News

Top actor Asher Keddie will co-produce and star opposite David Wenham in Paramount+ Australia’s freshly-commissioned “Fake” drama-thriller series.

Keddie has a long TV career with recent credits including “The Lost Flowers of Alice Hart,” “Nine Perfect Strangers” and “Stateless.” Her movie credits include smaller roles in “X-Men Origins: Wolverine” and eccentric comedy “Rams.” Wenham’s filmography includes “SeaChange,” “Elvis,” “Lord of the Rings: The Two Towers & The Return of the King.”

“Fake” follows Keddie’s character, a smart and brilliant writer who thinks she has found her ideal match when she meets a successful rancher, portrayed by Wenham, on a dating app. But after she commits, she discovers that her boyfriend isn’t all he has led her to believe.

The show is inspired by the book “Fake” by Stephanie Wood and was created for television by renown screenwriter, Anya Beyersdorf with award-winner director, Emma Freeman.

The eight- part...

Michelle Monaghan is playing a pair of devious twin sisters, who share each others’ lives — until one of them goes missing — in the creepy new trailer for the Netflix limited series “Echoes.”

Here’s a logline for the series: “‘Echoes’ is a mystery thriller about two identical twins, Leni and Gina, who share a dangerous secret. Since they were children, Leni and Gina have secretly swapped lives, culminating in a double life as adults: they share two homes, two husbands, and a child but everything in their perfectly choreographed world is thrown into disarray when one of the sisters goes missing.”

The series stars Monaghan as the twins, alongside Matt Bomer as Jack, Daniel Sunjata as Charlie, Ali Stroker as Claudia, Karen Robinson as Sheriff Louise Floss, Rosanny Zayas as Deputy Paula Martinez, Michael O’Neill as Victor, Celia Weston as Grandma Georgia Taylor, Gable Swanlund as Mathilda, Tyner Rushing as Maria,...

Kindling Pictures, the new production company headed by award-winning Australian producer Imogen Banks has begun production on its maiden show “Safe Home.”

The four-part thriller, which is made for Australian public broadcaster Special Broadcasting Services (Sbs), stars Aisha Dee (“Sissy” and TV’s “The Bold Type”) in the tale of a twenty-something professional who leaves her job at a prominent law firm to help a struggling family violence legal center stop looming funding cuts. As interconnecting stories unfold, relationships are tested and the pressure mounts to save the center. With so much at stake, the woman must navigate a path that isn’t always clear – and things aren’t always as they appear.

Directed by award-winning director Stevie Cruz-Martin and created by acclaimed playwright Anna Barnes, “Safe Home” was inspired by Barnes’ time working at a family legal center in Melbourne. The series is written by Barnes, Michelle Law and...

Exclusive: The first season of hit Australian drama Rfds, which portrays the modern heroes of the Royal Flying Doctor Service, has been sold by Banijay Rights across Europe and the Middle East.

Australian Seven Network’s gripping show has been picked up by Sky Italia, Ireland’s Rte, M7 Group S.A. in the Czech Republic and Slovakia, TV Joj in Slovakia and The Walt Disney Company in Africa and the Middle East.

The highly-rated show has just been renewed for a second season.

The sales follow earlier deals struck with the UK’s Channel 4, U.S. network PBS, Tvnz New Zealand and several other European territories, and the second season is currently being written by Ian Meadows and Claire Phillips.

Produced by Endemol Shine Australia, the first run followed the doctors, nurses, pilots and support staff who work for the Rfds. The second season comes a year after Eliza left Broken Hill behind,...

Netflix released a trailer for “Q-Force,” an animated series starring Sean Hayes, Gary Cole, David Harbour, Patti Harrison, Laurie Metcalf, Matt Rogers, Wanda Sykes and Gabe Liedman that launches Sept. 2.

“Q-Force” follows Steve Mayweather, Aka Agent Mary (voiced by Hayes), who was once the leader of the American Intelligence Agency (Aia) until he came out as gay. The Agency was not able to fire him on the basis of his sexual orientation, so they sent him to West Hollywood to disappear into obscurity. Instead, Steve put together a rag-tag group of LGBTQ geniuses, joining forces with the expert mechanic Deb (Sykes), master of drag and disguise Twink Rogers), and hacker Stat (Harrison), making the “Q-Force” squad.

“Q-Force” is created by Liedman, who executive produces alongside Hayes, Todd Milliner, Ben Heins, Mike Schur and David Miner.

Watch the trailer below.

Also in today’s TV news roundup…

Programming

HBO Max announced...

Exclusive: Tony winner Ali Stroker (Oklahoma!), Karen Robinson (Schitt’s Creek) and Rosanny Zayas (The L Word: Generation Q) are set as series regulars opposite Michelle Monaghan, Matt Bomer and Daniel Sunjata in Echoes, Netflix’s psychological thriller limited series from 13 Reasons Why showrunner Brian Yorkey.

Created and written by Vanessa Gazy, Echoes is a mystery thriller about identical twins Leni and Gina, both portrayed by Monaghan, who share a dangerous secret. Since they were children, Leni and Gina secretly have swapped lives, culminating in a double life as adults: They share two homes, two husbands and a child, but everything in their perfectly choreographed world is thrown into disarray when one of the sisters goes missing.

Stroker will play Claudia, the sister who can’t quite penetrate the mysterious community formed by the twins. After a tragic moment that left her in a wheelchair, Claudia has risen to become the caretaker of the family home,...

Exclusive: Daniel Sunjata (Power Book II: Ghost) is set as a lead opposite Michelle Monaghan and Matt Bomer in Echoes, Netflix’s psychological thriller limited series from 13 Reasons Why showrunner Brian Yorkey.

Created and written by Vanessa Gazy, Echoes is a mystery thriller about identical twins Leni and Gina, both portrayed by Monaghan, who share a dangerous secret. Since they were children, Leni and Gina secretly have swapped lives, culminating in a double life as adults: They share two homes, two husbands and a child, but everything in their perfectly choreographed world is thrown into disarray when one of the sisters goes missing.

Sunjata will play Gina’s husband, Charlie Davenport. The quintessential Los Angeles psychotherapist, he is empathetic, charismatic with an intellect to match. Married to Gina, he finds himself caught in the undertow of her deep connection to twin Leni. But he has a hidden dimension as well.

Seven Network action drama Rfds will launch in a further six territories following its Australian premiere this month after securing a slew of international sales.

Distributor Banijay Rights confirmed the program has been acquired by Channel 4 for More 4 in the UK, PBS in the US, TV4 in Sweden, Sbs in Belgium, Talpa in the Netherlands, and Tvnz in New Zealand.

Banijay Rights EVP for sales and acquisitions Emea Claire Jago said the company was pleased with the widespread interest in Rfds.

“Based on extraordinary real-life stories, Rfds is a powerful drama series that not only perfectly chronicles the edge-of-your-seat emergencies our heroes attend, but also the sense of community that brings these lives together,” she said.

Filmed on location in and around Broken Hill, Rfds portrays the modern-day personnel of the Royal Flying Doctor Service, capturing the challenges for doctors, nurses, pilots, and support staff in conducting emergency...

Australian drama “Rfds: Royal Flying Doctor Service” has been sold to a range of global broadcasters including PBS in the U.S. and Channel 4 in the U.K.

It has also been acquired by Sweden’s TV4, Belgium’s Sbs, Talpa in the Netherlands and New Zealand’s Tvnz. In the U.K. it will be broadcast on Channel 4’s More 4.

“Rfds: Royal Flying Doctor Service,” which charts the fictional lives of the pilots, doctors, nurses and support staff working within the Royal Flying Doctor Service, premieres on Australia’s Channel 7 and 7Plus next Wednesday.

The real Rfds, who participated in the series, is tasked with rescuing people from some of Australia’s most inhospitable terrains. Endemol Shine spent over a year researching the service, interviewing pilots, doctors and patients and even filmed some of the series on a real Rfds base.

Co-created by Imogen Banks, Mark Fennessy and Ian Meadows,...

Exclusive: Matt Bomer is set as a male lead opposite Michelle Monaghan in Echoes, Netflix’s psychological thriller limited series from 13 Reasons Why showrunner Brian Yorkey.

Created and written by Vanessa Gazy, Echoes is a mystery thriller about identical twins Leni and Gina, both portrayed by Monaghan, who share a dangerous secret. Since they were children, Leni and Gina secretly have swapped lives, culminating in a double life as adults: They share two homes, two husbands and a child, but everything in their perfectly choreographed world is thrown into disarray when one of the sisters goes missing.

Bomer will play Jack Beck, Leni’s husband. He is the boy-next-door who grew up to be the husband everybody wishes they had: soulful, a loving father and a valuable member of the community who runs a successful veterinary practice and horse farm on the land that has been in his family for generations.

Michelle Monaghan has been cast to play identical twins in Netflix’s upcoming limited series “Echoes,” a psychological thriller from executive producers and co-showrunners Brian Yorkey (“13 Reasons Why”) and Quinton Peeples (“Runaways”).

Per the logline, “Echoes” is a mystery thriller about two identical twins, Leni and Gina, who share a dangerous secret: Since they were children, they have secretly swapped lives, culminating in a double life as adults. They share two homes, two husbands and a child, but everything in their perfectly choreographed world is thrown into disarray when one of the sisters goes missing. Though identical, each sister is unique. Leni is the sister that is content to stay home, marry her childhood sweetheart, raise her daughter and help run the beautiful horse farm where everyone lives together rooted in their long shared history. Meanwhile, Gina is the rebellious sister who turned her back on all that and...

Michelle Monaghan is set to play dual lead roles in Netflix’s Echoes, a psychological thriller limited series about identical twins from 13 Reasons Why writer/executive producer/showrunner Brian Yorkey, Quinton Peeples (Runaways) and Australian writer-producer Vanessa Gazy (Eden).

Created and written by Gazy, Echoes is a mystery thriller about identical twins Leni and Gina, both portrayed by Monaghan, who share a dangerous secret. Since they were children, Leni and Gina secretly have swapped lives, culminating in a double life as adults: They share two homes, two husbands and a child, but everything in their perfectly choreographed world is thrown into disarray when one of the sisters goes missing.

Born identical twins, each sister is unique; Leni is the sister that is content to stay home, marry her childhood sweetheart, raise her daughter and help run the beautiful horse farm where everyone lives together rooted in their long shared history.

Michelle Monaghan has been cast in the dual lead role on Netflix's upcoming thriller series "Echoes," the streamer said Wednesday.

Described as a mystery thriller, the seven-episode series centers on two identical twins, Leni and Gina, who have secretly swapped lives since they were children. "They share two homes, two husbands, and a child but everything in their perfectly choreographed world is thrown into disarray when one of the sisters goes missing," reads the streamer's description.

Monaghan will star as both Leni and Gina. Leni is described as "content to stay home, marry her childhood sweetheart, raise her daughter and help run the beautiful horse farm where everyone lives together rooted in their long shared history," while Gina is the "rebellious sister that turned her back on all that and escaped to Los Angeles where she rose to quick fame writing about a darker undertow that informed her Southern childhood.

Based on real-life stories, Rfds portrays the modern-day heroes of the Royal Flying Doctor Service.

The new action-drama from Endemol Shine Banks is coming soon to Channel 7 and 7plus, starring Stephen Peacocke, Rob Collins, Emma Hamilton, Justine Clarke and Ash Ricardo.

Filmed on location in and around Broken Hill, Rfds captures the beauty and brutality of Australia’s vast centre where the doctors and the nurses, pilots and support staff of the Rfds negotiate the unique challenges of emergency rescues across some of the most inhospitable places in the country

Imogen Banks co-created the series with Mark Fennessy and Ian Meadows, and produces with Sara Richardson. Jennifer Leacey is the set-up director, with Jeremy Sims and Adrian Russell Wills.

Writers include Meadows, Claire Phillips, Wills and Jon Bell.

Rfds has received major production investment from Seven in association with Screen Australia. It was financed with support from Screen Nsw...

“13 Reasons Why” showrunner Brian Yorkey has inked a new overall deal with Netflix and has set up the limited series thriller “Echoes” at the streamer, Netflix announced Tuesday.

The seven-episode series is described as “a mystery thriller about two identical twins, Leni and Gina, who share a dangerous secret,” according to Netflix. “Since they were children, Leni and Gina have secretly swapped lives, culminating in a double life as adults: they share two homes, two husbands, and a child but everything in their perfectly choreographed world is thrown into disarray when one of the sisters goes missing.”

Yorkey will executive produce and serve as co-showrunner alongside “Runaways” alum Quinton Peeples. Vanessa Gazy is creator, writer and executive producer on the project. Imogen Banks and Endemol Shine Banks Australia also executive produce.

Yorkey, who served as showrunner on all four seasons of Netflix’s teen suicide drama “13 Reasons Why,...

Netflix has greenlighted Echoes, a twin-sisters limited series from 13 Reasons Why writer/executive producer/showrunner Brian Yorkey. The Pulitzer Prize-winning writer will serve as executive producer and co-showrunner on the psychological thriller as part of a multi-year overall deal with the streamer for series and other projects.

Echoes, which has received a seven-episode order, was created and written by Australian writer-producer Vanessa Gazy (Eden), who also will executive produce, with Quinton Peeples (Runaways) serving as executive producer/co-showrunner alongside Yorkey. The series also hails from executive producers Imogen Banks (The Beautiful Lie) and Endemol Shine Banks Australia.

Echoes is a mystery thriller about identical twins Leni and Gina, who share a dangerous secret. Since they were children, Leni and Gina secretly have swapped lives, culminating in a double life as adults: They share two homes, two husbands and a child, but everything in their perfectly choreographed world is thrown into...

The voting public has proclaimed 2011’s Red Dog as their favourite Aussie film of the decade via the Aacta Audience Awards.

Red Dog, directed by Kriv Stenders and produced by Nelson Woss and Julie Ryan, won the Aacta Award for Best Film in 2012, and grossed $21.5 million at the box office.

Network10/Endemol Shine Australia’s Offspring, created by Debra Oswald, Imogen Banks and John Edwards, was deemed Australia’s favourite TV drama of the decade. The show’s star Asher Keddie was also awarded favourite TV actor.

Apparently this happened last night … Red Dog was Your Favourite Australian Film Of The Decade on the Aacta Popular Vote Awards. Thanks peeps ! @RoadshowFilms @Screen_QLD @Screenwest @Aacta pic.twitter.com/Ar7X5gNCbw

— Kriv Stenders (@krivstenders) December 3, 2020

Hugh Jackman was named favourite global star, and Celeste Barber favourite comedy performer.

Masterchef’s Poh Ling Yeow was named favourite TV contestant, while Mick Fanning...

‘Holey Moley.’

The Seven Network is counting on new and returning franchises and three new Australian dramas to maintain ratings momentum next year.

Unveiling its 2021 schedule today, Seven trumpeted The Voice, Holey Moley, Ultimate Tag, Big Brother, Farmer Wants a Wife, Australia’s Got Talent and the renewal of Sas Australia.

The network also revealed it will revive Fremantle’s Australian Idol, which last screened on Network 10 in 2009. Production on the reboot is due to start mid-year and it will premiere in February 2022.

The dramas are Endemol Shine Banks’ Rfds ; Roadshow Rough Diamond’s Australian Gangster, which finally makes the schedule after a three-year delay due to legal issues; and the second season of Every Cloud Productions’ Ms Fisher’s Modern Murder Mysteries, a co-commission with North American streamer Acorn TV.

Among the new factual entertainment shows, Blink TV’s Australia: Now and Then, will ask celebrities, comedians, musicians,...

Imogen Banks (Photo credit: Daniel Asher Smith).

When Endemol Shine Australia’s Mark Fennessy and Imogen Banks started developing a drama inspired by the Royal Flying Doctors Service two years ago, neither could have imagined how much more topical and relevant the subject would become.

Based on the true-life heroics of the service’s doctors, nurses, pilots and support staff, the eight-part Seven Network drama Rfds (working title) started shooting in Broken Hill today with Jennifer Leacey as the set-up director. Leacey is directing four episodes and Jeremy Sims and Adrian Russell Wills are each helming two.

“The series feels very timely with what is going on in the world at the moment,” Banks, who is producing with Sara Richardson, tells If.

Banks, who co-created the series with Fennessy, based on his original idea, and Ian Meadows, continues: “We’re very lucky to be telling a story about people who...

The Royal Flying Doctor Service.

The Seven Network’s drama centred on the staff and patients of the Royal Flying Doctor Service is the latest production casualty of the coronavirus pandemic.

Pre-production was underway and Endemol Shine Australia (Esa) had intended to start shooting in Broken Hill in late April with Jennifer Leacey as the set-up director.

An Esa spokesperson told If: “Due to the ever changing situation of Covid-19, it has been decided to temporarily suspend pre-production of Rfds (working title). We will continue to assess the situation to determine when production can recommence.

“We remain committed to working with the incredible Royal Flying Doctor Service and the Broken Hill community and look forward to telling their stories.”

Based on real-life events, the series created by Imogen Banks will follow the doctors, nurses, pilots and support staff of the Rfds at work and in their private lives.

The cast...

First Ad Jeremy Grogan, Dop Martin McGrath and camera operator Nicolas Owens on the ‘Wakefield’ set (Photo: Lisa Tomasetti).

The Australian TV drama production sector has virtually ground to a halt with multiple shows suspending shooting last Friday.

Jungle Entertainment and BBC Studios shut down the ABC-commissioned Wakefield, the eight-episode drama set in a Blue Mountains psychiatric hospital.

“The limitations we’ve put on our incredible cast and crew over the last two weeks have made shooting more and more difficult and it is now logistically impossible and unsafe to continue,” Jungle CEO Jason Burrows tells If.

“We’re lucky to have partners in the ABC, Screen Australia, Screen Nsw and BBC Studios who have been very supportive. I just hope the government will provide some financial relief to those in need in our team, and the wider industry, while they are out of work.”

Hoodlum Entertainment called a halt...

It’s now official: Almost Family will not be returning for a second season on Fox. The writing was on the wall after the family drama series did not receive a back order and was left off the network’s midseason schedule. It was then pulled from its Wednesday slot for its last two episodes and relegated to Saturdays, concluding its 13-episode season on February 22.

While there was no expectation for Almost Family to come back, the broadcast networks tend to delay official cancellation decisions until May. Fox confirmed Almost Family‘s demise amid controversy surrounding series star Timothy Hutton who in a report published today was accused by a woman of sexual assault in 1983 when she was 14, accusation he vigorously denies.

Starring Hutton and Brittany Snow, Almost Family, based on the Australia series Sisters, was a soft ratings performer in the fall, not taking advantage of its Masked Singer lead-in.

“Almost Family” will not be returning for a second season on Fox.

The series starred Timothy Hutton, against whom an allegation of rape has recently come to light, as a fertility doctor who used his own sperm to conceive more than 100 children over the course of his career. Fox had moved the series to Saturday from its regular Wednesday time slot in mid-January, a pretty obvious signal it was unlikely to last more than 13 episodes.

Brittany Snow starred as one of the aforementioned offspring who united her half siblings, including Megalyn Echikunwoke and Emily Osment, to try and deal with issues that have been affecting their lives. Mustafa Elzein, Mo McRae, and Victoria Cartagena also starred.

“Almost Family” was created by Jason Katims and Annie Weisman and based on the Endemol Shine Australia series “Sisters,” created by Jonathan Gavin and Imogen Banks. Weisman was a writer and executive producer with Katims,...

The Timothy Hutton and Brittany Snow-led drama “Almost Family” has been canceled by Fox after one season, an individual with knowledge told TheWrap Monday.

Executive produced by Jason Katims and Annie Weisman, “Almost Family” followed Julia Bechley (Snow), who finds out her father Leon (Hutton), a prize-winning fertility doctor, used his own genetic material to conceive upwards of dozens of children. Following that revelation, Julia discovers she has two new sisters: her former best friend Edie Palmer (Megalyn Echikunwoke) and ex-Olympic athlete Roxy Doyle (Emily Osment).

News of “Almost Family’s” cancellation came hours after BuzzFeed News published a story in which 50-year-old Canadian model and actress Sera Johnston accused Hutton of raping her in a Vancouver hotel room back in 1983, when she was 14 years old.

Also Read: Timothy Hutton Accused of Raping 14-Year-Old Girl Back in 1983

Through a lawyer, Hutton told BuzzFeed News that he “completely and unequivocally...

‘Butch’.

Screen Australia has announced almost $750,000 of story development funding for nine feature films, 11 television series and two online projects.

The slate includes an Imogen Banks-produced musical dramedy, composed by Kate Miller-Heidke; a television adaptation of Melanie Cheng book Australia Day; and a feature film from Helpmann Award-winning playwright S. Shakthidharan.

Screen Australia’s head of development Nerida Moore said, “We are looking for projects that are distinctive in the market, have a very specific audience in mind and reflect a range of Australian experiences. As such, it’s fantastic to be able to support the development of these 22 productions, which give an exciting glimpse into the diversity of stories, formats and genres we will hopefully see on our screens in the coming years.”

“I’m particularly pleased Screen Australia is able to support creators to expand their skill sets and take creative risks, including actors Lucy Durack and...

Fox has not made an official decision about a back order to new drama series Almost Family. But the midseason schedule unveiled by the network today does not bode well for the IVF-gone-wrong series.

Almost Family is on the schedule in its Wednesday 9 Pm slot through January, which roughly corresponds to a 13-episode run, matching the series’ initial order.

Starting Feb. 5, Almost Family is replaced by new reality series Lego Masters, which will follow the next cycle of The Masked Singer. With fellow new fall Fox drama Prodigal Son given a full-season 22-episode order and four new dramas set to launch in midseason, 9-1-1: Lone Star and Deputy in January and Filthy Rich and NeXt in the spring, we may have seen the last of Almost Family, at least for this season.

Starring Brittany Snow and Timothy Hutton, based on the Australia series Sisters, Almost Family has been...

‘Between Two Worlds.’

When James Warburton was appointed CEO of Seven West Media succeeding Tim Worner he vowed to revitalise the Seven Network’s entertainment programming, focusing primarily on Sunday-Thursday primetime.

Warburton looks like delivering on that promise next year with a raft of initiatives including refreshes for My Kitchen Rules and House Rules, Endemol Shine Australia’s action-drama Rfds and Cjz’s four-part investigation of the disappearance of British backpacker Peter Falconio.

The line-up includes Esa’s revival of Big Brother, Screentime’s endurance competition Sas: Who Dares Wins, Eureka Productions’ extreme mini-golf competition Mega Mini Golf and Seven Studios’ Plate of Origin, billed as the “Olympics of cooking.”

Fremantle and Eureka will co-produce a new version of Farmer Wants a Wife, a format which previously aired on the Nine Network, while Fremantle’s Australia’s Got Talent has been renewed for a second season.

“I’ve been clear...

Exclusive: Michael Stahl-David is set for a major recurring role opposite Brittany Snow and Timothy Hutton on Fox’s upcoming drama series Almost Family. Based on the Endemol Shine Australia series Sisters, it hails from The Path duo of executive producer Annie Weisman and executive producer Jason Katims, original series’ co-creator Imogen Banks, Universal TV and Endemol Shine North America.

Written by Weisman, Almost Family is based on the Australian series created by Jonathan Gavin and Banks. It centers on only child Julia Bechley (Brittany Snow), who finds her life turned upside down when her father, Leon Bechley (Timothy Hutton), is forced to reveal that over the course of his pioneering career as a fertility doctor, he used his own sperm to conceive dozens of children. As she dutifully begins to track down her emerging group of siblings, among a sea of brothers, Julia discovers only two...

ABC Studios International has teamed up with Endemol Shine to produce an adaptation of Holly Throsby’s novel Goodwood for Australian broadcaster ABC. It marks the first collaboration between the two nascent sibling companies.

The pair are producing the mystery, coming-of-age love story, which is written by Alison Bell and Sarah Scheller, the team behind the ABC comedy, The Letdown. Goodwood is set in a small town which is torn apart when two of its residents go missing.

The series will be produced by Alice Bell and Claudia Karvan with Imogen Banks executive producing under her Endemol Shine Banks banner and Keli Lee exec producing through ABC Studios International.

Throsby said, “One of the central themes of Goodwood is the relationships between people, especially between strong women. It is so fitting, and an absolute dream for me, to have such an incredible group of women in charge of bringing my book to life on screen.

Holly Throsby.

The Letdown‘s Alison Bell and Sarah Scheller are adapting Holly Throsby’s debut novel Goodwood into a series for the ABC and Disney’s ABC Studios International.

Goodwood is a part mystery, part coming-of-age love story, set in a small town that is torn apart when two of its residents go missing.

The series will be produced by Alice Bell and Claudia Karvan, with Imogen Banks executive producing under her Endemol Shine Banks banner together with ABC head of drama, comedy and Indigenous Sally Riley and ABC Studios International managing director, international content, platforms and talent, Keli Lee.

Throsby says: “One of the central themes of Goodwood is the relationships between people, especially between strong women. It is so fitting, and an absolute dream for me, to have such an incredible group of women in charge of bringing my book to life on screen.”

Bell says: “Holly...

Fox’s first primetime schedule since the Disney merger leans heavily on animated, with only two new dramas and one new animated comedy premiering this fall.

Here’s the schedule and descriptions of the new scripted series:

Fox Fall 2019-20 Schedule

(New programs in Upper Case; all times Et)

Monday

8:00-9:00 Pm — 9-1-1

9:00-10:00 Pm — Prodigal Son

Tuesday

8:00-9:00 Pm — The Resident

9:00-10:00 Pm — Empire

Wednesday

8:00-9:00 Pm — The Masked Singer

9:00-10:00 Pm — Not Just Me

Thursday

7:30-8:00 Pm — Thursday Night Football Pregame Show

8:00 Pm — NFL Football

Friday

8:00-10:00 Pm — WWE’S Smackdown Live

Saturday

7:00-10:30 Pm — Fox Sports Saturday: Fox College Football

Sunday

7:00-7:30 Pm — NFL On Fox

7:30-8:00 Pm — The Ot / Fox Encores

8:00-8:30 Pm — The Simpsons

8:30-9:00 Pm — Bless...

Fox has canceled first-year shows “The Cool Kids” and “The Passage.”

Vampire drama “The Passage” starred Mark-Paul Gosselaar, comedy “The Cool Kids” was co-created by Charlie Day and starred David Alan Grier, Martin Mull, Leslie Jordan and Vicki Lawrence.

Those two cuts follow cancellations for “The Gifted” and “Rel.” “Gotham” has also come to a conclusion, though that one was planned ahead of time.

Also Read: 'Grey's Anatomy,' 'How to Get Away With Murder' and 'Station 19' Renewed at ABC

Fox has previously renewed “9-1-1,” “Bob’s Burgers,” “Empire,” “Family Guy,” “Last Man Standing,” “The Masked Singer,” “The Resident” and “The Simpsons.”

We’re still awaiting decisions on “Lethal Weapon,” “The Orville,” “Proven Innocent” and “Star.”

Fox’s upfront presentation will take place Monday at New York City’s Beacon Theater. There, the network will debut its new fall TV shows for advertisers.

Now standing as its own entity, Fox can do what it pleases when it comes to new series pickups.

Four new dramas, a live-action comedy, and an animated comedy currently please Fox. Let's take a looks at the dramas!

A serial killer drama titled Prodigal Son, an AI drama called Next, a police drama titled Deputy, and an adaptation of Australian drama Sisters have all gotten series orders.

Considered a good companion piece to the recently renewed Empire, sudser Filthy Rich starring Kim Cattrall is still in contention and deals are underway.

Deptuty comes from Will Beall and eOne and Fox Entertainment studios. Deputy stars Stephen Dorff and is a modern cop drama that blends the spirit of a classic Western with a modern-day attitude and gritty authenticity.

NBC Orders Bluff City Law and Sunnyside to Series

When the Los Angeles County’s Sheriff dies, an arcane rule forged back...

The New Fox is ramping up for the 2019-2020 season with six new series pick ups.

The broadcaster handed out orders for four dramas — “Deputy,” “Prodigal Son,” “neXt,” and the untitled Annie Weisman/Jason Katims project — as well as two comedies. One of the comedies is the animated series “The Great North” and the second is the multi-cam “Outmatched,” formerly known as “Geniuses.” These orders join the previously announced straight-to-series orders for the animated comedies “Duncanville” and “Bless the Harts” at Fox.

Each of the newly announced pick ups is a co-production with Fox Entertainment (formerly Fox Broadcasting). The move will allow Fox to maintain a stake in the shows despite not having a vertically-integrated studio like they did before the 21st Century Fox-Disney merger that saw 20th Century Fox Television move under the Disney umbrella. Both “Duncanville” and “Bless the Harts” are co-productions as well. “Duncanville” is produced by Universal Television,...

“New Fox” has found its first new shows. Six pilots were ordered to series at Fox for the 2019-20 season Thursday, ahead of the now-independent broadcast network’s upfront presentation to advertisers next week, including four dramas and two comedies.

Among the dramas are David Ayer’s “Deputy,” the John Slattery-led “neXt,” the Greg Berlanti-produced “Prodigal Son,” and an untitled project from Jason Katims and Annie Weisman starring Brittany Snow. Each of those series comes from a different studio — eOne, 20th Century Fox Television, Warner Bros. Television and Universal Television, respectively — and is a co-production with Fox Entertainment.

The duo of comedies ordered by Fox include the live-action family sitcom “Outmatched,” starring Jason Biggs and Maggie Lawson, and the animated series “The Great North,” featuring Nick Offerman, Jenny Slate and Megan Mullally. Those are also co-produced between Fox Entertainment and 20th Century Fox Television.

These six shows join...

Imogen Banks and Asher Keddie, who will produce ‘The Sisters Antipodes’.

Screen Australia has announced more than $600,000 of story development funding for seven feature films, four television dramas and five online series.

The slate includes a currently untitled feature film from Little Monsters‘ Abe Forsythe, Jodi Matterson and Bruna Papandrea, based on a real missing person case in a remote Northern Territory town; TV series The Sisters Antipodes, produced by Asher Keddie and Imogen Banks, about estranged families who are pushed to opposite sides of the world; and an online series from writer/director Kauthar Abdulalim, Salma and the City, about a mother who sets her sights on winning the Australian Open

Screen Australia’s head of development Nerida Moore said: “It’s fantastic to see such strong applications coming through, and in this round we’ve noticed an increase in series as well as a lot of female writers attached to projects.

Gotham alumna Victoria Cartagena is set as a series regular in Fox’s drama pilot based on the Endemol Shine Australia series Sisters, from Annie Weisman, Jason Katims, the original series’ co-creator Imogen Banks, Universal TV and Endemol Shine North America. Written by Weisman based on the Australian series created by Jonathan Gavin and Banks, with Leslye Headland set to direct the pilot, the drama centers on Julia Bechley (Brittany Snow), an only child who finds her life turned upside down when her father is forced to reveal that over the course of his pioneering career as a fertility doctor, he used his own sperm to conceive dozens of children. Cartagena will play Amanda, a young, hip, self-assured, “gender-fluid” D.A. who’s politically savvy & knows how to play the media. She gets her shot at the headlines when she becomes the lead prosecutor on the Bechley case. Cartagena’s...

Exclusive: Mo McRae (Wild) is set as a lead opposite Megalyn Echikunwoke and Brittany Snow in Fox’s drama pilot based on the Endemol Shine Australia series Sisters. The untitled project (fka Sisters) hails from Annie Weisman, Jason Katims, as well as the original series’ co-creator Imogen Banks, Universal TV and Endemol Shine North America.

Written by Weisman based on the Australian series created by Jonathan Gavin and Banks, with Leslye Headland set to direct the pilot, the drama centers on Julia Bechley (Snow), an only child who finds her life turned upside down when her father is forced to reveal that over the course of his pioneering career as a fertility doctor, he used his own sperm to conceive dozens of children. As she dutifully begins to track down her emerging group of siblings, among a sea of brothers, Julia discovers only two sisters – both of whom quickly become...

Exclusive: Young & Hungry star Emily Osment has been tapped as the co-lead opposite Brittany Snow and Megalyn Echikunwoke in Fox’s drama pilot based on the Endemol Shine Australia series Sisters. The untitled project (fka Sisters) hails from Annie Weisman, Jason Katims, as well as the original series’ co-creator Imogen Banks, Universal TV and Endemol Shine North America.

Written by Weisman based on the Australian series created by Jonathan Gavin and Banks, with Leslye Headland set to direct the pilot, the drama centers on Julia Bechley (Snow), an only child who finds her life turned upside down when her father is forced to reveal that over the course of his pioneering career as a fertility doctor, he used his own sperm to conceive dozens of children. As she dutifully begins to track down her emerging group of siblings, among a sea of brothers, Julia discovers only two sisters, Roxy (Osment...

Mustafa Elzein has been cast in the untitled Fox drama pilot from Annie Weisman and Jason Katims, Variety has learned.

Elzein joins previously announced cast members Brittany Snow, Megalyn Echikunwoke, and Timothy Hutton.

The pilot is based on the Australian series “Sisters.” In the Fox project, only child Julia Bechley (Snow) has her life turned upside down when it’s revealed that her father, a pioneering Nobel Prize-winning fertility doctor (Hutton), used his own sperm to conceive dozens of children over the course of his career. Reeling from this explosive revelation, Julia discovers two new sisters — her former best friend (Echikunwoke) and an ex-Olympic athlete. Against all odds, the women attempt to form an untraditional family and lean on each other as they grapple with their own identity crises.

Elzein has been cast as Dr. Isaac Haddad, described as an “annoyingly” good-looking young doctor living the good life as a...

Timothy Hutton is set as the male lead in Fox’s drama pilot based on the Endemol Shine Australia series Sisters. The untitled project (fka Sisters), starring Brittany Snow and Megalyn Echikunwoke, hails from Annie Weisman, Jason Katims, as well as the original series’ co-creator Imogen Banks, Universal TV and Endemol Shine North America.

Written by Weisman based on the Australian series created by Jonathan Gavin and Banks, with Leslye Headland set to direct the pilot, the drama centers on Julia Bechley (Snow), an only child who finds her life turned upside down when her father (Hutton) is forced to reveal that over the course of his pioneering career as a fertility doctor, he used his own sperm to conceive dozens of children. As she dutifully begins to track down her emerging group of siblings, among a sea of brothers, Julia discovers only two sisters – both of whom quickly become...

Timothy Hutton has been cast as the male lead in the untitled Fox drama pilot that hails from Annie Weisman and Jason Katims, Variety has learned.

The pilot is based on the Australian series “Sisters.” In the Fox project, only child Julia Bechley (Brittany Snow) has her life turned upside down when it’s revealed that her father, a pioneering Nobel Prize-winning fertility doctor (Hutton), used his own sperm to conceive dozens of children over the course of his career. Reeling from this explosive revelation, Julia discovers two new sisters — her former best friend (Megalyn Echikunwoke) and an ex-Olympic athlete. Against all odds, the women attempt to form an untraditional family and lean on each other as they grapple with their own identity crises.

Hutton’s character, Dr. Leon Bechley, is described as handsome, charming, and brilliant. He is a distinguished and highly-respected fertility specialist.

Hutton lands at Fox after...

Corrie Chen (left) is part of the creative team behind ‘Attempts’, one of the recipients of funding via the Half Hour Drama Development Initiative.

Create Nsw and the ABC have unveiled the recipients of $445,000 in funding, spanning across three different drama initiatives and expected to create 530 jobs in Nsw.

This includes $225,000 towards the Digital First Comedy Initiative, run between the agency, the broadcaster and Western Sydney creative hub I.C.E (Information+Cultural Exchange). This will fund the production of three shorts from teams that include a Western Sydney-based key creative, set to premiere on ABC iview later this year. The shorts cover carpark adventures of three women in Western Sydney, the tales of hijabis enduring culture clash and vampire slayers in Parramatta.

Another $100,000 has been put towards the Half Hour Drama Development Initiative, supporting four Nsw-based teams to develop distinctive character driven 30-minute drama series “with heart and humour...

Megalyn Echikunwoke has been cast in the untitled drama pilot at Fox that hails from Annie Weisman and Jason Katims, Variety has learned.

The pilot is based on the Australian series “Sisters.” In the Fox project, only child Julia Bechley (Brittany Snow) has her life turned upside down when it’s revealed that her father, a pioneering Nobel Prize-winning fertility doctor, used his own sperm to conceive dozens of children over the course of his career. Reeling from this explosive revelation, Julia discovers two new sisters — her former best friend (Echikunwoke) and an ex-Olympic athlete. Against all odds, the women attempt to form an untraditional family and lean on each other as they grapple with their own identity crises.

Echikunwoke will play Edie, a successful criminal defense attorney who is partners in both work and life with her husband. Despite her desire for stability, she’s dissatisfied with her marriage...

Vixen star Megalyn Echikunwoke is set as one of the two co-leads opposite Brittany Snow in Fox’s drama pilot based on the Endemol Shine Australia series Sisters. The untitled project (fka Sisters) hails from Annie Weisman, Jason Katims, as well as the original series’ co-creator Imogen Banks, Universal TV and Endemol Shine North America.

Written by Weisman based on the Australian series created by Jonathan Gavin and Banks, with Leslye Headland set to direct the pilot, the drama centers on Julia Bechley (Snow), an only child who finds her life turned upside down when her father is forced to reveal that over the course of his pioneering career as a fertility doctor, he used his own sperm to conceive dozens of children. As she dutifully begins to track down her emerging group of siblings, among a sea of brothers, Julia discovers only two sisters – both of whom quickly become...

Brittany Snow has been cast in the lead role of the untitled Fox drama pilot from Annie Weisman and Jason Katims based on the Australian series “Sisters,” Variety has learned.

In the Fox project, only child Julia Bechley (Snow) has her life turned upside down when it’s revealed that her father, a pioneering Nobel Prize-winning fertility doctor, used his own sperm to conceive dozens of children over the course of his career. Reeling from this explosive revelation, Julia discovers two new sisters — her former best friend and an ex-Olympic athlete. Against all odds, the women attempt to form an untraditional family and lean on each other as they grapple with their own identity crises.

Snow is known for starring in the hit “Pitch Perfect” film franchise. Her other film roles include “Prom Night,” “Hairspray,” and “John Tucker Must Die.” Her past television roles include “American Dreams,” “Nip/Tuck,” and “Guiding Light.

Brittany Snow is set to lead the cast of Fox’s drama pilot based on the Endemol Shine Australia series Sisters. The untitled project (fka Sisters) hails from The Path duo of co-executive producer Annie Weisman and executive producer Jason Katims, as well as the original series’ co-creator Imogen Banks, Universal TV and Endemol Shine North America.

Written by Weisman based on the Australian series created by Jonathan Gavin and Banks, with Leslye Headland set to direct the pilot, the drama centers on Julia Bechley (Snow), an only child who finds her life turned upside down when her father is forced to reveal that over the course of his pioneering career as a fertility doctor, he used his own sperm to conceive dozens of children. As she dutifully begins to track down her emerging group of siblings, among a sea of brothers, Julia discovers only two sisters – both of whom...

Network 10’s ‘Sisters’.

First announced last October, the Fox network’s remake of Imogen Banks’ and Jonathan Gavin’s drama Sisters is finally getting traction.

Leslye Headland, the co-creator/director of the Netflix comedy Russian Doll, has signed on to direct the pilot scripted by executive producer Annie Weisman, whose credits include the series The Path, About a Boy and Desperate Housewives.

Casting is underway on the untitled one-hour series which centres on Julia Bechly, an only child whose life is turned upside down when her father is forced to reveal that during his career as a fertility doctor, he used his own sperm to conceive dozens of children.

As Julia begins to track down her siblings, among a sea of brothers she discovers only two sisters – both of whom quickly become a part of her now redefined family.

The project was rated as one of the hottest drama...

It took awhile, but Fox finally has given a formal pilot green light to a one-hour drama based on the Endemol Shine Australia series Sisters. The untitled project (fka Sisters), which had a put pilot commitment, hails from The Path duo of co-executive producer Annie Weisman and executive producer Jason Katims, as well as the original series’ co-creator Imogen Banks, Universal TV and Endemol Shine North America.

Leslye Headland has been tapped to direct the pilot, written by Weisman. It was one of the hottest drama scripts at Fox, emerging as an early front-runner, but was the last to get a pilot order as it took some time for Fox and Uni TV to hammer out a co-production deal per the network’s new business model as an independent.

Based on the Australian series created by Jonathan Gavin and Banks, the drama centers on Julia Bechly, an only child who...

Fox has picked up a drama pilot based on the Australian series “Sisters” that hails from Annie Weisman and Jason Katims.

In the untitled drama, only child Julia Beckley has her life turned upside down when it’s revealed that her father, a pioneering Nobel Prize-winning fertility doctor, used his own sperm to conceive dozens of children over the course of his career. Reeling from this explosive revelation, Julia discovers two new sisters — her former best friend and an ex-Olympic athlete. Against all odds, the women attempt to form an untraditional family and lean on each other as they grapple with their own identity crises.

The original series, produced Endemol Shine Australia, was created by Jonathan Gavin and Imogen Banks.

Weisman will write and executive produce the project. Katims, Banks, Jeni Mulein, and Sharon Levy will also executive produce. Leslye Headland will direct the pilot and executive produce. Universal Television...