HBO Max has given a straight to series order to the new drama, Pretty Little Liars: Original Sin. Riverdale‘s Robert Aguirre-Sacasa and Chilling Adventures of Sabrina‘s Lindsay Calhoon Bring are on board as writers and executive producers of the new PLL series which involves a new generation living in a new town and hiding new secrets.
Pretty Little Liars ran for seven seasons and held the title of the top-ranked scripted cable series among teen girls. It stands as the top series ever broadcast on Freeform/ABC Family. Pretty Little Liars was also among the most popular series when it came to social media, besting even Game of Thrones and America’s Got Talent over its final season.
“We’re such huge fans of what I. Marlene King and her iconic cast created, we knew that we had to treat the original series as #CANON and do something different. So we’re leaning into the suspense and horror in this reboot, which hopefully will honor what the fans loved about the hit series, while weaving in new, unexpected elements,” stated Roberto Aguirre-Sacasa and Lindsay Calhoon Bring.
Pretty Little Liars: Original Sin will be a Muckle Man Productions and Alloy Entertainment in association with Warner Bros. Television production. Leslie Morgenstein and Gina Girolamo join Aguirre-Sacasa and Calhoon Bring as executive producers.
“Roberto and Lindsay are expanding the Pretty Little Liars universe with more murder, mysteries, and scandal, and we can’t wait,” said Sarah Aubrey, head of original content, HBO Max.
Sara Shepard’s bestselling Pretty Little Liars 16-book series has sold more than nine million copies in the United States. The series was on the New York Times Best Sellers list for 80+ weeks and is also a popular read in 33 foreign countries.
The Plot, Courtesy of HBO Max:
“Twenty years ago, a series of tragic events almost ripped the blue-collar town of Millwood apart. Now, in the present day, a group of disparate teen girls — a brand-new set of Little Liars — find themselves tormented by an unknown Assailant and made to pay for the secret sin their parents committed two decades ago…as well as their own.
In the dark, coming-of-RAGE, horror-tinged drama Pretty Little Liars: Original Sin, we find ourselves miles away from Rosewood, but within the existing Pretty Little Liars universe — in a brand new town, with a new generation of Little Liars.”
Sydney Lemmon and Tom Austen star in ‘Helstrom’ (Photo Courtesy of Hulu)
Hulu will be hosting panels for Woke, Books of Blood, Monsterland, Marvel’s M.O.D.O.K., Animaniacs, and Helstrom during New York Comic Con’s “Metaverse.” With the Covid-19 pandemic still raging, New York Comic Con followed in line with the San Diego Comic-Con and other big pop culture events and has gone virtual this year. More than 250,000 normally attend the annual event held at the Javits Center in New York, and packing that many people together simply isn’t safe during an ongoing pandemic.
Hulu’s panels are spread out over the four-day event which runs Thursday, October 8th through Sunday, October 11th. All panels will be available to stream for free on New York Comic Con’s official YouTube channel and FindTheMetaverse.com.
Hulu’s 2020 New York Comic Con Lineup:
THURSDAY, OCTOBER 8th
Hulu’s Woke | In Conversation with Cast and Executive Producers of Timely New Show
• Thursday, October 8th from 7:15 PM – 7:45 PM ET / 4:15 PM – 4:45 PM PT
• Join the Cast and Executive Producers from the hit Hulu & Sony Pictures Television series WOKE for an in-depth discussion about the show and why it is so relevant for today’s times. Moderated by Davey D, a nationally-recognized Hip Hop historian and host of Hard Knock Radio on KPFA in Berkeley, CA, panelists include cast members Lamorne Morris, T. Murph, and Blake Anderson, and Executive Producers Marshall Todd (Co-Creator), Keith Knight (Co-Creator), Jay Dyer(Showrunner) and Maurice “Mo” Marable (Director).
• All 8 episodes of Woke are currently available to stream on Hulu.
From the Nightmares of Clive Barker, Join in on a Screening and Conversation with the Cast and Creator of Hulu’s BOOKS OF BLOOD
• Thursday, October 8th from 8:40 PM – 11:05 PM ET / 5:40 PM – 8:05 PM PT
• Step into uncharted and forbidden territory, joining the cast and creator of Hulu’s upcoming film BOOKS OF BLOOD for a screening and conversation around the film. Based on Clive Barker’s acclaimed horror anthology, the film will take audiences on a journey through three uncanny tales tangled in space and time. Moderated by Meagan Navarro of Bloody Disgusting, panelists include Director Brannon Braga, and cast Britt Robertson, Rafi Gavron, Anna Friel, Freda Foh Shen, and Yul Vazquez.
• The film will premiere on Hulu on October 7th.
FRIDAY, OCTOBER 9th
Conversation and Behind-The-Scenes Look at Hulu’s New Horror Series Monsterland
• Friday, October 9th from 7:55 PM – 8:25 PM ET / 4:55 PM – 5:35 PM PT
• You can’t escape what lives within! Discover the monsters and unpack the thought-provoking tales brought to life in Hulu’s new series, Monsterland, based on the collection of short stories from Nathan Ballingrud’s “North American Lake Monsters.” Join cast members Jonathan Tucker, Taylor Schilling, Kelly Marie Tran, and Mike Colter, and creator/showrunner Mary Laws as they delve into the nightmares and share a look at what happened behind-the-scenes. Moderated by Mashable’s Alexis Nedd.
• All 8 episodes of Monsterland premiere Friday, October 2nd on Hulu.
Cast of Marvel’s M.O.D.O.K. Reveals First Look At Hulu’s New Animated Series
• Friday, October 9th from 8:30 PM – 9:00 PM ET / 5:30 PM – 6:00 PM PT
• Everyone’s favorite big-headed, egomaniacal supervillain is coming to Hulu! Get an exclusive first look at the upcoming adult animated series, Marvel’s M.O.D.O.K., hear from creators Patton Oswalt and Jordan Blum and meet our hilarious cast of characters voiced by Aimee Garcia, Ben Schwartz and Melissa Fumero.
Watch the Exclusive Sneak-Peek of Hulu’s Helstrom
• Friday, October 9th from 9:05 PM – 9:50 PM ET / 6:05 PM – 6:50 PM PT
• Get an exclusive sneak-peek at the first 10-minutes of Hulu’s Helstrom followed by a conversation with showrunner Paul Zbyszewski and cast – Tom Austen, Sydney Lemmon, Elizabeth Marvel, Ariana Guerra, June Carryl and Alain Uy – where they discuss what went into bringing this twisted comic to life and answer fans’ burning questions. Moderated by TV Guide Magazine’s Damian Holbrook.
• All 10 episodes of Helstrom premiere Friday, October 16th on Hulu.
SUNDAY, OCTOBER 11th
It’s time for AN-I-MAN-IACS! Voice Cast & Producer Panel
• Sunday, October 11th from 1:05 PM – 1:35 PM ET / 10:05 AM – 10:35 AM PT
• The Warner brothers, Yakko and Wakko, and the Warner sister Dot are heading home to the Warner Bros. Water Tower. But first they’re making a quick stop at NY Comic Con to give the fans an exclusive first look at their brand-new series coming soon to Hulu. Join executive producer Wellesley Wild, co-executive producer Gabe Swarr and voice cast members Rob Paulsen, Tress MacNeille, Jess Harnell and Maurice LaMarche for a lively panel – moderated by TV Guide Magazine’s Damian Holbrook – that will most definitely be zany to the max. Animaniacs is produced by Amblin Television in association with Warner Bros. Animation and premieres on Hulu on Friday, November 20.
• All 13 episodes of Animaniacs will premiere on Hulu on November 20th.
Carrie Underwood’s ‘My Gift’ (Photo by Joseph Llanes)
Seven-time Grammy Award winner Carrie Underwood will be spreading holiday cheer with her own HBO Max holiday special. Underwood will launch My Gift – her first full-length Christmas album – on September 25th (vinyl version arriving on October 30th), and the just-announced special will feature songs from that holiday album.
HBO Max’s announcement did not include an air date for the special.
“Carrie Underwood is a multi-faceted talent and we are thrilled to be partnering with her and our friends at Playtone to bring a dose of holiday cheer,” stated Sarah Aubrey, head of original content, HBO Max.
“The journey of writing and recording this album started last year when I finished my tour and we could have never anticipated the circumstances we would be in this year,” said Carrie Underwood. “Creating this album has been good for my heart and I’m thrilled to get to share it with the world and to bring it to life with Playtone and HBO Max.”
According to HBO Max, Underwood’s holiday special will include a live orchestra and choir, with the popular five-time CMA Female Vocalist of the Year singing new material along with traditional holiday favorites.
Playtone’s Gary Goetzman and Tom Hanks are executive producing along with Carrie Underwood and her manager, Ann Edelblute.
My Gift Tracklist:
Joyful, Joyful, We Adore Thee (Traditional)
O Come All Ye Faithful (Traditional)
Let There Be Peace (Carrie Underwood, Brett James, David Garcia)
Little Drummer Boy (featuring Isaiah Fisher) (Harry Simeone, Henry Onorati, Katherine Davis)
Sweet Baby Jesus (Carrie Underwood, Brett James, David Garcia)
Hallelujah (with John Legend) (John Stephens, Toby Gad)
O Holy Night (Traditional)
Mary, Did You Know? (Buddy Greene, Mark Lowry)
Have Yourself A Merry Little Christmas (Ralph Blane, Hugh Martin)
By show of hands, how many of you squealed with joy over the surprise announcement of Father of the Bride Part 3(ish)? Netflix will premiere the special mini-sequel to the popular Father of the Bride (1991) and Father of the Bride Part 2 (1995) on Friday, September 25, 2020 at 3pm PT/6pm ET.
The special sequel(ish) will air only on Netflix YouTube and Facebook.
Nancy Meyers, writer of the original films, wrote and directed the mini-sequel. Meyers supports the World Central Kitchen and created this sequel to raise awareness of the non-profit organization. Famous Chef and humanitarian José Andrés founded the World Central Kitchen which is currently actively involved in supplying meals for kids and families affected by the Covid-19 pandemic.
Meyers’ mini-sequel brings back the cast of the original films including Steve Martin as George Banks, Diane Keaton as Nina Banks, Kieran Culkin as Matty Banks, Kimberly Williams-Paisley as Annie Banks-MacKenzie, George Newbern as Bryan MacKenzie, and Martin Short as Franck Eggelhoffer. Netflix also promises a few special guests will make appearances in the special sequel.
The Queen’s Gambit official trailer opens with a voiceover dispensing wise advice: “Men are going to come along and want to teach you things. Doesn’t make them any smarter. You just let them blow by and you go on ahead and do just want in the hell you feel like.”
The Netflix limited series’ two and a half minute trailer lays out the story of a young girl thrust into the spotlight because of her phenomenal chess skills. Anya Taylor-Joy stars as the chess prodigy in this drama based on Walter Tevis’ novel.
The cast also includes Marielle Heller, Thomas Brodie-Sangster, Moses Ingram, Harry Melling, and Bill Camp. Two-time Oscar nominee Scott Frank (Logan, Out of Sight) co-created the series, adapted the novel, and serves as an executive producer. William Horberg and co-creator Allan Scott also executive produce.
Netflix has set an October 23, 2020 premiere date.
The Plot and Key Characters, Courtesy of Netflix:
The Netflix limited series drama The Queen’s Gambit is a coming-of-age story that explores the true cost of genius. Abandoned and entrusted to a Kentucky orphanage in the late 1950s, a young Beth Harmon (Taylor-Joy) discovers an astonishing talent for chess while developing an addiction to tranquilizers provided by the state as a sedative for the children.
ANYA TAYLOR-JOY is Elizabeth (Beth) Harmon: An orphaned girl in Kentucky who realizes an incredible talent for chess while developing a dependency on tranquilizers at an early age. As she grows into a young woman, Beth is fueled by her addictions, jeopardizing herself and those around her in her determined pursuit of becoming champion.
MARIELLE HELLER is Mrs. Alma Wheatley: A lonely housewife with an absent husband and her own vices, Alma welcomes Beth as both her adopted daughter and much-needed companion.
THOMAS BRODIE-SANGSTER is Benny Watts: Arrogant, confident and calm, Benny Watts, a young chess talent himself, becomes one of Beth’s greatest opponents as well as one of her closest allies.
MOSES INGRAM is Jolene: Fellow orphan, and host to new resident, Jolene, quickly befriends Beth and helps her navigate the rules and regulations of orphan life.
HARRY MELLING is Harry Beltik: A traditional learner and one of the best chess players in the state of Kentucky, Harry is in awe of Beth’s talent and enters her life when she is at a low point.
BILL CAMP is Mr. Shaibel: A janitor who introduces Beth to the game of chess and is quickly humbled by her natural ability at the game. Mr. Shaibel opens new doors for the young prodigy.
Two new clips have arrived from the family comedy The War with Grandpa starring two-time Oscar winner Robert De Niro. The first clip finds Ed (De Niro) discovering his shaving cream has been replaced with something that definitely doesn’t belong in a bathroom cabinet. In the second new video, Ed’s grandson Peter (Oakes Fegley, The Goldfinch) makes his argument against giving up his room to his grandfather.
The cast of the PG comedy also includes Rob Riggle and Uma Thurman as Peter’s parents. Christopher Walken, Cheech Marin, Jane Seymour, and Laura Marano also star.
The comedy’s based on the popular book by Robert Kimmel Smith and was directed by Tim Hill (The SpongeBob Movie: Sponge on the Run). 101 Studios and Brookdale Studios are planning an October 9, 2020 theatrical release.
The Plot:
Sixth-grader Peter (Fegley) is pretty much your average kid-he likes gaming, hanging with his friends and his beloved pair of Air Jordans. But when his recently widowed grandfather Ed (De Niro) moves in with Peter’s family, the boy is forced to give up his most prized possession of all, his bedroom. Unwilling to let such an injustice stand, Peter devises a series of increasingly elaborate pranks to drive out the interloper, but Grandpa Ed won’t go without a fight. Soon, the friendly combatants are engaged in an all-out war with side-splitting consequences.
Hulu’s upcoming new Marvel series, Helstrom, just dropped the full official trailer along with a season one poster. The horror series comes from showrunner Paul Zbyszewski and is set to launch all 10 episodes on Friday, October 16, 2020.
Tom Austen (The Royals) and Sydney Lemmon lead the cast as Daimon and Ana Helstrom. Elizabeth Marvel stars as Victoria Helstrom, Robert Wisdom plays Caretaker, Ariana Guerra is Gabriella Rosetti, June Carryl is Dr. Louise Hastings, and Alain Uy plays Chris Yen.
Zbyszewski executive produces with Karim Zreik and Jeph Loeb. The series is a Marvel Television and ABC Signature Studios production.
For those who want a little insight into the Marvel series prior to its premiere, cast members will be joining creator Paul Zbyszewski for a panel during the upcoming New York Comic Con’s Metaverse. The virtual version of NYCC is taking place October 8th through October 11th.
The Plot, Courtesy of Hulu:
As the son and daughter of a mysterious and powerful serial killer, Helstrom follows Daimon (Austen) and Ana Helstrom (Lemmon), and their complicated dynamic, as they track down the worst of humanity — each with their own attitude and skills.
Bob’s Burgers will be sticking around for a 12th and 13th season while Family Guy has just picked up renewal orders for its 19th and 20th seasons. Fox announced the two-season pickups which means we’ll be able to watch these animated comedies through at least the 2023 primetime season.
“Family Guy and Bob’s Burgers are key pillars of our network’s success. By taking the genre to new heights and driving pop culture in meaningful ways, they’ve laid the foundation for making ANIMATION DOMINATION one of the most powerful program blocks in all of television,” stated Michael Thorn, President, Entertainment, for FOX Entertainment. “Both of these two-season renewals affirm once again our commitment to animation and empower us to continue in our build as the leader in the space with distinct and fresh new comedies. We’d like to thank Seth, Loren and their entire teams, not to mention our partners at 20th Television, and we’re excited to continue these great shows with them.”
New episodes of Fox’s Animation Domination block premiere on Sunday, September 27, 2020.
Showrunners Loren Bouchard and Jim Dauterive created Bob’s Burgers and executive produce along with Nora Smith, Dan Fybel, Rich Rinaldi, Greg Thompson, and Jon Schroeder. Seth MacFarlane created and executive produces Family Guy. Showrunners Rich Appel and Alec Sulkin also executive produce with Steve Callaghan, Tom Devanney, Danny Smith, Kara Vallow, Mark Hentemann, and Patrick Meighan.
Fox has released details on the 11th season premiere of Bob’s Burgers as well as the 18th season premiere of Family Guy:
Bob’s Burgers “Dream A Little Bob of Bob” Plot: Bob goes on an epic quest to find a misplaced lock box key. Tina attempts to learn a hand-slapping song that everyone can do – but her – in the all-new “Dream A Little Bob of Bob” season premiere episode airing Sunday, Sept. 27 (9:00-9:30 PM ET/PT).
Family Guy “Stewie’s First Word” Plot: Stewie finally says his first word, and it’s a swear. When Lois is shunned by the other moms, she tries to figure out where Stewie could have possibly learned it in the all-new “Stewie’s First Word” season premiere and milestone 350th episode airing Sunday, Sept. 27 (9:30-10:00 PM ET/PT).
Ashley McBryde, Dan + Shay, Kelsea Ballerini, Luke Combs, Sam Hunt, and Thomas Rhett tied with the most 2020 CMT Music Awards nominations, earning three nominations each. Blanco Brown, Carrie Underwood, Gabby Barrett, Kane Brown, Little Big Town, Miranda Lambert, Old Dominion, and The Chicks followed close behind with two nominations.
The list of this year’s nominees also includes 10 first-time nominees: Blanco Brown, Caylee Hammack, Gabby Barrett, Ingrid Andress, Riley Green, Travis Denning, Halsey, Marshmello, The Highwomen, and Gwen Stefani.
Winners will be announced on Wednesday, October 21st during the awards show airing on MTV, MTV2, Logo, Paramount Network, Pop TV, and TV Land beginning at 8pm ET.
The annual CMT Music Awards are voted on by fans. Voting is now open at vote.cmt.com.
2020 CMT Music Awards Nominees:
VIDEO OF THE YEAR
Best video of the year; awarded to the artist (male, female, group/duo or collaboration) and the video director. Final nominees announced on 10/12, with final voting held until 10/16 and announced in-show.
• Ashley McBryde – “One Night Standards”
• Blanco Brown – “The Git Up”
• Carrie Underwood – “Drinking Alone”
• Dan + Shay – “I Should Probably Go To Bed”
• Keith Urban – “Polaroid”
• Kelsea Ballerini – “homecoming queen?”
• Little Big Town – “Sugar Coat”
• Luke Combs – “Beer Never Broke My Heart”
• Miranda Lambert – “Bluebird”
• Old Dominion – “Some People Do”
• Sam Hunt – “Hard To Forget”
• Tanya Tucker – “Bring My Flowers Now”
• The Chicks -“Gaslighter”
• Thomas Rhett – “Remember You Young”
FEMALE VIDEO OF THE YEAR
Best video by a female artist; awarded to the artist
• Ashley McBryde – “One Night Standards”
• Carrie Underwood – “Drinking Alone”
• Gabby Barrett – “I Hope”
• Kelsea Ballerini – “homecoming queen?”
• Maren Morris – “The Bones”
• Miranda Lambert – “Bluebird”
MALE VIDEO OF THE YEAR
Best video by a male artist; awarded to the artist
• Jason Aldean – “Got What I Got”
• Luke Bryan – “One Margarita”
• Luke Combs – “Even Though I’m Leaving”
• Morgan Wallen – “Chasin’ You (Dream Video)”
• Sam Hunt – “Hard To Forget”
• Thomas Rhett – “Remember You Young”
GROUP VIDEO OF THE YEAR
Best video by a group; awarded to the artists
• Lady A – “Champagne Night”
• Little Big Town – “Wine, Beer, Whiskey”
• Midland – “Cheatin’ Songs (Live From the Palomino)”
• Old Dominion – “One Man Band”
• The Chicks – “Gaslighter”
• The Highwomen – “Crowded Table”
DUO VIDEO OF THE YEAR
Best video by a duo; awarded to the artists
• Brothers Osborne – “All Night (Studio Performance)”
• Dan + Shay – “I Should Probably Go To Bed”
• Florida Georgia Line – “Blessings”
• LOCASH – “One Big Country Song”
• Maddie & Tae – “Die From A Broken Heart”
BREAKTHROUGH VIDEO OF THE YEAR
Best video from an artist’s major breakthrough album; awarded to the artist (male, female or group/duo)
• Blanco Brown – “The Git Up”
• Caylee Hammack – “Family Tree”
• Gabby Barrett – “I Hope”
• Ingrid Andress – “More Hearts Than Mine”
• Riley Green – “I Wish Grandpas Never Died”
• Travis Denning – “After a Few”
COLLABORATIVE VIDEO OF THE YEAR
Best video from a collaboration; awarded to the artists
• Blake Shelton with Gwen Stefani – “Nobody But You”
• Carly Pearce and Lee Brice – “I Hope You’re Happy Now”
• Dan + Shay and Justin Bieber – “10,000 Hours”
• Kane Brown featuring Nelly – “Cool Again”
• Marshmello and Kane Brown – “One Thing Right”
• Thomas Rhett featuring Jon Pardi – “Beer Can’t Fix”
CMT PERFORMANCE OF THE YEAR
Musical performance on a television show, series or variety special on CMT; awarded to the artist (individual, group or duo)
• From CMT Artists of the Year: Ashley McBryde – “One Night Standards”
• From CMT Crossroads: Brooks & Dunn and Luke Combs – “Brand New Man”
• From CMT Artists of the Year: Chris Young – “Drowning”
• From CMT Crossroads: Halsey and Kelsea Ballerini – “Graveyard”
• From CMT Artists of the Year: Sam Hunt – “Fancy”
• From CMT Crossroads: Sheryl Crow and Chris Stapleton – “Tell Me When It’s Over”
John Cena will be reprising his role from the upcoming The Suicide Squad film for the new HBO Max series Peacemaker. HBO Max has given the project a straight-to-series order, with The Suicide Squad writer/director James Gunn on board to write season one’s eight episodes. Gunn (Guardians of the Galaxy) will also direct some episodes of the first season.
The Suicide Squad producer Peter Safran will executive produce along with Gunn. Cena is a co-executive producer on the action-adventure comedy series.
“Peacemaker is an opportunity to delve into current world issues through the lens of this superhero/supervillain/and world’s biggest douchebag,” said Gunn. “I’m excited to expand The Suicide Squad and bring this character from the DC film universe to the full breadth of a series. And of course, to be able to work again with John, Peter, and my friends at Warner Bros. is the icing on the cake.”
“I have said before that it has been a tremendous honor and an incredible opportunity to be part of The Suicide Squad and to work with James on what is going to be a fantastic movie. I am unbelievably excited to have the chance to team up with him again for Peacemaker. We can’t wait for fans to see this,” stated Cena.
The Suicide Squad film is set to open in theaters on August 6, 2021. Production on Peacemaker is anticipated to kick off in early 2021. Gunn’s expected to wedge it in before he starts work on Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3.
The series will be produced by Troll Court Entertainment and The Safran Company in association with Warner Bros. Television.
“James Gunn has the unique ability to create an expansive universe while also bringing to life the soul and wit of each character. We look forward to a deep dive into the world of Peacemaker,” said Casey Bloys, Chief Content Officer for HBO and HBO Max.
The Plot Basics, Courtesy of HBO Max:
While details about Peacemaker are being kept under wraps, the series will explore the origins of the character that Cena will play in the upcoming film, a man who believes in peace at any cost — no matter how many people he has to kill to get it. The series will extend the world that Gunn is creating for The Suicide Squad movie.
