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Warner Bros. Pictures’ second Wonka trailer features Willy meeting his first Oompa Loompa, showing off wacky inventions, and then running into trouble when his candy wows chocolate-lovers. The gorgeous, nearly three-minute trailer reveals new footage but primarily focuses on the relationship between Wonka (Timothee Chalamet) and Lofty the Oompa Loompa (Hugh Grant).

In addition to Oscar nominee Timothee Chalament (Call Me By Your Name) as the titular character, the fantasy film stars Calah Lane (The Day Shall Come), Emmy winner Keegan-Michael Key (Schmigadoon), Paterson Joseph (Noughts + Crosses), Matt Lucas (Paddington), Mathew Baynton (The Wrong Mans), Oscar nominee Sally Hawkins (The Shape of Water), Rowan Atkinson (Johnny English), Jim Carter (Downton Abbey), and Oscar winner Olivia Colman (The Favourite).

Additional stars include Natasha Rothwell (White Lotus), Rich Fulcher (Marriage Story), Rakhee Thakrar (Sex Education), Tom Davis (Paddington 2), and Kobna Holdbrook-Smith (Zack Snyder’s Justice League).

Paddington‘s Paul King...

Warner Bros. Pictures’ official Wonka trailer reveals how Willy became Wonka…which makes much more sense after you’ve watched the trailer. Oscar nominee Timothee Chalamet (Call Me By Your Name) charms his way through the trailer onto 2023 must-see movie lists by transforming into a young man with a huge imagination and the courage to take on the chocolate cartel.

Joining Timothee Chalament in the fantasy film are Calah Lane (The Day Shall Come), Emmy winner Keegan-Michael Key (Schmigadoon), Paterson Joseph (Noughts + Crosses), Matt Lucas (Paddington), Mathew Baynton (The Wrong Mans), Oscar nominee Sally Hawkins (The Shape of Water), Rowan Atkinson (Johnny English), Jim Carter (Downton Abbey), and Oscar winner Olivia Colman (The Favourite). Additional stars include Natasha Rothwell (White Lotus), Rich Fulcher (Marriage Story), Rakhee Thakrar (Sex Education), Tom Davis (Paddington 2), and Kobna Holdbrook-Smith (Zack Snyder’s Justice League).

Paddington‘s Paul King directs and co-wrote the screenplay with Simon Farnaby,...

Here’s a first look at the brand new trailer for Wonka, hitting cinemas on December 15.

Based on the extraordinary character at the center of Charlie and the Chocolate Factory, Roald Dahl’s most iconic children’s book and one of the best-selling children’s books of all time, “Wonka” tells the wondrous story of how the world’s greatest inventor, magician and chocolate-maker became the beloved Willy Wonka we know today.

From Paul King, writer/director of the “Paddington” films, David Heyman, producer of “Harry Potter,” “Gravity,” “Fantastic Beasts” and “Paddington,” and producers Alexandra Derbyshire and Luke Kelly (“Roald Dahl’s The Witches”), comes an intoxicating mix of magic and music, mayhem and emotion, all told with fabulous heart and humor. Starring Timothée Chalamet in the title role, this irresistibly vivid and inventive big screen spectacle will introduce audiences to a young Willy Wonka, chock-full of ideas and determined...

Getting caught up in a deadly kidnapping, being torn away from your loved ones and forced into witness protection, tracking down a serial killer of vulnerable young girls… none of the above exactly scream ‘Lol’, and yet they’ve all become the subject of British crime comedy-dramas in recent years. The “you’ve got to laugh” mentality is clearly in our national DNA, no matter how bleak the circumstances.

Attracting huge names in comedy, from Matt Berry, Stephen Merchant, James Corden and Joanna Scanlan, to the brilliant Gbemisola Ikumelo, Emer Kenny, Kerry Howard, and created by the writers behind People Just Do Nothing, Peep Show, Succession and more, here are some of the best darkly funny crime comedy series of recent years.

The Outlaws

The Outlaws has a simple but effective concept: seven questionable strangers doing Community Service in Bristol discover a huge bag of money, decide to keep it,...

The BBC first announced it was making six-part comedy thriller Black Ops back in June 2021 – and boy is it worth the wait.

Created by Famalam’s BAFTA-winning duo of Gbemisola Ikumelo and Akemnji Ndifornyen, it follows two inexperienced Community Support Officers – Ikumelo plays Dom alongside The Wheel of Time’s Hammed Animashaun as Kay – who get recruited into a perilous undercover Met Police operation infiltrating a London drug gang.

There are so many elements that combine to make Black Ops a joyous must-watch:

1. You’ll Instantly Love The Characters

The sibling-like partnership between Dom and Kay makes us feel immediately at ease in their world. So when the enigmatic Di Clinton Blair covertly approaches them to join his “off the books” undercover operation in episode one, we’re invested in their story from the off.

Dom is smart, quick-thinking but also ultimately immature and quite spoiled – she lives at home...

Archie Panjabi has joined the cast of limited series “Hijack” starring Idris Elba, who also serves as executive producer, Apple TV+ announced on Thursday.

The seven-part thriller will be told in real time as a hijacked plane makes its way to London over a seven-hour flight and authorities on the ground scramble for answers. Elba stars as Sam Nelson, an accomplished business negotiator trying to save the lives of the passengers with a high-risk strategy that could backfire at any moment.

Panjabi, who won an Emmy for her portrayal of Kalinda Sharma on CBS’ “The Good Wife,” will play Zahra Gahfoor, a counter terrorism officer who is on the ground when the plane is hijacked and becomes part of the investigation.

Panjabi was most recently seen in a season-long arc on “Snowpiercer.” She also appeared in the miniseries “I Know this Much is True” opposite Mark Ruffalo, and recurred in...

Apple TV+ today announced it has landed ‘Hijack,’ a new seven-part thriller starring Idris Elba who will also serve as executive producer.

Told in real-time, the series is said to be a tense, thriller that follows the journey of a hijacked plane as it makes its way to London over a seven-hour flight, and authorities on the ground scramble for answers.

Elba will star as ‘Sam Nelson,’ an accomplished negotiator in the business world who needs to step up and use all his guile to try and save the lives of the passengers — but, his high-risk strategy could be his undoing.

Also in news – Jason Momoa set for live-action ‘Minecraft’ feature

‘Lupin’ scribe, George Kay has written the story which will be directed by Jim Field Smith, who will both also serve as executive producers alongside Elba, Jamie Laurenson, Hakan Kousetta and Kris Thykier.

The post Idris Elba partners with...

“Luther” star Idris Elba is set to star in and executive produce thriller series “Hijack” for Apple TV+.

The seven-part drama will be the debut project to emerge from Elba’s first-look deal with Apple. His production company, Green Door Pictures, signed a deal with the streamer in 2020.

In “Hijack,” Elba will play accomplished business negotiator Sam Nelson, whose fast-talking skills are called upon when a plane he is riding is hijacked. “[Sam] needs to step up and use all his guile to try and save the lives of the passengers — but, his high-risk strategy could be his undoing,” reads the synopsis.

George Kay has written the series, which will be directed by Jim Field Smith.

Kay and Field Smith will serve as executive producers on “Hijack” alongside Elba, Jamie Laurenson and Hakan Kousetta of 60Forty Films and Kris Thykier. The series will be produced by 60Forty Films and Field Smith...

Apple TV+ has given a straight-to-series order for“Hijack,” a thriller starring Idris Elba.

Elba will also serve as executive producer on the seven-part series, which is part of the actor’s first-look deal with Apple TV+ and his Green Door Pictures.

“Hijack,” which plays out in real time, “follows the journey of a hijacked plane as it makes its way to London over a seven hour flight, and authorities on the ground scramble for answers,” per the streamer.

Elba is playing Sam Nelson, described as “an accomplished negotiator in the business world who needs to step up and use all his guile to try and save the lives of the passengers — but, his high-risk strategy could be his undoing.”

George Kay is writing the series. Jim Field Smith directs. Smith and Kay are executive producers alongside Elba, Jamie Laurenson, Hakan Kousetta and Kris Thykier.

“Hijack” will be produced by...

International projects need to spend part of their budget in Belgium.

Brussels-based Belga Film Fund is looking for international film and TV projects in which to invest the €30m it says it has raised this year through the Belgian tax shelter.

“We are putting together a line-up of projects that will be shot in 2022 but will benefit from the funds we will collect this year,” explained company founder and general manager Fabrice Delville.

He said Belga is open to applications for funding before its next funding deadline ends on December 6th.

“Our support is spend-related. We ask for the project to spend money in Belgium,...

Set in the very near future where scientists have discovered a method of matching people with their perfect romantic fit using DNA, eight-part Netflix Original The One is technically a sci-fi drama. Really though, it’s a crime thriller revolving around the murky circumstances in which the cash cow company behind the matching service was created. Written by Misfits and Crazyhead creator Howard Overman, The One is based on the 2017 novel of the same name by John Marrs. It’s a cat-and-mouse game between wealthy, driven CEO Rebecca (Hannah Ware) and police detective Kate (Zoë Tapper).

While you’re solving the show’s mysteries, we’ve taken the liberty of solving that nagging background question of where you might have seen its cast on screen before…

Hannah Ware – Rebecca Webb

Prior to The One, actor and model Hannah Ware’s biggest roles were over in the US. She starred opposite...

When most of us love something – a film, a band, a football team – we express that love by wearing the t-shirt or getting a tattoo. When Nick Frost, Simon Pegg and their mates love something, they express it by making a feature film trilogy. Or a cult 90s TV series. Or eight-part comedy-horror Truth Seekers.

Truth Seekers, co-created by Frost, Pegg, Nat Saunders and James Serafinowicz, is the product of fandom. It’s a bundle of admiration for horror in all guises, from the shonky DIY of Most Haunted to cultivated glitch and found-footage movie scares, to the recently revived anthology tradition. It has a go at recreating it all, tipping its hat so often that it can’t quite juggle the rest of its ambitions because its hand is already too full of hat.

For a half-hour comedy, its ambitions are towering: build a Scooby Gang ensemble each with their own emotional backstory,...

The comedic minds of Nick Frost and Simon Pegg are reuniting for the supernatural comedy series “Truth Seekers,” the first footage of which has debuted online in conjunction with Comic-Con thanks to Amazon Prime Video. The teaser for the eight-episode series is chock full of ghost hunters, demons, haunted houses, and doodles of sodomy, which means Frost and Pegg are firing on all cylinders.

Amazon’s official synopsis for “Truth Seekers” bills the project as “a supernatural comedy series about a team of part-time paranormal investigators who team up to uncover and film ghost sightings across the U.K., sharing their adventures on an online channel for all to see.” Frost stars as the leader of the paranormal investigator team, which slowly uncovers “a conspiracy that could bring about Armageddon for the entire human race.” Pegg also stars in the series alongside Samson Kayo, Malcolm McDowell, Emma D’Arcy, and Susan Wokoma.

Peacock, NBCUniversal’s new streaming service, has set its opening slate of original content that will be available on its July 15 launch. It includes all first season episodes of Brave New World, The Capture, Intelligence and Lost Speedways; sports documentary In Deep with Ryan Lochte; and feature-length film Psych 2: Lassie Come Home. Additionally, Peacock Kids will feature new episodes of Curious George and two original series from DreamWorks Animation: Cleopatra in Space and Where’s Waldo?. Premiere dates for future Peacock Originals and exclusive content will be announced later this year.

“Our variety of Peacock Originals at launch demonstrates how we deliver timely and timeless content – no matter the genre or format,” said Bill McGoldrick, President of Original Content, Peacock. “We’re proud to establish our voice and are excited to build on our strategy to attract a wide audience to Peacock.”

The full slate follows below.

Drama

Brave...

Just over two weeks before its Sept. 20 global launch, Netflix has dropped its first full franchise trailer of “Criminal,” a 12-episode, four-part police interrogation anthology which reworks the procedural format taking it to a new European level, while focusing on what episodic drama is often held to disdain: Character and actors’ performance.

Netflix has already teased the crime thriller’s best-of-their class European key cast. Others trailers have targeted the individual countries where “Criminal” episodes are set – U.K., Spain, France and Germany – three in each country.

Wednesday’s trailer is, however, the first full-franchise reveal of action across the series, hinting at some of the its major fascinations, innovations and character details.

Playing suspects, many of “Criminal’s” guests stars are hailed in home countries as among their generation’s finest actors. Of U.K. stars, entering a lift at the beginning of the trailer is the bulky former...

Andrew Koji is set to play Storm Shadow in Paramount’s G.I. Joe: Snake Eyes, joining Henry Golding who will take on the title character. Snake Eyes is a special mercenary on the G.I. Joe armed forces, specifically a ninja commando. His body was burned, hence the reason why he’s clad in black. In the comic-book (a plotline that was adapted into the movies), it’s revealed that Snake eyes is the brother of Storm Shadow, his arch-rival who works for G.I. Joe’s main enemy, Cobra.

Robert Schwentke is directing the film from a script by Evan Spiliotopoulos. Lorenzo di Bonaventura and Hasbro are producing the pic, which hails from Paramount, Allspark Pictures, and Skydance.

Koji is known for TV shows like The Wrong Mans, Call the Midwife, and most recently the Cinemax action-drama, Warrior.

“Warrior” headliner Andrew Koji has been cast as Storm Shadow in the “G.I. Joe” movie spinoff “Snake Eyes,” multiple individuals with knowledge of the project tell TheWrap exclusively.

“Crazy Rich Asians” breakout Henry Golding is set to play Snake Eyes.

“Snake Eyes,” the third live-action film based on the “G.I. Joe” toy line, will focus on the origins of the fan-favorite character known for his masked face, black commando uniform and ninja training. Robert Schwentke, the director of “Red” and “R.I.P.D.,” is set to direct “Snake Eyes” for Paramount and Allspark Pictures, in association with Skydance. The film will be released on Oct. 16, 2020.

Also Read: 'Crazy Rich Asians' Breakout Henry Golding in Talks to Play Snake Eyes in 'GI Joe' Movie Spinoff

Storm Shadow, like Snake Eyes, was created by Marvel Comics writer-editor Larry Hama. He debuted in 1984 on the pages of Marvel’s “G.I. Joe: A Real American Hero” comic series,...

Rob Leane Aug 6, 2019

Truth Seekers, an Amazon Prime Video original, will bring Pegg and Frost back to horror comedy.

Simon Pegg and Nick Frost are teaming up for another horror comedy, with the much-loved duo pairing up again to write and star in an Amazon Prime Video original series by the title of Truth Seekers.

Pegg and Frost, of course, first rose to prominence with their performances in Edgar Wright's Spaced TV series. They went on to appear in Wright's Cornetto trilogy of films: Shaun Of The Dead, Hot Fuzz, and The World's End. They've also branched out on their own before, with Paul being a prime example of the pair writing for themselves as well as starring in a project.

Pegg and Frost will repeat that trick with Truth Seekers, an eight-part series that follows a group of paranormal investigators who share videos of their exploits online. By the sounds of it,...

Showtime has decided not to proceed with its U.S. remake of The Wrong Mans, the comedy created by James Corden and Matthew Baynton.

The U.S. version was a half-hour single camera action comedy from The Late Late Show host Corden, Baynton, J.J. Abrams’ Bad Robot Prods., Warner Bros. TV and BBC Studios.

The pilot starred House of Lies’ Ben Schwartz, 22 Jump Street’s Jillian Bell and Shades of Blue’s Annie Chang. Written by Corden, Bayton and Veep and Man Seeking Woman writer Ian Maxtone-Graham, it was directed by the original series’ director Jim Field Smith.

The Wrong Mans follows two ordinary office workers who have their menial existence turned upside-down by a chance phone call and a case of mistaken identity: “If you are not here by 5 o’clock, we will kill your wife.” As the only people who can help, these two unlikely characters must...

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There are souls that are just too pure for this world, and anyone who watched season three of Stranger Things can testify that one of them is Alexei the scientist, joyfully played by Alec Utgoff. He'll break down complex ideas with fries, detect a real cherry Slurpee, and win carnival games in a hot jiffy. Sure, he might have been working with fishy Russians trying to open the gate to the Upside Down, but he turned out to be a stand-up guy. Without him, Joyce and Hopper wouldn't have been able to figure out the Russians' endgame otherwise. If you wanted to see more of this gleeful character, you're in luck ⁠- Utgoff has a pretty well-rounded filmography under his belt.

Born in Kiev, Ukraine, the British actor moved to England...

The boutique agency Buchwald has expanded its New York and Los Angeles offices with five key hires made by president Julia Buchwald. In the New York office, Cassandra Tay and Katie Britton have been brought on as theatrical agents, as well as Liz Orr as a literary agent.

In Los Angeles, Jason Hyman joins as a talent agent, while George Carmona has been hired as Buchwald’s West Coast voice-over agent. In addition to building out the voice-over booth in Buchwald’s L.A. office, Carmona will work with a number of the agency’s east coast commercial agents including newly promoted Director of Animation, Pamela Goldman.

Buchwald said the new agents “will play significant roles in our growth.” .

Tay joins the theatrical department of Buchwald after five years as an agent at Kmr. Her clients include Mackenzie Lintz, Angelic Zambrana (Precious), Stacey Raymond (New Amsterdam), and Rey Lucas...

CBS is developing a drama series that hails from James Corden’s production company, Fulwell 73, Variety has learned exclusively.

The series is titled “Embody.” In the series, after a mission gone wrong renders her permanently blind, a special agent volunteers for an experimental government program that can temporarily transfer her consciousness into someone else’s body, giving her the ability to see through their eyes as she infiltrates high-stakes situations and takes down criminals from within.

Chai Hecht is the writer on the series and will also co-executive produce. Leo Pearlman and Jeff Grosvenor of Fulwell will executive produce. CBS Television Studios, where Fulwell is set up under an overall deal, will produce.

In addition to “The Late late Show with James Corden,” Fulwell currently produces the CBS sitcom “Happy Together,” which is loosely inspired by the real life relationship between Fulwell’s Ben Winston and musician Harry Styles, as...

Annie Chang (Shades of Blue) is set as a series regular opposite Ben Schwartz and Jillian Bell in The Wrong Mans, Showtime’s remake of the UK comedy that was created by and starred James Corden & Matthew Baynton. The U.S. version hails from The Late Late Show host Corden, Baynton, J.J. Abrams’ Bad Robot Prods., Warner Bros. TV and BBC Studios.

Written by Corden, Baynton and U.S. TV writer Ian Maxtone-Graham (The Simpsons) and directed by the original series’ director Jim Field Smith, The Wrongs Mans is an action-comedy about two ordinary office workers (one played by Schwartz) who have their menial existence turned upside-down by a chance phone call and a case of mistaken identity: “If you are not here by 5 o’clock, we will kill your wife.” As the only people who can help, these two unlikely characters must find their inner hero in their quest to save not just themselves,...

Studiocanal has signed a milestone deal with Pccw’s Hk Television Entertainment to have the Hong Kong-based company distribute three English-language series on its free-to-air channel ViuTVsix next year.

The deal, which marks the first collaboration between Pccw and Studiocanal, takes in three English-language dramas from Studiocanal-owned Red Production Company: the thriller miniseries “Trust Me,” which is produced for BBC One and starring Jodie Whittaker; the three-part drama “Come Home,” which was created and written by Danny Brocklehurst and produced for BBC One; and Harlan Coben’s thriller series “The Five,” which was ordered by Sky 1 in the U.K.

“I’m very pleased to confirm our first partnership with Pccw, a deal which will see a great selection of our key English-language dramas making their debut in Hong Kong,” said Sarah Mottershead, Studiocanal’s sales executive.`

“All three titles showcase the absolute best in international content – combining...

Series will take place across Europe but shoot entirely in streaming platform’s Madrid hub.

Netflix has ordered Criminal, a 12-episode police procedural set in the UK, France, Spain and Germany that will shoot entirely at the global streamer’s production hub at Ciudad de la Tele in Madrid.

Three 45-minute episodes of the series – with action taking place exclusively in police interview rooms - will be set in each country, written and directed by local talent and filmed in the local language.

The overall series showrunners and co-creators for their UK-based Idiotlamp Productions are Killing Eve and The Tunnel...

Exclusive: The Ink Factory has successfully mined the library of John le Carré with "The Night Manager" and "The Little Drummer Girl" and it seems that the company is now looking do the same with acclaimed British author Roald Dahl.

I hear that Simon and Stephen Cornwell’s firm is rebooting Roald Dahl’s "Tales of the Unexpected" for TV and has set up a number of writers to work on the project. The company is working closely with the Roald Dahl Estate on the project.

The series, which was originally produced by Anglia Television for British commercial broadcaster ITV between 1979 and 1988, told a different story each week with Dahl’s trademark sinister and comedic undertones with a twist at the end.

Amid a ramp-up at the TV division of J.J. Abrams’ Bad Robot under head Ben Stephenson, the unit has brought in former A&E and Warner Bros. TV executive Carlos Williams as Head of Business Operations, Television. In the newly created position, Williams will provide oversight of the business directly related to Bad Robot’s television programming and assist in establishing operational guidelines and strategy for the division. He will report to Bad Robot Head of Television Stephenson.

“With the expansion of our television slate comes the need to have an experienced and tenured business-minded executive to facilitate the volume of deals we are processing,” said Bad Robot president and COO Brian Weinstein and Stephenson in a joint statement. “Carlos is the perfect fit for this role with his deep understanding of the industry and his tremendous relationships with networks, digital platforms, showrunners, and talent.”

Bad Robot’s TV series portfolio...

From the start of his visit to TVLine’s San Diego Comic-Con video suite, Ben Schwartz could tell that something was off. Way off. “How unprepared are you for this interview?” he point-blank asked Michael Ausiello. And the answer? Pretty damn.

But it didn’t really matter that our Editor-in-Chief had little knowledge of and less interest in most of the Parks and Recreation alum’s projects (among them DuckTales and Rise of the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles). The actor formerly known as Jean-Ralphio is so funny that he still made the Q&A a must-see. And when not offering...

Don’t try this at home, kids — unless you really, really know your buddy, that is.

When “Preacher” star Dominic Cooper stopped by the “Late Late Show” Monday night to visit his old roommate, host James Corden, the pair decided to play a round of “Shock Therapy.”

“Dominic and I are very, very old friends,” Corden told the audience while setting up the bit. “We used to live together. We first met in 2004, we moved into a flat together in 2008. Dominic introduced me to my wife. And we are very, very dear, old friends. We thought we’d play a game to test our friendship and see how well we know each other.”

Also Read: Jennifer Hudson, Taylor Swift, James Corden and Ian McKellen Join 'Cats' Musical Movie

The host then pulled out two sets of shockers and clickers to help them both send and receive electric volts...

Jillian Bell is coming to Showtime. Deadline reports the Idiotsitter star has joined the network's upcoming TV show, The Wrong Mans.A remake of the James Corden/Matthew Baynton series, the comedy follows "two ordinary office workers who have their menial existence turned upside-down by a chance phone call and a case of mistaken identity: 'If you are not here by 5 o’clock, we will kill your wife.'"Read More…...

In today’s roundup, Netflix offers a glimpse of Diego Luna and Michael Pena in “Narcos: Mexico,” while Jillian Bell signs onto Ben Schwartz’ “The Wrong Mans” at Showtime.

First Looks

Coming to Netflix later this year: “Narcos: Mexico” has released first look images of Michael Pena and Diego Luna in the series’ shift away from Colombia after three seasons. Launching as a new original for the streamer, “Narcos: Mexico” will explore the origins of the modern drug war by going back to its roots with the rise of the Guadalajara Cartel in the 1980s. Luna will star as Miguel Angel Felix Gallardo, the leader of the cartel and founder of the modern Mexican drug trade, while Pena plays a family man and undercover DEA agent Kiki Cameron.

Casting

Jillian Bell (“22 Jump Street“) has snagged a lead role in Showtime‘s half-hour pilot “The Wrong Mans.” Produced by and starring Ben Schwartz,...

Get ready to be creeped out: A TV-series adaptation of the cult-classic horror film Creepshow, to be shepherded by Walking Dead Ep Greg Nicotero, has gotten the green light from streaming service Shudder.

In addition to serving as executive producer, Nicotero will direct the small-screen anthology’s premiere episode and supervise the series’ creative elements. The original 1982 film, directed by George A. Romero, featured stories written by Stephen King and boasted an ensemble that included Ted Danson (Cheers, The Good Place), Adrienne Barbeau (Maude), Hal Holbrook (Julia) and Leslie Nielsen (The Naked Gun). It later spawned two sequels and a spinoff comic.

In a gender switch from the original British series, Jillian Bell (22 Jump Street) is set as a lead opposite Ben Schwartz in The Wrong Mans, Showtime’s remake of the UK comedy that was created by and starred James Corden & Matthew Baynton. The U.S. version hails from The Late Late Show host Corden, Baynton, J.J. Abrams’ Bad Robot Prods., Warner Bros. TV and BBC Studios.

Written by Corden, Baynton and U.S. TV writer Ian Maxtone-Graham (The Simpsons) and directed by the original series’ director Jim Field Smith, The Wrongs Mans is an action-comedy about two ordinary office workers who have their menial existence turned upside-down by a chance phone call and a case of mistaken identity: “If you are not here by 5 o’clock, we will kill your wife.” As the only people who can help, these two unlikely characters must find their inner hero in their...

“22 Jump Street” standout Jillian Bell has been cast in the lead role on James Corden’s Showtime comedy pilot, “The Wrong Mans.” Starring opposite Ben Schwartz (who also produces the potential series) Bell will play the part of Anna, which is based on the role of Phil that Corden played in the original British version.

Corden penned the pilot and executive produces alongside Mathew Baynton, Ian Maxtone-Graham, J.J. Abrams, Angie Stephenson, and Ben Stephenson. Jim Field Smith executives produces and is directing the pilot, which is based on the BBC series created by Corden and Baynton.

Anna is a co-worker of Sam (Schwartz). She is a somewhat deluded fantasist who lives with her mother and has such an empty life that she leaps at the opportunity to join Sam in saving a kidnapped woman, per Showtime. Whereas Sam just wants to get on with his quite ordinary life, Anna...

Jillian Bell is headed to Showtime.

The 22 Jump Street and Rough Night actress has been tapped to star opposite Ben Schwartz in the premium cable network's comedy pilot The Wrong Mans.

From executive producers J.J. Abrams and James Corden, The Wrong Mans is an action-comedy about two ordinary office workers who have their menial existence turned upside-down by a chance phone call and a case of mistaken identity: "If you are not here by 5 o’clock, we will kill your wife." As the only people who can help, these two unlikely characters must find their ...

Mackenzie Crook is a triple threat at the Emmys as the writer, director and star of the critically acclaimed comedy “Detectorists.” He’s already won a BAFTA as the creator of this character study, in which he plays Andy, a would-be archaeologist, who spends his free time with his pal Lance (Toby Jones) in search of buried treasure.

This gentle half hour explores the friendship of two men who are misfits as well as the women in their life played by Rachael Stirling and Rebecca Callard respectively. Stirling’s mother, Diana Rigg, plays her on-screen mother in season three of this Britcom. The Emmy favorite could well reap her first bid on the comedy side for her scene-stealing supporting role.

See 2018 Emmys calendar: Two-week voting starts June 11, nominations on July 12, ceremony on September 17

The first season of “Detectorists” won Best Scripted Comedy at the BAFTAs in 2015 against three strong competitors:...

A David Tennant-fronted comedy drama, a multi-character sitcom from the writer of Paddington 2, a comedy crime thriller featuring Episodes’ Daisy Haggard and a raft of new talent form part of the BBC’s latest comedy drive.

The British public broadcaster has unveiled its new slate of comedies across its channels BBC One, BBC Two, BBC Three and BBC Four. This comes as BBC comedy chief Shane Allen tells Deadline that by making shows that are quintessentially British, they are increasingly traveling to the U.S. and internationally without the need to be remade.

On BBC One, Paddington 2’s Simon Farnaby and his colleagues behind Horrible Histories and Yonderland are producing Ghosts, a multi-character sitcom. Farnaby, Mathew Baynton, Martha Howe-Douglas, Jim Howick, Laurence Rickard and Ben Willbond are working with Monumental Television on the six-part horror comedy, which follows a group of restless spirits squabbling in a crumbling country house.

Former “Doctor Who” star David Tennant will play the father of a severely learning-disabled girl in “There She Goes,” a new comedy for the BBC from Sharon Horgan’s production company Merman.

The five-part series will go out on the pubcaster’s BBC Four channel. Tennant and Jessica Hynes (“Shaun of the Dead”) star as Simon and Emily, respectively, the parents of 9-year-old Rosie, played by Miley Locke. Edan Hayhurst appears as Ben, Rosie’s brother.

Shaun Pye (“Todd Margaret”) penned the series. The producers said that each episode would shine a light on day-to-day life with Rosie, from simply trying to take her to the park to explaining that every day isn’t her birthday. Sky Vision is selling the series internationally.

Merman also won a second-season order for “Motherland,” its comedy about modern parenting and family life.

The shows were announced as part of the BBC’s new comedy slate.

Mackenzie Crook pulls triple duty on the comedy series “Detecorists.” Besides writing and directing each of the 19 episodes, he stars as Andy, a would-be archaeologist, who spends his free time with his pal Lance (Toby Jones) in search of buried treasure. As he explained in our recent interview (watch above), he didn’t intend to wear so many hats. Rather it was his pal Ricky Gervais, with whom he’d co-starred in “The Office,” who told him that he just had to direct his scripts. “He was right. The idea of handing this over to someone else to direct after I had poured so much into it became unthinkable.”

Despite the overwhelming critical acclaim for the show (it merits a perfect score on Rotten Tomatoes), Crook was content to make just two seasons of the show, as Gervais had done with “The Office.” But he thought there was more story...

On the heels of recent big commitments for Fulwell73’s scripted comedy series Happy Together at CBS and The Wrong Mans at Showtime, the company has brought in Warner Bros. TV development executive Jeff Grosvenor as head of Us Scripted Development.

As Fulwell73’s first dedicated scripted executive in the U.S., Grosvenor is being tasked with expanding Fulwell’s existing scripted slate. Starting effective immediately, Grosvenor will report to Fulwell partners Ben Winston and Leo Pearlman.

Fulwell 73, which is behind such series as Carpool Karaoke, The Late Late Show with James Corden, Drop the Mic, Sounds Like Friday Night and Seatbelt Psychic, was founded in 2005 by lifelong friends Ben Winston, Leo Pearlman, Ben Turner and Gabe Turner, with James Corden joining in 2017 as a fifth full partner. The company has a development deal at CBS TV Studios.

In the past two months, Fulwell’s comedy pilot Happy Together starring...

James Corden was granted permission to do yet another Crosswalk the Musical — with the expectation he would include CBS stars like “Mom” leads Anna Faris and Allison Janney, “Young Sheldon”‘s Iain Armitage and “The Big Bang Theory”‘s Kunal Nayyar.

Tuesday’s edition of the segment, which aired during Corden’s “Carpool Karaoke Primetime Special,” featured a performance of “The Sound of Music,” in which the late-night host immediately took issue with Janney, who showed up ready to play Maria.

“I don’t know who she thinks she is, from Day 1 this company has had a fair and democratic audition process that always casts me in the lead role!” Corden said.

Also Read: James Corden's 'Shaqnado' Is Somehow Worse Than 'Sharknado' (Video)

“Unfortunately I did agree to do this before I won the Oscar,” Janney noted. “There is no way I would have said yes now — but if I’m doing it you bet your sweet ass I’m playing Maria.”

The two agreed to both play the role first taken on by Julie Andrews in the 1965 classic — and it went about as well as you would think that decision would.

Janney and Corden swapped parts in between musical numbers like “The Sound of Music” and “My Favorite Things” as oncoming traffic was forced to come to halt.

Also Read: James Corden's 'The Wrong Mans' Gets Pilot Order From Showtime

They finally figure out how to solve the problem of two Marias in the end, but not before a lot of diva behavior. (Mainly from Corden.)

Watch the clip above.

Read original story James Corden’s Crosswalk Musical ‘The Sound of Music’ Has a Problem to Solve – 2 Marias (Video) At TheWrap...

Ben Schwartz is returning to Showtime. Deadline reports the House of Lies star has joined the network's upcoming TV pilot, The Wrong Mans.A remake of the 2013 James Corden series, the action comedy "follows two ordinary office workers (one played by Ben Schwartz) who have their menial existence turned upside-down by a chance phone call and a case of mistaken identity: '"If you are not here by 5 o’clock, we will kill your wife.'"Read More…...

Showtime has ordered a pilot for James Corden’s half-hour comedy “The Wrong Mans.”

Ben Schwartz will star in the remake, which comes from Bad Robot and Corden’s Fulwell 73 Productions in association with BBC Worldwide and Warner Bros. Television.

The “Late Late Show” host will executive produce and write the series. Matthew Baynton, who starred with Corden in the original, will also write and executive produce, along with writer Ian Maxtone-Graham and director Jim Field Smith.

Also Read: James Corden's Employees Hide From Him in 'A Quiet Place' Parody (Video)

The single-camera comedy follows two office workers who receive this threat: “If you are not here by 5 o’clock, we will kill your wife.” The case of mistaken identity turns into a quest to save their whole town.

J.J. Abrams, Ben Stephenson, Maxtone-Graham and Smith executive produce the project with Corden and Baynton.

The original series ran from 2013-2014 on Hulu and starred Corden and Baynton as the two office workers.

Read original story James Corden’s ‘The Wrong Mans’ Gets Pilot Order From Showtime At TheWrap...

Showtime has given a pilot production commitment to an adaptation of the British series “The Wrong Mans,” Variety has learned.

Based on the BBC series created by James Corden and Matthew Baynton, the half-hour single cam project is described as an action-comedy about two ordinary office workers who have their menial existence turned upside-down by a chance phone call and a case of mistaken identity: “If you are not here by 5 o’clock, we will kill your wife.” As the only people who can help, these two unlikely characters must find their inner hero in their quest to save not just themselves, but their loved ones and ultimately their whole town.

Ben Schwartz will star in one of the lead roles in addition to serving as producer. The role reunites Schwartz with Showtime, where he previously appeared in the series “House of Lies” alongside Don Cheadle and Kristen Bell for its entire five-season run.

Showtime has given a pilot production commitment to The Wrong Mans, a half-hour single-camera action comedy based on the 2013 British series created by and starring James Corden & Matthew Baynton. The U.S. version, from The Late Late Show host Corden, Baynton, J.J. Abrams’ Bad Robot Prods. and Warner Bros. TV, will star Ben Schwartz in his return to Showtime where he co-starred on House of Lies.

Written by Corden, Bayton and U.S. TV writer Ian Maxtone-Graham and directed by the original series’ director Jim Field Smith, The Wrong Mans follows two ordinary office workers (one played by Ben Schwartz) who have their menial existence turned upside-down by a chance phone call and a case of mistaken identity: “If you are not here by 5 o’clock, we will kill your wife.” As the only people who can help, these two unlikely characters must find their inner hero in their quest to save not just themselves,...

Showtime and Bad Robot are teaming again, with the pay cable network and the production company behind the short-lived Cameron Crowe dramedy <em>Roadies</em> partnering on a new comedy, <em>The Wrong Mans</em>.

The half-hour, single-camera effort — which is based on the BBC series created by James Corden and Matthew Baynton — has been given a pilot production commitment by Showtime. Ben Schwartz is slated to star in the new iteration, which will be written by Corden, Baynton and Ian Maxtone-Graham. Jim Field Smith is set to direct.

<em>The Wrong Mans </em>is an action-comedy about two ordinary office workers (one played by ...

IFC has renewed Brockmire for a second season — just hours before the new, Hank Azaria-led comedy steps up to the plate.

Brockmire, which stars its executive producer Azaria (The Simpsons) as the titular character, follows a famous baseball announcer 10 years after a public meltdown (triggered by his learning of his wife’s infidelity) that ruined his reputation and made him a viral sensation. The show’s cast also includes Amanda Peet (Togetherness) as the strong-willed owner of the Morristown Frackers minor league team and Tyrel Jackson Williams (Lab Rats) as an social media-savvy intern.

“This show is the most fun I’ve ever had.

James Corden is a true Hollywood success.

The 38-year-old host of The Late Late Show covers Esquire's March issue, in which he talks about his start in show business and how he's had huge success in creating viral clips, such as his now infamous Carpool Karaoke segments. But Corden isn't just comfortable resting in his success.

"I'm always keen to try new things visually, with openings and sketches," Corden tells the magazine about what changes to expect from his show in the coming year. "I'd like to film the show somewhere else for a week."

Watch: James Corden Pays Tribute to George Michael, Who Helped Inspire 'Carpool Karaoke'

"Visually better," he adds. "More ambitious. And also sillier. Those three things."

Esquire

Corden, of course, wasn't always a household name. The British actor talks about studying acting as a teenager at a school in England, but quickly saw his roles limited because of his non-traditional leading...

dick clark productions announced today that James Corden, critically and globally feted actor, comedian and late night talk show host, returns for the second consecutive year to host the Hollywood Film Awards. The awards ceremony, celebrating its 20th anniversary as the official launch of the awards season®, will take place at the Beverly Hilton Hotel in Beverly Hills, on November 6, 2016. The Hollywood Film Awards honors some of the most acclaimed films and actors, as well as artists in Cinematography, Visual Effects, Film Composing, Costume Design, Editing, Production Design, Sound and Makeup & Hairstyling. Its honorees over the past 20 years have included the world’s biggest stars and more than 110 have gone on to garner Oscar nominations and/or wins. “Entertaining a room full of the world’s biggest stars is no easy feat, but James Corden commanded the room at last year’s Hollywood Film Awards with incredible grace and wit,...

Broadcast’s Peter White assesses Ampere Analysis’ research into the secretive SVoD service’s content strategy in the UK.

Netflix is cementing its growth in the UK, where it has 6.1 million subscribers, by overhauling its programme library to move from a longtail warehouse to a premium platform.

The SVoD service’s second stage of growth is built around a constant refresh of its TV catalogue, with original commissions and high-profile acquisitions replacing older titles.

Exclusive data, provided by research firm Ampere Analysis, reveals that Netflix refreshed an average of 10.6% of its titles each month between July 2015 and March 2016. That rate jumped to 13% of programmes in April 2016.

This turnover comes alongside a huge cull in titles more than two years old. Netflix UK cut its catalogue by 490 TV and film titles from December 2015 to June 2016, from 2,502 to 2,012.

This echoes similar moves in the Us, where the firm reduced the total number TV shows on offer from 1,609 in January...