Showtime announced filming is now underway in Dublin, Ireland on the third season of Penny Dreadful. In addition to confirming the start of production, the network also revealed Tony winner Patti LuPone will return to the cast as a series regular – but there’s a twist. LuPone will play a new character in the third season, tackling the role of American therapist Dr. Seward who “treats Vanessa (Eva Green) with an unconventional new approach.”
Penny Dreadful‘s third season will also see the addition of Robert Louis Stevenson’s Dr. Henry Jekyll to the cast. Dr. Jekyll will be played by The Second Best Exotic Marigold Hotel‘s Shazad Latif. Additional guest stars set for season three include:
– Screen Actors Guild Award nominee Christian Camargo (Dexter) as Dr. Alexander Sweet, a zoologist who strikes up an unlikely friendship with Vanessa
– Sam Barnett (Jupiter Ascending) as Dr. Seward’s mysterious young secretary
– Wes Studi (Hell On Wheels) as Kaetenay, an intense, enigmatic Native American with a deep connection to Ethan (Josh Hartnett) who also becomes an ally to Sir Malcolm (Timothy Dalton)
– Jessica Barden (The Outcast) as Justine, a young acolyte to Lily (Billie Piper) and Dorian Gray (Reeve Carney).
Season three of Showtime’s Penny Dreadful will consist of nine new episodes and will air in 2016.
NBC just announced the celebrities who’ll be joining The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon for the new fall season. Among the celebs scheduled for the first week of fall 2015 are presidential candidate Donald Trump, Fallon’s buddy Justin Timberlake, Country star Keith Urban, and The Voice coach Pharrell Williams.
The fall season kicks off on September 8th with Urban, Golden Globe winner Richard Gere, and singer/reality TV star Jessica Simpson. Mackelmore & Ryan Lewis will perform on September 9th with Timberlake and Ellen DeGeneres set to appear. This will be Timberlake’s first visit back to The Tonight Show since Fallon’s premiere week as host, and NBC says the show will be displayed at 11:35pm ET “on a huge digital billboard in the heart of Times Square (Broadway between 45th & 46th streets) in midtown Manhattan.”
Carrie Underwood will perform and sit down to talk to Jimmy Fallon on September 10th. Brooklyn Nine-Nine star Andy Samberg is also confirmed for Sept. 10th.
The 2015 fall season’s first week will finish up with a visit from Republican candidate Donald Trump who will, despite ending his involvement with NBC, discuss his campaign on Friday, September 11th. Empire star Terrence Howard will also be appearing on the Sept. 11th broadcast as will Pharrell Williams who deliver a “special never-before-seen” performance.
Michael Fassbender and Marion Cotillard star in ‘Macbeth’
The Weinstein Company has released the first trailer for the latest gorgeous adaptation of Macbeth starring Oscar nominee Michael Fassbender and Oscar winner Marion Cotillard. Directed by Justin Kurzel (Snowtown) and adapted from Shakespeare’s play by Jacob Koskoff & Todd Louiso and Michael Lesslie, the cast also includes Paddy Considine, David Thewlis, Sean Harris, Jack Reynor, and Elizabeth Debicki.
Discussing this adaptation of Shakespeare’s classic play, Iain Canning stated, “You’d end up making a very different film if you’re not using the rules of the verse and dialogue. Our challenge was to cut the play in the right ways, and bring together the right filmmaking team so that people would forget they were listening to something slightly unusual or classical.”
Macbeth star Michael Fassbender said they approached the language with ‘simplicity. “We never tried to work against the verse or just disregard it, but we kept things simple and tangible, and the idea Justin had from the beginning was to be a lot more intimate with the text than we’ve seen before, but always truthful. As with any script, you don’t set out to sabotage this tremendous writing but you work with it and ground yourself within it,” said Fassbender.
“You’re bringing the verse into the cinema, and there’s something about doing it to another person one-on-one as opposed to a live audience, and I think something happens when you have another actor opposite you and the camera is so close and intimate,” explained Kurzel. “You forget about projection and instead play to the intimacy.”
The Weinstein Company is opening Macbeth in select theaters on December 4, 2015.
The Plot:
Macbeth is the story of a fearless warrior and inspiring leader brought low by ambition and desire. A thrilling interpretation of the dramatic realities of the times and a reimagining of what wartime must have been like for one of Shakespeare’s most famous and compelling characters, a story of all-consuming passion and ambition, set in war torn Scottish landscape.
Never open your door to help out beautiful, soaking wet strangers even if they appear completely harmless. That’s the lesson gleaned from the new trailer for Knock Knock starring Keanu Reeves. Co-written and directed by Eli Roth (Cabin Fever), the R-rated thriller co-stars Lorenza Izzo, Ana de Armas, Aaron Burns, Ignacia Allamand, and Colleen Camp.
Lionsgate Premiere is set to release Knock Knock in theaters and On Demand October 9, 2015.
The Plot:
When a devoted husband and father is left home alone for the weekend, two stranded young women unexpectedly knock on his door for help. What starts out as a kind gesture results in a dangerous seduction and a deadly game of cat and mouse. Knock Knock stars Keanu Reeves as the family man who falls into temptation and Lorenza Izzo and Ana de Armas as the seductresses who wreak havoc upon his life, turning a married man’s dark fantasy into his worst nightmare.
Michael Rosenbaum and Mircea Monroe in ‘Impastor’ (Photo Courtesy of TV Land)
Both The Jim Gaffigan Show and Impastor will be returning for second seasons on TV Land. The network announced the comedy shows will return for new seasons following impressive ratings debuts, posting numbers up dramatically over the network’s average. Season one of The Jim Gaffigan Show has been averaging 4 million viewers while the first season of Impastor has been averaging 2.8 million viewers.
TV Land’s Executive Vice President of Development and Original Programming Keith Cox made the announcement, saying, “We’re really proud of these shows that represent the new TV Land. They have quality writing and great casts, and we’re excited to move on to season two for both.”
Season one of The Jim Gaffigan Show is currently airing on Wednesdays at 10pm ET/PT followed by Impastor at 10:30pm.
The Jim Gaffigan Show was created by Gaffigan and Peter Tolan. The series is a single-camera comedy inspired by Gaffigan’s life and chronicles “one man’s struggle in New York City to find a balance between fatherhood, stand-up comedy and an insatiable appetite.” In addition to Gaffigan, the show features Ashley Williams, Adam Goldberg, Michael Ian Black, and Tongayi Chirisa.
Wings‘ Christopher Van created Impastor, a dark comedy starring Michael Rosenbaum, Sara Rue, Mircea Monroe, Mike Kosinski and David Rasche. Rosenbaum plays Buddy Dobbs, “a slacker on the run from his gambling debt. He seizes an unlikely opportunity to steal a man’s identity, and ends up following that man’s path and posing as the new gay pastor of a small, tight-knit town. Only time will tell how long he can keep up the façade.”
TV Land will be airing an Impastor eight-episode “catch up” marathon beginning on September 6, 2015 at 1am ET/PT.
The CW just announced Kesha will be guest starring on an episode of season two of Jane the Virgin starring Gina Rodriguez. According to the network’s official announcement, Kesha will be playing a character named Annabelle.
Annabelle is described as a rocker who moves next door to Jane and isn’t exactly a ‘baby person.’ Kesha’s guest starring role will be part of the second season’s second episode.
“We are so thrilled Kesha will be appearing on Jane! We are all huge fans of hers, and we are so excited to welcome her to the Jane the Virgin family,” said executive producer Jennie Snyder Urman.
Season two of Jane the Virgin premieres on Monday, October 12, 2015 at 9:00pm ET/PT on The CW.
Kesha’s been involved in films and TV as a soundtrack artist, but her Jane the Virgin gig marks her first guest starring appearance on a primetime show. Kesha tweeted out the news to her fans:
Stoked!!!!! I’ll be making a guest starring appearance on @CWJanetheVirgin on @CW! ??
The season three finale of Under the Dome will also serve as the series’ finale episode. When the third season finale of Under the Dome airs on September 10, 2015 CBS promises all of the mysteries involving the Dome and the crystals will be answered as the show wraps up its summer run for good. The residents of Chester’s Mill will either be free to live outside the Dome after being bodysnatched by aliens or they’ll be able to kill off their alien overlords and resume life on Earth as they knew it before the Dome came down a few weeks ago in show time. Or, maybe we’ll find out it was all a dream. Whatever the outcome, it will be nothing like the Stephen King book that inspired the series as any semblance to that novel ended after season one episode one.
“Two years ago, Under the Dome broke new ground in the summer and became an instant hit on CBS, as well as with viewers around the world,” stated Nina Tassler, Chairman, CBS Entertainment. “Dome’s event storytelling and multi-platform business model paved the way for more original summer programming with the successful rollouts of Extant and Zoo. We’re excited to present the final chapter in Chester’s Mill as the story comes full circle, with the Dome coming down as dramatically as it went up.”
Under the Dome debuted on June 24, 2013 and actually garnered decent ratings for its first two seasons as a summertime series. Season three, however, tanked in the ratings and the cancellation was inevitable. It also didn’t help the show’s case for renewal that it’s considered one of the most hate-watched series on television.
The cast is led by Mike Vogel, Dean Norris, and Rachelle Lefevre, and includes Eddie Cahill, Alexander Koch, Colin Ford, Mackenzie Lintz and Kylie Bunbury. Season three saw Marg Helgenberger joining the fun as the leader of the aliens.
The Plot:
Under the Dome tells the story of a small town that is suddenly and inexplicably sealed off from the rest of the world by an enormous transparent dome. Combating Dome and man-made threats daily, the residents of Chester’s Mill rose to new heights of ingenuity, courage and, for some, darkness, in order to survive their post-apocalyptic isolation.
In the series finale, when the Dome comes down, many questions about its origin and power will be answered, as two groups of residents engage in one final conflict that some won’t survive.
Nicholas Hoult is confirmed to star in the dramatic film Rebel in the Rye for writer/director Danny Strong. Hoult will play novelist JD Salinger in the film adaptation of the biography JD Salinger: A Life written by Kenneth Slawenski.
Strong, Bruce Cohen, Jason Shuman, Molly Smith, Trent Luckinbill, and Thad Luckinbill are producing, and Black Label Media is financing the project. BLOOM is handling foreign sales.
“The Catcher in the Rye is a classic coming-of-age story which continues to make a significant impression six generations later. The world has long been fascinated with JD Salinger, who the talented Nicholas Hoult will bring to life in this enigmatic role,” said BLOOM’s Alex Walton.
Hoult has starred in Mad Max: Fury Road, Warm Bodies, X-Men: Days of Future Past, Jack the Giant Slayer, Clash of the Titans, A Single Man, The Weather Man, and About a Boy. Strong’s writing credits include Empire, The Butler, The Hunger Games: Mockingjay Part 1 and Part 2, Recount, and Game Change. Strong won two Emmys for writing and producing Game Change as well as Writers Guild awards for Game Change and Recount.
The Plot:
Rebel in the Rye takes us on a journey into the life and mind of the legendary and secretive author and tells the story of the birth of The Catcher in the Rye. As the author who captivated a generation, JD Salinger soared to the heights of the literary world but left it all behind for a life of seclusion.
Through his rebellious youth, the bloody front lines of World War 2, enduring great love and terrible loss, a life of rejection to the pages of The New Yorker, and the PTSD-fueled writer’s block which led to a spiritual awakening.
Andrew Garfield and Michael Shannon in ’99 Homes’ (Photo Courtesy of Broad Green Pictures)
Michael Shannon explains the reality of the world to Andrew Garfield in a new clip from the dramatic film 99 Homes. Co-written and directed by Ramin Bahrani, 99 Homes‘ cast also includes Noah Lomax, Laura Dern, and Tim Guinee. Broad Green Pictures is releasing 99 Homes in theaters on September 25, 2015.
The Plot:
Ruthless and charismatic businessman, Rick Carver (Shannon), is making a killing by repossessing homes and gaming the real estate market. When he evicts Dennis Nash (Garfield), a single father trying to care for his mother (Dern) and young son (Lomax), Nash becomes so desperate to provide for his family that he goes to work for Carver – the very man who left them homeless in the first place. Carver promises Nash a way to regain his home and earn security for his family, but slyly seduces him into a lifestyle of wealth and glamour. It is a deal-with-the-devil that comes with an increasingly high cost. On Carver’s orders, Nash must evict families from their homes – an undertaking that grows more brutal and dangerous than he ever imagined.
TNT’s fall 2015 primetime schedule will include the return of three dramas and the introduction of one new series. The Librarians and Legends are both coming back for second seasons while Major Crimes returns for season four. Making its debut in November 2015 is the new action drama Agent X starring Sharon Stone, Jeff Hephner, and Gerard McRaney.
In support of the new season, TNT’s released details on their primetime schedule including premiere dates and synopses:
The Librarians – Two-Hour Season 2 Premiere: Sunday, Nov. 1, at 8 p.m. (ET/PT)
Based on TNT’s hit movie franchise, The Librarians centers on an ancient organization hidden beneath the Metropolitan Public Library dedicated to protecting an unknowing world from the secret, magical reality hidden all around. Rebecca Romijn (X-Men), Christian Kane (TNT’s Leverage, Angel), Lindy Booth (Dawn of the Dead, The Philanthropist) and John Kim (Neighbors, The Pacific) star in the series as the newest protectors of the world’s mystical treasures, with Emmy (R) winner John Larroquette (Night Court, Deception) as their reluctant caretaker. Noah Wyle (Falling Skies, ER) recurs as Flynn Carsen, the role he played in TNT’s movie trilogy.
The Librarians finished its first season as basic cable’s #2 new series, behind TNT’s The Last Ship. The show reached an average of 11.4 million viewers per episode across TNT’s VOD, digital and mobile platforms. The Librarians is produced by Electric Entertainment, with executive producers Dean Devlin, John Rogers, Marc Roskin and Noah Wyle.
Michael Paul Chan, Mary McDonnell, Tony Denison, Kearran Giovanni, Phillip P. Keene and Raymond Cruz in ‘Major Crimes’ (Photo Credit: TNT)
Major Crimes – Season 4 Fall Premiere: Monday, Nov. 2, at 9 p.m. (ET/PT)
Television’s favorite squad of detectives is on the case in Major Crimes, TNT’s powerful crime-drama that ranks as one of basic cable’s top-rated original series. Major Crimes focuses on how the American justice system approaches the art of the deal as law enforcement officers and prosecutors work together to score a conviction. The elite team is back, headed by two-time Oscar(R) nominee Mary McDonnell as Los Angeles Police Captain Sharon Raydor, G.W. Bailey as Lieutenant Provenza, Tony Denison as Lieutenant Andy Flynn, Michael Paul Chan as Lieutenant Mike Tao, Raymond Cruz as Detective Julio Sanchez, Kearran Giovanni as Detective Amy Sykes, Phillip P. Keene as tech expert Buzz Watson, Robert Gossett as Assistant Chief Russell Taylor and Jonathan Del Arco as Dr. Morales. Graham Patrick Martin also stars as Rusty Beck, a homeless teen adopted by Raydor.
Major Crimes currently ranks second among basic cable most-watched summer dramas, behind TNT’s Rizzoli & Isles. The series is reaching an average of 10.3 million viewers per episode across TNT’s VOD, digital and on-demand platforms. Major Crimes is produced by The Shephard/Robin Company and Walking Entropy, Inc., in association with Warner Bros. Television. James Duff, Greer Shephard & Michael M. Robin, Rick Wallace, Adam Belanoff and Leo Geter serve as executive producers.
Sean Bean stars in TNT’s spy thriller ‘Legends’ season 2 (Photo Credit: TNT)
Legends – Season 2 Premiere: Monday, Nov. 2, at 10 p.m. (ET/PT)
TNT’s spy thriller Legends is back this fall after being completely revamped, with a new supporting cast, locations and more. Sean Bean (Game of Thrones, The Lord of the Rings) returns as an undercover FBI agent whose world is turned upside down when he discovers that the life he knew – including his name – has all been a lie. Now on the run for a murder he didn’t commit, he searches for his true identity, following a trail that takes him to London and the European continent, where he discovers a dark and violent past that holds the key to his future survival. Legends is based on the award-winning book by master spy novelist Robert Littell . In addition to Bean, the new season stars Winter Ave Zoli (Sons of Anarchy), Steve Kazee (Shameless), Aisling Franciosi (The Fall), Kelly Overton (True Blood), Klara Issova (Crossing Lines) and Ralph Brown (Agent Carter). In addition, Morris Chestnut (Nurse Jackie) will guest-star in several episodes, reprising his role from the first season.
Legends is produced by Fox 21 Television Studios, with Howard Gordon (Homeland, 24) and showrunner Ken Biller (Star Trek: Voyager, Smallville) serving as executive producers.
Sharon Stone and Jeff Hephner star in TNT’s action-adventure ‘Agent X’ (Photo Credit: TNT)
Agent X – Two-Hour Series Premiere: Sunday, Nov. 8, at 9 p.m. (ET/PT)
This fall, TNT will launch Agent X, a spirited action-drama starring Jeff Hephner (Interstellar, Chicago Fire), Oscar(R) nominee and Emmy(R), Golden Globe(R) winner Sharon Stone (Casino) and Gerald McRaney (House of Cards). In times of extreme crisis, when traditional law and government aren’t in a position to help, there is an unseen hand that works to protect this country and its citizens from all manner of threats by any means necessary. Hidden from the view of the public – and even from the President – there is a top secret agent who is trained and ready to serve, deployed only at the careful discretion of the Vice President. The agent at the center of Agent X is John Case, played by Hephner. Case is a smooth, athletic, tough and quick-witted operative who can be brutally effective when his duties require it. Stone plays America’s first female Vice President, Natalie Maccabee, who pledges to protect the country “against all enemies, foreign and domestic.” Honoring this vow, however, will force her and her secret operative to tackle not only global threats but also the palaces of intrigue of Washington D.C. With Case handling high-stakes missions that are too sensitive for the FBI and the CIA, Maccabee soon finds herself being drawn into the action.
Agent X is being produced by TNT Originals in association with Beacon Pictures, with Armyan Bernstein and Sharon Stone serving as executive producers. William Blake Herron who will also executive-produce, penned the pilot, which was directed by Peter O’Fallon.
