Susan Rovner Latest Celebrity News & Gossip

Michael Schneider Variety Editor at Large Pop, pop the champagne: Maybe it’s not the darkest timeline after all, as “six seasons and a movie” is finally becoming reality. Peacock has ordered a movie based on the Dan Harmon comedy “Community,” bringing back original stars Joel McHale, Danny Pudi, Alison Brie, Gillian Jacobs, Jim Rash and Ken Jeong to check in on what the gang from Greendale has been up to since the show ended in 2015. Without sharing specifics, Peacock and Sony Pictures TV, which jointly announced the greenlight on Friday, described the negotiations for Peacock to secure the movie as “heavily competitive.” As part of the deal, Peacock has also acquired non-exclusive rights to the full six-season “Community” library, which can also be found on Netflix and Hulu.

EXCLUSIVE: NBCUniversal is making some changes at E!.

vacated by Jenny Groom earlier this week.“I’ve always admired the NBCU unscripted portfolio – and grew up on Must See TV – so I’m thrilled by the opportunity to join this incredible team to nurture this slate of massively successful shows, take risks on developing new innovative programming, and, of course, continue championing the best producers in the business,” Henson said in a statement Friday.In her role, Henson will oversee reality competition, talent competition and game show formats. Her purview will include content development and current programming across the company’s eight entertainment platforms, including unscripted content like NBC’s “America’s Got Talent” and “The Voice,” Bravo’s “Top Chef” and Peacock’s “Baking It.”  She will report to Entertainment Content Chairman Susan Rovner.

Joe Otterson TV ReporterCorie Henson has been hired by NBCUniversal Television & Streaming as the executive vice president of entertainment unscripted content.Henson takes over the role from Jenny Groom, who exited the company earlier this week. She will report to Susan Rovner, the entertainment content chairman for NBCU TV & Streaming.“Corie is one of the most respected executives in the business and brings a resume overflowing with big unscripted hits that have broken out across broadcast, streaming and cable platforms,” Rovner said.

promoted to head of the Alternative department under Paul Telegdy, former boss of the network’s Alternative and Reality Group. Telegdy and his top Unscripted executive Meredith Ahr were ousted in 2020 following an internal investigation into multiple allegations of workplace misbehavior leveled against him.Groom leaves behind a two-season order of “Love Island” U.S., the popular reality dating show that migrated from CBS to Peacock in February.

Jennifer Maas TV Business WriterNBCUniversal’s head of unscripted entertainment content Jenny Groom is exiting her post at the top of the alternative department following poor reception to her recent projects, Variety has confirmed.Groom ran the unscripted department at NBCUniversal alongside Rod Aissa, who handled docuseries while Groom ran reality and competition series. Both report to Susan Rovner, chairman of entertainment content at NBCUniversal Television and Streaming.As executive vice president of unscripted entertainment content at NBCUniversal Television and Streaming, a role she took on in 2020, Groom oversaw reality competition, talent competition and game show formats across NBCU’s brands NBC, Bravo, E!, Oxygen, SYFY, Universal Kids, USA Network and Peacock.

NBCUniversal is shaking up its unscripted executive ranks with alternative chief Jenny Groom exiting the broadcaster.

It’s official: NBC has picked up a second drama pilot to series for the 2022-23 season, the missing-persons Found, from All American‘s Nkechi Okoro Carroll, Berlanti Productions and Warner Bros. Television. The pickup, which Deadline wrote about in yesterday’s Pilot Buzz, gives Carroll three series on broadcast TV next season: All American, on which she is an exec producer/showrunner; spinoff All American: Homecoming, which she created and serves as EP and co-showrunner on; and Found, on which she is creator, executive producer and showrunner. Found is expected to bring in a co-showrunner to work alongside Carroll as she juggle her shows.

“Killing It” has been renewed for a second season at Peacock.The Craig Robinson–led comedy is a show that probes the stressors of America’s dog-eat-dog system of capitalism — via the killing of very large snakes. Season 2 will further expand Robinson’s “quest to achieve the American dream,” per the streamer.“We knew we had a rare gem with ‘Killing It’ and are thrilled Peacock audiences sank their teeth into this series, led by comedic legend Craig Robinson,” said Susan Rovner, Chairman, Entertainment Content, NBCUniversal Television and Streaming.  “We can’t wait to tell more twists and turns of one person’s hilarious, persistent pursuit of the American dream, from the incomparable creative minds of Dan Goor and Luke Del Tredici and our partners at UTV, as Peacock continues to be a home for unique, thought-provoking and humor-filled comedies.”  “Killing It” stars Robinson as a struggling prison guard trying to raise $20,000 to buy some land of his own, while also navigating co-parenting a daughter with his ex, who might be moving to another state. In the middle of this, he meets a rideshare driver aiming to win a snake hunting contest worth … $20,000 dollars.

Joe Otterson TV Reporter“Killing It” has been renewed for Season 2 at Peacock, Variety has learned.Series star Craig Robinson will return for the second season, with the first season having launched back in April. The first season consisted of 10 episodes.

The Craig Robinson starrer Killing It will be back for a second season. Peacock renewed the comedy from co-showrunners/executive producers Dan Goor and Luke Del Tredici.

Pete Davidson's new on-screen mother! On Monday, Peacock announced that Edie Falco will star as the comedian's mom in the upcoming comedy series Davidson will write, star and executive producer a live-action, half-hour comedy that will be “a heightened, fictionalized version” of the star’s real life. It will also combine “grounded storytelling with absurd elements from the unfiltered and completely original worldview for which Pete is well known.” The series marks Davidson’s first major solo TV project since first joining in 2014. In addition to the series, Davidson has also starred in and co-wrote the loosely autobiographical 2020 film, . “Pete Davidson is one of the most sought-after comedians today with his smart, one-of-a-kind humor and honest point of view,” said Susan Rovner, Chairman, Entertainment Content, NBCUniversal Television and Streaming.

the streamer’s most successful original release to date, has reached a total of 8 million accounts, the streamer announced Monday.“We’re elated at the positive response to ‘Bel-Air’ and that this passionate audience quickly solidified the series into the cultural zeitgeist,” Susan Rovner, chairman, Entertainment Content, NBCUniversal Television and Streaming, said in a statement. “Week after week ‘Bel-Air’ captivated audiences with buzzy cliffhangers and stunning ensemble performances, led by the unmatched Jabari Banks. We can’t wait for what’s in store for Season 2.”“Bel-Air” debuted on Feb.

Because of Peacock’s modest, US-only reach so far (It has more than 28 million monthly active accounts and 13 million paid subscribers), its shows have never made the Nielsen Top 10 weekly streaming rankings. At its newfront today, the NBCUniversal streamer is announcing that new drama Bel-Air is the platform’s most-streamed original series, reaching 8 million accounts to date, and has broken Peacock’s records for new subscribers, usage, and upgrades.

Pete Davidson has something new in the works!

Wolf Like Me is an early favorite at Peacock!

You played yourself, Pete Davidson.

Pete Davidson is set to write, star and executive producer a new comedy series,, for Peacock. The live-action, half-hour comedy will be about “a heightened, fictionalized version” of the star’s real life while combining “grounded storytelling with absurd elements from the unfiltered and completely original worldview for which Pete is well known.” The series marks Davidson’s first major solo TV project since first joining in 2014. In addition to the series, Davidson has also starred in and co-wrote the loosely autobiographical 2020 film, . “Pete Davidson is one of the most sought-after comedians today with his smart, one-of-a-kind humor and honest point of view,” said Susan Rovner, Chairman, Entertainment Content, NBCUniversal Television and Streaming.

Pete Davidson has something new in the works!

Longtime Saturday Night Live cast member Pete Davidson is staying in the NBCUniversal fold with his first TV starring vehicle. Peacock has closed a deal for Bupkis, a half-hour live action comedy written, starring and executive produced by Davidson and executive produced by SNL honcho Lorne Michaels. The project, a heightened, fictionalized version of Davidson’s life, was taken out to the marketplace in March, and NBCU’s streamer landed it in a competitive situation with a straight-to-series order.

Joe Otterson TV ReporterPeacock has given a straight-to-series order to a semi-autobiographical comedy series starring Pete Davidson, Variety has learned.The series, title “Bupkis,” was first reported as being on the market back in March, with Peacock acquiring it in a competitive situation. Davidson serves as a writer and executive producer on the show in addition to starring. The half-hour comedy is described as a heightened, fictionalized version of Davidson’s real life.

Peacock has given a thumbs up to a second season of the half-hour romantic dramedy Wolf Like Me starring Isla Fisher (Wedding Crashers) and Josh Gad (Frozen). It’s from Abe Forsythe (Little Monsters).

Peacock.A new U.S. version of the popular dating competition series has been greenlit for two seasons at the NBCUniversal-owned streaming service, it was announced Wednesday.

Selome Hailu The U.S. version of hit reality dating competition “Love Island” has moved to Peacock after three seasons at CBS. Peacock has ordered two new seasons of the series, the first of which is set to shoot in California and premiere in summer 2022.In “Love Island,” group of singles search for love while living together in one villa.

Joe Otterson TV ReporterLiane Moriarty’s novel “Apples Never Fall” is being adapted into a limited series at Peacock, Variety has learned exclusively.In a competitive situation, Peacock has won the rights to the book, which was published in September 2021, and given it a straight-to-series order. Since its debut, the book has sold over one million copies.The series centers on the Delaneys, who from the outside appear to be an enviably contented family.

Renee Zellweger is unrecognizable as Pam Hupp, the real-life woman at the center of the anticipated NBC true-crime series,. In the first official trailer and images, audiences get a peek at the Oscar-winning actress’ dramatic transformation into the Missouri mother turned murderer. In the upcoming series co-starring Josh Duhamel as defense attorney Joel Schwartz, Judy Greer as prosecutor Leah Askey and Katy Mixon as Betsy Faria, Zellweger plays Pam, whose deeply diabolical and deadly scheme was exposed by a chain of events following the overturning of Russ Faria’s conviction in the 2011 murder of his wife. The real-life story quickly captured the attention of America and was detailed in several popular episodes of and chronicled in the 2019 podcast . “The twists and turns of this saga are truly stranger than fiction,” said Susan Rovner, Chairman, Entertainment Content, NBCUniversal Television and Streaming, adding, “This series will bring a completely new perspective to a story that has already captivated millions.”Meanwhile, Zellweger is no stranger to transforming her body onscreen, as previously seen in and, for which she won her second Oscar portraying Judy Garland at the end of her career. While speaking to , which first debuted the images of the six-part limited series, Zellweger described what went into becoming Pam.

Joe Otterson TV Reporter“The Vampire Diaries” creators Julie Plec and Kevin Williamson are teaming up again on the supernatural drama series “Dead Day” at Peacock.Based on the AfterShock comic book series of the same name, “Dead Day” has been given a straight-to-series order at the NBCU streaming service. Plec and Williamson will serve as writers, executive producers, and co-showrunners on the series.“We have been looking for a project to do together and ‘Dead Day’ has all the ingredients we love as storytellers,” said Plec and Williamson.

Night Court, the follow-up to the classic legal sitcom, will air on NBC in the 2022/23 season.

EXCLUSIVE: NBCUniversal has taken in for development The Task Lyst, a drama project based on the novel “Task Lyst” by Scott Hylbert. It hails from writer David Slack (In Plain Sight), Josh Berman’s Osprey Prods. and Sony Pictures Television where the company is based.

Dick Wolf, the original series' return is a «dream come true.»«There are very few things in life that are literally dreams come true,» Wolf said.