Sam Richardson, Jamie Demetriou, Ben Schwartz, John Early, Tiffany Haddish, Tiya Sircar, Kelvin Yu, Genevieve Angelson, Illana Glazer, Zoë Chao and Ike Barinholtz in Apple TV+’s ‘The Afterparty’
Fans of Apple TV+’s The Afterparty can rest assured the killer will be revealed by the end of the season. Plus, executive producer/writer Phil Lord swears The Afterparty is a “fair play mystery.” There won’t be some random stranger showing up in the finale who turns out to be the killer. The person who murdered Xavier (played by Dave Franco) during a high school reunion party is definitely someone viewers meet during the season.
The Afterparty creator, writer, executive producer, director, and showrunner Chris Miller joined Lord and six of the series’ talented cast members for the 2022 Television Critics Association’s virtual winter press panel. No spoilers were revealed, however, The Afterparty gang did deliver quite a few interesting tidbits – including a surprising revelation about the characters’ names.
Miller explained the characters came first, followed by creating a mystery that worked, with the genre aspect coming in later. “[…] We were sort of looking at each character and thinking about how can we approach the style of what their worldview is, and then as we picked genres for each person then it’s sort of we had to adjust everything and adjust our characters to sort of fit into the world of that style,” said Miller. “And so, it did keep evolving back and forth, but it started with the characters and the mystery first, and then the genres sort of built out of who they were.”
Miller added: “It was a math problem at first. That’s why all the characters’ names start with A, B, C, D, W, X, Y, Z. (Aniq, Brett, Chelsea, Danner, Walt, Xavier, Yasper, and Zoe.)
Each of the suspects has a specific episode in which they lay out the events leading up to Xavier’s murder from their point of view. And each episode unfolds in a different, specific genre.
Ben Schwartz’s character, Yasper, tells his story to Detective Danner (Tiffany Haddish) as if he’s part of a musical.
“My email when I got it from Chris said, ‘This is what the format of the show is. It’s going to be a murder mystery. Each episode is going to be a different genre. And he said, ‘And your genre is going to be musical.’ And first of all, getting anything from Phil or Chris, I say yes. It could have been anything. And then, literally, a week later when it was time to record the song Chris texted me and said, ‘Hey, do you know how to sing? Do you know how to sing or dance?’ after he had already cast me for the musical.
And I go, ‘Not like Ben Platt, but I can kind of pull it off.’ He goes, ‘Okay, good. I figured you’d be pretty good at it.’ And I was like, ‘Great.’
It was very funny to get cast as that role and then a week later, Chris being like, ‘Oh, and by the way, can you dance or sing?’” explained Schwartz.
Filming in different genres and from various points of view meant the actors had to change up how they played their characters, which sometimes meant taking things way over the top.
“I think it was a really fun way to shade your character too because you kind of get to play how other people see you. So, in Aniq’s romantic, I’m the best friend that idolizes him but I’m in the background. And then when it’s the musical time, it’s time where I think everything is all about me. My character barely notices anything that’s not about him,” said Schwartz. “It’s a really fun tool that Chris used to kind of shade your character in so many different ways. And as an actor, it’s so fun to play in a thriller and then to play in a romantic comedy and to play into this. And everybody’s so talented and amazing, so it’s so fun to watch.”
Ike Barinholtz (“Brett”) gives props to Chris Miller for making it easy on the actors, even with all the shifts in tone.
“He’s been sitting with this story in his head for a long time, so he has kind of mapped it out so specifically and knows all the answers. He kind of comes up to you after you shoot a take and he’s like, ‘That was great. So now we’re going to shoot this, and this is for 104 which is kind of a thriller, and this is Ilana’s POV, and in that, you’re trying to kill her.’ It’s a lot of explanation but he made it so clear and concise that there was never a minute where we were like, ‘Wait, what is this? What am I supposed to be doing?’ He allowed us just to kind of go in there and really just tear it up and have fun,” said Ike Barinholtz.
Ilana Glazer (“Chelsea”) described the switching up of genres as an excellent way to exercise their acting muscles. “And with this incredible cast, it was like we were athletes just stretching it out,” said Glazer.
Dave Franco joked that it was fun to play eight different shades of douche. “Where like in Ike’s episode, I get to be aggro douche. And then Ilana’s episode, I get to be kind of vulnerable awkward douche. It was a good time.”
And speaking of Dave Franco’s douchey pop star/murder victim character, Franco confirmed he did a little research to nail his obnoxious personality.
“I definitely looked at some interviews on YouTube. I probably shouldn’t say who because they might take offense,” said Franco. “I sympathize [with] this character. In the flashback episode, you kind of get to see that he wasn’t the coolest kid in high school, and he wasn’t accepted, and so you kind of get to see why he is acting out now. But I think for anyone who knew that this was based on them, they might take offense because on the surface, he’s a huge douche.”
Even with all the genres covered in season one, Phil Lord joked they have “roughly seven seasons and a movie worth of genres” in mind that wasn’t included in the first season.
“I would have loved to do magic, the magical genre,” said Tiffany Haddish. “And I would love to have done fantasy…a Dungeons and Dragons episode, in particular. I love playing Dungeons and Dragons.”
And what would Franco’s genre be? “I’d like to do a self-serious student film. [That] would have been fun.”
Ike Barinholtz suggested a softcore pornography episode while Ilana Glazer thinks there should be a The Afterparty episode shot in black and white and featuring Buster Keaton-style slapstick.
“Or do like a very grandiose sort of operatic kung fu film like Crouching Tiger Hidden Dragon. Like things balancing and every gesture is like spinning with wires,” suggested Sam Richardson (“Aniq”).
“I think I would love to do a film noir, like a full-on like detective-type film noir with like Colin Money Cabbage and stuff like that,” added Chris Miller.
Season one of Apple TV+’s The Afterparty premiered on January 28, 2022. New episodes arrive on Fridays.
Disney Junior’s animated series Alice’s Wonderland Bakery is a fresh, kid-friendly take on Alice in Wonderland. The new series focuses on Alice’s great-granddaughter and features new versions of beloved characters including The Mad Hatter, The March Hare, Queen of Hearts, and the Tweedledee and Tweedledum twins. And in this peppy yet educational series, Alice is a budding baker who whips up special treats in the enchanted Wonderland Bakery.
Alice’s Wonderland Bakery premieres on February 9, 2022, on the Disney Channel, Disney Junior, and Disney+. In support of its upcoming launch, executive producer Chelsea Beyl (Doc McStuffins) joined voice cast members Libby Rue (“Alice”), Donald Faison (“Harry the March Hare”), Eden Espinosa (“Queen of Hearts”), and one half of the renamed Tweedledee twins, Bobby Moynihan (“Tweedle Don’t”) for the Television Critics Association’s virtual winter press tour.
Executive producer Chelsea Beyl confirmed they used the 1951 animated feature film as a jumping-off point. “We did take all those wonderful, curious characters, but then we adapted them for preschoolers,” explained Chelsea Beyl. “So, we took the zany, the silliness, the whimsy of Wonderland and that’s what kind of made it so natural for kids.”
Beyl and art director/co-executive producer Frank Montagna studied the film and drew inspiration from its style and color palette. ”We really wanted to make the connection between the 1951 Disney feature and our show because there’s a lot of versions of Alice in Wonderland out there, but our show is inspired by the 1951 feature. So, of course, we wanted to include a lot of that Mary Blair influence of the curvy shapes and the beautiful colors,” said Beyl. “The movie is very dark in palette, but I think even some of our framing shots are straight out of the movie – colors and shapes, and even if you look at Alice’s outfit, she’s got the blue chef’s coat, the white apron, the bow. It’s a different look for a modern Alice but it’s very much reminiscent of original Alice.”
Donald Faison, the voice of Harry the March Hare, declared himself a huge fan of the original film. “I felt like it was really dark so when I found out that they were making a version that is more kid-friendly and they were interested in me being a part of it, I jumped at the opportunity. And so, personally, I’m just really excited to be able to sing for y’all because I never get that opportunity in the first place,” said Donald Faison, laughing.
Bobby Moynihan and Vanessa Bayer provide the voices of the Tweedledee twins, although in this version of the story the twins have been renamed Tweedle Don’t and Tweedle Do. Moynihan was happy to join the animated series and to play one of Disney’s legacy characters.
“Tweedle Don’t is…he’s the safe one. He’s the one that tells you not to do things, while Tweedle Do is kind of the one who’s like, ‘Do it, do it! which I think in real life is possibly the complete opposite of me and Vanessa Bayer,” joked Moynihan. “It just seemed like fun to play. And I love Disney and I love Vanessa.”
A scene from ‘Alice’s Wonderland Bakery’ (Disney)
“Alice is just so kind and one of the things that I think is her biggest superpower is she loves baking,” said Libby Rue, commenting on the series’ lead character. “And when she’s baking, she gets to cheer up her friends when they’re having a bad day and she gets to bake for all of Wonderland. And that makes her happy and it makes people around her happy. I think that’s such a great story for little kids because it tells you that when somebody’s having an off day, there’s always a way to cheer them up.”
Eden Espinosa, the series’ Queen of Hearts, was born in Anaheim and grew up spending lots of time at Disneyland. She even worked at the theme park, including a stint as the voice in the sky during the fireworks show.
“That created a lot of amazing opportunities with the Disney family. And now, diving into animation is such a dream come true for me. So to be able to collaborate with such a creative and amazing company is a blessing,” said Espinosa.
Asked if her experience playing Elphaba on Broadway helped her get into character as the Queen of Hearts, Espinosa replied, ”It definitely helps me tap into a different side of myself, but I think these two women in particular are very different. Elphaba really comes from a place of hurt and insecurity, and the Queen thinks very highly of herself.
So it’s actually fun to live that out, to really be like my biggest fan and to think that I’m amazing and everyone else should think I’m amazing. ‘Why don’t you think I’m amazing?’ That is so fun. So I don’t know if it prepared me, but I think playing both extremes and acting in that way is really a treat for anyone.”
Espinosa added: “I feel like these incarnations of these characters are more well-rounded and more human. They have a lot more sides to them. Especially, I feel, for the Queen. You see a lot more of her humanity and soft side and fun side, as well as, ‘Off with her head.’ But we don’t take anyone’s heads off.”
Hulu’s set a March 29, 2022 premiere date for The Girl From Plainville based on a true murder case and starring Elle Fanning, Colton Ryan, and Chloe Sevigny. The premiere date was announced during Hulu’s presentation at the Television Critics Association’s winter press tour. Hulu offered up a first look at the limited series with the release of a short teaser trailer, and also unveiled the official trailer for Life & Beth starring Amy Schumer.
Additional announcements included the confirmation the third and final season of Love, Victor will kick off on June 15th. Season two of Woke will arrive on April 8th.
Conversations with Friends will join Hulu’s lineup in May with the release of all 12 episodes of the limited series. Starring Alison Oliver, Joe Alwyn, Sasha Lane, and Jemima Kirke, Conversations with Friends centers around a college student as “she navigates a series of relationships that force her to confront her own vulnerabilities for the first time.”
The Girl From Plainville Plot:The Girl From Plainville is inspired by the true story of Michelle Carter’s unprecedented “texting-suicide” case. Based on the Esquire article of the same name by Jesse Barron, the limited series explores Carter’s relationship with Conrad Roy III and the events that led to his death and, later, her conviction of involuntary manslaughter.
Woke Season 2: Cartoonist Keef Knight is now a popular activist on the rise, but he’s facing a world where “woke” has become big business. Can Keef and his friends bring about real change, or is it just about the dollar$? And can Keef navigate this new world without destroying what he’s become? Inspired by the life and work of artist Keith Knight, Woke continues to upend Black nerd and activist culture, deftly satirizing with a wink and a smile.
Love, Victor Season 3: This season finds Victor going on a journey of self-discovery — not only deciding who he wants to be with, but more broadly, who he wants to be. With their post-high-school-plans looming, Victor and his friends are faced with a new set of problems that they must work through to make the best choices for their futures.
Life & Beth: Beth’s life would look pretty great on paper. Impressive to everyone she grew up with. She makes a good living as a wine distributor. She’s in a long term relationship with a successful guy and lives in Manhattan. When a sudden incident forces Beth to engage with her past her life changes forever. Through flashbacks to her teen self, Beth starts to learn how she became who she is and who she wants to become. We’ll go on her journey towards building a bigger, bolder and more authentic life. Learning to express herself and living in an intentional way. A trip down memory lane is a strong source of trauma, comedy and moving forward.
Netflix’s The Power of the Dog earned 12 Oscar nominations, leading the pack of nominees for the 94th Academy Awards. The critically acclaimed Western picked up nominations in the best director, best picture, adapted screenplay, actor (Benedict Cumberbatch), supporting actor, (Jesse Plemons, Kodi Smit-McPhee), supporting actress (Kirsten Dunst), cinematography, editing, original score, production design, and sound categories.
The gorgeous sci-fi action thriller Dune came in second, collecting 10 nominations including best picture, adapted screenplay, and cinematography. Belfast and West Side Story earned seven nominations each, followed by King Richard with six.
Despite the awards season hype, House of Gucci was nearly shut out, earning only one nomination. Lady Gaga and Jared Leto were expected to pick up acting nominations but, apparently, Academy members felt otherwise. Neither Caitriona Balfe nor Jamie Dornan were embraced by voters for their outstanding work in Belfast. And although Dune earned the second-most nominations, its director – Denis Villeneuve – was left out of the best director category. Also, what happened to Passing? Rebecca Hall’s adaptation of Nella Larsen’s 1929 novel was totally ignored. Even Ruth Negga’s riveting performance was overlooked by Academy members.
The Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences provided the following key facts regarding the 2022 Oscar nominees:
In the acting categories, nine individuals are first-time nominees (Jessie Buckley, Ariana DeBose, Kirsten Dunst, Aunjanue Ellis, Ciarán Hinds, Troy Kotsur, Jesse Plemons, Kodi Smit-McPhee and Kristen Stewart). Seven of the nominees are previous acting winners (Javier Bardem, Olivia Colman, Penélope Cruz, Judi Dench, Nicole Kidman, J.K. Simmons and Denzel Washington). Olivia Colman is the only acting nominee who was also nominated last year.
Flee is the first documentary to be nominated for Animated Feature Film, and the first animated film to be nominated for Documentary Feature.
Steven Spielberg receives his eleventh nomination for Best Picture, a record for an individual producer (since 1951 when producers were first named as nominees).
Jane Campion becomes the first woman to have more than one nomination in the Directing category. She is the fourth woman to be nominated for Directing, Writing and Best Picture for the same film, following Sofia Coppola (Lost in Translation, 2003), Emerald Fennell (Promising Young Woman, 2020) and Chloé Zhao (Nomadland, 2020).
Ari Wegner (The Power of the Dog) is the second woman to be nominated for Cinematography. The first was Rachel Morrison, who was nominated for Mudbound (2017).
Javier Bardem and Penélope Cruz are the sixth married couple to be nominated for acting in the same year. Previous nominees were Lynn Fontanne and Alfred Lunt, 1931/32; Frank Sinatra and Ava Gardner, 1953 (in separate films); Elsa Lanchester and Charles Laughton, 1957; Rex Harrison and Rachel Roberts, 1963 (in separate films); and Richard Burton and Elizabeth Taylor, 1966. (Kirsten Dunst and Jesse Plemons are also a real-life couple, but aren’t married.)
Troy Kotsur is the second deaf actor to be nominated for playing a deaf character and the first male. Previously, Marlee Matlin won an Oscar for her leading role in Children of a Lesser God (1986).
Winners will be announced on Sunday, March 27, 2022.
Best motion picture of the year
• “Belfast” Laura Berwick, Kenneth Branagh, Becca Kovacik and Tamar Thomas, Producers
• “CODA” Philippe Rousselet, Fabrice Gianfermi and Patrick Wachsberger, Producers
• “Don’t Look Up” Adam McKay and Kevin Messick, Producers
• “Drive My Car” Teruhisa Yamamoto, Producer
• “Dune” Mary Parent, Denis Villeneuve and Cale Boyter, Producers
• “King Richard” Tim White, Trevor White and Will Smith, Producers
• “Licorice Pizza” Sara Murphy, Adam Somner and Paul Thomas Anderson, Producers
• “Nightmare Alley” Guillermo del Toro, J. Miles Dale and Bradley Cooper, Producers
• “The Power of the Dog” Jane Campion, Tanya Seghatchian, Emile Sherman, Iain Canning and Roger Frappier, Producers
• “West Side Story” Steven Spielberg and Kristie Macosko Krieger, Producers
Performance by an actor in a leading role
• Javier Bardem in “Being the Ricardos”
• Benedict Cumberbatch in “The Power of the Dog”
• Andrew Garfield in “tick, tick…BOOM!”
• Will Smith in “King Richard”
• Denzel Washington in “The Tragedy of Macbeth”
Performance by an actor in a supporting role
• Ciarán Hinds in “Belfast”
• Troy Kotsur in “CODA”
• Jesse Plemons in “The Power of the Dog”
• J.K. Simmons in “Being the Ricardos”
• Kodi Smit-McPhee in “The Power of the Dog”
Performance by an actress in a leading role
• Jessica Chastain in “The Eyes of Tammy Faye”
• Olivia Colman in “The Lost Daughter”
• Penélope Cruz in “Parallel Mothers”
• Nicole Kidman in “Being the Ricardos”
• Kristen Stewart in “Spencer”
Performance by an actress in a supporting role
• Jessie Buckley in “The Lost Daughter”
• Ariana DeBose in “West Side Story”
• Judi Dench in “Belfast”
• Kirsten Dunst in “The Power of the Dog”
• Aunjanue Ellis in “King Richard”
Best animated feature film of the year
• “Encanto” Jared Bush, Byron Howard, Yvett Merino and Clark Spencer
• “Flee” Jonas Poher Rasmussen, Monica Hellström, Signe Byrge Sørensen and Charlotte De La Gournerie
• “Luca” Enrico Casarosa and Andrea Warren
• “The Mitchells vs. the Machines” Mike Rianda, Phil Lord, Christopher Miller and Kurt Albrecht
• “Raya and the Last Dragon” Don Hall, Carlos López Estrada, Osnat Shurer and Peter Del Vecho
Achievement in cinematography
• “Dune” Greig Fraser
• “Nightmare Alley” Dan Laustsen
• “The Power of the Dog” Ari Wegner
• “The Tragedy of Macbeth” Bruno Delbonnel
• “West Side Story” Janusz Kaminski
Achievement in costume design
• “Cruella” Jenny Beavan
• “Cyrano” Massimo Cantini Parrini and Jacqueline Durran
• “Dune” Jacqueline West and Robert Morgan
• “Nightmare Alley” Luis Sequeira
• “West Side Story” Paul Tazewell
Achievement in directing
• “Belfast” Kenneth Branagh
• “Drive My Car” Ryusuke Hamaguchi
• “Licorice Pizza” Paul Thomas Anderson
• “The Power of the Dog” Jane Campion
• “West Side Story” Steven Spielberg
Best documentary feature
• “Ascension” Jessica Kingdon, Kira Simon-Kennedy and Nathan Truesdell
• “Attica” Stanley Nelson and Traci A. Curry
• “Flee” Jonas Poher Rasmussen, Monica Hellström, Signe Byrge Sørensen and Charlotte De La Gournerie
• “Summer of Soul (…Or, When the Revolution Could Not Be Televised)” Ahmir “Questlove” Thompson, Joseph Patel, Robert Fyvolent and David Dinerstein
• “Writing with Fire” Rintu Thomas and Sushmit Ghosh
Best documentary short subject
• “Audible” Matt Ogens and Geoff McLean
• “Lead Me Home” Pedro Kos and Jon Shenk
• “The Queen of Basketball” Ben Proudfoot
• “Three Songs for Benazir” Elizabeth Mirzaei and Gulistan Mirzaei
• “When We Were Bullies” Jay Rosenblatt
Achievement in film editing
• “Don’t Look Up” Hank Corwin
• “Dune” Joe Walker
• “King Richard” Pamela Martin
• “The Power of the Dog” Peter Sciberras
• “tick, tick…BOOM!” Myron Kerstein and Andrew Weisblum
Best international feature film of the year
• “Drive My Car” Japan
• “Flee” Denmark
• “The Hand of God” Italy
• “Lunana: A Yak in the Classroom” Bhutan
• “The Worst Person in the World” Norway
Achievement in makeup and hairstyling
• “Coming 2 America” Mike Marino, Stacey Morris and Carla Farmer
• “Cruella” Nadia Stacey, Naomi Donne and Julia Vernon
• “Dune” Donald Mowat, Love Larson and Eva von Bahr
• “The Eyes of Tammy Faye” Linda Dowds, Stephanie Ingram and Justin Raleigh
• “House of Gucci” Göran Lundström, Anna Carin Lock and Frederic Aspiras
Achievement in music written for motion pictures (Original score)
• “Don’t Look Up” Nicholas Britell
• “Dune” Hans Zimmer
• “Encanto” Germaine Franco
• “Parallel Mothers” Alberto Iglesias
• “The Power of the Dog” Jonny Greenwood
Achievement in music written for motion pictures (Original song)
• “Be Alive” from “King Richard”
Music and Lyric by DIXSON and Beyoncé Knowles-Carter
• “Dos Oruguitas” from “Encanto”
Music and Lyric by Lin-Manuel Miranda
• “Down To Joy” from “Belfast”
Music and Lyric by Van Morrison
• “No Time To Die” from “No Time to Die”
Music and Lyric by Billie Eilish and Finneas O’Connell
• “Somehow You Do” from “Four Good Days”
Music and Lyric by Diane Warren
Achievement in production design
• “Dune” Production Design: Patrice Vermette; Set Decoration: Zsuzsanna Sipos
• “Nightmare Alley” Production Design: Tamara Deverell; Set Decoration: Shane Vieau
• “The Power of the Dog” Production Design: Grant Major; Set Decoration: Amber Richards
• “The Tragedy of Macbeth” Production Design: Stefan Dechant; Set Decoration: Nancy Haigh
• “West Side Story” Production Design: Adam Stockhausen; Set Decoration: Rena DeAngelo
Best animated short film
• “Affairs of the Art” Joanna Quinn and Les Mills
• “Bestia” Hugo Covarrubias and Tevo Díaz
• “Boxballet” Anton Dyakov
• “Robin Robin” Dan Ojari and Mikey Please
• “The Windshield Wiper” Alberto Mielgo and Leo Sanchez
Best live action short film
• “Ala Kachuu – Take and Run” Maria Brendle and Nadine Lüchinger
• “The Dress” Tadeusz Łysiak and Maciej Ślesicki
• “The Long Goodbye” Aneil Karia and Riz Ahmed
• “On My Mind” Martin Strange-Hansen and Kim Magnusson
• “Please Hold” K.D. Dávila and Levin Menekse
Achievement in sound
• “Belfast” Denise Yarde, Simon Chase, James Mather and Niv Adiri
• “Dune” Mac Ruth, Mark Mangini, Theo Green, Doug Hemphill and Ron Bartlett
• “No Time to Die” Simon Hayes, Oliver Tarney, James Harrison, Paul Massey and Mark Taylor
• “The Power of the Dog” Richard Flynn, Robert Mackenzie and Tara Webb
• “West Side Story” Tod A. Maitland, Gary Rydstrom, Brian Chumney, Andy Nelson and Shawn Murphy
Achievement in visual effects
• “Dune” Paul Lambert, Tristan Myles, Brian Connor and Gerd Nefzer
• “Free Guy” Swen Gillberg, Bryan Grill, Nikos Kalaitzidis and Dan Sudick
• “No Time to Die” Charlie Noble, Joel Green, Jonathan Fawkner and Chris Corbould
• “Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings” Christopher Townsend, Joe Farrell, Sean Noel Walker and Dan Oliver
• “Spider-Man: No Way Home” Kelly Port, Chris Waegner, Scott Edelstein and Dan Sudick
Adapted screenplay
• “CODA” Screenplay by Siân Heder
• “Drive My Car” Screenplay by Ryusuke Hamaguchi, Takamasa Oe
• “Dune” Screenplay by Jon Spaihts and Denis Villeneuve and Eric Roth
• “The Lost Daughter” Written by Maggie Gyllenhaal
• “The Power of the Dog” Written by Jane Campion
Original screenplay
• “Belfast” Written by Kenneth Branagh
• “Don’t Look Up” Screenplay by Adam McKay; Story by Adam McKay & David Sirota
• “King Richard” Written by Zach Baylin
• “Licorice Pizza” Written by Paul Thomas Anderson
• “The Worst Person in the World” Written by Eskil Vogt, Joachim Trier
Bridgerton season one breakout star Regé-Jean Page narrates the upcoming nature documentary Surviving Paradise: A Family Tale. Netflix just released the first three photos from the documentary, including one of Regé-Jean Page, ahead of Surviving Paradise‘s March 3, 2022 premiere.
Director Renee Godfrey served as a producer and co-director Matt Meech edited the documentary. James Honeyborne executive produced and Brad Bestelink is the director of photography.
Netflix released the following official synopsis:
“Surviving Paradise explores the Okavango Delta, a vast oasis, isolated from the rest of the world by unforgiving desert. It’s also a refuge, built and maintained daily by its inhabitants; in return, it caters for their every need. Big cats may appear to reign here, but in reality, the fate of every creature, great and small, is intertwined.
This film explores the blueprints for building the perfect world, managing it sustainably, and maintaining it – despite extremes of drought, famine, and flood. Most crucially, it spotlights those passing the secret formula on to their descendants, who will find it harder than ever before to keep their Eden intact.”
The new official trailer’s arrived for Prime Video’s The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel season four and all I can say is it’s about damn time. Now, if I was channeling my inner Mrs. Maisel that “damn” would have been replaced with a much stronger expletive – like the ones she uses in the just-released trailer.
Emmy-winner Rachel Brosnahan returns to lead the series in the title role. Four-time Emmy-winner Tony Shalhoub is back as Abe Weissman, three-time Emmy-winner Alex Borstein returns as Susie Myerson, Emmy nominee Marin Hinkle is Rose Weissman, Michael Zegen is Joel Maisel, and Kevin Pollak is Moishe Maisel. Caroline Aaron plays Shirley Maisel and Emmy winner Luke Kirby stars as Lenny Bruce. Guest stars include Kelly Bishop, Milo Ventimiglia, John Waters, and Jason Alexander.
Season four will premiere on Friday, February 18, 2022.
Series creator/executive producer Amy Sherman-Palladino and executive producer Daniel Palladino write and direct season four.
Prime Video released the following description of the new season along with a season four poster:
It’s 1960 and change is in the air. Looking to hone her act, Midge finds a gig with total creative freedom. But her commitment to her craft – and the places it takes her – creates a rift between her and the family and friends around her.
Poster for Prime Video’s ‘The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel’ Season 4
Rita Ora joins Disney+’s Beauty and the Beast prequel series (Photo Credit: Hayley Louisa Brown)
Disney Branded Television’s 2022 Television Critics Association’s winter panel included announcements of new series, casting updates, and renewals. Disney Branded Television President Ayo Davis revealed Rita Ora has joined the cast of the Beauty and the Beast prequel limited series. Plus, Catherine Zeta-Jones will star in the National Treasure series and Daveed Diggs will narrate The Crossover.
Disney+ has greenlit a new original Halloween-themed film sequel to Under Wraps as well as a holiday adventure titled The Naughty Nine. New unscripted series will include Growing Up from Brie Larson and Rennervations from Jeremy Renner.
“With each one of these projects, we see an opportunity to build upon the strong foundation of storytelling that is a hallmark of the Disney brand. I am so proud to be working with some of the most creative and diverse talent in the industry, both in front of and behind the camera, to bring these fresh, inventive and impactful stories — new and reimagined — to life for our audiences to enjoy, regardless of platform,” stated Davis.
ORIGINAL MOVIES:
PROM PACT (Working Title) (Disney+ Original Movie)
Executive Producers: Melvin Mar, Julie Bowen, Jake Kasdan and Rachael Field
Written by: Anthony Lombardo
Directed by: Anya Adams
It’s the height of prom season, and high school senior Mandy Coleman and her best friend and fellow outsider Ben are surrounded by over-the-top ’80s-themed Promposals. However, Mandy keeps her eyes focused on a different goal: her lifelong dream of attending Harvard. When she finds out her acceptance has been deferred, she is determined to do whatever she can do to get herself off the waitlist, even if that means asking for help from the one person she abhors — popular all-star jock Graham Lansing, whose father is a powerful senator and Harvard alum. Once Mandy becomes Graham’s tutor, she begins to realize there’s more to him than she thought and perhaps something more to life than Harvard. Peyton Elizabeth Lee stars as Mandy, and Milo Manheim will play Ben.
THE NAUGHTY NINE (Disney Channel and Disney+)
Executive Producers: Suzanne Todd, Jed Elinoff and Scott Thomas
Written by: Jed Elinoff and Scott Thomas
Directed by: Alberto Belli
The Naughty Nine is a holiday heist movie — think Ocean’s 11 at the North Pole — that follows fifth grader Andy, who has been a bit of a troublemaker this year. When Christmas morning rolls around and Andy gets stiffed by Santa, he realizes he’s on the “naughty list.” Feeling unfairly maligned, Andy pulls together a crack team of fellow “naughty listers” to execute an elaborate heist to get the presents he and the others feel they deserve.
The determined ensemble includes Dulce, Andy’s best friend and archery expert; North Pole conspiracy theorist Lewis; daredevil “wheel woman” Ha-Yoon; animal whisperer Rose; master-of-disguise Jon Anthony; adorable charmer Albert; and Andy’s older sister, Laurel, a talented gymnast seeking to regain her confidence. Andy also enlists the help of Bruno, a disgruntled cargo pilot who claims to have witnessed Santa’s sleigh. However, in the process of finding their gifts, the gang begins to realize that Christmas is more about giving than taking. “The Naughty Nine” stars Winslow Fegley, Camila Rodriguez, Anthony John Joo, Clara Stack, Imogen Cohen, Madilyn Kellam and Deric McCable.
UNDER WRAPS 2 (Disney Channel and Disney+)
Produced by: MarVista Entertainment
Executive Producers: Todd Y. Murata and Fernando Szew
Written by: Josh A Cagan
Directed by: Alex Zamm
The sequel to Under Wraps, the remake of the very first Disney Channel Original Movie, Under Wraps 2 picks up as Amy is preparing for her father’s Spooktacular Halloween-themed wedding to his fiancé Carl. However, plans soon go awry when Amy, Gilbert and Marshall discover that their mummy friend Harold and his beloved Rose may be in danger. Sobek, an evil mummy with a thousand-year-old grudge against his best friend-turned-bitter rival Harold, is unexpectedly awakened and out for revenge. With help from his hypnotized lackey Larry, Sobek kidnaps Rose, and Amy, Gilbert, Marshall, Buzzy and Harold must use their skills once again to save her and get back in time to attend the wedding.
Under Wraps 2 stars Malachi Barton, Christian J. Simon, Sophia Hammons, Phil Wright, Melanie Brook, T.J. Storm, Rryla McIntosh, Jordan Conley and Adam Wylie.
UNSCRIPTED:
GROWING UP (Disney+ Original Series)
Produced by: Culture House
Executive Producers: Brie Larson, Nicole Galovski, Raeshem Nijhon and Carri Twigg
Episode Directors: Brie Larson, Yara Shahidi, Sydney Freeland, Elegance Bratton, Ashley Eakin, Ekwa Msangi, Smriti Mundhra, Rudy Valdez, Bernardo Ruiz, Kishori Rajan and Nicole Galovski
Growing Up is a groundbreaking hybrid docu-series that explores the challenges, triumphs, and complexities of adolescence through ten compelling coming of age stories. The series uses narrative, experimental, and documentary filmmaking to follow one casted individual, ages 18-22, as they tell their story. They represent a wide range of lived experiences, giving audiences emotionally powerful narratives that offer an engaging look at teenage-hood and the diverse social, familial, and internal obstacles young people face on their path to self-discovery and acceptance. Each 30-minute episode features one young person, or “hero,” and their experience growing up.
Each episode is anchored by a deeply personal interview that allows our heroes to walk us through their childhood and teenage years. Alongside these interviews, creative cinematic reenactments help bring their major inflection points to life.
RENNERVATIONS (Disney+ Original Series)
Produced by: Boardwalk Pictures
Executive Producers: Jeremy Renner, Rory Millikin, Romilda De Luca, Andrew Fried, Dane Lillegard, Sarina Roma, Patrick Costello
RENNERVATIONS is an original four-part series that embraces Jeremy’s lifelong passion for giving back to communities around the world by reimagining unique purpose-built vehicles to meet a community’s needs. Behind the big screen, Jeremy is a construction aficionado. He is heavily invested in the highly creative fabricator culture that exists across the globe and hopes to change lives with these skills and inspire others to do the same.
SCRIPTED SERIES:
GOOSEBUMPS (Disney+ Original Series)
Produced by: Sony Pictures Television Studios
Executive Producers/Writers: Nick Stoller and Rob Letterman
Executive Producers: Neal H. Moritz, Pavun Shetty, Conor Welch, Iole Lucchese, Caitlin Friedman
Director (first episode): Rob Letterman
Based on R.L. Stine’s best-selling book series, Goosebumps combines teen comedy with horror, action-adventure, mystery and psychological thrill. The series follows a group of five high schoolers who unleash supernatural forces upon their town and must all work together — thanks to and in spite of their friendships, rivalries and pasts with each other — in order to save it, learning much about their own parents’ teenage secrets in the process.
Published by Scholastic, Goosebumps is one of the best-selling book series of all time, with more than 400 million English-language books in print, plus international editions in 32 languages. The television series is influenced by five of the most popular Goosebumps books.
SERIES RENEWAL:
SECRETS OF SULPHUR SPRINGS SEASON 3 (Disney Channel and Disney+)
Produced by: Gwave Productions, LLC.
Creator/Writer/Executive Producer: Tracey Thomson
Executive Producer/Showrunner: Charles Pratt Jr.
A live-action, time-travel mystery series, Secrets of Sulphur Springs follows 12-year-old Griffin Campbell, whose family has uprooted their lives to move to a new town and take ownership of an abandoned hotel, The Tremont, in hopes of restoring it back to the lively vacation destination it once was. Not long after, Griffin learns that the hotel is rumored to be haunted by a ghost. Griffin and his best friend Harper, a bright-eyed, mystery-obsessed classmate, and Savannah, a girl who lives in the 1960s, work together to solve the mysteries of the supernatural forces at The Tremont by traveling through time via a secret portal in the basement of the hotel.
Season two of the series took Griffin, Harper and Savannah back to the 1930 and 1962 to learn more about Harper’s family’s deep-seated connection to the hotel. In Season Three, a new ghost will torment The Tremont. Also, Griffin will travel to the future and then back to his present, where he and Harper will have to change the timelines of their lives in order to save their friendship and their families.
PREMIERE UPDATE:
THE PROUD FAMILY: LOUDER AND PROUDER
(Disney+ Original Series Premiering Feb. 23, 2022 – NOW WITH TWO EPISODES)
Executive Producers: Bruce W. Smith and Ralph Farquhar
A continuation of the acclaimed series, The Proud Family: Louder and Prouder follows the adventures and misadventures of newly 14-year-old Penny Proud and her Proud Family as they navigate modern life with hilarity and heart. The 2020s bring new career highs for mom Trudy, wilder dreams for dad Oscar and new challenges for Penny, including a socially woke neighbor who thinks she has a lot to teach her, bullying social media influencers who want to cancel her, and her own teenage hormones.
Penny’s friends return, including Dijonay, LaCienega, Zoey and Michael. Penny’s Suga Mama also returns, ready as ever to dispense tough love or a gentle hand whenever Penny needs it. Among the new faces are Maya and KG, who not only have to deal with the struggles of being the new kids but also having two dads, a first for Smithville.
PROJECTS IN DEVELOPMENT:
PAOLA SANTIAGO AND THE RIVER OF TEARS (Disney+ Original Series)
Produced by: 20th Television
Executive Producers: Eva Longoria and Ben Spector for UnbeliEVAble Entertainment
Executive Producer/Writer: Kevin Rodriguez
Executive Producer: Tehlor Kay Mejia
A fantasy/adventure television series based on Paola Santiago and the River of Tears, the critically acclaimed novel by author Tehlor Kay Mejia and published by Disney-Hyperion under the Rick Riordan Presents imprint. Inspired by the legend of La Llorona (the Weeping Woman), the story introduces a teen girl, Paola Santiago, who has always relied on hard science and logic to make sense of the world, unlike her mother, who believes in magic. But folklore becomes fact when Paola’s best friend goes missing, and to save her, Paola has to enter a world of mind-bending monsters and relentless spirits steeped in Latin folklore that defy both logic and legend.
TINY TRAILBLAZERS (Disney Junior Original Series)
Produced by Hello Sunshine in Association With Disney Junior
Executive Producers: Reese Witherspoon, Claire Curley
Geared towards kids aged 2-7, the entertaining stories model positive attitudes about the great outdoors and highlight the importance of environmental conservation and wildlife protection. Partners from National Geographic are consulting on the project. Academy Award-winning actress Reese Witherspoon serves as executive producer and will voice one of the mom characters, Fern, a wildlife specialist. The main characters are two girls, an adventurous city kid named Tilly and the more risk-averse Birdie, who befriends her when Tilly’s family moves to a campground while her scientist mom is doing field research on forest streams.
As the girls observe their mother’s careers and interests and begin to explore and discover the magic of nature all around them, they develop a supportive friendship and a deep understanding of and appreciation for the natural world. The series also highlights age-appropriate social and emotional lessons about thoughtfulness, self-esteem, good instincts and trying new things.
SUPERFUDGE (Disney+ Original Movie)
Produced by: The Russo Brother’s AGBO
Written by: Amos Vernon and Nunio Randazzo
Based on the global, best-selling book by Judy Blume and from Joe and Anthony Russo of the Marvel Cinematic Universe, Superfudge centers on The Hatcher family. Twelve-year-old Peter Hatcher almost has it all — two boomer parents, a perfect though slightly odorous turtle, his very own bedroom in a cramped Manhattan apartment, a ride-or-die best friend Jimmy and eight whole weeks of summer vacation ahead of him — with just one massive problem. Farley Drexel Hatcher, his 3-year-old brother, aka Fudge.
Fudge isn’t just a problem; he is a tornado, a tsunami, a superstorm, an arctic bomb of chaos and destruction. And when Fudge runs away under Peter’s watch, an epic family adventure across NYC ensues. One that ultimately brings these two together just as their world is turned upside down by the arrival of a brand-new problem — an infant baby sister — reminding us all that nothing is ever constant … except change.
Netflix’s new official Vikings: Valhalla trailer features new action clips and much more with the series’ main characters – Leif Eriksson, Freydis Eriksdotter, and Harald Sigurdsson. Vikings creator Michael Hirst serves as an executive producer on this epic adventure based on his popular series that focused on Ragnar Lothbrok (Travis Fimmel) and his family.
Vikings: Valhalla is set 100 years after Vikings and stars Sam Corlett as Leif Eriksson, Frida Gustavsson as Freydis Eriksdotter, Leo Suter as Harald Sigurdsson, and Bradley Freegard as King Canute. Jóhannes Haukur Jóhannesson plays Olaf Haraldsson, Caroline Henderson is Jarl Haakon, Laura Berlin is Emma of Normandy, David Oakes plays Earl of Godwin, and Louis Davison stars as Prince Edmund.
Writer Jeb Stuart is the season one showrunner and executive produces with Morgan O’Sullivan, Michael Hirst, Sheila Hockin, Steve Stark, James Flynn, John Weber, Sherry Marsh, Alan Gasmer, and Paul Buccieri.
Netflix has set a February 25, 2022 premiere date for the eight-episode season.
The Plot, Courtesy of Netflix:
Set over a thousand years ago in the early 11th century, Vikings: Valhalla chronicles the heroic adventures of some of the most famous Vikings who ever lived — the legendary explorer Leif Eriksson (Corlett), his fiery and headstrong sister Freydis Eriksdotter (Gustavsson), and the ambitious Nordic prince Harald Sigurdsson (Suter). As tensions between the Vikings and the English royals reach a bloody breaking point and as the Vikings themselves clash over their conflicting Christian and pagan beliefs, these three Vikings begin an epic journey that will take them across oceans and through battlefields, from Kattegat to England and beyond, as they fight for survival and glory.
Hulu’s official trailer for the original limited series The Dropout showcases Amanda Seyfried channeling Theranos’ founder Elizabeth Holmes. The new trailer arrived along with an official poster for the much-anticipated limited series.
In addition to Amanda Seyfried, the limited series stars Naveen Andrews as Sunny Balwani. Guest stars include Utkarsh Ambudkar, Kate Burton, Michel Gill, LisaGay Hamilton, and William H. Macy. Elizabeth Marvel, Laurie Metcalf, Dylan Minnette, Alan Ruck, Sam Waterston, and Michaela Watkins also guest star.
Elizabeth Meriwether guides the series as showrunner. Meriwether also executive produces with Liz Heldens, Liz Hannah, Katherine Pope, Rebecca Jarvis, Victoria Thompson, and Taylor Dunn. Michael Showalter directs multiple episodes and is an executive producer along with his Semi-Formal Productions producing partner Jordana Mollick.
The series marks Searchlight Television’s first production and will premiere on Thursday, March 3, 2022 with the release of the first three episodes.
The Plot, Courtesy of Hulu:
Money. Romance. Tragedy. Deception. Hulu’s limited series The Dropout, the story of Elizabeth Holmes (Seyfried) and Theranos, is an unbelievable tale of ambition and fame gone terribly wrong. How did the world’s youngest self-made female billionaire lose it all in the blink of an eye?
Chris Hemsworth during production of ‘Limitless’ in Norway. (Photo credit: National Geographic/Craig Parry)
National Geographic announced new titles coming to Disney+, the home of their streaming content, including series featuring Chris Hemsworth, Will Smith, Benedict Cumberbatch, and David Blaine. The announcement was made by Courteney Monroe, president, National Geographic Content, during the 2022 Television Critics Association winter panel.
“At National Geographic, our strategy is to tell bold, best-in-class stories that ignite curiosity and inspire people to explore and care about our world,” stated Monroe. “With premium, creatively ambitious shows from the very best storytellers in the world, we are bringing awe and wonder to the lives of global Disney+ subscribers with wildly entertaining National Geographic documentary series, feature documentary films, epic natural history and fact-based scripted drama.”
POLE TO POLE (Westbrook Studios, Nutopia and Protozoa)
In his third epic project for National Geographic, actor and producer Will Smith (Welcome to Earth, One Strange Rock) leads viewers on an astounding journey from the bottom of the planet to its top — covering 26,000 miles from the South Pole to the North Pole — to unlock the mystery of Earth’s astonishing diversity and alchemy. Filming for more than 100 days, the series documents his journey across all of Earth’s biomes: polar ice, desert, jungle, mountain, savannah and swamp. In each location, the explorer Smith and his film crew will embed with local communities and experience firsthand what it is like to live in some of the most amazing and extreme landscapes on the planet.
For Westbrook, Will Smith, Miguel Melendez and Terence Carter are executive producers. For Nutopia, Jane Root and Peter Lovering are executive producers. For Protozoa, Darren Aronofsky and Ari Handel are executive producers.
GREAT MIGRATIONS (Plimsoll Productions)
Our planet is on the move. Animals across every landscape embark on epic migrations in search of food, shelter and safe breeding grounds. Whether by land, sea or air, all of these journeys are full of obstacles and dangers — only those with the strength, determination and persistence go the distance. Now, using the state-of-the-art remote cameras and drones and the latest tracking technology that can break down animal behavior by the hour, we can follow the drama, jeopardy and courage every step of the way.
Inspiring animal stories of endeavor and emotion are set against a backdrop of sweeping wildlife spectacles and epic landscapes. Executive producers are Tom Hugh-Jones (Hostile Planet, Planet Earth II) and Martha Holmes (Earth Live, Blue Planet). The showrunner is Sarah Gibbs (Kingdom of the Mummies, Arctic Live).
HOME (BBC Studios Natural History Unit)
Filmed over an unprecedented decade and running an exceptional nine seasons, National Geographic and the world-leading BBC Studios Natural History Unit embark on HOME, the most ambitious and definitive portrait of life on Earth ever attempted. Production has commenced on the first three seasons and development committed to six more seasons of what will be a cinematic spectacle of natural history across the planet, created by a multiple award-winning team. HOME will journey through five oceans and seven continents to reveal the deeply symbiotic relationships between all living things. This ambitious blue-chip event will set a new benchmark for landmark natural history television, culminating with an examination of how our planet has adapted and transformed during the 10 years of program making.
The creative team is showrunner and producer Doug Hope (Big Blue Live, Endangered), producer is Gavin Boyland (Big Cats, Primates) and editor is Simon Blakeney (Dynasties, Africa, Life).
LION (Creator and Executive Producer Jon Favreau and BBC Studios Natural History Unit)
Currently in pre-production, acclaimed director Jon Favreau, the world’s foremost natural history producer, Mike Gunton, and the BBC Studios Natural History Unit have joined forces in a formidable creative partnership to present a landmark series about one the world’s most majestic creatures — Lions. When principal photography begins, Lion will follow a single pride for an unprecedented four years. In this intimate and emotional series, the filmmakers will use cutting-edge technology to explore the heart-stopping challenges facing an entire species, all told through a compelling, serialized dramatic story of a single group of characters.
The executive producers are Favreau and Gunton (Planet Earth II, Dynasties) and series editor is Simon Blakeney (Life, Dynasties); each brings unrivaled experience, an innate passion for emotional storytelling and a deep love of lions to this television event.
The Earth Day franchise series kicks off in 2023 with SECRETS OF THE ELEPHANTS (Michael Nichols/National Geographic Creative)
SECRETS OF THE ELEPHANTS and SECRETS OF THE OCTOPUS (Executive Producer James Cameron, Oxford Scientific Films, SeaLight Pictures)
National Geographic turns its 2021 Emmy-winning SECRETS OF THE WHALES natural history limited series into a new annual multipart franchise presented to coincide with Earth Day each year, SECRETS OF… with James Cameron returning as Executive Producer. Each year will focus on one species to fully explore its unique traits and culture. In 2023, the franchise will present SECRETS OF THE ELEPHANTS with conservationist Dr. Paula Kahumbu, winner of the Rolex National Geographic Explorer of the Year (2021). Elephants have long been a source of wonder and mystery with their rich emotional lives and almost supernatural ways of navigating the world.
In SECRETS OF THE ELEPHANTS, we travel the globe to meet different families of elephants, each with their own set of remarkable cultural behaviors which they’ve adapted to suit the environment in which they live. This series deploys the latest science and brand-new camera technology to reveal the elephant’s secret world, revealing not just how truly extraordinary they are in their own right but also how similar they are to humans. Desert elephants, forest elephants, Asian elephants and African savannah elephants each have an incredible story of intelligence, grace and survival to tell.
For SECRETS OF THE ELEPHANTS, Emmy Award-winners James Cameron and Maria Wilhelm for Earthship are executive producers. Lucinda Axelsson is the executive producer for Oxford Scientific Films. SECRETS OF THE OCTOPUS will be presented by wildlife scientist Dr. Alexandra Schnell. It is executive produced by Emmy Award-winners James Cameron and Maria Wilhelm for Earthship, two-time Emmy Award nominee Colette Beaudry and Emmy Award Honoree Adam Geiger for SeaLight Pictures.
SENTIENT (Executive Producer Darren Aronosky’s Protozoa and Wildstar Films)
If monkeys do math, whales mourn their dead, bees draw maps and the largest communication network on Earth is run by mushrooms — how special are we? For centuries we’ve set ourselves apart from nature because of the way we think and feel and learn, but the latest revelations from the fields of animal behavior, cognition and psychology reveal some astonishing truths about the other minds with which we share our planet.
SENTIENT will show that life at all scales — plants, animals and arguably, entire ecosystems — has aspects of sentience and will ask us to rethink our place in nature. Executive producers for Protozoa are Darren Aronofsky and Ari Handel. Executive Producers for Wildstar Films are Mark Linfield and Vanessa Berlowitz. The showrunner is Hannah Gibson (Savage Kingdom and Earth From Space).
An Anole lizard breathing underwater using its air bubble in Costa Rica (National Geographic for Disney+/Robin Cox)
SUPER/NATURAL (Executive Producer James Cameron and Plimsoll Productions)
Narrated by Benedict Cumberbatch
Executive-produced by James Cameron and narrated by Academy Award-nominated and BAFTA Award-winning actor Benedict Cumberbatch, this new series will utilize the latest scientific innovations and leading-edge filmmaking technology to reveal the secret powers and super-senses of the world’s most extraordinary animals, inviting viewers to see and hear beyond normal human perception to experience the natural world as a specific species does — from seeing flowers in bee-vision to eavesdropping on a conversation between elephant seals to soaring the length of a football field with glow-in-the-dark squirrels.
Set to premiere later this year, the series is executive produced by Emmy Award-winners James Cameron and Maria Wilhelm for Earthship and multiple Emmy and BAFTA Award-winning executive producers Martha Holmes and Tom Hugh-Jones. The showrunners are Matt Brandon and Bill Markham.
THE BIGGEST LITTLE FARM SERIES (FarmLore Films in Association With Apricot Lane Farms and Neon)
After previously announcing a special for this year’s Earth Day based on the award-winning feature documentary about John and Molly Chester, who abandon their Los Angeles urban life to instead live on a dried-up farm in Ventura County, National Geographic has announced it will expand into a series for Disney+. Over the course of 14 years, the Chesters transformed that farm into Apricot Lane Farms, a magical working farm that reflects the biodiversity of our planet and continued to document the whole process in a new heartwarming series that’s akin to a real-life “Charlotte’s Web.”
The series will introduce the audience to the animals on the farm, including Georgie, the gopher-eating egret, Walter, the rooster who protects injured chickens, and an adorable lamb named Moe who befriends the family. The executive producers are Erica Messer, Sandra Keats and John Chester. The series is directed by John Chester.
BEYOND BELIEF WITH DAVID BLAINE (Executive Producers Brian Grazer and Ron Howard and Imagine Documentaries) BEYOND BELIEF WITH DAVID BLAINE presents a rarely seen side of magician and endurance artist David Blaine. This new documentary adventure series brings viewers along as Blaine goes on a global odyssey across remote cultures, each embedded with unique histories and practices. He will hunt for extraordinary people — including shamans, fakirs and magicians who perform magic that defies what doctors and scientists think is possible — and convince them to share their secrets.
Brian Grazer, Ron Howard, David Blaine, Sara Bernstein, Justin Wilkes and Matthew Akers are executive producers. Toby Oppenheimer is the executive producer and showrunner.
THE EPIC ADVENTURES OF BERTIE GREGORY (Wildstar Films)
The face of a new generation of aspirational adventurers and natural history filmmakers, 27-year-old Bertie Gregory takes viewers on an epic and nail-biting journey that pushes into the most spectacular and secretive corners of our wild world. Armed with leading-edge film technology, Bertie breaks the mold of the traditional natural history program by telling extraordinary, real-life animal stories and taking viewers with him for every beat of the action.
For weeks at a time, the charismatic BAFTA Award-winning cinematographer immerses himself into the animals’ lives to capture the untold stories of iconic creatures living in some of the harshest environments on our planet. This season will see Bertie braving the icy worlds of Antarctica in search of the biggest gathering of whales ever filmed and coming face-to-face with specialist buffalo-hunting lions in Zambia. In this multipart adventure series, he will take audiences on an ambitious odyssey across the globe, showcasing the natural world at a time when it faces its greatest challenges. Set to premiere later this year, the series has also been picked up for a second season, which is filming now.
Executive producers for Wildstar Films are BAFTA and Emmy Award-winning Vanessa Berlowitz and Anwar Mamon. The showrunner is James Brickell.
PHOTOGRAPHER (Executive Producers E. Chai Vasarhelyi and Jimmy Chin and Their Production Company, Little Monster Films)
A stunning and intimate documentary series from Academy and Emmy Award-winners E. Chai Vasarhelyi and Jimmy Chin (Free Solo, The Rescue), PHOTOGRAPHER will tell the intensely personal stories of the world’s greatest visual storytellers and artists, from how they found themselves behind a camera to how they dedicate themselves to the endless pursuit of perfecting their craft. Spanning diverse genres of photography, each episode will profile an extraordinary photographer, taking viewers on a journey to discover just what it takes to produce the world’s most iconic images and providing an immersive ride on what it feels like to be a photographer behind the lens during extraordinary moments.
Each episode will be directed by a different filmmaker, who will partner with a photographer to tell the story of his or her life. Vasarhelyi and Chin directed the first episode featuring conservation photographers Paul Nicklen and Cristina Mittermeier.
A SMALL LIGHT (Executive Producers and Writers Joan Rater and Tony Phelan, Executive Producer and Director Susanna Fogel) From ABC Signature in partnership with Keshet Studios
A powerful limited scripted series tells the remarkable story of twentysomething Miep Gies who, when her boss Otto Frank came to her and asked her to hide his family from the Nazis during World War II, didn’t hesitate. For the next two years, Miep, her husband Jan, and the other helpers watched over the eight souls in hiding in the Secret Annex. And it was Miep who found Anne’s Diary and preserved it so that she and Otto could later share it with the world.
Gies, who died in 2010 at the age of 100, was an amazing and unlikely heroine whose story is inspiring, and deeply humanistic. The series title comes from something Gies said late in her life: “I don’t like being called a hero because no one should ever think you have to be special to help others. Even an ordinary secretary or a housewife or a teenager can turn on a small light in a dark room.”
The screenwriters are Joan Rater and Tony Phelan. DGA award winner and Emmy® nominated Susanna Fogel will direct multiple episodes. The Disney+ Original limited series A SMALL LIGHT, from National Geographic, will be produced by ABC Signature in partnership with Keshet Studios. Executive producers are Joan Rater, Tony Phelan, Susanna Fogel; Keshet Studios’ Peter Traugott, Keshet International’s Alon Shtruzman and Keshet Media Group’s Avi Nir. Executive producers are Joan Rater, Tony Phelan, Susanna Fogel; Keshet Studios’ Peter Traugott, Keshet International’s Alon Shtruzman and Keshet Media Group’s Avi Nir.
WE FEED PEOPLE (From Director Ron Howard and Producers Brian Grazer and Imagine Documentaries)
Premieres Friday, May 27
WE FEED PEOPLE spotlights renowned chef José Andrés and his nonprofit World Central Kitchen’s incredible mission and evolution over 12 years, from being a scrappy group of grassroots volunteers to becoming one of the most highly regarded humanitarian aid organizations in the disaster relief sector. As the world’s most prominent food-focused first responders, Andrés and the World Central Kitchen team have snapped into action, combating hunger in the wake of crisis by serving over 60 million meals to date. Featuring exclusive access to World Central Kitchen’s initiatives and archives, the documentary follows Andrés and his team around the globe as they address the increasing environmental and humanitarian crises that devastate our world the best way they know how: through food.
The film takes an in-depth look at World Central Kitchen’s collaborations with local chefs to feed affected people and first responders, which has instilled an extraordinary sense of hope in these communities. From the front lines of a crisis to the backrooms of the kitchen, the film examines the restoration of community and the activation of change, one meal at a time.
Joining Brian Grazer and Ron Howard as producers are Sara Bernstein, Justin Wilkes, Walter Matteson and Meredith Kaulfers. For Imagine Entertainment, Michael Rosenberg and Louisa Velis are executive producers. For World Central Kitchen, Nate Mook and Richard Wolffe are executive producers. Sam Pollard is a consulting producer and Andrew Morreale is the editor.
AMERICA THE BEAUTIFUL (Wildstar Films)
Narrated by Michael B. Jordan
From the award-winning producers of Planet Earth, Frozen Planet and the Disneynature films, AMERICA THE BEAUTIFUL, narrated by Michael B. Jordan, is the jaw-dropping story of our homeland and its amazing animals. North America is the most diverse and extreme continent on Earth. The only place where you can find every landscape, from Arctic icecap to baking desert and everything in-between. We take a journey through America’s most spectacular regions — the mountainous Northwest, the steamy South, the arid West and the endless Heartland. Whatever the neighborhood, there’s a hero who can make it a home.
Smart, tough, brave, you name it, the animals of North America have what it takes to overcome the elements and thrive. In our closing episode, we meet the human heroes fighting to preserve our wildlife and wild places for future generations. Executive producers for Wildstar Films are multi-BAFTA and Emmy Award-winning team of Mark Linfield and Vanessa Berlowitz. The showrunner is Dan Rees.
A REAL BUG’S LIFE (Plimsoll Productions) A REAL BUG’S LIFE will be one of the most ambitious and innovative natural history series ever to be made. Only now, with recent advancements in camera technology, can we meet these extraordinary little characters and see our colossal world through their tiny eyes. A REAL BUG’S LIFE takes viewers on an unforgettable journey that exposes how these microsized creatures keep our world turning while facing monstrous forces and threats. From the savannas of Africa and the Australian Outback to the streets of New York and your own backyard, each episode immerses the viewer inside a microcosm, where tiny-yet-extraordinary creatures rely on their mighty abilities to make it through the day.
In ten spellbinding episodes, we take you on adventures into a world beyond your imagination to show you what life is like on planet Earth from a bug’s eye view. Set to premiere in 2023, the series boasts multiple Emmy and BAFTA Award-winning executive producers: Tom Hugh-Jones and Martha Holmes. Showrunners are Helen Williamson and Nat Sharman.
LIMITLESS WITH CHRIS HEMSWORTH (Executive Producer Darren Aronofsky and Protozoa and Executive Producer Jane Root and Nutopia)
What if you could combat aging and discover the full potential of the human body? Global movie star Chris Hemsworth explores this revolutionary idea in the new National Geographic original series LIMITLESS WITH CHRIS HEMSWORTH, created by Darren Aronofsky and hailing from his production company Protozoa and Jane Root’s Nutopia.
New scientific research is shattering conventional wisdom about the human body and offering fascinating insights into how we can all unlock our body’s superpowers to fight illness, perform better and even reverse the aging process! This science is put to the test by Hemsworth, who, despite being in peak superhero condition, is on a personal mission to learn how to extend our health, strength and intellect further into our later years. Undergoing a series of epic trials and extraordinary challenges in order to understand the limits of the human body, he’ll learn firsthand how we can live better for longer by discovering ways to regenerate damage, maximize strength, build resilience, supercharge memory and confront mortality.
Entertaining, immersive and life-changing, LIMITLESS will rewrite the rulebook on living better for longer. Chris Hemsworth and Ben Grayson are executive producers. For Protozoa, Darren Aronofsky, Ari Handel and Scott Franklin are executive producers. For Nutopia, Jane Root, Arif Nurmohamed and Ruth Shurman are executive producers.
OCEANXPLORERS (Executive Producer James Cameron, OceanX and BBC Studios Natural History Unit)
From National Geographic Explorer James Cameron, OceanX and BBC Studios Natural History Unit comes the most ambitious ocean adventure ever filmed. OCEANXPLORERS takes audiences aboard an advanced scientific research vessel, OceanXplorer, to investigate the farthest frontiers of the world’s oceans, 95% of which are entirely unexplored. Combining a high-end, science-driven documentary with breathtaking sequences to capture the drama and thrill of exploration, the six-part series is a high-stakes adventure in ocean discovery.
James Cameron and Maria Wilhelm are executive producers. For BBC Studios Natural History Unit, Roger Webb and Orla Doherty are executive producers. For OceanX, Ray Dalio, Mark Dalio and Joe Ruffolo are executive producers. For Brian Catalina Entertainment, Brian Catalina is executive producer.
QUEENS (Wildstar Films)
Six mighty sisterhoods, six epic worlds. Meet the most powerful queens in nature, from the peace-loving bonobo chimps of the Congo basin to the ruthless jewel bees of Costa Rica. Whether they rule with love, wisdom or brute force, all would sacrifice everything for their family. This is the first natural history series to focus on matriarchal societies and put female animal leaders in the spotlight. For the first time, a female-led camera and production team draws on their feminine intuition to capture a revelatory view of the natural world.
QUEENS is also dedicated to training and supporting women around the planet to help change the face of wildlife TV. Executive producer for Wildstar Films is BAFTA and Emmy Award-winning Vanessa Berlowitz. The showrunner is Chloe Sarosh.
