Terry Crews to Star in CBS Comedy Pilot Based on ‘JumpStart’ Comic Strip

Joe Otterson TV Reporter “This Is Us” alums Sterling K. Brown and Dan Fogelman are reuniting for a drama that has been ordered to series at Hulu, Variety has learned. Hulu is not commenting on exact plot details of the untitled series, but sources describe the show as a thriller and say Brown would star as the head of security for a former president. In addition to writing, Fogelman will executive produce via Rhode Island Ave. Productions along with Jess Rosenthal. Brown will executive produce in addition to starring, with John Hoberg also executive producing. 20th Television is the studio, with Fogelman currently under an overall deal there.

Joe Otterson TV Reporter “Ted Lasso” breakout Phil Dunster’s role in the second season of “Surface” has been revealed. Dunster joining the second season of the Gugu Mbatha-Raw-led Apple series was reported in early March, but character details were being kept under wraps at the time. Variety can now exclusively report that Dunster will star as Quinn, the older brother of Eliza (Millie Brady). Quinn is described as “the privileged scion of a troubled, old-money family who’s attempting to blaze a new trail for the younger generation – all the while struggling against his own darker tendencies.”

Joe Otterson TV Reporter A series version of the comic book “Hellicious” is in development at TBS with “Red Hot Chili Peppers” frontman Anthony Kiedis attached to star and executive produce, Variety has learned exclusively. In addition to starring, Kiedis will executive produce along with Bob Forrest and Ron Burkle via their newly formed production company, Said and Done Entertainment. The series is inspired by the comic book series created by Mina Elwell, Alan C. Medina, Kit Wallis, and Simon Oré. Per the official logline, the show “follows Cherry, the Devil’s precocious 7-year-old granddaughter, who steals the Heaven-bound soul of rock-goth icon Briggy Bundy (Kiedis). The unlikely duo stumble upon forgotten realms of the afterlife while evading Cherry’s mother and an agent from heaven sent to reclaim Briggy’s soul.”

Ryan Michelle Bathé is set as a lead opposite Terry Crews in JumpStart, CBS’ multi-camera comedy pilot based on Robb Armstrong’s long-running comic strip, Deadline has confirmed.

Joe Otterson TV Reporter Ryan Michelle Bathé has been cast in a leading role in CBS’ comedy pilot based on the “JumpStart” comic strip, Variety has learned exclusively. Bathé will now star in the pilot opposite previously announced cast member Terry Crews. The multi-cam pilot was originally ordered at CBS in February. The official logline states that the show “follows Joe (Crews), a cop, his wife Marcy (Bathé), a nurse, and Joe’s partner Crunchy. Joe and Marcy are young, hip, urban parents with old school values who are willing to sacrifice for their kids and have some laughs while doing it!” Marcy is further described as “a hard-working nurse who is naturally maternal and wise beyond her years. She and Joe share a close bond and are supportive of one another even when they don’t agree. The two have a good life in their middle-class Philly neighborhood with their two teen kids — meeting all challenges, and enjoying their share of goofy times as well.”

Joe Otterson TV Reporter Netflix has ordered its first ever pilot. The streaming giant, which has typically opted to order projects straight to series, has greenlit a pilot for the single-camera comedy “Little Sky,” Variety has confirmed. Samara Weaving is attached to star in the pilot, which hails from creator Rightor Doyle. According to an invidual with knowledge of the situation, Netflix does not plan to shift to the traditional broadcast model of ordering multiple pilots and comparing them for potential series orders. The “Little Sky” pilot is the only one planned at present. Nevertheless, the fact that Netflix is willing to order a pilot is significant. The streamer has heavily influenced broadcast networks and other outlets in recent years into using a script-to-series model and mini rooms, the latter of which are a sticking point in the current WGA negotiations. To that point, the number of pilots ordered at the major broadcast networks during the current traditional pilot season has reached an all-time low, with just 14 pilots ordered to date.

Joe Otterson TV Reporter Netflix has found the main cast for the limited series adaptation of the Elin Hilderbrand novel “The Perfect Couple.” Variety has learned that Nicole Kidman has officially signed on to star in the series, as has Liev Schreiber, Eve Hewson, Billy Howle, Dakota Fanning, Meghann Fahy, Ishaan Khattar, Jack Reynor, Sam Nivola, Mia Issac, Donna Lynne Champlin, and Isabelle Adjani. The show originally received its six-episode order at Netflix in August 2022. The official logline states, “Amelia Sacks (Hewson) is about to marry into one of the wealthiest families on Nantucket. Her disapproving future mother-in-law, famous novelist Greer Garrison Winbury (Kidman), has spared no expense in planning what promises to be the premiere wedding of the season — until a body turns up on the beach. As secrets come to light, the stage is set for a real-life investigation that feels plucked from the pages of one of Greer’s novels. Suddenly, everyone is a suspect.”

NBC has announced its summer slate, which includes new seasons of America’s Got Talent and American Ninja Warrior, as well as the premieres of Hot Wheels: Ultimate Challenge and docuseries LA Fire & Rescue.

Joe Otterson TV Reporter A “Star Trek” series set at Starfleet Academy has officially been ordered at Paramount+, Variety has learned. The series has been in the works for some time, as Variety first reported on the development of a Starfleet Academy show in 2018, though that project had a different creative team. The premiere episode hails from writer and executive producer Gaia Violo. Alex Kurtzman, who oversees the “Star Trek” TV universe for Paramount, will serve as executive producer and co-showrunner along with Noga Landau. Aaron Baiers, Jenny Lumet, Rod Roddenberry, Trevor Roth, Frank Siracusa, and John Weber also executive produce. CBS Studios produces in association with Kurtzman’s Secret Hideout and Roddenberry Entertainment. Secret Hideout, Lumet, and Roddenberry Entertainment are currently under overall deals at CBS Studios.

Joe Otterson TV Reporter The Netflix anime series based on the “Scott Pilgrim” graphic novels is bringing back the entire main cast of the film “Scott Pilgrim vs. The World” to voice their characters in the show. The show, which was first reported as being in development at Netflix in January 2022, has officially been ordered to series. The returning cast members are: Michael Cera (Scott Pilgrim), Mary Elizabeth Winstead (Ramona Flowers), Satya Bhabha (Matthew Patel), Kieran Culkin (Wallace Wells), Chris Evans (Lucas Lee), Anna Kendrick (Stacey Pilgrim), Brie Larson (Envy Adams), Alison Pill (Kim Pine), Aubrey Plaza (Julie Powers), Brandon Routh (Todd Ingram), Jason Schwartzman (Gideon Graves), Johnny Simmons (Young Neil), Mark Webber (Stephen Stills), Mae Whitman (Roxie), and Ellen Wong (Knives Chau). Additional cast members will be announced at a later date.

Joe Otterson TV Reporter “Star Trek: Strange New Worlds” has been renewed for Season 3 while “Star Trek: Lower Decks” has been renewed for Season 5 at Paramount+. The new seasons of both shows will consist of 10 episodes. In addition, Season 2 of “Strange New Worlds” and Season 4 of “Lower Decks” will both debut this summer. “Strange New Worlds” Season 2 will premiere on June 15 on Paramount+ in the U.S., the U.K., Australia, Latin America, Brazil, France, Italy, Germany, Switzerland, and Austria. New episodes will then drop weekly thereafter. “Lower Decks” will return in late summer, but an exact date has yet to be announced. Finally, Season 2 of the Nickelodeon animated series “Star Trek: Prodigy” is set to air this coming winter. Season 1 of that show originally launched in late 2021, with the second half of the season airing in late 2022.

Joe Otterson TV Reporter Lena Headey is set to star in Kurt Sutter’s upcoming Netflix series “The Abandons,” Variety has learned. The Western series was ordered at the streamer in October 2022. The official series description states: “As a group of diverse, outlier families pursue their Manifest Destiny in 1850s Oregon, a corrupt force of wealth and power, coveting their land, tries to force them out. These abandoned souls, the kind of lost souls living on the fringe of society, unite their tribes to form a family and fight back. In this bloody process, ‘justice’ is stretched beyond the boundaries of the law.” Headey will play Fiona, described as “a strong, devout matriarch who, unable to have her own children, took in four orphans to create her own family. Driven by a higher purpose – and a strong-willed Irish temper – her faith and love for her family trump all.”

Joe Otterson TV Reporter Jessica Chastain will star in the eight-episode limited series “The Savant” at Apple, Variety has learned. The series is inspired by a true story published in Cosmopolitan in August 2019. Exact plot details for the series are being kept under wraps, but the Cosmopolitan article tells the story of a real woman who has come to be known as “the Savant” as she infiltrates hate groups online to help stop large-scale public attacks. The series hails from Fifth Season and Anonymous Content. Melissa James Gibson (“Anatomy of a Scandal,” “The Americans”) will serve as writer, executive producer, and showrunner under her overall deal with Fifth Season. Matthew Heineman (“A Private War,” “Retrograde”) will direct and executive produce. Chastain will executive produce in addition to starring via Freckle Films. Kelly Carmichael of Freckle Films also executive produces along with Jessica Giles, editor-in-chief of Cosmopolitan. Brian Madden, senior VP of development for Hearst Magazines, will produce. Andrea Stanley, writer of the original Cosmopolitan feature, will consult.

Joe Otterson TV Reporter Essence Atkins and Tetona Jackson have signed on to star in the untitled CBS comedy pilot starring Damon Wayans and Damon Wayans Jr., Variety has learned. In addition, Andy Ackerman has signed on to direct the pilot. The multi-cam pilot was first announced at CBS in February. Per the official logline, “Legendary talk radio host and happily divorced ‘Poppa’ (Wayans) has his point of view challenged at work when a new female co-host (Atkins) is hired, and at home where he finds himself still parenting his adult son (Wayans Jr.), a brilliant dreamer who is trying to pursue his passion while being a responsible father and husband.” Atkins character is named Dr. Ivy Reed. She is further described as “intelligent, savvy, and bold” and hosts the radio show “Ask Dr. Reed,” where she gives “helpful advice to listeners with a modern approach on life” before she is brought in as Poppa’s new co-host.

Joe Otterson TV Reporter Newly-minted Oscar winner Jamie Lee Curtis is set to guest star in the upcoming Amazon comedy series “The Sticky.” It was previously announced that Curtis would executive produce the series, which was ordered at Amazon in April 2022. In addition, Guillaume Cyr (“Louis Cyr,” “The New Life of Paul Sneijder”) has joined the show in one of its lead roles alongside Margo Martindale and Chris Diamantopoulos. Production is now underway on the series in and around Montreal. As previously announced, the series is inspired by the true story of the “Great Canadian Maple Syrup Heist,” in which 70% of the world’s global maple syrup supply was stolen.

Joe Otterson TV Reporter Ronny Chieng’s Hulu comedy pilot is not being picked up to series at the streaming service, Variety has learned. The untitled pilot saw Chieng star as an analyst who is unexpectedly given the chance to be the general manager of the Brooklyn Nets when the entire front office staff quits. It was inspired by real-life Nets owner Joe Tsai. Variety exclusively reported the pilot was in the works in May 2022. Little was announced about the pilot beyond the initial report, but sources say Chieng co-wrote the pilot with Jon Pollack. Both also served as executive producers along with Melvin Mar, Jake Kasdan, and Hannah Pham. Greg Mottola directed the pilot. 20th Television was the studio, with Mar and Kasdan under an overall deal at 20th TV via The Detective Agency. According to an individual with knowledge of the situation, 20th TV and the producers plan to shop the project to other outlets.

Brooklyn Nine-Nine alum Terry Crews has been tapped as the lead and also will executive produce JumpStart, CBS’ multi-camera comedy pilot based on Robb Armstrong’s long-running comic strip. Wayne Conley (The Best Man) penned the TV adaptation for the project from Aaron Kaplan’s Kapital Entertainment, Wendi Trilling’s TrillTV and CBS Studios. Phill Lewis will direct and executive produce the pilot, replacing Kelly Park due to changes in the production schedule; Park is directing NBC’s comedy pilot Non-Evil Twin instead.

Nancy Lenehan is set as a lead opposite Ellie Kemper in ABC’s Drop-Off (working title), a comedy pilot based on the British series Motherland, from writer Julieanne Smolinski, Sharon Horgan and Clelia Mountford’s Merman Television, Paul Feig’s Feigco Entertainment, Lionsgate and ABC Signature. Judy Greer, Karan Soni and Michaela Conlin also star.

EXCLUSIVE: Michaela Conlin has been cast as a series regular opposite Ellie Kemper in ABC’s Drop-Off (working title), a comedy pilot based on the British series Motherland, from writer Julieanne Smolinski, Sharon Horgan and Clelia Mountford’s Merman Television, Paul Feig’s Feigco Entertainment, Lionsgate and ABC Signature. Judy Greer and Karan Soni also star.