Focus Features has landed on a new release date for The Bikeriders from writer/director Jeff Nichols. Following its 2023 festival run, the crime drama was gearing up for an awards season run with a December 1st theatrical release. The release was postponed during the strikes, and Focus Features’ The Bikeriders will now open on June 21, 2024.
The film currently sits at 85% fresh on Rotten Tomatoes, with critics calling it “an affectionate take on a much-romanticized subculture” (Hannah Strong, IGN Movies) and “a vivid, fleshed-out insider’s eye view of a subculture populated by authentically hard-edged lost souls” (Wendy Ide, Screen International).
Oscar nominee Austin Butler (Elvis), Emmy Award winner Jodie Comer (Killing Eve), Oscar nominee Tom Hardy (The Revenant), and Norman Reedus (The Walking Dead) lead the cast. The ensemble also includes Michael Shannon (Bullet Train), Mike Faist (West Side Story), and Boyd Holbrook (Logan).
Inspired by Danny Lyon’s book of photography, The Bikeriders is produced by Tri-State’s Sarah Green and Brian Kavanaugh-Jones. Fred Berger serves as an executive producer.
The Bikeriders is a furious drama following the rise of a fictional 1960s Midwestern motorcycle club through the lives of its members. Inspired by Danny Lyon’s iconic book of photography, The Bikeriders immerses you in the look, feel, and sounds of the bare-knuckled, grease-covered subculture of ’60s motorcycle riders.
Kathy (Comer), a strong-willed member of the Vandals who’s married to a wild, reckless bikerider named Benny (Butler), recounts the Vandals’ evolution over the course of a decade, beginning as a local club of outsiders united by good times, rumbling bikes, and respect for their strong, steady leader Johnny (Hardy). Over the years, Kathy tries her best to navigate her husband’s untamed nature and his allegiance to Johnny, with whom she feels she must compete for Benny’s attention.
As life in the Vandals gets more dangerous, and the club threatens to become a more sinister gang, Kathy, Benny, and Johnny are forced to make choices about their loyalty to the club and to each other.
Peacock’s action comedy Twisted Metal has been renewed for season two, with series star and executive producer Anthony Mackie announcing the pickup during The Games Awards on December 7, 2023. Season one of the video game-inspired series debuted on July 27th and is one of the streaming service’s top three original shows in viewership.
“I have to give a Sweet Tooth-sized thank you to our incredible fans – I read every comment and was so blown away by everyone’s love, support, and rabid enthusiasm for a paper bag. We are beyond thankful we get to continue the story of John Doe, Quiet, and Sweet Tooth as they face off against familiar faces and new grim foes in the long-awaited Twisted Metal tournament. The mixtape is made, and I’m thrilled to get back on the road with our stellar cast and crew,” said writer, executive producer, and showrunner Michael Jonathan Smith.
In addition to Anthony Mackie (The Falcon and the Winter Soldier), season one starred Stephanie Beatriz (Brooklyn Nine-Nine), Joe Seanoa (AEW), Will Arnett (Lego Masters), and Thomas Haden Church (Spider-Man: No Way Home). Guest stars included Neve Campbell, Richard Cabral, Mike Mitchell, Tahj Vaughans, Lou Beatty Jr., Chloe Fineman, and Jason Mantzoukas.
Anthony Mackie as John Doe and Joe Seanoa as Sweet Tooth in ‘Twisted Metal’ (Photo by: Skip Bolen/Peacock)
“Twisted Metal is a half-hour live-action TV series based on the classic PlayStation game series, a high-octane action comedy, based on an original take by Rhett Reese & Paul Wernick (Deadpool, Zombieland) and written by Michael Jonathan Smith (Cobra Kai). The first season is about a motor-mouthed outsider offered a chance at a better life, but only if he can successfully deliver a mysterious package across a post-apocalyptic wasteland,” reads Peacock’s synopsis. “With the help of a badass axe-wielding car thief, he’ll face savage marauders driving vehicles of destruction and other dangers of the open road, including a deranged clown who drives an all too familiar ice cream truck.”
Rhett Reese, Paul Wernick, Will Arnett, Marc Forman, Jason Spire, Peter Principato, Asad Qizilbash Carter Swan, and Head of PlayStation Studios Hermen Hulst executive produce. Kitao Sakurai directed multiple episodes. Twisted Metal is produced by Sony Pictures Television, PlayStation Productions, and Universal Television.
Season one consisted of 10 30-minute episodes. Peacock’s season two announcement didn’t confirm the number of episodes or a targeted premiere date.
Noomi Rapace stars in ‘Constellation’ (Photo Credit: Apple TV+)
Noomi Rapace (The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo) and Jonathan Banks (Better Call Saul) star in Apple TV+’s upcoming thriller Constellation, created by Peter Harness (Wallander). The streaming service just released the first two photos from what’s described as a conspiracy-based psychological thriller, set to premiere on February 21, 2024.
Three episodes of the eight-episode season debut on February 21st, with new episodes arriving on Wednesdays.
In addition to Noomi Rapace and Jonathan Banks, Constellation stars James D’Arcy (Agent Carter), Julian Looman (Emily in Paris), William Catlett (A Thousand and One), Barbara Sukowa (Voyager), Rosie Coleman, and Davina Coleman. Harness wrote the thriller and two-time Emmy Award winner Michelle MacLaren (Breaking Bad), Oliver Hirschbiegel (Downfall), and Joseph Cedar (Footnote) directed.
“Constellation stars Rapace as Jo – an astronaut who returns to Earth after a disaster in space — only to discover that key pieces of her life seem to be missing,” reads Apple TV+’s synopsis. “The action-packed space adventure is an exploration of the dark edges of human psychology and one woman’s desperate quest to expose the truth about the hidden history of space travel and recover all that she has lost.”
Peter Harness, David Tanner (Small Axe), Tracey Scoffield (Small Axe), Caroline Benjo (No Man’s Land), Simon Arnal (No Man’s Land), Carole Scotta (No Man’s Land), Justin Thomson (Liaison), and Rebecca Hobbs (Shining Girls) executive produce along with director MacLaren.
Ren Watabe, Kiersey Clemons and Anna Sawai in ‘Monarch: Legacy of Monsters’ episode 5 (Photo Credit: Apple TV+)
Cate, Kentaro, and May are under Monarch’s control as Apple TV+’s Monarch: Legacy of Monsters episode five begins. Despite their circumstances, none of the captured friends are willing to in any way assist the top-secret agency.
Duvall (Elisa Lasowski) determines that schoolteacher Cate (Anna Sawai) and artist Kentaro (Ren Watabe) really don’t know anything. But May (Kiersey Clemons) is a different story. She knows how to disappear, but even the Monarch authorities can’t figure out what she’s hiding from.
Tim (Joe Tippett) suggests they recruit Cate and Kentaro since they have the organization in their blood. It doesn’t hurt that they also want to find out exactly what happened to their dad. Duvall thinks they should set Cate, Kentaro, and May free but continue to monitor their activities.
Deputy Director Natalia Verdugo (Mirelly Taylor) will take over the task of getting info from Lee Shaw.
Tim hands over their passports, new phones, plane tickets, and even money at the Nome, Alaska airport while also apologizing for Monarch’s intrusion in their lives. Tim gets angry when they blow off his apology, warning them they’re lucky to be alive after sticking their noses into Monarch’s business. He also reveals he used his influence to get them released, but he won’t help if they’re brought in again.
Kentaro’s shocked May’s planning to fly back to Japan while they’re not even sure Hiroshi’s dead. Cate believes they need to search his San Francisco office for more clues. May’s laptop was frozen by the Frost Vark Titan, but she admits she has a backup copy of Hiroshi’s files. She’s willing to turn them over to Cate and Kentaro but remains leery of continuing to help them find their dad.
Cate’s certain they can’t do it without May’s help.
Kurt Russell in ‘Monarch: Legacy of Monsters’ episode 5 (Photo Credit: Apple TV+)
Meanwhile, old video of a much younger Lee, Bill (Anders Holm), and Keiko (Mari Yamamoto) is shown to Lee in his cell. (The scene features a cool shot of Wyatt and Kurt Russell seeming to merge into one person.) Verdugo unlocks Lee’s handcuffs and says the powers-that-be at Monarch are standing on the shoulders of giants – with Lee being one of Monarch’s giants. Lee corrects her, saying that it feels more like they’re sitting on his shoulders while doing absolutely nothing about the Titans.
Both Verdugo and Lee agree that Hiroshi didn’t want this life for his kids. Lee claims he’ll confirm that when he meets up with his old friend. However, Verdugo insists Lee’s never getting out of Monarch’s custody so any meeting will be in the afterlife.
Tim and Duvall talk about Lee’s age, acknowledging he doesn’t look close to 91. Tim’s heard rumors about a failed mission that might have done something to alter his age. Duvall wonders how Lee found a new Titan just days after breaking out of a retirement home.
Apparently, May gave in as she’s with Cate and Kentaro at the Oakland, CA airport. Cate’s not exactly overjoyed when her mom’s work friend, James, shows up in a van to pick them up. He’s a little too enthusiastic about being their driver and won’t take no for an answer.
They drive through the Alameda Point FEMA Housing mobile home park, and James explains its residents don’t want to leave even though FEMA offered them housing outside of San Francisco. He confirms tourists used to pay to see the destroyed city until the military walled it off. Kentaro confesses his mom tried to sign up for a tour, so that she could find his dad.
May and Kentaro offer to go for a walk so Cate can break the news Hiroshi had another family. Unfortunately, they don’t escape quickly enough and Cate introduces her mom, Caroline, to Kentaro Randa and May. Caroline’s stunned to meet her husband’s son whom she knew nothing about but welcomes them into her home anyway.
Caroline and James’ jobs are to collect personal items from the ruins, and she’s got boxes scattered throughout her trailer. Things get really awkward, and Cate sends Kentaro and May into her room while she speaks to her mom.
Cate says it’s okay to take a minute to have a hysterical breakdown. It’s justified, given that she just found out her husband had a secret family. Caroline confesses she pushed Cate to go to Tokyo to get her out of her room. Cate was deeply depressed after the death of her students during Godzilla’s attack and had been keeping to herself in her bedroom.
Caroline needed to do something to show Cate there was a reason to live.
The walls are thin and May and Kentaro have heard this entire discussion.
Caroline’s upset to learn Cate wants to visit her dad’s office in the restricted area to look for more clues. She warns her daughter that the military’s shooting looters, but Cate won’t back down.
Caroline decides there’s no way to dissuade her daughter and so the best option is to help her. She and James drive the FEMA van to the Reconstruction Area Entrance at South Pier and make it through by bribing the guard not to check the back of the van.
Once inside the destroyed city, Kentaro looks around and asks, “How can anyone believe this is fake?”
Cate thinks it’s easier for some people to believe it’s a lie rather than that Titans are a real and present danger.
Caroline and James need to leave, but first, James gives the threesome flashlights and warns them that if they’re caught, the military will assume they’re looters. They’ll meet back up at 8am, ahead of the gate’s scheduled 8:15am closing.
Back at Monarch, Verdugo asks Lee why, after all these decades, he broke out of the retirement center. She also demands to know what’s in Randa’s files. Lee says there’s nothing there that Verdugo and Monarch don’t already know.
Lee looks into the surveillance camera and says, “Monarch is wrong and has been for a long, long time.”
Ren Watabe, Anna Sawai and Kiersey Clemons in ‘Monarch: Legacy of Monsters’ episode 5 (Photo Credit: Apple TV+)
Cate leads May and Kentaro through the ruins of San Francisco, pointing out where she used to hang out. A flashback shows her outside the now-destroyed Grounds Hero coffee shop, sharing a hug with her girlfriend, Dani. They kiss, and Cate looks incredibly happy as they walk hand and hand down the street.
Cate’s girlfriend asks her to move in and Cate replies, “Haven’t you learned your lesson?” Cate’s given a key to her girlfriend’s place as they head to work at Girard Middle School. It’s one day before G-Day.
Cate’s class is half-empty because parents fear the giant monsters and have kept their children home. Even with videos circulating, Cate isn’t panicking. A school administrator pops into her classroom and says they’re monitoring the situation. Cate’s instructed to make sure her students charge their phones in case of an emergency.
One of the students asks if the monsters are coming to this area next. That seems to jar Cate.
On G-Day, Cate hustles as she assists the students to get onto a bus while Dani explains that she’s staying in the gym with any remaining kids waiting to get picked up by their parents. Cate opts to chaperone the bus that just loaded.
Back to current events and Cate, Kentaro, and May are almost discovered by the military. Kentaro diverts the soldiers’ attention by attracting cats to a bag of food.
A few minutes later, Kentaro breaks the tension by singing a song their dad used to sing. Unfortunately, singing in a restricted area isn’t a wise idea, and they’re once again spotted by soldiers. This time, they escape into the subway as Cate barely controls her panic while experiencing flashbacks of Godzilla.
Lucky for them, they aren’t the only people hiding out in the subway. The military goes after the others who’ve snuck into the area, allowing Cate, Kentaro, and May to make a run for it. Cate’s barely keeping it together now, but Kentaro and May promise to help her out. They won’t move forward without her.
Cate’s confused in all the rubble and doesn’t know which way to go. Kentaro tries to assure her it’s okay, and she replies, “You don’t know that. You can’t know that. We’re going to die down here!”
She has a flashback of her dad telling her she’ll be all right and takes it out on Kentaro.
Anna Sawai in ‘Monarch” Legacy of Monsters’ episode 5 (Photo Credit: Apple TV+)
Kentaro heads off on his own to find a way out while May stays behind to comfort Cate. Cate has yet another flashback, this time to being in bed with another woman the day before G-Day – the same morning her girlfriend asked her to move in.
The flashback explains why Cate asked Dani if she had learned her lesson.
Before the bus doors close, Dani tells Cate she didn’t learn her lesson. “We were good. You just don’t want ‘good,’” says Dani. The bus doors close without Cate replying.
She comes out of the flashback and confesses to May that she hates her dad for leaving. She doesn’t understand why anyone would do anything for her since she always lets people down.
As Cate and May are having a bonding moment, Kentaro finds a way out by following the cats. They eventually arrive at their dad’s towering office building, and of course, Hiroshi’s office is on one of the upper floors. There’s some damage inside the office, but the family photos on the desk are still upright.
Kentaro rips the map off the wall, assuming the safe will be underneath since that’s where it was located in Hiroshi’s Japan office. Unfortunately, there’s nothing there.
Cate takes a good look at the map with fresh eyes and a basic understanding of Monarch. She traces loops on the map and asks May for the files. The map doesn’t make much sense until Kentaro figures out they must put one image on top of another. When they do it, the loops go over San Francisco, Alaska, and Africa.
“This must be the path he took,” says Cate.
They fold up the map and hustle as the sun’s rising; they can’t be late for their 8am rendezvous with Cate’s mom. They make it out just in time, and when they return to Cate’s home, Cate apologizes to her mom for what Hiroshi put her through for 30 years.
Caroline admits James is interested in her but willing to wait until she’s ready. She also admits she could have discovered Cate’s father was cheating, but she didn’t want to know the truth. Caroline didn’t mind having a part-time husband.
Cate drops the bombshell that Hiroshi worked for a secret organization having to do with Godzilla and didn’t die in Alaska. She promises her mom she’s going to find him.
May sneaks away and calls Duvall, telling her she wants to go home. Duvall promises to be in touch.
Magnum heads to college for an investigation of a professor on NBC’s Magnum PI season five episode 18. “Extracurricular Activities” was directed by Perdita Weeks and will air on Wednesday, December 13, 2023 at 9pm ET/PT.
Jay Hernandez leads the cast as Thomas Magnum, Perdita Weeks is Juliet Higgins, Zachary Knighton stars as Orville ‘Rick’ Wright, Stephen Hill is Theodore ‘TC’ Calvin, Amy Hill is Kumu, and Tim Kang plays Det. Gordon Katsumoto.
“Extracurricular Activities” Plot: Magnum and Higgins are hired by a dean at the University of Oahu to quietly investigate a professor who has been accused of having an inappropriate relationship with a female grad student. TC and Katsumoto take Cade and Dennis on a father-son camping trip.
Jay Hernandez as Thomas Magnum in ‘Magnum PI’ season 5 episode 18 (Photo by: Zack Dougan/NBC)
The Season 5 Plot, Courtesy of NBC:
Magnum P.I. is a modern take on the classic series centering on Thomas Magnum, a decorated former Navy SEAL who, upon returning home from Afghanistan, repurposes his military skills to become a private investigator. A charming rogue, an American hero and a die-hard Detroit Tigers fan, Magnum lives in a guest cottage on Robin’s Nest, the luxurious estate where he works as a security consultant to supplement his P.I. business.
The “majordomo” of the property is Juliet Higgins, a beautiful and commanding disavowed MI:6 agent whose second job is to keep Magnum in line, with the help of her two Dobermans. When Magnum needs backup on a job, he turns to his trusted buddies and fellow POW survivors Theodore ‘TC’ Calvin, a former Marine chopper pilot who runs Island Hoppers, a helicopter tour business, and Orville “Rick” Wright, a former Marine door-gunner-turned-impresario of Oahu’s coolest nightclub and the most connected man on the island.
With keys to a vintage Ferrari in one hand, aviator sunglasses in the other, and an Old Düsseldorf longneck chilling in the fridge, Thomas Magnum is back on the case!
Director Perdita Weeks, Martin Martinez as Cade, and Stephen Hill as Theodore “TC” Calvin on the set of season 5 episode 18 (Photo by: Zack Dougan/NBC)Amy Hill as Teuila “Kumu” Tuileta and Tim Kang as Detective Gordon Katsumoto, Stephen Hill as Theodore “TC” Calvin in season 5 episode 18 (Photo by: Zack Dougan/NBC)Amy Hill as Teuila “Kumu” Tuileta and Zachary Knighton as Orville “Rick” Wright in season 5 episode 18 (Photo by: Zack Dougan/NBC)Zachary Knighton as Orville “Rick” Wright, Lance Lim as Dennis, Martin Martinez as Cade, and Stephen Hill as Theodore “TC” Calvin in season 5 episode 18 (Photo by: Zack Dougan/NBC)Zachary Knighton as Orville “Rick” Wright and Stephen Hill as Theodore “TC” Calvin in season 5 episode 18 (Photo by: Zack Dougan/NBC)Martin Martinez as Cade, Stephen Hill as Theodore “TC” Calvin, and Tim Kang as Detective Gordon Katsumoto in season 5 episode 18 (Photo by: Zack Dougan/NBC)Tim Kang as Detective Gordon Katsumoto, Lance Lim as Dennis, Stephen Hill as Theodore “TC” Calvin, and Martin Martinez as Cade in season 5 episode 18 (Photo by: Zack Dougan/NBC)Martin Martinez as Cade and Stephen Hill as Theodore “TC” Calvin in season 5 episode 18 (Photo by: Zack Dougan/NBC)
The American Film Institute (AFI) list of the best films of 2023 includes a movie that hasn’t been getting as much awards buzz as it deserves. Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse finally shows up on a top 10 list, and hopefully, its appearance will remind critics groups and awards voters to revisit the critically acclaimed animated film.
AFI’s selection of TV programs might also stir up some buzz around Prime Video’s bizarre comedy Jury Duty. Rounding out their top 10 TV show list are the usual suspects, along with the first seasons of The Last of Us and Poker Face.
“As our nation and our world continue to navigate difficult times, AFI is honored to shine a proper light upon these works of art that lift us up and, ultimately, lead us to empathy,” stated Bob Gazzale, AFI President and CEO. “That we do so without competition is AFI’s hallmark, and we are proud to gather this community of artists together – as one – to celebrate their extraordinary contributions to our time.”
AFI will host their annual luncheon to recognize their honorees on Friday, January 12, 2024.
AMERICAN FILM INSTITUTE MOTION PICTURES OF THE YEAR
AMERICAN FICTION BARBIE
THE HOLDOVERS KILLERS OF THE FLOWER MOON
MAESTRO
MAY DECEMBER
OPPENHEIMER
PAST LIVES
POOR THINGS
SPIDER-MAN: ACROSS THE SPIDER-VERSE
AFI TELEVISION PROGRAMS OF THE YEAR
ABBOTT ELEMENTARY
THE BEAR BEEF
JURY DUTY
THE LAST OF US
THE MORNING SHOW
ONLY MURDERS IN THE BUILDING
POKER FACE
RESERVATION DOGS
SUCCESSION
AMC+ and Sundance Now just released the first official trailer for the drama Sanctuary: A Witch’s Tale, based on the novel by V.V. James. The two-minute trailer introduces the town of Sanctuary, a haven for witches until a horrific accident changes everything.
The seven-episode season stars Elaine Cassidy as Sarah Fenn, Hazel Doupe as Harper, and Amy de Bhrun as Abigail. Stephanie Levi-John is Maggie, Valerie O’Connor plays Bridget Patterson, Kelly Campbell is Julia Garston, and Stephen Lord plays Ted. Debbie Horsfield created the series and adapted James’ novel. Lisa Mulcahy and Justin Molotnikov direct, and Monumental Television executive produces.
Sanctuary: A Witch’s Tale premieres on January 4, 2024 with the release of the first two episodes. New episodes arrive on Thursdays.
Poster for AMC+ and Sundance Now’s ‘Sanctuary A Witch’s Tale’
“Sanctuary: A Witch’s Tale is set in a contemporary world where witchcraft is real. It takes place in the idyllic English town of Sanctuary, where for hundreds of years witches have lived peacefully, as valued members of society. Until now…,” reads AMC+’s synopsis. “At the heart of the story is Sarah Fenn (Cassidy), Sanctuary’s resident witch, on whom the town relies to solve their problems when conventional remedies have failed.
When local teen rugby star, Dan Whithall, dies tragically in an apparent accident, his death exposes a terrifying undercurrent of suspicion and fear towards Sarah and her teenage daughter, Harper (Doupe). Mother of the deceased, Abigail (de Bhrun), once Sarah’s closest friend, is wracked with grief, and to avenge her son’s death, launches a modern-day witch-hunt to get ‘justice,’ no matter what the cost.”
Amy de Bhrun as Abigail Whithall and Max Lohan as Daniel Whithall Photo Credit: Szymon Lazewski/AMC)Hazel Doupe as Harper Fenn (Photo Credit: Szymon Lazewski/AMC)Amy de Bhrun as Abigail Whithall and Elaine Cassidy as Sarah Fenn (Photo Credit: Szymon Lazewski/AMC)
George and Cindy Anthony (Photo Credit – Mary Beth Koeth, Courtesy of A&E)
The murder of three-year-old Caylee Anthony continues to make news 15 years after the child’s body was recovered in 2008. Caylee’s mom, Casey, was back in the news in 2022 with the release of the three-part limited series Casey Anthony: Where The Truth Lies which featured interviews with the acquitted accused murderer. In the special, Casey accuses her father of killing Caylee and then staging her death. Casey continues to claim her father molested her and suggested he may also have molested her daughter.
Casey’s parents, George and Cindy, have had enough and are fighting back with their own special, Casey Anthony’s Parents: The Lie Detector Test. The two-hour special is hosted by Emmy Award-winning journalist Tony Harris (CNN Newsroom w/Tony Harris) and will air on A&E and Lifetime on Thursday, January 4, 2024 at 9pm ET/PT. The special will include new interviews with the Anthonys and on-camera polygraph tests.
Retired FBI Agent George Olivo administers the lie detector tests featured in the special. Olivo was a Senior Polygraph Examiner for the LA division of the FBI and has administered thousands of tests over the course of his lengthy career.
“Casey Anthony’s Parents: The Lie Detector Test dives into the new accusations against George, the latest twist in a story that started with Caylee’s disappearance in June 2008 and triggered a nationwide media frenzy,” reads A&E’s synopsis. “Caylee’s death was ruled a homicide when her remains were discovered in a wooded area near the Anthony’s home the following December. Casey was charged in connection with Caylee’s murder and, following a fiery trial, was acquitted of murder charges in July 2011, though the court of public opinion holds strong views that justice was not done for Caylee. Cindy and George Anthony have had a tempestuous relationship with their daughter with stunning accusations leveled by both sides over the years. As old wounds are ripped open again, will the polygraph tests finally bring closure?”
Matt Sprouse, Erica Hanson, Sam Dean, and Lauren Ranzino serve as executive producers for York & Wilder. Elaine Frontain Bryant, Shelly Tatro, and Brad Abramson serve as executive producers for A&E.
Lamorne Morris and Iris Apatow join ‘Unstable’ (Morris photo credit: Ari Michelson, courtesy of Netflix)
Lamorne Morris (Fargo, Woke) and Iris Apatow (The Bubble) have signed on to the cast of Netflix’s Unstable season two. Created by Rob Lowe, John Owen, Lowe, and Victor Fresco, season two will also find Fred Armisen reprising his guest-starring role as Leslie.
The Lowes return to lead a cast that includes Sian Clifford, Rachel Marsh, Emma Ferreira, and Aaron Branch. Showrunner Andrew Gurland executive produces along with the Lowes and Sean Clements. Claire Scanlon directs and executive produces the eight-episode season.
“It’s a dream come true for us to jump back into the world of Unstable,” said Rob and John Owen Lowe to Netflix’s Tudum. “Here’s to Season 2 and the many hours of family therapy that we will need along the way.”
Netflix’s casting announcement included the following details on Morris and Apatow’s new characters:
Lamorne Morris will play recurring guest star Peter. The charismatic founder of a biotech start-up, Peter’s rising star manages to stoke the already intense rivalry between Ellis (Rob Lowe) and Jackson (John Owen Lowe).
Iris Apatow will play recurring guest star Georgia, Anna’s (Clifford) irreverent ex-stepdaughter turned unwilling Dragon intern. She copes with office life by stirring up trouble and making Anna’s life more difficult whenever possible.
“Ellis Dragon is a universally admired, eccentric, narcissist-adjacent biotech entrepreneur working to make the world a better place,” reads Netflix’s synopsis. “He’s also in emotional free-fall. His son Jackson Dragon is… none of those things. Can Jackson save Ellis and his company and salvage their estranged relationship while also doing what may actually be impossible: escaping the shadow of his larger-than-life father?”
Season one premiered on March 30, 2023. The casting announcement didn’t include any details on when season two is expected to debut.
ABC announces the Hollywood lineup for ‘New Year’s Rockin Eve 2024’
Bebe Rexha, Green Day, Janelle Monáe, and Ellie Goulding will perform on Dick Clark’s New Year’s Rockin’ Eve with Ryan Seacrest 2024. The Hollywood lineup also includes Aqua, Doechii, Loud Luxury, Two Friends, Ludacris, Nile Rodgers & CHIC, Paul Russell, Reneé Rapp, Coco Jones, and Thirty Seconds to Mars.
Emmy winner Jeannie Mai has been tapped to host the Hollywood portion of the broadcast, with Ryan Seacrest returning to host from New York for his 19th year. Rita Ora will join Seacrest live from Times Square. The broadcast kicks off on Sunday, December 31st at 8pm ET.
Last year, 13.8 million viewers tuned in to celebrate the end of 2022 and the beginning of 2023.
ABC released this description of the just-announced 2024 performers:
Danish dance-pop group Aqua is set to perform hits “Barbie Girl” and “Doctor Jones,” both from the three-time certified platinum 1997 album Aquarium. This year, Aqua is making waves with nearly 30 million Spotify monthly listeners this summer, two GRAMMY® nods for “Barbie World” with Nicki Minaj and Ice Spice, and their first U.S. tour.
Honored as this year’s Billboard Women in Music Rising Star, multi-award nominated rapper/singer Doechii, who has an impressive 6.5 billion global streams, will perform “What It Is” and “Persuasive.”
Multi-award-winning pop singer Ellie Goulding marks a decade since her first No. 1 hit single “Burn,” with a three-song performance that will also include GRAMMY-nominated single “Miracle” and “Midnight Dreams” from her latest album, Higher Than Heaven.
One of the biggest bands of all time, Green Day, will be taking the stage ringing in the New Year with three career-spanning sets celebrating a massive year ahead. The six-time Billboard Music Awards and five-time GRAMMY winners will be ripping through “Basket Case” and “Welcome to Paradise” off of their breakout album Dookie, which celebrates its 30th anniversary next year, “American Idiot” and “Holiday” from American Idiot, which celebrates an anniversary of its own turning 20 in 2024. Plus, they will unveil the live debut of the song “Dilemma” from the Rock & Roll Hall of Famers new album Saviors out January 19, 2024, in advance of the East Bay punks headlining stadiums globally throughout next summer.
Multihyphenate artist Janelle Monáe will perform “Champagne Shit” and “Haute” from her recent GRAMMY-nominated album, The Age of Pleasure.
International touring dance music duo Loud Luxury, acclaimed DJs/producers Two Friends, and GRAMMY-nominated powerhouse Bebe Rexha will perform their chart-topping hit “If Only I.”
Multiplatinum-selling and multi-award-winning actor/rapper Ludacris will celebrate 10 years since the release of his chart-topping single “Stand Up” with a special performance of the 2003 hit as part of a multisong performance medley. His latest project, Dashing Through The Snow, is now streaming on Disney+.
Rock & Roll Hall of Fame and Songwriters Hall of Fame inductee and GRAMMY Lifetime Achievement honoree Nile Rodgers (and CHIC) will perform his penned classics “Le Freak,” – the biggest selling single in the history of Atlantic Records – “Get Lucky,” – the Daft Punk classic – as well as “Everybody Dance,” and “Good Times,” which sparked the advent of Hip-Hop, with “Rapper’s Delight”.
Singer-Rapper Paul Russell will perform his viral smash single “Lil Boo Thang,” which has garnered over 160 million total streams, charted top 10 on Top 40 radio, and No. 1 on iTunes’ Pop Chart.
Multihyphenate artist Reneé Rapp will perform “Talk Too Much” from her acclaimed debut album Snow Angel as well as “Tummy Hurts” with GRAMMY-nominated R&B sensation Coco Jones. The “Tummy Hurts” Remix ft. Coco Jones is included on the deluxe version of Snow Angel, which was released earlier this Fall on Nov. 17. Next year, Rapp will reprise her Broadway role of Regina George in the upcoming Paramount feature film Mean Girls musical movie.
Platinum-selling band Thirty Seconds to Mars will rock the stage with a performance of “The Kill” from their certified double platinum album A Beautiful Lie, plus recent alternative number one song “Stuck” and newest single “Seasons,” from their latest album It’s The End Of The World But It’s A Beautiful Day. The band’s Seasons World Tour 2024 kicks off March 15 in Latin America.
