Untitled Josephine Baker Series
Studiocanal, CPB Films and Leyland Films are all teaming to develop a high-end English-language drama series about African-American entertainer and civil rights activist Josephine Baker. Baker became an icon of female sexual liberty in the jazz age in Paris whilst performing at the Folies Bergere.
Refusing to perform for segregated audiences in the U.S., she worked as a secret agent for the French Resistance during WWII and then supported Martin Luther King’s Civil Rights Movement. The series comes with the approval and full support of Baker’s family. [Source: Variety]
Shining Vale
Greg Kinnear has signed on for a leading role in the Starz half-hour horror comedy pilot “Shining Vale” alongside Courtney Cox. Kinnear will star as Terry, a sensitive and overly optimistic husband still broken by the affair his wife had with a young handyman.
The potential series follows a dysfunctional family that moves from the city to a small town into a house in which terrible atrocities have taken place. But no one seems to notice except for Pat (Cox), who is convinced she’s either depressed or possessed. [Source: Variety]
Untitled Quinn Colson Series
HBO is developing a TV series adaptation of Ace Atkins’ ten Quinn Colson novels. Colson is a former Army Ranger who returns to his home in rural northeast Mississippi to discover his hometown is overrun with corruption, drugs, and violence. [Source: Variety]
The Exiles
Made Up Stories has optioned the rights to Christina Baker Kline’s historical novel “The Exiles” with plans to adapt it as a television series. The story follows a trio of women – two English convicts and an orphaned Aboriginal girl – in nineteenth-century Australia.
Kline and Papandrea will executive produce the series alongside Janice Williams, whose Well Red banner has a first-look deal with Made Up Stories. Steve Hutensky and Jodi Matterson of Made Up Stories will also serve as executive producers. Lucinda Reynolds will oversee the project on behalf of the company. [Source: Variety]
Muppets Now
Disney has released a new trailer for the “Muppets Now” series which is set to premiere July 31st on Disney Plus. The first-ever streaming collection of ‘muppisodes’ will be unscripted and feature a host of guest stars as well as improvised comedy from the Muppets themselves.
The trailer shows a video call between many of the iconic Muppets cast and Joe, a weasel from the legal department who gives them the run-down on the digital content they’ll be expected to create. New episodes will air every Friday and cover lifestyle, cooking, science and more.
