Apple TV+ will be premiering the eight-episode series City on Fire, inspired by Garth Risk Hallberg’s bestselling novel, on May 12, 2023. The first three episodes will be released simultaneously, followed by new episodes on Fridays. The season’s finale is set to air on June 16th.
City on Fire takes place in New York City, and in an interview with NPR in October 2015, author Hallberg – who grew up in North Carolina – explained why he chose NYC as the setting. “I fell in love with New York at some indeterminate point in my early years,” said Hallberg. “Something about the city captured my imagination in a way that even Middle-Earth and Narnia couldn’t — because it was somehow real.”
Hallberg added: “So I guess I was dreaming my way into it long before I realized that I was going to write about it.”
Hallberg’s book was set in the 1970s, but showrunners Josh Schwartz and Stephanie Savage (Gossip Girl) opted to move the time period to 2003.
“We were really interested in that post-9/11, Occupy Wall Street [era] in New York. Obviously, the book culminates in the blackout of ’77. There was a massive blackout in 2003. So creatively, that storyline lined up. But also thematically, 1977 was a time when people weren’t sure that our city was going to survive. Post-9/11 New York, people had the same concerns, the same fears,” said Schwartz during a Television Critics Association panel.
Schwartz and Savage write and executive produce along with Lis Rowinski and Emmy Award nominee Jesse Peretz (GLOW). Peretz also directs multiple episodes.
Wyatt Oleff and Chase Sui Wonders lead the cast as Charlie and Samantha. Xavier Clyde stars as Mercer, Jemima Kirke is Regan, Nico Tortorella plays William, Ashley Zukerman is Keith, and Max Milner plays Nicky Chaos. Alexandra Doke stars as Sewer Girl, Omid Abtahi is Detective Ali Parsa, Kathleen Munroe is Detective PJ McFadden, and John Cameron Mitchell plays Amory.
The Plot:
In City on Fire, an NYU student is shot in Central Park on the Fourth of July, 2003. Samantha is alone; there are no witnesses and very little physical evidence. Her friends’ band is playing at her favorite downtown club, but she leaves to meet someone, promising to return. She never does.
As the crime against Samantha is investigated, she’s revealed to be the crucial connection between a series of mysterious citywide fires, the downtown music scene, and a wealthy uptown real estate family fraying under the strain of the many secrets they keep.
Chase Sui Wonders stars as Samantha, and Wyatt Oleff plays Charlie, a friend of Samantha’s who is struggling to cope with the death of his father on 9/11 two years earlier. After Samantha is shot, he stops at nothing to unravel the mystery of what happened.
Chase Sui Wonders in ‘City on Fire’ (Photo Credit: Apple TV+)Chase Sui Wonders and Wyatt Oleff in episode 2 (Photo Credit: Apple TV+)Xavier Clyde and Nico Tortorella in episode 3 (Photo Credit: Apple TV+)Chaise Torio, Jemima Kirke and Ashley Zukerman in episode 1 (Photo Credit: Apple TV+)Wyatt Oleff, Max Milner and Alexandra Doke in episode 3 (Photo Credit: Apple TV+)Max Milner and Alexandra Doke in episode 3 (Photo Credit: Apple TV+)
Netflix’s lineup of new films and TV shows joining the streaming service in May 2023 includes Sylvester Stallone’s series debut in FUBAR and a controversial examination of the life of Queen Cleopatra. Netflix is also expanding the award-winning Bridgerton series with the prequel Queen Charlotte: A Bridgerton Story focusing on the relationship between Charlotte and King George.
New specials from Hannah Gadsby and Wanda Sykes debut in May, along with documentaries on Anna Nicole Smith, Connor McGregor, and underwater performers.
SERIES & FILMS ARRIVING ON NETFLIX IN MAY 2023
May 2, 2023 Love Village – NETFLIX SERIES
Singles 35 and over of various backgrounds relocate to a house in the countryside for another chance at love. Will they find “the one” — or leave alone?
The Tailor – NETFLIX SERIES
A famous tailor begins to sew a wedding dress for his best friend’s fiancée – but all three have dark secrets that will soon upend their lives.
May 3, 2023 Jewish Matchmaking – NETFLIX SERIES
A new series from the producers of Indian Matchmaking, Jewish Matchmaking features singles in the US and Israel as they turn their dating life over to top Jewish matchmaker, Aleeza Ben Shalom. Will using the traditional practice of shidduch dating help them find their soulmate in today’s world?
Great British Baking Show: Juniors: Season 7 – NETFLIX SERIES
A new season brings more tricky Technicals, spectacular Showstoppers and amazingly talented kids to the big white tent. On your marks, get set… bake!
Larva Family – NETFLIX FAMILY
The Larva family is growing! When Red and Yellow welcome a baby caterpillar into their lives, they get a crash course in parenting and all things putrid.
Queen Charlotte: A Bridgerton Story – NETFLIX SERIES
Young Queen Charlotte’s marriage to King George of England sparks an epic love story and transforms high society in this Bridgerton universe prequel.
Sanctuary – NETFLIX SERIES
A tough, desperate kid becomes a sumo wrestler, captivating fans with his cocky attitude — and upsetting an industry steeped in tradition.
May 7, 2023 A Man Called Otto
May 8, 2023 Justice League: Seasons 1-2
Justice League Unlimited: Seasons 1-2
Spirit Rangers: Season 2 – NETFLIX FAMILY
Eddy, Summer and Kodi are back in action at Xus National Park, learning about nature on exciting adventures with new visitors — and old friends, too!
May 9, 2023 Documentary Now!: Season 4
Hannah Gadsby: Something Special – NETFLIX COMEDY
Emmy and Peabody Award winning comedian Hannah Gadsby is back for their third Netflix comedy special, Something Special, and it’s a feel good show. Seriously. In this smart and dare we say…feel good set, the comedian talks about a wedding (theirs!), more than one traumatic encounter with a bunny and much more. Filmed at the Sydney Opera House, Something Special premieres globally on Netflix on May 9.
A scene from Netflix’s ‘Queen Cleopatra’
May 10, 2023 Dance Brothers – NETFLIX SERIES
Two brothers trying to make it as dancers open their own club, but their artistic drive soon clashes with the business, threatening their relationship.
Missing: Dead or Alive? – NETFLIX DOCUMENTARY
Follow officers from a South Carolina sheriff’s department as they urgently search for individuals who’ve disappeared under troubling circumstances.
Queen Cleopatra – NETFLIX DOCUMENTARY
From Executive Producer Jada Pinkett Smith comes a documentary series exploring the lives of prominent and iconic African Queens. This season will feature Queen Cleopatra, the world’s most famous, powerful, and misunderstood woman — a daring queen whose beauty and romances came to overshadow her real asset: her intellect.
Cleopatra’s heritage has been the subject of much academic debate, which has often been ignored by Hollywood. Now our series re-assesses this fascinating part of her story.
May 11, 2023 Royalteen: Princess Margrethe – NETFLIX FILM
In the wake of her prom scandal, Princess Margrethe longs for normalcy as she struggles to maintain her perfect facade while dealing with family drama.
St. Vincent
Ultraman: Season 3 – NETFLIX ANIME
As public sentiment turns against Ultraman, Shinjiro learns that his inherited powers may come with a heavy price, in this exciting series conclusion.
May 12, 2023 Black Knight – NETFLIX SERIES
In a dystopian 2071 devastated by air pollution, the survival of humanity depends on the Black Knights — and they’re far from your average deliverymen.
Call Me Kate
The Mother – NETFLIX FILM
A deadly female assassin comes out of hiding to protect the daughter that she gave up years before, while on the run from dangerous men.
Mulligan – NETFLIX SERIES
In this satirical comedy, when most of Earth is destroyed by aliens, can a few survivors rebuild what’s left of America and form a more perfect union?
Queer Eye: Season 7 – NETFLIX SERIES
Join the party with the Fab Five in the city of New Orleans for a new season of inspirational heroes — and beautiful before-and-afters.
May 13, 2023
UglyDolls
May 16, 2023 Anna Nicole Smith: You Don’t Know Me – NETFLIX DOCUMENTARY
From the heights of her modeling fame to her tragic death, this documentary reveals Anna Nicole Smith through the eyes of the people closest to her.
May 17, 2023 Faithfully Yours – NETFLIX FILM
Using each other as alibis, two friends sneak off to indulge in secret affairs — but their elaborate web of lies unravels when one of them goes missing.
Fanfic – NETFLIX FILM
Two high school students form an intense connection as they navigate the challenges of discovering and expressing their truest selves.
La Reina del Sur: Season 3
McGREGOR FOREVER – NETFLIX DOCUMENTARY
Conor McGregor embarks on the most important year of his career, fighting three times and trying to climb back to the top of the UFC ladder. This series will be an all-access look at this polarizing superstar, along with the deeper history of what brought him to this point.
Rhythm + Flow France: Season 2 – NETFLIX SERIES
A fresh batch of aspiring artists competes for a 100,000 euro prize and the claim to French rap fame in this competition judged by Niska, Shay, and SCH.
Working: What We Do All Day – NETFLIX DOCUMENTARY
What brings you joy in work? What gives you purpose? What makes a good job…good? These are the questions at the center of WORKING: WHAT WE DO ALL DAY, a compelling documentary series that explores the ways in which we find meaning in our work and how our experiences and struggles connect us on a human level.
Narrated by President Barack Obama, who makes appearances alongside everyday people in their homes and places of work, the series follows individuals at all levels of the workforce — from service jobs all the way up to the C-suite — across the industries of home care, tech, and hospitality. As a college student, Obama was inspired by Studs Terkel’s 1974 book Working, which revolutionized the conversation around work by asking ordinary people what they did all day. The series brings this idea into the modern world by offering intimate, behind-the-scenes portraits of people’s lives and giving viewers a new understanding of and appreciation for the jobs they do each day.
Executive produced by Barack and Michelle Obama and directed by Caroline Suh, WORKING: WHAT WE DO ALL DAY is a Higher Ground and Concordia Studio Production.
May 18, 2023 Kitti Katz – NETFLIX FAMILY
Three teenage girls transform into fierce feline superheroes to save the world from an evil Egyptian goddess — and still have time for soccer practice.
XO, Kitty – NETFLIX SERIES
A new love story unfolds when teen matchmaker Kitty reunites with her long-distance boyfriend at the same Seoul high school attended by her late mother.
Yakitori: Soldiers of Misfortune – NETFLIX SERIES
With Earth colonized by a superior alien civilization, Akira’s only chance at a better future is to enlist as an expendable Yakitori foot soldier.
May 19, 2023 Astérix & Obélix: The Middle Kingdom – NETFLIX FILM
Gallic heroes and forever friends Asterix and Obelix journey to China to help Princess Sa See save the Empress and her land from a nefarious prince.
Kathal – A Jackfruit Mystery – NETFLIX FILM
When two prized jackfruits disappear from a politician’s garden, a spirited cop’s investigation takes an unexpected turn as she digs for the truth.
Muted – NETFLIX SERIES
Sergio hasn’t spoken since he murdered his parents six years ago. Now, a psychiatrist aims to uncover what happened through a twisted investigation.
Selling Sunset: Season 6 – NETFLIX SERIES
The stakes and stilettos are as high as they’ve ever been at the brokerage, as longtime agents make big changes and two new team members bring the heat.
Young, Famous & African: Season 2 – NETFLIX SERIES
The celebrity crew is back — and their claws are out. Join the stars as they return to Johannesburg for another season of fun, fights and drama.
May 22, 2023 The Batman: Seasons 1-5
The Boss Baby
The Creature Cases: Chapter 3 – NETFLIX FAMILY
Sam and Kit are back to collect the clues and solve more animal mysteries from around the world with new cases, new rides and new creature pals!
May 23, 2023 All American: Season 5
MerPeople – NETFLIX DOCUMENTARY
MerPeople dives into the fascinating world of underwater performers who have turned their love for the mystical sea creatures into real-world careers. From putting on dazzling small-town shows in Florida to the crowning of the King and Queen of the Seas in the Bahamas, this series will take you on a journey of passion and perseverance.
Get ready to set sail on an unforgettable voyage and immerse yourself in a world where fantasy becomes reality.
Victim/Suspect – NETFLIX DOCUMENTARY
When a journalist digs into a case of a woman charged with falsely reporting a rape, a pattern emerges: authorities turning the tables on victims.
Wanda Sykes: I’m An Entertainer – NETFLIX COMEDY
Legendary comedian, actress and producer Wanda Sykes returns for her second hour-long Netflix comedy special. From the challenges of raising Gen Z teens to the dilemmas of being a liberal in a hypercharged political climate, Sykes, renowned for her social commentary, delivers her insightful and ferocious wit and candor audiences have come to know and love.
May 24, 2023 Hard Feelings – NETFLIX FILM
Two best friends try to make it through high school while dealing with embarrassing new urges — and their very inconvenient feelings for each other.
Mother’s Day – NETFLIX FILM
When the son she’s never known gets kidnapped, former special agent Nina dusts off her deadly skills to bring him home — no matter who gets in her way.
Rhythm + Flow France: Season 2 – NETFLIX SERIES (new episodes)
A fresh batch of aspiring artists competes for a 100,000 euro prize and the claim to French rap fame in this competition judged by Niska, Shay and SCH.
The Ultimatum: Queer Love – NETFLIX SERIES
Tie the knot or call it quits? Five long-term couples are put under pressure to get married or move on in this queer-centric spin-off of “The Ultimatum: Marry or Move On.”
May 25, 2023 FUBAR – NETFLIX SERIES
When a father and daughter learn that they’ve each secretly been working as CIA Operatives for years, they realize their entire relationship has been a lie and they truly don’t know one another at all. Forced to team up as partners, the series tackles universal family dynamics set against a global backdrop of spies, action and humor.
May 26, 2023 Barbecue Showdown: Season 2 — NETFLIX SERIES
New host Michelle Buteau (The Circle) joins the judges for a fresh round of heated competition between eight of the best barbecuers in the country.
Blood & Gold – NETFLIX FILM
At the bitter end of WWII, a German deserter and a young woman are drawn into bloody battle with a group of Nazis hunting for hidden gold.
Dirty Grandpa
Tin & Tina – NETFLIX FILM
After a traumatic miscarriage, a young couple adopts two peculiar twins from a convent whose obsession with religion soon disturbs the family.
Turn of the Tide – NETFLIX SERIES
When a boat loaded with cocaine sinks off the Azores, Eduardo sees a risky but exciting opportunity to make money and fulfill impossible dreams.
May 30, 2023 I Think You Should Leave with Tim Robinson: Season 3 – NETFLIX COMEDY
The critically acclaimed and hilariously absurdist comedy series, I Think You Should Leave with Tim Robinson returns for a third season. Creators and writers Tim Robinson and Zach Kanin bring their distinct comedy style and observational humor to the forefront, continuing to poke fun at life’s most bizarre and mundane situations.
May 31, 2023
Heartland Season 15
Mixed by Erry – NETFLIX FILM
Smuggling self-made mixtapes in 1980s Naples, an aspiring DJ and his two brothers become surprisingly powerful record producers wanted by the law.
Rhythm + Flow France: Season 2 – NETFLIX SERIES (new episodes)
A fresh batch of aspiring artists competes for a 100,000 euro prize and the claim to French rap fame in this competition judged by Niska, Shay and SCH.
The Ultimatum: Queer Love – NETFLIX SERIES (new episodes)
Tie the knot or call it quits? Five long-term couples are put under pressure to get married or move on in this queer-centric spin-off of The Ultimatum: Marry or Move On.
Can you imagine what it’s like to be Pete Davidson, a man whose dating life is the source of dozens of memes and hundreds of gossip pieces? Experience the life of the former SNL star in Peacock’s new eight-episode half-hour comedy, Bupkis. No imagination is required.
Peacock describes the new show as raw and semi-autobiographical. Premiering on Thursday, May 4, 2023, Bupkis follows Pete Davidson as he navigates his family’s unconventional dynamics and learns to find genuine connections amidst the challenges of fame. Supported by big-name guest stars, Bupkis straddles reality and absurdity to best represent what it is to be Pete Davidson (according to Peacock).
Pete Davidson as Pete Davidson and Joe Pesci as Joe Larocca in ‘Bupkis’ (Photo by: Heidi Gutman/Peacock)
Pete Davidson leads the cast as himself, four-time Emmy Award winner Edie Falco (The Sopranos, Nurse Jackie) plays his mom, and Oscar winner Joe Pesci (GoodFellas) stars as Pete’s grandfather. Season one guest stars include La La Anthony, Carly Aquilino, Colson Baker (Machine Gun Kelly), Josh Bitton, Preston Brodrick, Steve Buscemi, and Bobby Cannavale.
Also putting in guest-starring appearances are Kevin Corrigan, Nadia Dajani, Charlamagne Tha God, Charlie Day, Philip Ettinger, Derek Gaines, Brad Garrett, Al Gore, Paul Walter Hauser, Lynne Koplitz, LouLou Lazarus, Sunita Mani, and John Mulaney. Additionally, John Pollono, Delaney Quinn, Simon Rex, Oona Roche, Ray Romano, Cliff “Method Man” Smith, Jon Stewart, Kenan Thompson, Ricky Velez, Marissa Jaret Winokur, and Chase Sui Wonders (Davidson’s current girlfriend) guest star.
Davidson stars in, writes, and serves as an executive producer. Writer Dave Sirus, Lorne Michaels, Andrew Singer, and Erin David are also involved as executive producers. Judah Miller (The King of Staten Island) guides the series as writer, executive producer, and showrunner.
Edie Falco as Amy Davidson (Photo by: Heidi Gutman/Peacock)Simon Rex as Ice Pop and Pete Davidson as Pete Davidson (Photo by: Heidi Gutman/Peacock)Brad Garrett as Roy (Photo by: Heidi Gutman/Peacock)Jon Stewart as Jon Stewart (Photo by: Peacock)Charlie Day as Glen Rossi (Photo by: Peacock)Philip Ettinger as Evan and Pete Davidson as Pete Davidson (Photo by: Heidi Gutman/PEACOCK)Pete Davidson as Pete Davidson and Bobby Cannavale as Uncle Tommy (Photo by: Karolina Wojtasik/Peacock)Chase Sui Wonders as Nikki (Photo by: Heidi Gutman/Peacock)
The trailer for Travel Channel’s new series Eli Roth Presents: The Legion of Exorcists has been released and it’s, as expected, horrifying. Filmmaker Eli Roth, known for his work on horror films like Hostel and Cabin Fever, explores the theme of demonic possession in this new project that’s definitely not for the faint of heart.
The upcoming six-episode series, hosted by Roth, is scheduled to debut on Travel Channel on June 1, 2023 at 10pm ET/PT. Travel Channel’s also set a July 13th premiere date for the eight-episode second season of Eli Roth Presents: A Ghost Ruined My Life.
Travel Channel released the following description of The Legion of Exorcists and season two of A Ghost Ruined My Life:
Eli Roth Presents: The Legion of Exorcists details terrifying stories of demonic possession from cursed objects inflicting harm to complete human body takeovers. Fighting evil from the frontlines is a legion of leading exorcists from around the country who use their faith to keep the devil at bay and restore peace to those caught in its grasp.
These six spiritual warriors, including a demonologist and various religious ministry leaders, come together for the first time to share their personal cases and intense experiences battling malevolent entities in the hopes of banishing them for good.
Hosted by Eli Roth and coupled with cinematic re-creations, each hour-long episode delves into the shocking stories about the power of true evil and what it takes to overcome it.
Eli Roth Presents: A Ghost Ruined My Life returns with eight all-new episodes featuring more real-life stories of hauntings that have left emotional and sometimes physical scars on those unlucky enough to have experienced them. Equal parts terrifying and evocative, each hour-long episode divulges the frightening stories of survivors who have been dragged through hell and back and now struggle to rebuild their shattered lives.
Told by the victims themselves, these are the haunting tales of those who were tormented by unrelenting paranormal activity – ghosts, demons, poltergeists and more – and survived.
The team leaps into action to solve a kidnapping on CBS’s FBI season five episode 21, “Privilege.” Directed by Carlos Bernard from a script by Claire Demorest, episode 21 will air on Tuesday, May 9, 2023 at 8pm ET/PT.
Season five stars Missy Peregrym as Special Agent Maggie Bell, Zeeko Zaki as Special Agent Omar Adom “OA” Zidan, Jeremy Sisto as Assistant Special Agent in Charge Jubal Valentine, and Alana De La Garza as Special Agent in Charge Isobel Castille. John Boyd plays Special Agent Stuart Scola and Katherine Renee Turner is Special Agent Tiffany Wallace.
“Privilege” Plot: All eyes are on the team when they try to find out who kidnapped the only child of a prominent U.S senator. The abduction also uncovers a potential link to a similar case that was pushed to the side by local authorities.
FBI is a fast-paced drama about the inner workings of the New York office of the Federal Bureau of Investigation. This elite unit brings to bear all their talents, intellect and technical expertise on major cases in order to keep New York and the country safe. Born into a multigenerational law enforcement family, Special Agent Maggie Bell commits deeply to the people she works with as well as those she protects. Her partner is Special Agent Omar Adom “OA” Zidan, a West Point graduate via Bushwick who spent two years undercover for the DEA before being cherry-picked by the FBI.
Overseeing them is Special Agent in Charge Isobel Castille, who operates under intense pressure and has undeniable command authority. The team also includes Assistant Special Agent in Charge Jubal Valentine, the nerve center of the office whose ability to easily relate to and engage with both superiors and subordinates makes him a master motivator. The smart and outspoken Special Agent Tiffany Wallace, who spent six years with the NYPD, is partner to Special Agent Stuart Scola, an Ivy League-educated Wall Streeter-turned-FBI agent.
These first-class agents tenaciously investigate cases of tremendous magnitude, including terrorism, organized crime, and counterintelligence.
ABC’s A Million Little Things concludes its five-season run with episode 13, “one big thing,” which is the perfect title for the series finale. Season five episode 13 will air on Wednesday, May 3, 2023 at 10pm ET/PT.
The cast includes David Giuntoli as Eddie Saville, Romany Malco as Rome Howard, Allison Miller as Maggie Bloom, Christina Moses as Regina Howard, Grace Park as Katherine Kim, and James Roday Rodriguez as Gary Mendez. Stephanie Szostak is Delilah Dixon, Tristan Byon is Theo Saville, Lizzy Greene is Sophie Dixon, and Chance Hurstfield is Danny Dixon.
“one big thing” Plot: A tight-knit circle of friends is reminded that friendship is a million little things.
Romany Malco and David Giuntoli in ‘A Million Little Things’ season 5 episode 13 (ABC/Darko Sikman)
The Season 5 Plot:
As Rome Howard says, “Life isn’t just about the moments, it’s about who you share them with.” And as the fifth and final season of the beloved ABC drama series A Million Little Things unfolds, we’ll watch through laughter and tears as we bring this incredible journey to its conclusion. Along the way, we’ll explore the depths of friendship, love, and sorrow as we bid this special family of friends goodbye, once again proving that friendship really is a million little things.
Christina Moses in the series finale (ABC/Darko Sikman)A scene from season 5 episode 13 (ABC/Darko Sikman)Allison Miller in the series finale (ABC/Darko Sikman)
Anthony Mackie (The Falcon and the Winter Soldier) pops in a road mix CD, loads a shotgun, and announces, “Ladies and gentlemen, start your engines,” in the first teaser from Peacock’s Twisted Metal series. The one-minute video shows Mackie on the road and ends with a creepy clown in a rundown Las Vegas.
Peacock dropped the trailer along with a poster, and announced a July 27, 2023 premiere date.
Joining Anthony Mackie in the action comedy based on the Playstation game are Stephanie Beatriz, Thomas Haden Church, Will Arnett, and Joe Seanoa. Neve Campbell, Richard Cabral, Mike Mitchell, Tahj Vaughans, and Lou Beatty Jr. guest star in the 10-episode first season.
Michael Jonathan Smith (Cobra Kai) writes, executive produces, and guides the series as showrunner. Anthony Mackie, Rhett Reese, Paul Wernick, Will Arnett and Marc Forman (Electric Avenue), Jason Spire (Inspire Entertainment), Peter Principato (Artists First), Asad Qizilbash and Carter Swan from PlayStation Productions, and Hermen Hulst, Head of PlayStation Studios, also executive produce.
Twisted Metal‘s a Sony Pictures Television, PlayStation Productions, and Universal Television production.
The Plot, Courtesy of Peacock:
Twisted Metal, a half-hour live-action TV series based on the classic PlayStation game series, is a high-octane action comedy based on an original take by Rhett Reese & Paul Wernick and written by Michael Jonathan Smith, 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.
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.
Who is Dante? A man obsessed with revenge who will do whatever it takes to destroy Dom and his family in Fast X. The new three-minute featurette focuses on Jason Momoa’s approach to playing a villain, something he hasn’t done in a decade, and his joy at joining the Fast and Furious franchise.
Returning franchise stars include Vin Diesel, Michelle Rodriguez, Tyrese Gibson, Chris “Ludacris” Bridges, and Nathalie Emmanuel. Jordana Brewster, Sung Kang, Jason Statham, John Cena, Scott Eastwood, Oscar winner Helen Mirren, and Oscar winner Charlize Theron also reprise their roles for the 10th film of the saga.
Newbies to the F&F include Oscar winner Brie Larson as Tess, a rogue representative from the Agency; Alan Richtson (Reacher) as Aimes, the new head of the Agency who doesn’t hold the same fondness for Dom’s crew as his predecessor, Mr. Nobody; Daniela Melchior (The Suicide Squad) as a Brazilian street racer with a powerful tie to Dom’s past; and legendary Oscar winner Rita Moreno as Dom and Mia’s Abuelita Toretto.
Louis Leterrier (Clash of the Titans, The Incredible Hulk) directs from a screenplay by Justin Lin, Zach Dean, and Dan Mazeau. Diesel, Lin, Neal H. Moritz, Jeff Kirschenbaum, and Samantha Vincent serve as producers. Joseph M. Caracciolo, Jr., David Cain, Chris Morgan, Amanda Lewis, and Mark Bomback executive produce.
Fast X, the tenth film in the Fast & Furious Saga, launches the final chapters of one of cinema’s most storied and popular global franchises, now in its third decade and still going strong with the same core cast and characters as when it began.
Over many missions and against impossible odds, Dom Toretto (Diesel) and his family have outsmarted, out-nerved and outdriven every foe in their path. Now, they confront the most lethal opponent they’ve ever faced: A terrifying threat emerging from the shadows of the past who’s fueled by blood revenge, and who is determined to shatter this family and destroy everything — and everyone — that Dom loves, forever.
In 2011’s Fast Five, Dom and his crew took out nefarious Brazilian drug kingpin Hernan Reyes and decapitated his empire on a bridge in Rio De Janeiro. What they didn’t know was that Reyes’ son, Dante (Aquaman’s Jason Momoa), witnessed it all and has spent the last 12 years masterminding a plan to make Dom pay the ultimate price.
Dante’s plot will scatter Dom’s family from Los Angeles to the catacombs of Rome, from Brazil to London and from Portugal to Antarctica. New allies will be forged and old enemies will resurface. But everything changes when Dom discovers that his own 8-year-old son (Leo Abelo Perry, Black-ish) is the ultimate target of Dante’s vengeance.
A scene from ‘Dear Mama’ with Tupac Shakur (Photo CR: FX)
FX’s critically acclaimed Dear Mama premiered to the largest audience of any unscripted series in FX’s history. The docuseries comes from executive producer, writer, and director Allen Hughes and focuses on the lives of Tupac Shakur and his mother, Afeni.
Dear Mama debuted on April 21, 2023, with new episodes of the five-episode series airing on Fridays at 10pm ET/PT.
“It’s only fitting that Allen Hughes’ definitive piece on Tupac and Afeni Shakur delivered a record performance for us, and it speaks to Tupac’s enduring legacy,” stated Nick Grad, President, FX Entertainment. “Allen’s examination of Tupac viewed through the prism of his mother Afeni is a fascinating take that really gets beneath the education and experience that shaped his life and inspired him to become one of the greatest artists ever.”
Additional executive producers include writer Lasse Järvi, Quincy Delight Jones III (QD3), Staci Robinson, Nelson George, Charles King, Peter Nelson, Adel “Future” Nur, Jamal Joseph, and Ted Skillman.
Dear Mama Synopsis, Courtesy of FX:
From Allen Hughes, the award-winning director of critically acclaimed The Defiant Ones, comes FX’s Dear Mama, a deeply personal five-part series that defies the conventions of traditional documentary storytelling to share an illuminating saga of mother and son, Afeni and Tupac Shakur.
Afeni Shakur was a revolutionary, an intellect, and a voice for the people. She became a feminist darling of the ’70s, a female leader in the movement amidst the macho milieu of the Black Panther Party. Tupac was a rapper and poet, a political visionary and philosopher who became known as one of the greatest rap artists of all time. In addition to becoming a global sex symbol and media favorite for his outspoken and sometimes outrageous antics, he would eventually become the poster child for modern Black activism.
Their story chronicles the possibilities and contradictions of the United States from a time of revolutionary fervor to Hip Hop culture’s most ostentatious decade.
FX’s Dear Mama is both an audio and visual experience. Tupac’s timeless message is undeniable as beats evaporate into soundscapes and his lyrics revealed to be mantras of passion and politics. It eschews strict chronology for a style that slides back and forth in time, finding linkages between mother and son, 1970s and 1990s, Black activism and Hip Hop, that highlight how much has and has not changed in the struggle for human rights. Through this technique, the eras speak to each other and melt time away, shifting the dual narratives into one definitive portrait of a global superstar and the woman who shaped him, forever linked by love and fate.
Jamie Chung (Dexter: New Blood) guest stars as a murder suspect on CBS’s So Help Me Todd season one episode 19, “86’d.” Directed by Larry Teng from a script by Lisa Kyonga Parsons, episode 19 will air on Thursday, May 4, 2023 at 9pm ET/PT.
Oscar winner Marcia Gay Harden stars as Margaret Wright, Skylar Astin plays Todd Wright, and Tristen J. Winger is Lyle. Madeline Wise plays Allison, Inga Schlingmann is Susan, and Rosa Arredondo stars as Francey.
Jordan McGraw guest stars.
“86’d” Plot: Margaret represents Lauren (Chung), Susan’s good friend, in a hostile work environment lawsuit after she quits her job at a Michelin-starred restaurant, but it unexpectedly turns into a murder trial when the head chef is found dead. Also, when Todd gets sick, Margaret must go undercover as a dishwasher in a fancy restaurant while Todd acts as a restaurant critic to gather more intel on the possible suspect.
Marcia Gay Harden and Skylar Astin star as razor-sharp, meticulous attorney Margaret Wright and Todd, her talented but scruffy, aimless son whom she hires as her law firm’s in-house investigator. As the black sheep of the well-heeled Wright family, Todd is a laidback, quick-thinking, excellent former private detective who fell on hard times after his flexible interpretation of the law got his license revoked. Margaret’s penchant for excellence and strict adherence to the law is at complete odds with Todd’s scrappy methods of finding his way through sticky situations: by the seat of his wrinkled pants.
When Todd inadvertently teams with his mother on a case, she’s surprised to find herself duly impressed by – and proud of – his crafty ability to sleuth out information with his charm and his wide-ranging tech savvy. At last, Margaret sees a way to put her son on a “suitable” path to living an adult, financially solvent life she approves of, and she asks him to join her firm. Todd agrees since it means getting his license back and once again doing the job he excels at and loves.
Mother and son working together is a big first step toward mending their fragile, dysfunctional relationship, and they may even come away with a better understanding of each other at this pivotal point in their lives. But whether Todd and Margaret will be able to accept each other for who they are is another case entirely.
