, Max, which will combine offerings from HBO Max and Discovery+ into one product, during a splashy press presentation on the Warner Bros. Studio lot Wednesday. The event kicked off at 10 a.m. at the iconic Burbank location, presided over by WBD CEO David Zaslav, president and CEO of global streaming and games JB Perrette, HBO and HBO Max CEO and chairman Casey Bloys (who now also has oversight of Chip and Joanna Gaines’ Magnolia Network), and U.S. networks group chairman and chief content officer Kathleen Finch. Variety is on the scene, ready to fill you in on all the details about the new streamer, Warner Bros. Discovery’s direct-to-consumer strategy, the future of HBO and the standalone version of Discovery+.

Mel Gibson and Colin Woodell lead the cast for the three-part prequel series, , which will premiere in September on Peacock, it was announced Wednesday. The upcoming series explores the origins behind the hotel for assassins at the center of the franchise and is told through the eyes of young Winston Scott (Woodell) as he's dragged into the hell-scape of 1970s New York City to face a past he thought he left behind. Winston charts a deadly course through the hotel's mysterious underworld in a harrowing attempt to seize the hotel where he will eventually take his future throne.Woodell plays a younger version of the character portrayed by Ian McShane in the  movies, and he's not the only cast member taking on a familiar role to fans of the franchise.

McKinley Franklin author It’s time to check into “The Continental.” The world of “John Wick” is expanding with the upcoming prequel series “The Continental” — which doesn’t include Keanu Reeves’ staple character, but after seeing the first trailer, it looks like the action-packed show may not need him anyway. “The Continental” is a prequel miniseries based on the four main “John Wick” movies. The original set of films, including last month’s “John Wick 4,” follows Reeves’ ex-hitman character, John Wick, who comes out of retirement on a quest for bloody vengeance. “The Continental” will give audiences a glimpse into the early “John Wick” universe before the timeline of the first film with its three episodes. The show will premiere on Peacock in September. 

Selome Hailu MGM+ has greenlit a docuseries titled “Hollywood Black” directed by Justin Simien, who executive produces alongside Forest Whitaker. In four parts, “Hollywood Black” focuses on the history of Black actors, writers, directors and producers who fought for their place in the entertainment industry. The series is based on the book of the same name by historian Donald Bogle. Simien is best known for writing and directing the 2014 film “Dear White People” and creating the Netflix series of the same name. He also directed and wrote 2020’s “Bad Hair,” and directed “Haunted Mansion,” the 2023 horror film based on the Disney theme park ride, which debuts later this year.

Bruno Tonioli has shared how David Walliams welcomed him taking over his role on Britain's Got Talent ahead of viewers seeing his debut on the show. It was announced earlier this year that the former Strictly Come Dancing judge would be replacing the comedian and actor on the judging panel of the hit ITV talent show.

Adam B. Vary Senior Entertainment Writer The past, present and future of Star Wars was on ample display on Friday at the Star Wars Celebration fan convention, as Lucasfilm unveiled the most robust look yet at the company’s plans for the hallowed franchise. As studio chief Kathleen Kennedy revealed three new feature films and first looks at four upcoming TV series, Lucasfilm made clear it aims to test just how far it can stretch the Star Wars galaxy: creatively, logistically and even historically. Starting with “The Phantom Menace” and concluding with “The Rise of Skywalker,” the previous nine “Star Wars” movies have all taken place within a roughly 70-year timeline, straddling the climactic Battle of Yavin in “A New Hope” that has served as the official fulcrum point for the franchise for six decades. Every live-action and animated spinoff TV series has unfolded within that timeframe, including the shows launched on Disney+: “The Mandalorian,” “The Book of Boba Fett,” “Andor,” “The Bad Batch” and the upcoming shows “Ahsoka” and “Skeleton Crew.” (“Visions,” an animated anthology series launched in 2021, exists outside of Star Wars canon.)

Andor” on Friday as part of the Star Wars Celebration fan convention in London.  The 12-episode first season of “Andor,” created and executive produced by “Rogue One” co-writer Tony Gilroy, debuted in September to wide acclaim for its sprawling, ground-level depiction of the formation of the Rebel Alliance. Set five years before the events of “Rogue One,” the first season tracks a year in the life of Cassian Andor (Diego Luna) as he transforms from a cynical, small-time criminal into a man ready to join the fight against the Galactic Empire. Gilroy explained on Friday that the team is working as quickly as possible to get Season 2 done. Shooting began in November and is expected to wrap in August. The creator predicted the show will hit Disney+ in August 2024.