Small Screen: Stacey Abrams Novel Acquired By NBCUniversal International Studios; Revival Of ‘The Game’ Coming To Paramount+
While Justice Sleeps - SALINI PERERA
Broadcast: Author and politician Stacey Abrams novel While Justice Sleeps has just been acquired by NBCUniversal International Studios owned production company Working Title Television after a bidding war. Here is a brief synopsis: ‘Avery Keene, a brilliant young law clerk for the legendary Justice Howard Wynn, is doing her best to hold her life together; excelling in an arduous job with the court while also dealing with a troubled family. When the shocking news breaks that Justice Wynn — the cantankerous swing vote on many current high-profile cases — has slipped into a coma, Avery’s life turns upside down. She is immediately notified that Justice Wynn has left instructions for her to serve as his legal guardian and power of attorney. Plunged into an explosive role she never anticipated, Avery finds that Justice Wynn had been secretly researching one of the most controversial cases before the court — a proposed merger between an American biotech company and an Indian genetics firm, which promises to unleash breathtaking results in the medical field. She also discovers that Wynn suspected a dangerously related conspiracy that infiltrates the highest power corridors of Washington.’ There are no other details about the project just yet.
Elodie Yung - Pascal Le Segretain
Cable: Oscar-winning actor Lupita Nyong’o teams with Discovery once again for the second season of their Emmy-nominated series Serengeti II. Nyong’o will reprise her role as narrator with the original creative team of Simon Fuller (creator-producer) and John Downer (director-producer) attached as well. The show will continue telling touching tales of African wildlife taking place over the course of one year ‘showcasing the dramatic moments that make each day of survival on the Serengeti a feat.’ We will return to the plains of Tanzania to check in on the animals featured in the first season such as Kali, Sefu, NAlla, Tembo, Bakari, and Shani, while also introducing new ones like Aiysha, daughter of season one-star KiKay and Punda, Shani’s stallion.
ABC’s drama pilot entitled Promised Land has cast its series lead as newbie Rolando Chusan. Directed by Michael Cuesta and penned by Matt Lopez, the series is an epic drama spanning generations. It is about two Hispanic families competing for wealth and prosperity in California’s Sonoma Valley. Chusan will play Billy, a worker on the Heritage House vineyard who dreams of owning his own. Others attached are John Ortiz who will play Joe Sandoval, patriarch of his family, Cecilia Suárez as Lettie Sandoval, matriarch of the Sandoval family, Augusto Aguilera as Mateo Sandoval, the hardworking, highly capable general manager of the Heritage Vineyard, Mariel Molino as Camila Sandoval, the youngest daughter of the Sandoval family, Christina Ochoa as Veronica Sandoval, the eldest daughter of the Sandovals, Martín as Juana, a young immigrant who flees El Salvador along with her sister Rosa and Velez as Carlos Rincón, a young immigrant who comes to the Heritage Vineyard in search of a better life.
Elodie Yung will star in Fox’s upcoming drama series The Cleaning Lady inspired by the Argentine series of the same name. Fox describes the show as a melancholic yet ambitious character study following a very intelligent doctor who had relocated to the United States to get medical help for her sickly son. However, the system fails and drives her underground. Instead of accepting this as her fate, she obtains a job working as a cleaning lady for the mob and begins adhering to her own guidelines. Miranda Kwok, Melissa Carter, Michael Offer, Shay Mitchell, Rose Marie Vega, and Paola Suarez are all executive producing with Melissa Carter attached as showrunner. Others cast are Adan Canto and Martha Millan with twins Sebastien LaSalle and Valentino LaSalle sharing a role.
Olivia Goncalves - IMDB
Streaming: Marla Gibbs joins Disney+ Big Shot playing a guest role as Destiny’s grandmother. Darcy Rose Byrnes, who already appeared on the show on April 29th, will recur and contribute to the original music to the series. Big Shot stars John Stamos as a disgraced college basketball coach who finds a new job and a second chance at a girls’ private school. The regular cast also includes Le, Jessalyn Gilsig, Sophia Mitri Schloss, Nell Verlaque, Monique A. Green, Tisha Custodio, Cricket Wampler, and Yvette Nicole Brown. David E. Kelley, Dean Lorey, and Brad Garrett created the show; ABC Signature produces.
A revival of the former CW and BET series The Game will be coming to Paramount+. Reprising their roles as LaTasha and Malik are Wendy Raquel Robinson and Hosea Chancez. The rest of the cast is expected to return as well. The show's new story is set in Sin City and features new characters offering a modern-day examination of Black culture through the lens of professional football. Paramount+ announced that topics of racism, sexism, classism, and more will be covered as the team juggles fame, fortune and love all while playing the game. Mara Brock Akil, series creator, will also be returning to executive produce the 10 episodes half-hour series alongside showrunner/writer Devon Greggory and original executive producers Kelsey Grammer and Tom Russo. The series will be produced by CBS Studios, Akil Productions, and Grammnet NH Productions.
A new half-hour scripted comedy is headed to HBO Max entitled Gordita Chronicles. The series centers on a ‘12-year-old Dominican girl struggling to fit into the hedonistic 1980s Miami as her family pursues the American dream.’ Newbie Olivia Goncalves will star in the single-camera show from Sony Pictures Television. Good Trouble’s Claudia Forestieri has written the script and will executive produce alongside Josh Berman from Drop Dead Diva, Jennifer Robinson, and Osprey Production’s Chris King. Brigitte Munoz-Liebowitz serves as showrunner. Zoe Saldana, Mariel Saldana and Cisely Saldana executive produce via their Cinestar Pictures label. Eva Longoria directed the pilot and also is credited as an exec producer on the series via her UnbeliEVAble banner.
