The plot description of Paramount+’s SEAL Team season six episode nine hints that fans should be prepared for a game-changing episode. Directed by Christopher Chulack from a script by Spencer Hudnut and Mark H. Semos, episode nine – “Damage Assessment” – will air on Sunday, November 13, 2022.
The cast is led by David Boreanaz as Jason Hayes and includes Max Thieriot as Clay Spenser, Neil Brown Jr as Ray Perry, AJ Buckley as Sonny Quinn, Toni Trucks as Lisa Davis, and Raffi Barsoumian as Omar Hamza.
“Damage Assessment” Plot: After a successful interrogation in Jordan, BRAVO is given devastating news that will impact the Team forever.
David Boreanaz as Jason Hayes and Neil Brown Jr. as Ray Perry in ‘SEAL Team’ season 6 episode 9 (Photo Credit: Bonnie Osborne/Paramount+)
Series Description, Courtesy of Paramount+:
SEAL Team is a military drama that follows the professional and personal lives of the most elite unit of Navy SEALs as they train, plan and execute the most dangerous, high-stakes missions our country can ask of them. Jason Hayes (Boreanaz) is the respected, intense leader of the Tier One team whose home life has suffered as a result of his extensive warrior’s existence. His team includes his trusted confidant, Ray Perry (Brown, Jr.), the longest-tenured operator with whom Jason shares an ingrained shorthand; Sonny Quinn (Buckley), an exceptional, loyal soldier with a checkered past who still combats self-destructive tendencies; Clay Spenser (Thieriot), a young, multilingual second-generation SEAL with insatiable drive and dedication; and Omar Hamza (Barsoumian), a senior chief with fifteen years of experience as a SEAL, the son of Syrian immigrants with a deep understanding of the Middle East.
Vital to the team’s success is Lieutenant Lisa Davis (Trucks), a no-nonsense, take-charge officer. Deployed on clandestine missions worldwide at a moment’s notice and knowing the toll it takes on them and their families, this tight-knit SEAL team displays unwavering patriotism and fearless dedication even in the face of overwhelming odds.
New seasons of returning dramas Fantasy Island and 9-1-1: Lone Star will premiere as part of Fox’s midseason 2022-2023 lineup. The network’s also launching the new unscripted show Special Forces: World’s Toughest Test and two new dramas – Alert and Accused – this winter. And Animal Control, a single-camera workplace comedy with Joel McHale, will premiere on February 16, 2023.
The midseason premiere date announcement also included return dates for fall shows The Resident, Hell’s Kitchen, Welcome to Flatch, and Call Me Kat.
FOX WINTER 2022-2023 PREMIERE DATES
Monday, Jan. 2:
8:00-9:00 PM FANTASY ISLAND (Season Premiere)
Wednesday, Jan. 4:
8:00-10:00 PM SPECIAL FORCES: WORLD’S TOUGHEST TEST (Two-Hour Series Premiere)
Thursdays, beginning Jan. 5:
8:00-9:00 PM HELL’S KITCHEN (Winter Premiere)
9:00-9:30 PM WELCOME TO FLATCH (Winter Premiere)
9:30-10:00 PM CALL ME KAT (Winter Premiere)
Sunday, Jan. 8:
8:00-9:00 PM ET/5:00-6:00 PM PT ALERT (Series Premiere)
9:00-9:30 PM BOB’S BURGERS
9:30-10:00 PM FAMILY GUY
Mondays, beginning Jan. 9:
8:00-9:00 PM FANTASY ISLAND
9:00-10:00 PM ALERT (Time Period Premiere)
Wednesdays, beginning Jan. 11:
8:00-9:00 PM CELEBRITY NAME THAT TUNE (Season Premiere)
9:00-10:00 PM SPECIAL FORCES: WORLD’S TOUGHEST TEST (Time Period Premiere)
Tuesday, Jan. 17:
8:00-9:00 PM 9-1-1: LONE STAR (Season Premiere)
Tuesdays, beginning Jan. 24:
8:00-9:00 PM 9-1-1: LONE STAR
9:00-10:00 PM ACCUSED (Time Period Premiere)
Sunday, Feb. 12:
10:30-11:40 PM ET/7:30-8:40 PM PT NEXT LEVEL CHEF (Season Premiere)
Thursdays, beginning Feb. 16:
8:00-9:00 PM NEXT LEVEL CHEF (Time Period Premiere)
9:00-9:30 PM ANIMAL CONTROL (Series Premiere)
9:30-10:00 PM CALL ME KAT
ALERT – Premieres January 8, 2023
Written by John Eisendrath and starring Scott Caan (Hawaii 5-0) and Dania Ramirez (Devious Maids), Alert is a procedural drama about the Philadelphia Police Department’s Missing Persons Unit (MPU). Each episode features a heart-pounding, life-or-death search for a missing person that runs alongside police officers Jason Grant (Scott Caan) and his ex-wife Nikki Batista’s (Dania Ramirez) series-long quest to find out the truth about their long-lost son.
SPECIAL FORCES: WORLD’S TOUGHEST TEST – Premieres January 4, 2023
The all-new series features household names who endure some of the harshest, most grueling challenges from the playbook of the actual Special Forces selection process. There are no votes, and no eliminations – just survival. These celebrities, who are so used to being in the spotlight, quickly learn the meaning of “no guts, no glory” – and no glam.
The 16 celebrity recruits are Danny Amendola, Mel B, Hannah Brown, Tyler Florence, Kate Gosselin, Dwight Howard, Montell Jordan, Gus Kenworthy, Nastia Liukin, Carli Lloyd, Beverley Mitchell, Kenya Moore, Mike Piazza, Dr. Drew Pinsky, Anthony Scaramucci and Jamie Lynn Spears.
ACCUSED – Premieres January 22, 2024 Accused is a collection of 15 intense, topical and exquisitely human stories of crime and punishment. Each episode is a fast-paced provocative thriller, exploring a different crime, in a different city, with an entirely original cast. Based on the BBC’s BAFTA-winning crime anthology, each episode opens in a courtroom on the defendant, with viewers knowing nothing about their crime or how they ended up on trial.
Told from the defendant’s point of view through flashbacks, the show holds a mirror up to current times with evocative and emotional stories. In the end, audiences will discover how an ordinary person gets caught up in extraordinary circumstances, and how one impulsive decision can impact the course of that life – and the lives of others – forever.
Developed by Howard Gordon and executive-produced by Gordon, Alex Gansa, and David Shore, Accused once again fearlessly takes on the hottest topics of our time. The show features cinematic auspices and production values anchored by Oscar and Emmy-winning talent, including Michael Chiklis, Abigail Breslin, Whitney Cummings, Margo Martindale, Malcolm-Jamal Warner, Wendell Pierce, Rachel Bilson, Jack Davenport, Molly Parker and directors Billy Porter, Marlee Matlin, Tazbah Chavez, and Michael Chiklis.
ANIMAL CONTROL – Premieres February 16, 2023
FOX Entertainment’s first wholly-owned live-action comedy, the single-camera series will follow a group of local Animal Control workers whose lives are complicated by the fact that animals are simple, but humans are not. McHale stars as Frank, an opinionated, eccentric Animal Control officer who may not have gone to college but is still the most well-read person in the room.
A former cop, Frank tried to expose corruption in his department, but his efforts got him fired, which may explain why he’s so cynical and curmudgeonly. He has an almost superhuman ability to understand animals. Humans…not so much. Frank is assigned a new partner, Fred “Shred” Taylor (Michael Rowland), an optimistic rookie Animal Control officer. They both report into their sweet-natured and endearingly awkward boss Emily Price (Vella Lovell).
Amit Patel (Ravi Patel) and Victoria Sands (Grace Palmer) are also partners in the Animal Control office – though they could not be more opposite. Rounding out the precinct is veterinarian Dr. Summers (Alvina August), receptionist Dolores Stubb (Kelli Ogmundson) and Templeton Dudge (Gerry Dee), an Animal Control officer from a neighboring precinct with a real chip on his shoulder.
Agent Miller’s prepared to do anything it takes to bring down Kamdar on Fox’s The Cleaning Lady season two episode eight. “Spousal Privilege” airs on Monday, November 14, 2022 at 9pm ET/PT.
Élodie Yung returns to lead the cast as Thony. Oliver Hudson stars as FBI Agent Garrett Miller, Adan Canto is Arman Morales, and Martha Millan is Fiona. Sean Lew plays Chris, Eva De Dominici is Nadia, Faith Bryant is Jaz, Naveen Andrews is Robert Kamdar, and Sebastien and Valentino LaSalle share time playing Luca.
“Spousal Privilege” Plot: JD (Ryan Sands) temporarily takes in Fiona and the kids during a time of need. Meanwhile, Garrett changes strategies in his attempt to stop Kamdar.
Season two of The Cleaning Lady picks up with THONY (Yung) desperately trying to find her son, LUCA, after he was kidnapped by his father, MARCO (Ivan Shaw). With nowhere else to turn, she enlists the help of FBI Agent GARRETT MILLER (Hudson) to track him down before they leave the country. Meanwhile, an incident involving CHRIS (Lew) forces FIONA (Millan) to shield her son by any means necessary, furthering the theme of how far a mother will go to protect her child.
This season introduces ROBERT KAMDAR (Andrews), NADIA’s (De Dominici) gregarious and charming ex-lover, who is intent on driving a wedge between ARMAN (Canto) and Nadia. Standing to lose everything, Arman must fight to keep his world — and his dignity — intact, while rebuilding his life under the worst of circumstances.
The Cleaning Lady continues to examine the plight of undocumented immigrants and their difficulties accessing necessary healthcare and resources. Galvanized by the many roadblocks she faced while searching for a treatment to save her son, Thony will utilize her expertise as a doctor to find ways to help her underserved community. However, as Thony continues to entwine her business undertakings with Arman, she is dragged further across the moral line and into the dark underbelly of Las Vegas.
The promo for Fox’s 9-1-1 season six episode eight teases we’re about to find out what happens when fantasies go wrong at a renaissance faire. Episode eight – “What’s Your Fantasy?” – will air on Monday, November 14, 2022 at 8pm ET/PT.
The cast is led by Angela Bassett as Athena Grant and Peter Krause as Bobby Nash. Ryan Guzman plays Eddie Diaz, Aisha Hinds stars as Henrietta ‘Hen’ Wilson, Oliver Stark is Evan ‘Buck’ Buckley, Kenneth Choi is Howie ‘Chimney’ Han, and Jennifer Love Hewitt is Maddie Buckley.
“What’s Your Fantasy?” Plot: The 118 race to the rescue to a renaissance faire; then an office building when an overbearing boss is poisoned; Athena fears for May’s life when she encounters a disturbed young man; Uncle Buck babysits young Jee-Yun as Maddie and Chimney begin house-hunting; and Eddie and Carla prepare Christopher for his first school dance.
Creators Ryan Murphy, Brad Falchuk and Tim Minear reimagine the procedural drama with 9-1-1, exploring the high-pressure experiences of police officers, firefighters, and dispatchers who are thrust into the most frightening, shocking and heart-stopping situations. These emergency responders must try to balance saving those who are at their most vulnerable with solving the problems in their own lives.
Gina Rodriguez stars in ‘Not Dead Yet’ (ABC/Temma Hankin)
A new drama with This Is Us‘s Milo Ventimiglia and a comedy with Jane the Virgin‘s Gina Rodriguez will join ABC’s primetime lineup at midseason. The network’s also adding the unscripted series The Parent Test as well as the crime drama Will Trent starring Ramon Rodriguez this winter.
ABC’s moving season five of The Rookie to Tuesdays at 8pm ET/PT, and they’re changing The Rookie: Feds‘ timeslot from 10pm to 9pm ET/PT. The new drama Will Trent will finish up Tuesday’s primetime schedule at 10pm beginning January 3, 2023.
A Million Little Things kicks off its fifth – and final – season on February 8, 2022 at 10pm ET/PT following the two-episode premiere of Gina Rodriguez’s Not Dead Yet.
ABC Midseason Premiere Dates:
THURSDAY, DEC. 15
8:00-10:00 p.m. “Beauty and the Beast: A 30th Celebration” (previously announced)
10:00-11:00 p.m. “The Parent Test” (special series premiere – previously announced)
TUESDAY, JAN. 3
8:00-9:00 p.m. “The Rookie” (new night and time)
9:00-10:00 p.m. “The Rookie: Feds” (new time)
10:00-11:00 p.m. “Will Trent” (series premiere)
THURSDAY, JAN. 5
8:00-9:00 p.m. “Celebrity Jeopardy!” (new night)
9:00-10:00 p.m. “The Parent Test” (regular time period premiere)
10:00-11:00 p.m. “The Chase” (new night and time)
FRIDAY, JAN. 6
8:00-9:01 p.m. “Shark Tank”
WEDNESDAY, JAN. 11
8:00-8:30 p.m. “The Conners”
8:30-9:00 p.m. “The Goldbergs”
MONDAY, JAN. 23
8:00-10:01 p.m. “The Bachelor” (season premiere – previously announced)
10:01-11:00 p.m. “The Good Doctor”
WEDNESDAY, FEB. 8
8:30-9:00 p.m. “Not Dead Yet” (early series premiere)
9:31-10:00 p.m. “Not Dead Yet” (regular time period premiere – new episode)
10:00-11:00 p.m. “A Million Little Things” (farewell season premiere)
SUNDAY, FEB. 19
7:00-8:00 p.m. “America’s Funniest Home Videos”
8:00-10:00 p.m. “American Idol” (season premiere)
10:00-11:00 p.m. “The Company You Keep” (series premiere)
WILL TRENT (Series Premiere) – TUESDAY, JAN. 3 (10:00-11:00 p.m.)
Based on Karin Slaughter’s New York Times bestselling Will Trent series, Special Agent Will Trent of the Georgia Bureau of Investigations (GBI) was abandoned at birth and endured a harsh coming-of-age in Atlanta’s overwhelmed foster care system. But now, determined to use his unique point of view to make sure no one is abandoned like he was, Will Trent has the highest clearance rate in the GBI.
Will Trent stars Ramón Rodríguez as Will Trent, Erika Christensen as Angie Polaski, Iantha Richardson as Faith Mitchell, Jake McLaughlin as Michael Ormewood and Sonja Sohn as Amanda Wagner.
THE PARENT TEST (Special Premiere) – DEC. 15 (10:00-11:00 p.m.) and JAN. 5 (9:00-10:00 p.m.)
Based on a hit Australian television format, The Parent Test will explore the many distinctively different parenting styles. From helicopter to child-led parents, 12 families are put under the microscope in the ultimate parenting stress test and will share learnings about emotional hot-button topics that compare the multiple styles of parenting. The families are put through various situations to foster conversations about how each unit operates.
Host Ali Wentworth and parenting expert Dr. Adolph Brown moderate these impassioned conversations amongst parents who may have conflicting opinions on how to raise their families, but they all share the common goal of raising happy, healthy children.
NOT DEAD YET (Series Premiere) – WEDNESDAY, FEB. 8 (8:30-9:00 p.m.) and (9:30-10:00 p.m.)
From creators David Windsor and Casey Johnson and starring Gina Rodriguez, Not Dead Yet follows Nell Serrano (Rodriguez), a broke and newly single self-described disaster, working to restart the life and career she left behind five years ago. When she lands the only job she can find – writing obituaries – Nell starts getting life advice from an unlikely source. The series is adapted from the book Confessions of a 40-something F**k Up by Alexandra Potter.
Not Dead Yet stars Gina Rodriguez as Nell Serrano, Hannah Simone as Sam, Lauren Ash as Lexi, Rick Glassman as Edward, Joshua Banday as Dennis, and Angela Gibbs as Cricket.
THE COMPANY YOU KEEP (Series Premiere) – SUNDAY, FEB. 19 (10:00-11:00 p.m.)
A night of passion leads to love between con man Charlie and undercover CIA officer Emma, who are unknowingly on a collision course professionally. While Charlie ramps up the “family business” so he can get out for good, Emma’s closing in on the vengeful criminal who holds Charlie’s family debts in hand – forcing them to reckon with the lies they’ve told so they can save themselves and their families from disastrous consequences. The series is based on the Korean Broadcasting System series entitled My Fellow Citizens.
The Company You Keep stars Milo Ventimiglia as Charlie, Catherine Haena Kim as Emma, William Fichtner as Leo, Tim Chiou as David, Freda Foh Shen as Grace, James Saito as Joseph, Sarah Wayne Callies as Birdie, Felisha Terrell as Daphne and Polly Draper as Fran.
Prime Video has set a 2023 premiere date for the second – and final – 10-episode season of Carnival Row. The premiere date announcement was accompanied by a super short teaser trailer that gives nothing away.
Honestly, it’s been so long since season one aired that I assumed we’d never get a season two. I was wrong. The first eight-episode season premiered on August 30, 2019, and season two will debut on February 17, 2023.
Orlando Bloom and Cara Delevingne reprise their roles as Rycroft Philostrate (a.k.a. Philo) and Vignette Stonemoss, respectively. The season two cast also includes Arty Froushan as Jonah Breakspear, Caroline Ford as Sophie Longerbane, Karla Crome as Tourmaline, and Andrew Gower as Ezra. Tamzin Merchant plays Imogen Spurnrose and David Gyasi stars as Agreus Astrayon.
Erik Oleson (Marvel’s Daredevil, The Man in the High Castle) serves as showrunner and executive produces along with Orlando Bloom, Cara Delevingne, Brad Van Arragon, Sarah Byrd, Jim Dunn, Sam Ernst, Wesley Strick, and Travis Beacham.
The Plot, Courtesy of Prime Video:
In a fantasy world where humans and creatures clash, season Two of Carnival Row picks up with former inspector Rycroft Philostrate a.k.a. Philo investigating a series of gruesome murders stoking social tension. Vignette Stonemoss and the Black Raven plot payback for the unjust oppression inflicted by The Burgue’s human leaders, Jonah Breakspear and Sophie Longerbane. Tourmaline inherits supernatural powers that threaten her fate and the future of The Row. And, after escaping The Burgue and her vengeful brother Ezra, Imogen Spurnrose and her partner Agreus Astrayon encounter a radical new society that upends their plans.
With humans and fae folk divided and freedom on the line, each hero will face impossible dilemmas and soul-defining tests in the epic conclusion of Carnival Row.
Yellowstone fans need to prepare themselves for what could possibly be the most intense season yet with the arrival of season five on November 13, 2022 on Paramount Network. Season four ended with Beth (Kelly Reilly) forcing her brother Jamie (Wes Bentley) to murder his biological father. The season four finale also revealed Beth now possesses photographic evidence of Jamie’s crime and will be holding it over his head.
Don’t kid yourself into believing Beth will ever allow Jamie a moment’s peace, given their history.
As season five begins, John Dutton (Kevin Costner) is being sworn in as Montana’s new governor. However, the resentment Jamie feels at John for squashing his political career doesn’t hold a candle to the anger he feels toward Beth. It’s safe to assume the feeling is mutual and that Beth will be doing everything in her power to make Jamie’s life miserable.
During our November 2022 interview, Wes Bentley discussed that sibling relationship and touched on Jamie’s mindset going into season five. Wes Bentley stars as Jamie Dutton in ‘Yellowstone’ season 5 (Photo Credit: Paramount Network)
How does Jamie react to John basically eviscerating his political career? How does he move forward knowing he’s never going to be Montana’s governor?
“I think it’s one of the hardest things for Jamie to come to realize is that, you know, the only thing he wanted out of this arrangement that John had forced upon him with being a lawyer and all this is that one day, hopefully, this would be the reward. He would be a governor or something powerful, that didn’t only have to do with the Duttons but also for himself to step up and be an impressive figure himself.
Well, John’s completely robbed him of that. And not only that, John, who hates politicians and lawyers, is all of a sudden one. I think Jamie sees that as hypocritical and therefore taking off the sheen of heroism he may have put on John. So, there’s a different perspective for Jamie. Although he’s got to deal with him, he wants him to do well so that they don’t lose the land, he has to kind of walk the line between his feelings about what he wants and what he needs to happen in the moment.”
That’s interesting that you mentioned the sheen of heroism. Does he still view John as a hero?
“Yeah, to a fault. I think there’s something in there. He’s fallen for the – like a lot of people have – the sort of cowboy myth that he’s above it somehow. He’s independent of all this other stuff. I think he realized that, no, he’s just another piece of it. He’s just a man who doesn’t know what to do, in Jamie’s eyes now.”
Jamie’s so cut off from everybody. Is there anybody he can turn to at this point to have a heart-to-heart with who’s not going to judge him?
“I think Kayce would be the closest thing he could do, but the problem with Kayce is that who knows where Kayce is in that moment. And they can’t really have discussions necessarily about this stuff because Kayce is not interested, but Jamie is interested in the perspective of how to keep this land. So, really, no. He doesn’t have anyone that he feels is his equal who can hear him and understand him.
And not only that, he’s got this threat from Beth constantly that he feels like his life is in danger, and it’s hard to talk about anything. So, he’s more isolated than ever and stewing in his pot of anger. And I think that’s why he’s so actually dangerous in this moment, more so than Beth even knows.”
Is he stewing in that anger toward just Beth, or are there a variety of people he’s focused on?
“Beth is the primary because Beth…what she forced him to do with his biological father was beyond for him. And I think he’s lost any hope of love or reconciliation, and now he just has hate for her. And John is, like I said, John is not listening to him. Although I think he would turn to John quicker, John is rejecting him as well. There’s really no one.”
Could you sum up what this new season’s going to be like? Is it going to be darker? Bloodier?
“It’s full of political intrigue, and we have a lot of cliffhangers. And into that political world, we find a lot of new people we haven’t met before. It’s a lot of different angles that have arrived here in season five. But I would just say we’re at an inflection point.”
Yellowstone season five kicks off with a special two-hour premiere on Sunday, November 13, 2022 at 8pm ET/PT on Paramount Network.
FX just released the first teaser for Kindred, based on the award-winning novel by Octavia E. Butler. The nearly two-minute teaser begins with a child’s cry for help. Without giving away any spoilers, what follows that anguished cry is even more intense than the opening scene of a child being rescued from drowning.
The eight-episode first season stars Mallori Johnson as Dana James, Micah Stock as Kevin Franklin, Ryan Kwanten as Thomas Weylin, Gayle Rankin as Margaret Weylin, Austin Smith as Luke, David Alexander Kaplan as Rufus Weylin, Sophina Brown as Sarah, and Sheria Irving as Olivia. Branden Jacobs-Jenkins adapted Butler’s bestselling novel and serves as showrunner and executive producer.
Additional season one executive producers include Joe Weisberg, Joel Fields, Darren Aronofsky, and Ari Handel of Protozoa Pictures as well as Courtney Lee-Mitchell and Jules Jackson. Janicza Bravo directed the series’ pilot.
Kindred premieres on Hulu on Tuesday, December 13, 2022, with all eight episodes available at once for those into binge-watching.
Mallori Johnson as Dana in ‘Kindred’ season 1 (Photo Credit: Tina Thorpe/FX)
The Plot:
The FX series centers on Dana James, a young Black woman and aspiring writer who has uprooted her life of familial obligation and relocated to Los Angeles, ready to claim a future that, for once, feels all her own. But, before she can settle into her new home, she finds herself being violently pulled back and forth in time. She emerges at a nineteenth-century plantation, a place remarkably and intimately linked with Dana and her family.
An interracial romance threads through Dana’s past and present, and the clock is ticking as she struggles to confront secrets she never knew ran through her blood, in this genre-breaking exploration of the ties that bind.
Jimmy Kimmel to host the 2023 Oscars (Photo Credit: ABC/Jeff Lipsky)
Jimmy Kimmel’s a glutton for punishment. The Emmy Award winner has accepted the job of hosting the Academy Awards, with the 2023 show marking his third time as host of the next Oscars.
Jimmy Kimmel hosted Hollywood’s biggest night in 2017 and 2018. 2019, 2020, and 2021 shows went hostless, and 2022’s brought in the talented threesome of Regina Hall, Amy Schumer, and Wanda Sykes. The 2022 broadcast was marred by the slap heard around the world which resulted in Will Smith leaving the Academy after he charged the stage and slapped presenter Chris Rock.
“Being invited to host the Oscars for a third time is either a great honor or a trap. Either way, I am grateful to the Academy for asking me so quickly after everyone good said no,” said Kimmel.
“We’re super thrilled to have Jimmy score his hat trick on this global stage. We know he will be funny and ready for anything!” stated executive producers and showrunners Glenn Weiss and Ricky Kirshner. Molly McNearney is also on board to executive produce.
The 95th Oscars will take place on Sunday, March 12, 2023 and will air live on ABC.
“Jimmy is the perfect host to help us recognize the incredible artists and films of our 95th Oscars. His love of movies, live TV expertise, and ability to connect with our global audiences will create an unforgettable experience for our millions of viewers worldwide,” said Academy CEO Bill Kramer and Academy President Janet Yang. “With Kimmel, Weiss and Kirshner’s fresh perspective and masterful guidance, the Oscars will celebrate its rich 95-year history, the collaborative nature of moviemaking, and our diverse, dynamic and deeply creative community of filmmakers.”
“Having Jimmy Kimmel return to host the Oscars is a dream come true. As we see every night on his own show, Jimmy can handle anything with both heart and humor, and we know that he will deliver the laughs and celebratory moments that define the Oscars,” stated Craig Erwich, president, ABC Entertainment, Hulu & Disney Branded Television Streaming Originals. “We love being the home of Hollywood’s biggest night and can’t wait to toast the success of this year’s cinema and storytelling.”
Squid Game‘s Lee Jung-jae has joined the cast of Disney+’s upcoming Star Wars series, The Acolyte. The streaming service also announced Manny Jacinto (Nine Perfect Strangers), Dafne Keen (His Dark Materials), Jodie Turner-Smith (Queen & Slim), Rebecca Henderson (Inventing Anna), Charlie Barnett (Russian Doll), Dean-Charles Chapman (1917), and Carrie-Anne Moss (The Matrix) have been cast in the latest entry in the Star Wars franchise.
The Hate U Give‘s Amandla Stenberg was previously announced to star in the sci-fi series created by Leslye Headland (Russian Doll). Headland executive produces, serves as showrunner, and will direct the pilot.
The casting news arrived along with the first behind-the-scenes photo featuring Stenberg and Jung-jae. Production on the first season, set 100-ish years prior to any Star Wars screen story, is currently underway in the U.K. Disney+ hasn’t announced a targeted premiere date.
Joining Leslye Headland as executive producers are Kathleen Kennedy, Simon Emanuel, Jeff F. King, and Jason Micallef. Rayne Roberts and Damian Anderson are on board as producers.
Disney+ shared the following description of the Star Wars series:
“The Acolyte is a mystery-thriller that will take viewers into a galaxy of shadowy secrets and emerging dark-side powers in the final days of the High Republic era. A former Padawan reunites with her Jedi Master to investigate a series of crimes, but the forces they confront are more sinister than they ever anticipated.”
In a May 2022 interview with Vanity Fair, Headland confirmed The Acolyte takes place 100 years prior to The Phantom Menace. “So, a lot of those characters haven’t even been born yet. My question in watching The Phantom Menace was always like, ‘Well, how did things get to this point?’ Do you know what I mean? How did we get to where a Sith lord can infiltrate the Senate and none of the Jedi pick up on it? What went wrong? What are the scenarios that led us to this moment? So that’s what I would say. That’s how I would describe it to my friends, especially my non-Star Wars friends,” said Headland.
