Kerry Washington, Faly Rakotohavana, Delroy Lindo and John Stamos in ‘UnPrisoned’ (Disney/Kelsey McNeal)
Kerry Washington and Delroy Lindo will star in and executive produce the comedy series UnPrisoned. The series was created by Tracy McMillan (Mad Men, Marvel’s Runaways) and marks Onyx Collective’s (a content brand formed under Disney General Entertainment Content) first greenlit comedy.
ABC Signature is producing the eight-episode half-hour series. UnPrisoned will stream on Hulu.
“From the moment Tracy McMillan brought this project to Simpson Street, we knew that it had the potential to be provocative, groundbreaking, and life-affirming,” stated Kerry Washington. “I love this show. I love these characters and the stories that they inspire. And I’m extremely excited to be working, once again, with both Onyx Collective and ABC Signature and honored to be collaborating with this talented group of creative partners.”
UnPrisoned is inspired by Tracy McMillan’s life, and McMillan serves as an executive producer. Yvette Lee Bowser, Jen Braeden, Simpson Street’s Pilar Savone, and Anonymous Content’s Joy Gorman Wettels also executive produce, with Bowser serving as showrunner.
“This isn’t just my story,” said creator Tracy McMillan, “it’s the story of millions of people dealing with the effects of mass incarceration on their families, hearts, minds, and bodies — and as writers, we wanted to come to these flawed but super-lovable characters from the place of empathy, humor, and soul that they deserve.”
Onxy Collective and ABC Signature released the following description:
UnPrisoned is a half-hour comedy about a messy but perfectionist relationship therapist and single mom whose life is turned right-side-up when her dad gets out of prison and moves in with her and her teenage son.
Star and executive producer Kerry Washington (Scandal) plays Paige Alexander, a marriage and family therapist and mom to 16-year-old Finn. Delroy Lindo (Da 5 Bloods) executive produces and stars as Edwin Alexander, Paige’s father, who has recently been released from prison.
Jeff Bridges stars as Dan Chase in ‘The Old Man’ (Photo Credit: Kurt Iswarienko/FX)
FX announced its summer release schedule, with the network’s primetime lineup set to include five new shows and three returning series. Four of the shows will premiere on FX or FXX and then air on Hulu. The remaining four will air exclusively on Hulu.
The premiere dates announcement was accompanied by details on the eight series launching before Labor Day.
The Old Man – New Drama Series Premieres Thursday, June 16 at 10 p.m. ET/PT on FX
The Bear – New Comedy Series Premieres Thursday, June 23 Exclusively on Hulu
What We Do in the Shadows – Season 4 Premieres Tuesday, July 12 at 10 p.m. ET/PT on FX
American Horror Stories – Installment 2 Premieres Thursday, July 21 Exclusively on Hulu
Reservation Dogs – Season 2 Premieres Wednesday, August 3 Exclusively on Hulu
Welcome to Wrexham – New FX Docuseries Premieres Wednesday, August 24 at 10 p.m. ET/PT on FX
Little Demon – New Animated Comedy Series Premieres Thursday, August 25 at 10 p.m. ET/PT on FXX
The Patient – New Limited Series Premieres Tuesday, August 30 Exclusively on Hulu
Series Descriptions and Cast Lists:
The Old Man – Based on the bestselling novel of the same name by Thomas Perry, The Old Man stars Jeff Bridges, John Lithgow and Amy Brenneman. The Old Man centers on “Dan Chase” (Bridges), who absconded from the CIA decades ago and has been living off the grid since. When an assassin arrives and tries to take Chase out, the old operative learns that to ensure his future he now must reconcile his past.
With Dan Chase flushed out of hiding, the FBI’s Assistant Director for Counterintelligence “Harold Harper” (Lithgow) is called on to hunt him down because of his complicated past with the rogue fugitive. Working alongside Harper is his protégé “Angela Adams” (Alia Shawkat) and CIA Special Agent “Raymond Waters” (E.J. Bonilla). When Chase proves to be more difficult to apprehend than the authorities expected, “Julian Carson” (Gbenga Akinnagbe), a highly trained special ops contractor, is sent to pursue him as well.
While on the run, Chase rents a room from “Zoe McDonald” (Brenneman) who draws on reserves she never knew she had in order to survive the day when she learns the truth about her new tenant. Bill Heck, Leem Lubany and Pej Vahdat also star in the drama series.
The Bear – The Bear follows Carmen “Carmy” Berzatto (Jeremy Allen White), a young chef from the fine-dining world, who comes home to Chicago to run his family sandwich shop – The Original Beef of Chicagoland – after a heartbreaking death in his family. A world away from what he’s used to, Carmy must balance the soul-crushing realities of small business ownership, his strong-willed and recalcitrant kitchen staff and his strained familial relationships, all while grappling with the impact of his brother’s suicide.
The Bear is about food, family, the insanity of the grind, the beauty of Sense of Urgency and the steep slippery downsides. As Carmy fights to transform both The Original Beef of Chicagoland and himself, he works alongside a rough-around-the-edges kitchen crew that ultimately reveal themselves as his chosen family.
In addition to White, this half-hour comedy stars Ebon Moss-Bachrach, Ayo Edebiri, Abby Elliott, Lionel Boyce and Liza Colón-Zayas, with Edwin Lee Gibson and Matty Matheson in recurring roles.
Harvey Guillén as Guillermo, Natasia Demetriou as Nadja, and Matt Berry as Laszlo in ‘What We Do in the Shadows’ (Photo by Russ Martin/FX)
What We Do in the Shadows – What We Do in the Shadows, based on the feature film by Jemaine Clement and Taika Waititi, documents the nightly exploits of vampire roommates Nandor (Kayvan Novak), Laszlo (Matt Berry), Nadja (Natasia Demetriou), and Colin Robinson (Mark Proksch) as they navigate the modern world of Staten Island with the help of their human familiar, Guillermo (Harvey Guillén).
In the shocking season three finale, Nandor, Guillermo, and Nadja left Staten Island to go their separate ways while Laszlo stayed home to care for the creature that clawed its way out of the chest cavity of the deceased Colin Robinson — aka Baby Colin. This season, the vampires return to Staten Island to find their mansion on the verge of total structural collapse — and with no money to repair it. While Nandor’s eternal search for love finally yields results, Nadja finally realizes her dream of opening the hottest vampire nightclub in the Tri-State Area. Laszlo struggles with the question of nature versus nurture as he tries raising Baby Colin to be anything other than an energy vampire. And even Guillermo finds himself on a powerful emotional track that touches on his love for his family, and for others.
With such terrifying locations as the secret supernatural Night Market, the Jersey Pine Barrens and a wedding altar, and with more strange beasts, surprising guest stars and tap dancing than ever, season four of What We Do in the Shadows continues to make the case for blood and comedy. And this time with just a touch of home renovation.
American Horror Stories – American Horror Stories is a spin-off of Ryan Murphy and Brad Falchuk’s award-winning hit anthology series American Horror Story. American Horror Stories is a weekly anthology series that will feature a different horror story each episode.
Since 2011, the creators of the AHS have redefined the horror genre with various installments featuring a creepy asylum, a coven of witches, a traveling freak show, a haunted hotel, and the apocalypse itself. The television series sprouted a legion of dedicated fans who anticipate what terrors the next chapter will hold.
Paulina Alexis, Devery Jacobs, D’Pharaoh Woon-A-Tai, and Lane Factor star in ‘Reservation Dogs’ (Photo Credit: Shane Brown/FX)
Reservation Dogs – From Co-Creators and Executive Producers Sterlin Harjo and Taika Waititi, Reservation Dogs is a half-hour comedy that follows the exploits of “Elora Danan” (Devery Jacobs), “Bear Smallhill” (D’Pharaoh Woon-A-Tai), “Willie Jack” (Paulina Alexis) and “Cheese” (Lane Factor), four Indigenous teenagers in rural Oklahoma. After the death of the fifth member of the Reservation Dogs, the crew took to stealing, scheming and saving in order to vicariously fulfill his dream of reaching the exotic, mysterious and faraway land of California. But after a promising start to their criminal endeavors, including the legendary heist of a Flaming Flamers chips truck, swiping some old lady’s weed edibles and some low-grade grand theft auto, the plan went bust. The gang disbanded, with everyone trying to forge their own paths.
Elora ghosted Bear and took off for California with the Rez Dogs’ mortal enemy, “Jackie” (Elva Guerra), the leader of a rival gang. Abandoned by his closest friend, Bear seeks a male parental figure to teach him how to “be a man” – but his choice of uncles to emulate leaves a lot to be desired. Meanwhile, Willie Jack thinks everything in their town is falling apart because of the curse she cast on Jackie and she’s determined to put that genie back in the bottle. Cheese who, like Willie Jack, decided that Cali wasn’t for him, reunites with his grandmother who isn’t his grandmother.
Lucky for the kids, they have the support of their loving and eccentric community of aunties and uncles to see them through, including Bear’s mother “Rita” (Sarah Podemski), local law enforcement “Big” (Zahn McClarnon), Elora’s “Uncle Brownie” (Gary Farmer), Willie Jack’s parents “Dana” (Jennifer Podemski) and “Leon” (Jon Proudstar) and “Spirit” aka “William Knifeman” (Dallas Goldtooth).
Reservation Dogs has curses and catfish, dance numbers and trust falls, decent people, terrible people and a cavalcade of supporting characters who color and shade this already vibrant world.
Welcome to Wrexham – Ryan Reynolds (Deadpool) and Rob McElhenney (It’s Always Sunny in Philadelphia) bought the third oldest professional football club in the world. It is a Welsh team in the town Wrexham and the team is currently on the brink of dissolution. Welcome to Wrexham is a docuseries tracking the dreams and worries of Wrexham, a working-class town in North Wales, UK, as two Hollywood stars take ownership of the town’s historic yet struggling football club.
In 2020, Rob and Ryan teamed up to purchase the 5th tier Wrexham Red Dragons in the hopes of turning the club into an underdog story the whole world could root for. The worry? Rob and Ryan have no experience in football or working with each other. From Hollywood to Wales, from the pitch to the locker room, the front office to the pub, Welcome to Wrexham will track Rob and Ryan’s crash course in football club ownership and the inextricably connected fates of a team and a town counting on two actors to bring some serious hope and change to a community that could use it.
Little Demon – 13 years after being impregnated by Satan, a reluctant mother, Laura, and her Antichrist daughter, Chrissy, attempt to live an ordinary life in Delaware, but are constantly thwarted by monstrous forces, including Satan, who yearns for custody of his daughter’s soul.
Little Demon features the voices of Aubrey Plaza as “Laura;” Danny DeVito as “Satan;” and Lucy DeVito as their daughter “Chrissy;” with Eugene Cordero recurring as Chrissy’s best friend “Bennigan;” Lennon Parham recurring as Laura’s neighbor “Darlene,” and Michael Shannon recurring as the “Unshaven Man.” Season one also features the voices of guest stars Mel Brooks, Arnold Schwarzenegger, Will Jackson Harper, Pamela Adlon, Rhea Perlman, Shangela, Patrick Wilson, Dave Bautista, June Diane Raphael, Toks Olagundoye, Lamorne Morris and Sam Richardson.
The Patient – The Patient is a psychological thriller from the minds of Joel Fields and Joe Weisberg (The Americans) about a therapist, “Alan Strauss” (Steve Carell), who’s held prisoner by a patient, “Sam Fortner” (Domhnall Gleeson), who reveals himself to be a serial killer. Sam has an unusual therapeutic demand for Alan: curb his homicidal urges.
In order to survive, Alan must unwind Sam’s disturbed mind and stop him from killing again… but Sam refuses to address critical topics, like his mother “Candace” (Linda Emond). Alone in captivity, Alan excavates his own past through memories of his old therapist, “Charlie” (David Alan Grier), and grapples with waves of his own repressed troubles – the recent death of his wife, “Beth” (Laura Niemi), and the painful estrangement from his religious son, “Ezra” (Andrew Leeds).
Over the course of his imprisonment, Alan uncovers not only how deep Sam’s compulsion runs, but also how much work he has to do to repair the rift in his own family. With time running out, Alan fights desperately to stop Sam before Alan becomes complicit in Sam’s murders or worse – becomes a target himself.
ABC’s Station 19 finishes up season five with an episode that finds a bus loaded with children in danger. Season five episode 18 – “Crawl Out Through the Fallout” – will air on Thursday, May 19, 2022 at 8pm ET/PT.
The season five cast includes Jaina Lee Ortiz as Andy Herrera, Jason George as Ben Warren, Boris Kodjoe as Robert Sullivan, and Grey Damon as Jack Gibson. Barrett Doss plays Victoria Hughes, Jay Hayden is Travis Montgomery, Danielle Savre is Maya Bishop, Stefania Spampinato is Carina DeLuca, and Carlos Miranda plays Theo Ruiz.
Season five finale’s guest stars include Josh Randall as Sean Beckett, Merle Dandridge as Natasha Ross, and Jennifer Jalene as Luisa Berrol.
“Crawl Out Through the Fallout” Plot: Andy tracks down a witness to testify at her trial. Meanwhile, Carina and Maya deal with a stressful situation, and the crew responds to a car wreck.
Station 19, currently in its fifth season, follows a group of heroic Seattle firefighters as they put their lives and hearts on the line. Station 19 takes us inside the tough, tight-knit and sometimes heartbreaking world of the city’s bravest first responders.
Carlos Miranda, Barrett Doss, Jay Hayden, and Noah A. Gerry in ‘FBI’ season 5 episode 18 (ABC/Raymond Liu)A scene from the season 5 finale (ABC/Raymond Liu)A scene from season 5 episode 18 (ABC/Raymond Liu)Chandra Wilson and Jason George in season 5 episode 18 (ABC/Raymond Liu)Jay Hayden, Noah A. Gerry and Boris Kodjoe in season 5 episode 18 (ABC/Raymond Liu)Carlos Miranda, Barrett Doss, Jay Hayden, Noah A Gerry, and Boris Kodjoe in season 5 episode 18 (ABC/Raymond Liu)Jay Hayden, Noah A Gerry, Boris Kodjoe, and Grey Damon in season 5 episode 18 (ABC/Raymond Liu)
The team investigates the murder of a former DEA agent on CBS’s FBI season four episode 21. Directed by Alex Zakrzewski from a script by Keith Eisner and Joe Webb, episode 21 – “Kayla” – will air on Tuesday, May 17, 2022 at 8pm ET/PT.
In addition to Missy Peregrym as Special Agent Maggie Bell (currently on maternity leave), the season four cast includes Zeeko Zaki as Special Agent Omar Adom ‘OA’ Zidan and Jeremy Sisto as Assistant Special Agent in Charge Jubal Valentine. Alana De La Garza is Special Agent in Charge Isobel Castille, John Boyd is Special Agent Stuart Scola, and Katherine Renee Turner is Special Agent Tiffany Wallace.
Recurring season four cast members include Taylor Anthony Miller, Vedette Lim, Shantel VanSanten, and James Chen.
“Kayla” Plot: When a retired DEA agent is shot outside a bakery, the team works to determine if the victim’s past cases or current bouncer job are connected to the murder. Also, Nina and Tiffany clash over the use of an informant while they are paired during the investigation.
The axe has fallen and The CW’s primetime lineup is now down seven shows. Season four of Roswell, New Mexico, which has yet to air (it premieres June 6th), will be the series’ final season. Other series receiving cancellation notices include Legacies, Charmed, 4400, Naomi, Dynasty, and In the Dark.
The network had previously confirmed Batwoman and Legends of Tomorrow will not be returning for new seasons.
Roswell, New Mexico‘s writers addressed the fans in a series of tweets: “We’re absolutely devastated by the news. Getting this far would not have been possible without our fantastic and incredibly hardworking cast, Santa Fe crew, writers, and support staff here in LA. But more importantly, we wouldn’t have gotten this far without you, aliens.
The #RoswellNewMexico community is filled with so many wonderful people who have supported us to the very end and we thank you from the bottom of our hearts for being on this journey with us.”
Charmed‘s writers compared the bloodbath to Game of Thrones‘ Red Wedding, tweeting: “If we had to attend the CW’s Red Wedding, we’re at least honored to have been there with @4400writersroom, @LegaciesW, @TheCWNaomi, @CWInTheDark, @cw_dynasty, and @RoswellNMRoom. Plus our dear friends who went down at the Red Rehearsal Dinner: @BatwomanWriters and @LoTWritersRoom”
Legacies writers thanked their fans via Twitter: “Bad news today. But the GOOD news is we have so much love and support from such a wonderful fandom. The biggest of hugs to all of you. Can’t wait for you to see how the series ends. We’re going out with a bang and you’re gonna love it. #Legacies”
And 4400‘s co-showrunner Ariana Jackson tweeted: “My co-showrunner #SunilNayar and I are sad to announce that the CW will not be moving forward with a second season of 4400. We want to thank the audience that found us and rooted for us through it all (most of y’all even came around on our boy Logan!) We want to thank our amazing writers, who poured their hearts out to tell stories about people like them. We want to thank our amazing cast, who showed up every day to breathe beautiful life into these characters.
We want to thank our amazing crew, who worked their asses off to create everything you saw on screen. (Ain’t no crew like a Chicago crew!) We want to thank our amazing post-production team, who put all the pieces together to make the magic you saw at home. And we were so grateful to get to tell these stories. Everyone on this cast and crew was proud to portray people who look and love like us as real, flawed, human superheroes. We all hope to continue telling these kinds of stories, featuring these kinds of characters, championed by people who want to make and create a home for them.
In the world we live in now, we take nothing for granted, and we hope the future gets brighter for all the real world superheroes who proudly walk in their truths every day. Much love to you all. #FoFoFam #FoFoFam4ever”
CBS’s Bull season six episode 21 will find Bull squaring off against Chunk’s ex. Directed by Bethany Rooney from a script by Andrew Karlsruher, episode 21 – “Silent Killer” – will air on Thursday, May 19, 2022 at 10pm ET/PT.
The cast is led by Michael Weatherly as Dr. Jason Bull. Yara Martinez plays Isabella “Izzy” Colón, Geneva Carr is Marissa Morgan, Jamie Lee Kirchner plays Danny James, Christopher Jackson stars as Chunk Palmer, and MacKenzie Meehan is Taylor Rentzel.
“Silent Killer” Plot: When Bull handles the negligent homicide defense of a building owner accused of killing tenants by carbon monoxide poisoning, the case rocks Bull and the TAC team to their core. Also, TAC’s trial defense is made more difficult when the ADA prosecuting the case is Chunk’s ex-boyfriend, Rob Jones (Erich Bergen), someone very familiar with Bull’s tricks; and Taylor is forced to reevaluate her work-life balance when she gets shocking news about her son.
Bull stars Michael Weatherly as Dr. Jason Bull in a drama inspired by the early career of Dr. Phil McGraw, the founder of one of the most prolific trial-consulting firms of all time. Brilliant, brash and charming, Dr. Bull is the ultimate puppet master as he combines psychology, human intuition and high-tech data to learn what makes jurors, attorneys, witnesses and the accused tick.
While Bull has mastered his professional domain, his personal life continues to evolve in surprising ways. Now the father of a young daughter, Bull is newly remarried to his ex-wife, Isabella “Izzy” Colón. Bull’s enviable group of experts at Trial Analysis Corporation shape successful narratives down to the last detail. His team includes Marissa Morgan, a neurolinguistics expert from the Department of Homeland Security who monitors shifting jury reactions in real-time for Bull; former NYPD detective Danny James, the firm’s tough but relatable investigator; Taylor Rentzel, a working mother and former colleague of Marissa’s who is an expert at coding and computer hacking; and Chunk Palmer, a former all-American lineman and stylist-turned-lawyer, who helps clients prepare their image and testimony and serves as TAC’s official trial attorney.
Hulu’s just debuted an official trailer for the upcoming reboot of Seth MacFarlane’s The Orville – The Orville: New Horizons. The full trailer arrived just a few weeks out from the show’s much-anticipated debut and was accompanied by a brand spanking new poster featuring The Orville crew.
Seth MacFarlane leads the talented ensemble which includes Adrianne Palicki, Penny Johnson Jerald, Scott Grimes, Peter Macon, J. Lee, Mark Jackson, Chad L. Coleman, Jessica Szohr, and Anne Winters. MacFarlane created the series and serves as writer and executive producer, with Brannon Braga, David A. Goodman, Jon Cassar, Jason Clark, and Howard Griffith also executive producing.
The long-awaited new season, which is actually The Orville season three, is set to premiere on June 2, 2022, with new episodes arriving on Thursdays. Season one debuted on Fox in September 2017 followed by season two in December 2018. Hulu picked up the show after it was canceled by Fox.
Hulu’s official plot description:
“Seth MacFarlane’s epic space adventure series The Orville returns exclusively as a Hulu original series. Set 400 years in the future, The Orville: New Horizons finds the crew of the U.S.S. Orville continuing their mission of exploration, as they navigate both the mysteries of the universe and the complexities of their own interpersonal relationships.”
CBS has unexpectedly canceled Magnum P.I. starring Jay Hernandez after a four-season run. The season four finale wasn’t intended to be a series finale but, unfortunately, the network has opted not to renew the action drama for a fifth season.
Magnum P.I. has been pulling decent numbers, with an average of 7.4 million viewers tuning in to watch Magnum and his buddies track down bad guys.
Fans immediately took to Twitter to express their outrage over the show’s cancellation. They also started a #SaveMagnum campaign that includes a petition hosted on Change.org. Lucifer fans were successful in resurrecting that series after taking to Twitter in large enough numbers that convinced Netflix to pick it up. Magnum P.I. fans are hoping for a similar outcome.
Cast member Tim Kang tweeted his appreciation of the Magnum P.I. fans: “Thank you to all of you for supporting @MagnumPICBS through 4 seasons. We never would have gotten this far without you. The @MagnumWriters created fun and compelling stories week after week and it’s been an honor being a part of this cast and crew. Aloha!”
Martin Martinez tweeted his disappointment. “I guess our fate has been decided,” wrote Martinez. “Thanks for believing in the Cade story! BUT How does a Magnum PI 3 picture/ film franchise sound though? 🤣 anyways, MAHALO!!!!”
In addition to ending Magnum P.I., CBS has canceled B Positive, Good Sam, and How We Roll. Nothing about those three cancelations comes as a surprise, but Magnum P.I.‘s untimely end really came out of left field.
Magnum P.I. season four featured Jay Hernandez as Thomas Magnum, Perdita Weeks as Juliet Higgins, Zachary Knighton as Orville “Rick” Wright, Stephen Hill as Theodore “TC” Calvin, Tim Kang as Det. Gordon Katsumoto, and Amy Hill as Kumu.
The season four finale (now also the series finale) aired on Friday, May 6, 2022.
Uli Latukefu as Dwayne and Luke Hawx as Steve Austin in ‘Young Rock’ (Photo by: Mark Taylor/NBC)
NBC’s officially renewed the half-hour comedy Young Rock for a third season. The network has also given newcomers American Auto and Grand Crew second season orders.
Young Rock is NBC’s top-rated comedy among adult viewers. Dwayne Johnson stars in and executive produces the half-hour series which delves into the former wrestler/current box office star’s formative years.
The cast of season two includes Joseph Lee Anderson, Stacey Leilua, Adrian Groulx, Bradley Constant, Uli Latukefu, Ana Tuisila, John Tui, Fasitua Amosa, and Matthew Willig.
Per NBC: “The second season of Young Rock delves back into Dwayne Johnson’s life, continuing the storylines from season one while also introducing new chapters we haven’t yet seen. As Dwayne and his loving, resilient family face new challenges and meet new wild characters of professional wrestling, Dwayne contemplates embracing the grind of professional wrestling himself. The show will explore the crazy rollercoaster that has shaped Dwayne into the man he is today and the larger-than-life people he’s met along the way.”
American Auto, created by Superstore‘s Justin Spitzer, picked up 24 million viewers during its first season. Ana Gasteyer and Harriet Dyer lead a cast that includes Jon Barinholtz, Humphrey Ker, Michael B. Washington, Tye White, and X Mayo.
The American Auto plot: “Set in Detroit, the corporate executives of Payne Motors are at a crossroads: adapt to the changing times or be sent to the junkyard. Shaking things up is the new CEO, whose leadership, experience and savvy is only slightly offset by her complete lack of knowledge about cars. Luckily, her team has some of the best minds in the business – when they aren’t fighting or trying to outwit each other. From the corporate office to the factory floor, the crew of Payne Motors is driving home the laughs.”
Created by Brooklyn Nine-Nine‘s Phil Augusta Jackson and Dan Goor, Grand Crew stars Nicole Byer, Justin Cunningham, Aaron Jennings, Echo Kellum, Grasie Mercedes, and Carl Tart.
Grand Crew season one details: “This group of young professionals are all trying to navigate the ups and downs of life and love in Los Angeles – and they always find time to gather at their favorite bar to ‘wine down’ and unpack it all. There’s Noah, a hopeless romantic too eager to settle down; Nicky, a go-getter in real estate who’s adventurous in romance; Sherm, a low-key genius who plays the dating odds; Anthony, whose true love is his career; Wyatt, who’s relieved to be married and out of the dating scene; and Fay, who’s recently divorced and looking to start fresh in LA. And just like wine, their friendship gets better with time.”
The band’s getting back together! Michael McKean, Harry Shearer, and Christopher Guest are reprising their roles as David St. Hubbins, Derek Smalls, and Nigel Tufnel in a This Is Spinal Tap sequel.
The fictional heavy metal rock band is described as “England’s loudest and most punctual heavy metal band.”
The original This Is Spinal Tap was released in 1984 and is considered one of the best mockumentaries in film history. It was recognized as “culturally, historically, and aesthetically significant” and added to the National Film Registry in 2002.
The recently relaunched Castle Rock Entertainment is making the sequel and Oscar nominee/Castle Rock Entertainment CEO Rob Reiner (A Few Good Men) is confirmed to direct. This Is Spinal Tap marked Reiner’s feature film directorial debut and he’ll be reprising his role as filmmaker Marty DiBergi in the sequel.
British rock band Atomic Rooster’s drummer R.J. Parnell, who played Spinal Tap’s drummer Mick Shrimpton, passed away earlier this month.
“When it was announced that Spinal Tap would reunite for one final concert, Marty DeBergi saw this as a chance to make things right with the band who viewed This is Spinal Tap as a hatchet job. So he left his position as visiting adjunct teacher’s assistant at the Ed Wood School of Cinematic Arts in pursuit of film history,” said Reiner.
Per Castle Rock’s official announcement, Guest, McKean, Reiner, and Shearer will conceive the sequel. Frank Marshall is set to produce and Castle Rock is financing the project. Matthew George, Jonathan Fuhrman, and Hernan Narea are executive producing.
The sequel’s targeting a 2024 release, timed to coincide with the original film’s 40th anniversary.