Peacock has released the first trailer for the upcoming limited series “Fight Night: The Million Dollar Heist.”
Kevin Hart leads the all-star cast of the series, which includes Samuel L. Jackson, Taraji P. Henson, Don Cheadle, and Terrence Howard, as well as guest stars like Chloe Bailey, Marsha Stephanie Blake, Dexter Darden, Lori Harvey, and Sinqua Walls.
“Fight Night” is based on the iHeart true-crime podcast of the same name. The series is set in Atlanta in 1970 in the day surrounding Muhammad Ali’s comeback fight against Jerry Quarry. The series’ logline states:
“When a hustler named Chicken Man (Hart) hosts an afterparty to celebrate the fight with a guest list of the country’s wealthiest, the night ends with the most brazen criminal underworld heist in Atlanta’s history. Suspected of masterminding the crime, Chicken Man is hellbent on clearing his name but must convince his old adversary, J.D. Hudson (Cheadle), one of the first Black detectives in the city’s desegregated police force, who is tasked with bringing those responsible to justice.”
The series will premiere on Peacock on Sept. 5. Shaye Ogbonna serves as creator, and showruns alongside Jason Horwitch. Both executive produce alongside Hart as well as Bryan Smiley and Mike Stein for Hartbeat; Will Packer and Sabrina Wind for Will Packer Media; Conal Byrne and Carrie Lieberman for iHeartPodcasts; Jeff Keating for Doghouse Pictures; and Lars Jacobson, Erika L. Johnson, and Mike Daniels. Also executive producing is Craig Brewer, who directed four episodes. Hartbeat’s Tiffany Brown and Kenny Burns co-executive produce. UTV serves as the studio.
Apple TV+ is ready to hand out some more Loot.
The streamer has ordered a third season of the comedy series starring and executive produced by Maya Rudolph. The renewal comes seven weeks after Loot completed its second season.
“We are thrilled to come back for a third season! We’re extremely fortunate to spend more time with our talented cast and crew,” Rudolph and her Banana Split producing partner Danielle Renfrew Behrens said in a statement. “Making this show with Apple TV+ has been a joy, and we can’t wait to reunite with our Loot family.”
Loot centers on Molly Wells (Rudolph), who as the series begins is finalizing a billion-dollar divorce settlement with her tech-CEO husband (Adam Scott). She turns her attention to a previously neglected charitable foundation and decides to give most of her fortune away. Michaela Jae Rodriguez, Nat Faxon, Ron Funches, Joel Kim Booster, Meagen Fay and Stephanie Styles also star.
“With each season, Loot continues to deliver joy, laughs and endearing characters for audiences around the world,” said Apple TV+ head of programming Matt Cherniss. “We are excited to partner with Maya Rudolph, and the entire cast and creative team behind Loot, to create even more heartfelt moments with an ensemble of fan favorite characters in season three.”
Season two was mostly completed when last year’s writers and actors strikes shut down production. Co-creator Alan Yang told The Hollywood Reporter the cast and crew returned in December 2023 for the final eight days of filming. “I’m so proud of our cast and crew for sticking through it and resuming filming in December, and picking up those eight days almost as if nothing happened,” he said. “I’m glad that we all banded together and did what we had to do as union workers. I’m proud of what we achieved, but I’m also glad the show was able to finish the season and finish strong. We did the best we could to stay in touch as a cast and crew. We were on text threads, we even took a little trip to Disneyland with a lot of the cast to kept that bonding alive.”
The series has also developed a will-they-or-won’t-they dynamic between Molly and Faxon’s Arthur — one that Faxon hopes will land on the “will they” side in season three. “For Arthur, I do hope that he and Molly can get in sync,” he told THR. It’s been a really fun will-they-won’t-they ride, but I feel like they’re deserving of each other and complement each other well. So I’m hoping that there is a happy ending down the line.”
Yang and Matt Hubbard created Loot and executive produce with Rudolph and Behrens of Banana Split, Dave Becky of 3 Arts Entertainment, and Natasha Lyonne. Universal Television produces.
Source: The Hollywood Reporter
Tyler Perry is steering into the FAST lane. The mega-producer is launching multiple FAST (free, ad-supported television) channels as part of its ongoing relationship with BET.
Perry’s library of BET series will be scheduled on the new just-launched channels BET Tyler Perry Comedy and BET Tyler Perry Drama, marking the first time Perry’s BET series have been made available on FAST channels. The outlets are set to launch on FAST platforms including Roku, Pluto TV, Plex, TCL, Freevee and more to come.
The Perry BET library reps more than 600 hours of series, including “Tyler Perry’s Sistas,” “Tyler Perry’s The Oval,” “Tyler Perry’s House of Payne,” “Tyler Perry’s Ruthless,” “Tyler Perry’s Zatima,” “Tyler Perry’s Assisted Living” and “All the Queens Men.” The channels will launch with marathons of those shows, as well as best-of highlights and cast conversations.
Shows set to be added at another date include “Tyler Perry’s Meet The Browns,” “Tyler Perry’s The Haves and The Have Nots,” “Tyler Perry’s For Better or Worse,” and “Tyler Perry’s Too Close To Home.”
“The introduction of Perry’s content to FAST channels is a momentous occasion in our partnership,” said Louis Carr, president of media sales at BET Media Group. “We’re thrilled to provide Black audiences with a fresh avenue to enjoy Tyler Perry’s content and offer more access options for our original programming.”
BET announced in January at the CES convention in Las Vegas that its library of Tyler Perry original series will be made available for licensing and syndication by third-party platforms, including SVOD, AVOD, FAST and broadcast.
In April, Perry struck a new multi-year deal with BET Media Group that included the renewal of eight of his shows for BET and its BET+ streamer. BET also ordered another new scripted series from Perry, “Route 187.”
Among the shows that were renewed under that new content deal were BET’s Tyler Perry’s Sistas” for its eighth season, “Tyler Perry’s The Oval” for Season 6, and “Tyler Perry’s Assisted Living” for a sixth season. Also renewed is “Tyler Perry’s House of Payne” for its sixth season on BET (and 12th overall, having previously run in syndication and TBS). The deal additionally included new seasons of BET+ series “Tyler Perry’s Zatima,” “Tyler Perry’s Ruthless,” Tyler Perry’s Bruh” and “All The Queen’s Men.”
Earlier this month, Perry expressed support for a plan by BET CEO Scott Mills, who is part of a group looking to potentially buy the company from Paramount Global. “I’m a huge fan of Scott and if this is a deal that he can work out and make happen, I’m 100% supportive,” Perry said. “Between Shari Redstone and him, they’re the reason that I’m here. They’ve been fantastic to work with. I love working with Scott every day, and I will continue to work with him wherever in whatever capacity he is in.”
Source: Variety
LOS ANGELES (July 15, 2024) — Kevin Hart and his global entertainment company, Hartbeat, announce the return of Hartbeat Weekend, a four-day celebration of music, comedy, and entertainment. Headlined by Kevin Hart, Lil Wayne, and Ludacris, with more special guests to be announced, the event will take place Thursday, August 29 – Sunday, September 1, 2024, at Resorts World Las Vegas.
In addition to the star-studded music lineup, Hartbeat Weekend will feature an exciting array of live stand-up comedy performances, headlined by Hart as he brings his new “Acting My Age” tour to Resorts World Theatre, Sunday, September 1. Throughout the weekend, Hartbeat will also be filming an action-packed slate of half-hour specials featuring 10 of the funniest and most original comedians working today as part of the brand new stand-up series, “LOL Live.”
Tickets for this highly-anticipated experience go on sale to the public Friday, July 19 at 10:00 AM PT. For more information visit hartbeatweekend.com.
“Hartbeat Weekend celebrates the absolute best in comedy, culture and music,” said Kevin Hart. “This year, we’re taking the event to new heights, and I can’t wait for everyone to join us for a weekend filled with laughter, entertainment, and unforgettable moments.”
“We are thrilled to partner with Resorts World and AEG Presents again to bring audiences an exciting lineup of events during Hartbeat Weekend,” said Jeff Clanagan, Hartbeat President. “We are dedicated to creating impactful live experiences that unite audiences through laughter and joy, and this year’s action-packed, multi-day event promises to be unforgettable.”
“We’re looking forward to welcoming Hartbeat Weekend back this year,” said Peter LaVoie, President of Resorts World Las Vegas. “We’ve enjoyed partnering with Kevin and his team on this iconic weekend and his shows in the theatre throughout the year. Hartbeat Weekend 2024 will be another incredible experience for our guests.”
Key events taking place throughout the four-day celebration include:
Hartbeat takes over Zouk Nightclub, the premier destination for Las Vegas nightlife, with nightly after-parties featuring live performances by Lil Wayne and Ludacris.
The energy of Hartbeat Weekend extends into the day with electrifying live performances, unforgettable DJ sets, and sun-soaked fun sets at AYU, the heart of Las Vegas’s outdoor entertainment.
Vibee, the music-led destination experience company, is the exclusive VIP Experience & Hotel Package partner for Hartbeat Weekend. Vibee is offering three unforgettable weekend getaway packages curated by Kevin Hart.
All Vibee packages come with expedited entry to Zouk Nightclub & Ayu Dayclub, a welcome letter from the comedian himself, and a limited-edition Kevin Hart JBL speaker. Vibee packages are available for pre-sale starting on Tuesday, July 16 at 10am PT at hartbeat.vibee.com.
For more information and updates on Hartbeat Weekend visit http://hartbeatweekend.com/.
Paramount+ has given a series order to Crutch, a new half-hour comedy starring Tracy Morgan that is set in the same world as CBS‘s The Neighborhood.
The upcoming project centers around its titular character, Francois “Frank” Crutchfield (Morgan), who is otherwise called “Crutch” by those who know him well. A Harlem widower who is an empty nester, Crutch’s plans are put on hold after his millennial son and free-spirited daughter move back home. The character Crutch previously appeared on The Neighborhood in the Season 4 episode, “Welcome to Bro Money, Bro Problems.”
Cedric The Entertainer and Tracy Morgan in ‘The Neighborhood’© Monty Brinton/CBS
Crutch is produced by CBS Studios and is slated to begin production later this year. Hailing from Cedric the Entertainer’s production company, A Bird and a Bear Entertainment, the series is executive produced by Cedric, Eric C. Rhone, showrunner and writer Owen Smith, Aaron Kaplan, Wendi Trilling, and Tracy Morgan. The project reunites Morgan and Smith who previously collaborated on The Last O.G..
“I’m excited to be expanding our The Neighborhood universe, by producing a show with the legendary comedian Tracy Morgan,” said Cedric the Entertainer. “This new character is the close cousin to my character Calvin Butler and you will enjoy some of their many similarities. Morgan plays Crutch a ‘say-it-like-it-is’ widowed father who is challenged when his two adult children and a couple of grandchildren need to move back home, and let’s say there will be several comedic complications.”
Regarding the project, Morgan said in a statement, “Crutch will be navigating the ups and downs of having his kids and grandkids back under one roof, and you know if I am doing this, there will be plenty of laughs along the way. I am so happy to be able to do this with my brother Cedric the Entertainer, Owen Smith, and the rest of the amazing crew we have put together. Get ready for your new favorite show!”
As for when Crutch will arrive, fans of The Neighborhood will have to wait a little while, but Crutch does join a solid lineup of originals on the streamer including comedies like Frasier and Colin from Accounts as well as dramas like Tulsa King.
Stay tuned for more on Crutch as it takes shape at Paramount+.
Crutch, Series Premiere, TBA, Paramount+
July 12 (UPI) — HBO teen drama Euphoria will begin production on Season 3 in January 2025.
HBO announced the news Friday, more than two years after the conclusion of Season 2.
The show’s main cast members are slated to return, with a time jump to take place between Season 2 and 3, according to Deadline.
Season 2 starred Zendaya, Maude Apatow, Eric Dane, Alexa Demie, Jacob Elordi, Storm Reid, Hunter Schafer, Sydney Sweeney and Dominic Fike.
Series creator Sam Levinson will return as writer, director, and executive producer.
“I am thrilled that we are ready to begin production on Euphoria in January. We could not be happier with our creative partnership with Sam and this incredible cast. We look forward to bringing this new season of Euphoria to life for the fans,” said Francesca Orsi, EVP of HBO programming and head of HBO drama series.
Euphoria originally premiered on HBO in 2019. Variety said production on Season 3 was delayed due to the writers and actors strikes in 2023, the cast members’ other projects, and Levinson’s desire to write the episodes himself.
Angus Cloud, who played Fezco in Seasons 1 and 2, died at age 25 in July 2023.
Fat Joe is set to host a new interview series for Starz.
Fat Joe Talks will “give viewers unique access into the lives of today’s most influential personalities who drive the cultural zeitgeist,” the network announced Thursday. The 30-minute episodes will follow Fat Joe as he travels throughout the U.S. to conduct conversations with cultural icons.
“Fat Joe Talks is an exciting foray into talk, and who better than Joe—a legend in and of himself—to drive provocative conversations that tap into the zeitgeist and matter to our audience,” said Kathryn Busby, President of Original Programming for Starz. “We are thrilled to be working with Joe and our partners at SpringHill and Embassy Row to launch this incredible show, offering authentic, backstage, rare access to these cultural icons.”
Embassy Row will serve as the production company on the project. LeBron James, Maverick Carter, Philip Byron, and Jamal Henderson will executive produce for SpringHill, while Michael Davies will executive produce for Embassy Row.
Fat Joe is a Grammy-nominated recording artist, author, actor, entrepreneur, philanthropist and media personality from the Bronx, New York. He has amassed several multiplatinum and gold studio albums and mixtapes, while also playing an influential role in the careers of other musicians including DJ Khaled, Big Pun, and Remy Ma.
Prior to having his own Starz series, Fat Joe began his foray into hosting with the 2022 and 2023 BET Hip-Hop Awards as well as episodes of The Drew Barrymore Show and The Wendy Williams Show. He also previously led The Fat Joe Show, an Instagram Live talk show where he held conversations with Dr. Anthony Fauci, Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, Floyd Mayweather, Jamie Foxx, and more.
Source: Deadline
The Martin cast reunion was a highlight of this year’s Emmy Awards, tapping into nostalgia to bring the 90s sitcom back into the pop culture conversation. The beloved comedy is now looking for a more permanent return with Young Martin, a new hourlong drama series from Martin Lawrence and his production company, RunTelDat, in collaboration with Marvin Peart‘s WonderHill Studios.
The hourlong Young Martin is a contemporary origin story centering on Martin Payne, a charismatic teenager navigating the complexities of transitioning from youth to adulthood. It reimagines the character played by Lawrence on Martin, paying homage to the original show, which aired on Fox from 1992-97.
Young Martin‘s dramatic bent resembles the route another signature 1990s sitcom, The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air, starring Lawrence’s Bad Boys co-lead Will Smith, took with Bel-Air, executive produced by Smith.
Executive Producing Young Martin are Lawrence, Rae Proctor, Robert Lawrence and Stacy Lyles from RunTelDat, with Bob Yari, David McPherson, Rosa Peart, Greg Martin for WonderHill Studios. (Yari and Peart, who originally launched WonderHill together, continue to collaborate on outstanding projects, including Young Martin, after parting ways several months ago.)
Set in modern-day Detroit, Young Martin follows Martin Payne, a spirited teenager whose journey is characterized by ambition, humor, and a genuine compassion for those around him. The show will explore themes of family, friendship, and life while the young Payne balances on the tightrope between adolescence and adulthood. Martin’s quick wit and magnetic personality draw him into high-stakes situations, where he must confront obstacles, and emotions, and ultimately, find his path to success.
Young Martin marks WonderHill Studios’ inaugural TV project and is part of the company’s commitment to cultural authenticity.
“Out of all the hit shows during the 90’s, there was only one Martin — a show that defined culture and positivity. Martin reflected a real group of friends from our community that wound up on TV screens all over the world,” WonderHill CEO Marvin Peart said. “I respected and revered Martin Lawrence for creating Martin Payne and what he did for African Americans on television in front and behind the camera. In many ways, he influenced my path in the entertainment industry and it’s an honor to partner with Martin and his younger self and share him with the next generation of fans.”
During its five-season run, Martin, which Lawrence co-created with John Bowman and Topper Carew, earned People’s Choice and NAACP Image awards. The series’ comeback started in 2022 with a highly rated 30th anniversary reunion special on BET+, which featured performances by Snoop Dogg and Bryan McKnight. It continued at the recent 75th Emmy Awards where Martin was recognized alongside other groundbreaking TV series, including All in the Family, Cheers, The Sopranos, Ally McBeal, Grey’s Anatomy, and Game of Thrones with a set recreation and a cast reunion.
Lawrence is currently back on the big screen in Bad Boys: Ride or Die, whose $361 million worldwide box-office to date has pushed the long-running movie franchise past the $1.2 billion mark globally. He is repped by IAG, Artists First and Gang, Tyre, Ramer, Brown & Passman.
Source: Deadline
We’re going back to the swamp.
DreamWorks Animation has announced that “Shrek 5″ is officially in development, with a far, far away release date of July 1, 2026. Original “Shrek” stars Mike Myers, Eddie Murphy, and Cameron Diaz are all confirmed to return.
Antonio Banderas’ return as the feisty feline Puss in Boots is not yet confirmed. “Shrek 5” will be directed by Walt Dohrn, who served as a writer and artist on “Shrek 2” and “Shrek the Third,” and as head of story on “Shrek Forever After,” in which he also voiced Rumpelstiltskin. “Shrek 5” will be produced by franchise returner Gina Shay and Illumination founder Chris Meledandri; Brad Ableson serves as co-director.
Murphy let it slip in June that he had already begun voice recording for the film and will next do a Donkey spinoff movie.
“We started doing [‘Shrek 5’] months ago,” Murphy told Collider. “I did this. I recorded the first act, and we’ll be doing it this year, we’ll finish it up. ‘Shrek’ is coming out and Donkey’s gonna have his own movie. We’re gonna do Donkey as well. So we’re gonna do a ‘Shrek,’ and we’re doing a Donkey [movie].”
The “Shrek” franchise released four feature films between 2001 and 2010. The original “Shrek” turned DreamWorks Animation into a powerhouse studio with its $487 million worldwide gross. The movie became the first Oscar winner in the animated feature category. “Shrek 2” grossed $928 million. Both films competed for the Palme d’Or at the Cannes Film Festival. While “Shrek the Third” and “Shrek Forever After” earned less acclaim than the first two movies, they still managed to gross $813 million and $752 million worldwide. Both “Puss in Boots” spinoffs were theatrical hits as well, grossing $555 million and $484 million, respectively.
As Variety reported in 2018, Universal Pictures tasked Meledandri (who is also the powerhouse producer behind the “Despicable Me” franchise and “The Super Mario Bros. Movie”) with overseeing a revival of the studio’s “Shrek” and “Puss in Boots” franchises. The animation guru was adamant at the time about not messing with the franchise’s vocal performances, which he credited as being key to the “Shrek” films’ success.
“When you look back on those vocal performances they’re awesome, and while you certainly could make a case for a complete reinvention, I find myself responding to my own nostalgic feelings of wanting to go back to those characterizations,” Meledandri said. “The challenge for us has been to find something that really does feel like it’s not simply yet another film in a series of sequels.”
The “Shrek” franchise also includes “Puss in Boots” spinoff titles, the most recent of which, “Puss in Boots: The Last Wish,” opened in theaters in December 2022. The film was a box office hit with $484 million worldwide, and it also picked up an Oscar nomination for best animated feature.
The success of “The Last Wish” relaunched interest in a potential fifth “Shrek” movie, with Donkey voice actor Murphy saying in January 2023, “If [DreamWorks] ever came with another ‘Shrek,’ I’d do it in two seconds. I love Donkey. They did ‘Puss in Boots’ movies. I was like, ‘They should have done a Donkey movie.’ Donkey is funnier than Puss in Boots. I mean, I love Puss in Boots, but he ain’t funny as the Donkey.”
Meledandri told Variety in April 2023 that he was “thrilled” when he read Murphy’s comments, adding, “It’s evidence of his strong enthusiasm for a role that he so brilliantly inhabited and really created alongside the artists at DreamWorks. I found that comment to be very exciting.”
When asked if he thought Donkey was a character that could support its own film, similar to the fighting feline spinoffs starring Antonio Banderas, Meledandri answered, “Without question.” He also said he was keen to see the return of the film’s original voice cast (which includes Mike Myers, Cameron Diaz and Murphy) for “Shrek 5.”
Though no deals were in place at the time, Meledandri said negotiations with the three actors were going well. “We anticipate the cast coming back. Talks are starting now, and every indication that we’ve gotten is there’s tremendous enthusiasm on behalf of the actors to return,” he said in April.
Source: Variety
Today, comedian, actor, and radio host, Corey Holcomb, announced his upcoming “The Joke King Tour”. Produced by Live Nation, the 20-show run kicks off on Friday, September 6 in Indianapolis at the Egyptian Room at Old National Center, with stops across the U.S. in Las Vegas, Chicago, Brooklyn and more before wrapping up on Thursday, December 12 in Washington, DC. The tour comes following his successful 2023 run, “The Book of Coreythians Chapter 1” Tour.
TICKETS: Tickets will be available starting with an Artist presale on Wednesday, July 10 at 10 AM local time. Additional presales will run throughout the week ahead of the general on sale beginning Friday, July 12 at 10 AM local time at livenation.com.
“The Joke King Tour: Starring Corey Holcomb” 2024 Dates:
Sun Sep 01 – Inglewood, CA – YouTube Theater^
Fri Sep 06 – Indianapolis, IN – Egyptian Room at Old National Centre
Sat Sep 07 – Northfield, OH – MGM Northfield Park
Fri Sep 13 – Baton Rouge, LA – River Center Theatre
Sat Sep 14 – Mobile, AL – Saenger Theatre
Sat Sep 21 – Las Vegas, NV – House of Blues
Fri Sep 27 – St. Louis, MO – The Pageant
Fri Oct 04 – Little Rock, AR – Robinson Center
Sat Oct 05 – Memphis, TN – Graceland
Sun Oct 13 – Philadelphia, PA – The Fillmore
Thu Oct 17 – Minneapolis, MN – The Fillmore
Fri Nov 01 – Chicago, IL – The Chicago Theatre
Sat Nov 09 – San Diego, CA – House of Blues
Sat Nov 09 – San Diego, CA – House of Blues (LATE SHOW)
Sun Nov 10 – San Diego, CA – House of Blues
Sat Nov 16 – Atlanta, GA – Tabernacle
Sat Nov 23 – McKees Rocks, PA – Roxian Theatre
Sun Nov 24 – Brooklyn, NY – Brooklyn Paramount
Sat Nov 30 – Detroit, MI – Opera House*
Thu Dec 12 – Washington, DC – MGM National Harbor
^Part of Hollywood Black Comedy Festival
*Non-Live Nation Show
This event will be a phone-free experience. Use of phones, smart watches and accessories will not be permitted in the performance space.
Upon arrival at the venue, all phones, smart watches and accessories will be secured in individual Yondr pouches that will be opened at the end of the event. Guests maintain possession of their devices at all times, and can access them throughout the event only in designated Phone Use Areas within the venue. All devices will be re-secured in Yondr pouches before returning to the performance space.
Anyone seen using a device (phone, smart watch or accessories) during the performance will be escorted out of the venue by security. We appreciate your cooperation in creating a phone-free experience.