Colton Dunn as Garrett, Nico Santos as Mateo, Ben Feldman as Jonah, America Ferrera as Amy, Mark McKinney as Glenn, Nichole Bloom as Cheyenne, and Lauren Ash as Dina in ‘Superstore’ (Photo by: Greg Gayne/NBC)
The NBC half-hour comedy series Superstore has been renewed for a second season as just announced by NBC Entertainment President Jennifer Salke. America Ferrera leads the cast of the ensemble comedy created and written by Justin Spitzer, and the show’s caught on with viewers, averaging 6.9 million viewers for season one. Superstore is NBC’s highest rated first-year comedy show of the past two years which should have made renewing the series an easy decision.
Superstore‘s cast also includes Ben Feldman, Colton Dunn, Nichole Bloom, Nico Santos, Mark McKinney, and Lauren Ash. Spitzer, director Ruben Fleischer, David Bernad, Gabe Miller, and Jonathan Green are the executive producers. Season one is airing on Monday nights at 8pm ET/PT.
“We’re thrilled to renew a show that’s incredibly funny and relatable, full of great characters brought to life by this incredible cast, writers and producers,” stated Salke. “After such a successful first season, we look forward to seeing more of the wonderful America Ferrera, Ben Feldman and the rest of this hilarious cast in season two.”
The Plot:Superstore centers around Amy (America Ferrera), the megastore’s most stalwart employee as well as the glue holding the place together, and newly hired Jonah (Ben Feldman), a naive dreamer determined to prove work doesn’t have to be boring. Their fellow associates include the sardonic Garrett (Colton Dunn), the ambitious Mateo (Nico Santos) and the sweet pregnant teenager, Cheyenne (Nichole Bloom). Overseeing them all are Glenn (Mark McKinney), the store’s affable, clueless store manager, and Dina (Lauren Ash), the aggressive assistant manager who lives by a very specific code – namely the store’s employee handbook. From the bright-eyed newbies and the seen-it-all veterans to the clueless summer hires and the in-it-for-life managers, together they hilariously tackle the day-to-day grind of rabid bargain hunters, riot-causing sales and nap-worthy training sessions.
Steve Higgins, Hugh Jackman, Jimmy Fallon & Taron Egerton on ‘The Tonight Show’ (Photo by: Andrew Lipovsky / NBC)
Eddie the Eagle co-stars Hugh Jackman and Taron Egerton teamed up to take on The Tonight Show host Jimmy Fallon and announcer Steve Higgins in a super competitive game of Catchphrase. The object of the game is to provide clues to your partner so that they can guess what’s written on a card as quickly as possible. The round continues until the buzzer goes off and the team left holding the timer is the loser. The Jackman / Egerton team and the Fallon/Higgins team battled it out to the tie-breaking third round.
Among the more memorable descriptions offered up during the competition were Fallon’s impression of Nicolas Cage and Hugh Jackman trying desperately to get Egerton to say ‘Go with the Flow.’ There was a lot of arm-waving and flapping around as Jackman attempted to describe the word flow.
Eddie the Eagle is based on the inspirational true story of British ski jumper Michael Edwards. The comedy/drama opens in theaters on February 26, 2016.
The Plot: Eddie the Eagle is a feel-good story about Michael “Eddie” Edwards (Taron Egerton), an unlikely but courageous British ski-jumper who never stopped believing in himself – even as an entire nation was counting him out. With the help of a rebellious and charismatic coach (played by Hugh Jackman), Eddie takes on the establishment and wins the hearts of sports fans around the world by making an improbable and historic showing at the 1988 Calgary Winter Olympics.
VH1 is reviving America’s Next Top Model for a new 14 episode season. The show will return to New York City with a new host and judges, and with Tyra Banks, the series’ creator, on board as executive producer. Ken Mok will also be back as an executive producer on the reality competition series that aired for 22 seasons, first on UPN and then on The CW.
Commenting on VH1’s announcement of the new season, Tyra Banks said, “After creating an incredible, global brand, I am beyond excited to have the show reborn. I will continue as Executive Producer, but must turn my attention to new business endeavors, so I want to find a new host. I’m pumped to identify that person and bring back the show. Top Model fans, you demanded that the show come back, and VH1 answered the call. Get ready for a fierce-a-fied rebirth!”
“We’re thrilled to bring America’s Next Top Model back to VH1 and partner with CBS Television Distribution and Tyra Banks to reinvent this franchise for a whole new generation,” added Chris McCarthy, General Manager of VH1. “This is a homecoming for the series, as VH1 helped catapult the show to cultural icon status as the first cable network to air the show after it launched.”
And chief licensing officer for CBS Corp Scott Koondel said, “We could not be more excited to bring back and breathe new life into one of the greatest unscripted franchises on television. VH1 is the perfect partner for this new endeavor and we hope this is the beginning of a long relationship.”
The new host and premiere date will be announced in the coming months.
Zach Galifianakis and Louie Anderson star in ‘Baskets’ (Photo by Ben Cohen/FX)
FX wants more of the comedy series Baskets, renewing the half-hour show starring Zach Galifianakis (The Hangover films) for a second season. Season one, currently airing on Thursday nights at 10pm ET/PT, debuted to the highest ratings of any basic cable primetime comedy since 2014, and the show’s averaged 1.5 million viewers through its first three episodes. Season two will premiere in early 2017.
In addition to Galifianakis, the series stars Louie Anderson and Martha Kelly. Baskets was created by Galifianakis, Louis C.K., and Jonathan Krisel (Portlandia, Man Seeking Woman). The trio serve as executive producers along with M. Blair Breard, Dave Becky, Marc Gurvitz and Andrea Pett-Joseph.
“Baskets is bold, brilliant and incredibly funny and we could not be happier with the reception it’s received in its breakout first season,” said Eric Schrier, President of Original Programming for FX Networks and FX Productions, announcing the season two renewal. “Baskets brings together three of the most innovative comedic minds working today – Zach, Louis and Jonathan – and we thank them, the rest of the creative team and the entire cast for everything they’ve done for the series.”
The Plot of Baskets:
In Baskets, Chip Baskets (Galifianakis) wants to follow his dream of being a French clown – however, reality keeps interfering. Saddled with financial difficulties and facing an impenetrable language barrier, he moves back home to Bakersfield with high hopes. There, he is forced to confront his past while working as a rodeo clown and competing with his siblings for his mother’s (Louie Anderson) approval and affection. The series also stars Martha Kelly as Chip’s insurance claims adjuster.
VH1 will be airing a marathon of Big Ang episodes on Wednesday, February 24, 2016 beginning at 9pm ET/PT in celebration of Angela ‘Big Ang’ Raiola’s life. The Mob Wives breakout star passed away in the early morning hours of February 18th from stage IV lung and brain cancer. The reality TV star was 55 years old. In addition to the Big Ang marathon, VH1 plans to air a special tribute to Raiola in March.
Big Ang began her reality TV career on season two of VH1’s Mob Wives and quickly became a fan favorite. Her popularity on the series led to VH1 greenlighting a spinoff centered around the larger-than-life celebrity. Tweets from her fans will be included on-air during the Big Ang marathon.
Raiola, the niece of the late Genovese crime family captain Salvatore ‘Sally Dogs’ Lombardi, was a smoker for 40+ years who quit the habit as soon as she was diagnosed in March 2015. After her diagnosis, Raiola spoke out against smoking and urged people not to pick up the habit. At the time of her death she was surrounded by friends and family in a New York City hospital. The family broke the news to her fans via Twitter:
About the show: “Big Ang gives viewers a glimpse into the life of one of reality TV’s most over-the-top and loveable characters. VH1 tags along as she hangs out with her family and friends, spends time at her increasingly popular Staten Island bar, The Drunken Monkey, and even hangs out with — ‘da wise guys.’ And yes, her longtime friends from the original Mob Wives series will visit from time to time as will her cuddly canine sidekick, Lil’ Louis.”
Princess Gisla (Morgane Polanski) with her father (left, Lothaire Bluteau) and Roland (right, Huw Parmenter) in ‘Vikings’ (Photo by Bernard Walsh/HISTORY Copyright 2016)
Season four of History’s Vikings debuted on February 18, 2016 with an episode that found Princess Gisla (Morgane Polanski) forced into marriage with Rollo (Clive Standen). Princess Gisla’s father set up the marriage without Gisla’s consent and Rollo agreed to the union to strengthen his position in the French Court, further betraying his brother Ragnar (Travis Fimmel) and his people. Following the premiere of season four, Polanski participated in a conference call to talk about this turn of events and what’s in store for Princess Gisla and her new husband, Rollo.
Morgane Polanski Interview:
How would you describe where we catch up with Princess Gisla this season?
Morgane Polanski: “In season three we sort of left it where her father, after Gisla’s been defending Paris and basically doing what her father was supposed to do, he is behind it and accepted without even asking it to her for her to marry Rollo in order for him to defend Paris if his brother attacks. So I think for her that was the biggest slap in the face, that was humiliating just because he even accepted it without [her consent] or asking her. So I think that her ego it seems is completely smashed.
So in season four, we pick up at this wedding which she doesn’t want to but has to happen, and then they’re going to go on a journey from there. Stuff is going to change, twists and turns and ups and downs. And yes, there’s been really cool stuff to discover so I’m really excited for you guys to see it.”
Was it difficult to film the wedding night scene?
Morgane Polanski: “Yes, it was hard. I mean, every emotional scene – especially emotional scenes when like 300, 400 people are watching you – and she was being emotional in public so that’s even harder because I feel like you try to find the balance between your emotion that you kind of hide yet you’re in public. So, that was hard but I just trained myself before to get there. But definitely emotional scenes are harder when you’re in the public space rather than intimate.”
What can you tease about her relationship with Rollo moving forward?
Morgane Polanski: “That’s hard to say without spoiling. Let’s just say that there’s a journey going on [with] ups and downs. Let’s just say that stubborn people don’t stay stubborn forever. There’s stuff going on, happening, going back and forth…”
Do you have a favorite scene or episode so far?
Morgane Polanski: “The wedding scene was pretty epic to shoot just because first of all, I never went to a wedding so that was my first ever wedding. And the veil, the whole thing… There’s some really amazing stuff I’ve shot after that, but I’ve never met anyone that will go in a wedding like sobbing, like they’re walking to the death chamber or something. Yes, that was pretty epic. That was my favorite, I think.”
Last season you delivered a speech that rallied the troops and then in the season four premiere you stood up to Rollo. Is it interesting to play such a strong character?
Morgane Polanski: “I think with Michael Hirst we’re pretty lucky. He likes to write for strong female characters. And I mean it’s so exciting for me as an actor because although you think you have the fairy tale of the princess she is, she basically does the job her dad is supposed to do and it’s so brave and ballsy. She has so much it seems and she’s so humble that she just won’t allow people to walk on her, yet she has to be the face of the people.
Especially this season, my character goes through such a journey and going from adult to a woman and taking a completely different direction. It’s just so interesting as an actor to have that sort of material to bite on and especially as a woman. Yes, it’s really exciting.”
Rollo doesn’t know much about the political maneuverings within the French court but Gisla does, so will she be the one pulling the strings?
Morgane Polanski: “Yes. Behind every strong man stands a stronger woman. [Laughing] She will defend her county until the death. If she could be in battle, she would but she can’t. She will defend this country until she dies.”
Did you feel any extra pressure playing this historical French figure?
Morgane Polanski: “Obviously it’s always pressure playing someone that existed, but I think there’s so little on that time. I think Michael really appreciates like him giving us the script and us taking the freedom to just do it as we would do it.”
Are you shooting apart from the rest of the cast and how is to work with Clive Standen?
Morgane Polanski: “It’s not that they shoot apart, it’s just a lot is on location and a lot is in the studio in Ireland. So the studio where France is is not in the same set of Vikings so I get to see them a lot but not just work with them a lot. And working with Clive is absolutely amazing. He is so easy to work with, we get along really well. He’s a very good friend and it’s very easy. Yes, really, really cool.”
Do you think at this point Gisla is underestimating how ruthless Rollo can be or do you think she understands who he is at this point?
Morgane Polanski: “I think it’s hard for her to understand without them speaking the same [language]. I think she’s definitely fascinated by those Vikings and what they are and what they represent. She, I think, is sort of in her deeper, inner soul, she feels close to them yet completely doesn’t understand them.”
She’s very intelligent but in a different way than other female characters in Vikings.
Morgane Polanski: “I think she is as strong as the Vikings but in a completely different way. I think that’s what Michael tried to represent with the difference of culture of the Vikings culture and of the French culture. I think the main thing with Vikings is they are as they come. I think the French have [is] there’s much more layers. There’s much more, I think, agendas and look over your shoulder. I think she just adores how straightforward Rollo is, or they are, and I think she is just careful that she [can] teach him the different rules. The rules are sort of different, I think, in France and I think she just got used to that and is very witty. She just knows how to take people. Like, just even with her dad, she just knows how to work around it.”
What has your experience been like working on Vikings?
Morgane Polanski: “I mean, it’s been an amazing experience. It’s been so good to be just able – I think you only get to do this on the TV shows – to just have the same character go through so much different emotional journeys. So that’s been amazing, and as a character, to go from a girl to a woman and to just explore the different aspects of her and like not in public spaces and to just see how she would be behind closed doors.”
Who wouldn’t want to listen to Morgan Freeman deliver such riveting lines as, “Turn right in 200 feet?” For a limited time, Oscar winner Freeman will be providing directions for drivers who use Waze. The star of the upcoming Olympus Has Fallen sequel, London Has Fallen, will be voicing Waze in character as Vice President Trumbull.
Waze is a social navigation app that allows drivers to “work together daily to outsmart traffic and save time and money.” This isn’t the first time a celebrity has lent their voice to the driving app; Kevin Hart guided drivers in support of 2013’s Ride Along. Arnold Schwarzenegger also joined with Waze while he was promoting Terminator Genisys, delivering guidance in his Terminator voice. And Anthony Daniels was in full C-3PO mode when he worked with Waze prior to the release of Star Wars: The Force Awakens. To let Morgan Freeman guide you through traffic, visit waze.com/get and go to Settings > Sound > Voice Language > Morgan Freeman.
London Has Fallen will open in theaters on March 4, 2016. The action sequel was directed by Babak Najafi and stars Freeman, Gerard Butler, and Aaron Eckhart. The cast also includes Alon Moni Aboutboul, Robert Forster, Jackie Earle Haley, Melissa Leo, Radha Mitchell, Sean O’Bryan, Charlotte Riley, and Waleed Zuaiter.
London Has Fallen Plot: The visceral intensity springs from a timely premise: after the British Prime Minister passes away, his funeral becomes a target of a terrorist organization to destroy some of the world’s most powerful leaders, devastate the British capital, and unleash a terrifying vision of the future. The only hope of stopping it rests on the shoulders of the President of the United States (Aaron Eckhart) and his formidable Secret Service head (Gerard Butler), and an English MI-6 agent (Charlotte Riley) who rightly trusts no one. Morgan Freeman also stars as the Vice President of the United States.
What do you think of the new poster for Elvis and Nixon? The film is based on the true story of Elvis Presley’s secret meeting with President Richard Nixon in the White House back in 1970, with Oscar nominee Michael Shannon playing the King of Rock ‘n Roll. Oscar winner Kevin Spacey stars as President Nixon. Liza Johnson directed from a script by Joey Sagal & Hanala Sagal and Cary Elwes. The cast also includes Alex Pettyfer, Johnny Knoxville, Colin Hanks, Evan Peters, Sky Ferreira, Tracy Letts, Tate Donovan, and Ashley Benson. Bleecker Street and Amazon Studios will release the dramatic film on April 22, 2016.
The Smithsonian has an interesting article about the meeting between Elvis the Pelvis and Nixon, with details on the secret Oval Office get-together that resulted in Presley receiving a badge from the Federal Bureau of Narcotics and Dangerous Drugs. The historic meeting between the two figures was incredibly bizarre, and unfortunately it took place before Nixon’s recording device was in place so there isn’t any audio of what was actually said. Only notes from those in the room remain to tell the strange story.
The Plot: “On a December morning in 1970, the King of Rock ’n Roll showed up on the lawn of the White House to request a meeting with the most powerful man in the world, President Nixon. Starring Michael Shannon as Elvis Presley and Kevin Spacey as Richard Nixon, comes the untold true story behind this revealing, yet humorous moment in the Oval Office forever immortalized in the most requested photograph in the National Archives.
Joseph Mawle, Nicholas Hoult and Craig Roberts in ‘Kill Your Friends.’
A new full trailer’s been released for Kill Your Friends, a music-driven comedy/crime thriller starring Nicholas Hoult (Warm Bodies, Mad Max: Fury Road). Kill Your Friends debuted at the Toronto Film Festival, earning mixed reviews with some critics comparing it to American Psycho and The Wolf of Wall Street. The R-rated film, which marks Owen Harris’ feature film directorial debut, is based on John Niven’s novel, and Niven adapted his book for the screen. In addition to Hoult, the cast includes Craig Roberts, James Corden, Tom Riley (Da Vinci’s Demons), Joseph Mawle, Georgia King, Ed Skrein, Jim Piddock, and Edward Hogg. Well Go USA Entertainment will be releasing Kill Your Friends in theaters and On Demand on April 1, 2016.
The Plot: London, 1997; the British music industry is on a winning streak. Britpop bands Blur, Oasis, Radiohead rule the airwaves and Cool Britannia is in full swing. 27-year-old hit chasing A&R man Steven Stelfox is slashing and burning his way through the music business, a world where careers are made and broken by chance and the fickle tastes of the general public. In an industry of dream-makers, Stelfox refuses to buy into the ‘dream’ – and despises anyone that does. Fueled by greed, ambition and inhuman quantities of drugs, Stelfox searches for his next hit record amid a relentless orgy of self-gratification. Created by an industry that demands success at any price, Stelfox takes the concept of ‘killer tunes’ to a murderous new level in a desperate attempt to salvage his career. Balanced against the backdrop of the music business and its characters, Stelfox is the ultimate anti-hero: chronically sexist, racist, and everything else-ist.
IFC is moving forward on two new scripted comedies: Stan Against Evil and Brockmire. Stan Against Evil comes from writer/creator Dana Gould (The Simpsons). Brockmire is from Funny or Die and will star Hank Azaria who’s also executive producing along with writer Joel Church-Cooper, director Tim Kirkby, Mike Farah, and Joe Farrell. Both new comedies have received eight episode first season orders. According to IFC’s official announcement, Stan Against Evil will debut in late 2016 while Brockmire will arrive in early 2017.
“Demons and disgrace are at the forefront of IFC’s new comedy strategy,” said IFC President Jennifer Caserta. “And there’s no one we’d rather be in bed with – or save small towns with – than Hank and Dana. One of the hallmarks of IFC’s success is the exceptional caliber of creative genius that we get to partner with, and I couldn’t be more thrilled to be making these shows.”
Details on Stan Against Evil: Comedic horror genre series Stan Against Evil follows Stan, a perpetually disgruntled former sheriff of a small New England town who was forced into retirement. Stan has trouble relinquishing his authority to Evie, the tough and beautiful new sheriff in town, but they form an unlikely alliance when both begin to realize things are not quite right. Together, they valiantly fight a plague of unleashed demons that have been haunting the town, which just happens to be built on the site of a massive 17th century witch burning.
Details on Brockmire: Hank Azaria will star as Brockmire, a famed major league baseball announcer who suffers an embarrassing and very public meltdown live on the air after discovering his beloved wife’s serial infidelity. A decade later, Jim Brockmire decides to reclaim his career and love life in a small town, calling minor league baseball for the Morristown Frackers.
