WarnerMedia’s forthcoming streaming service has given an eight-episode, straight-to-series order to “Circe,” a modern take on the world of Greek mythology based on Madeline Miller’s bestseller.
The project comes from writers Rick Jaffa and Amanda Silver (“Planet of the Apes,” “Jurassic World”), who will executive produce.
“Circe” is told from the powerful feminist perspective of the titular goddess, who transforms from an awkward nymph to a formidable witch, able to challenge gods, titans and monsters alike.
“’Circe’ tells an epic story of love, loss, tragedy and immortal conflict, all through the eyes of a fierce female lens,” said Sarah Aubrey, head of originals at HBO Max.
The show joins several other scripted originals in the works, including a reboot of “Gossip Girl,” the Nicole Kidman-produced drama “Crime Farm,” a female-focused “Dune” series, and an animated “Gremlins” prequel.
HBO Max is saying “XOXO” to a reboot of “Gossip Girl.”
WarnerMedia’s forthcoming streaming service has ordered 10 episodes of the teen drama’s reimagining from the original creative team of Josh Schwartz and Stephanie Savage. Josh Safran, who wrote and produced the original, will return to serve as showrunner of the new version.
“Gossip Girl” ran on The CW for six seasons from 2007 to 2012 and was based the popular book series by Cecily von Ziegesar.
It was a pop culture phenomenon and launched the careers of Blake Lively, Leighton Meester, Penn Badgley, Chace Crawford and Ed Westwick. “Gossip Girl” also spawned clothing and cosmetics lines, and in 2008, The New York Times wrote that it was “one of the biggest influences on how young women spend.”
The new version is set eight years after the original gossip website went dark. A new generation of New York private school teens are introduced to the social surveillance of Gossip Girl. The prestige series will address just how much social media — and the landscape of New York itself — has changed in the intervening years.
It’s unclear if any of the original cast members will return for the reboot.
Nicole Kidman is attached to executive produce the drama series “Crime Farm,” for WarnerMedia’s new streaming service, HBO Max.
It’s about real-life couple Selma and Richard Eikelenboom, married forensic homicide experts. The series is described as a “psychosexual love story.”
Richard Eikelenboom was an expert witness in several high-profile cases, including the trial of Casey Anthony. The couple’s work also helped clear a convicted man in the 1987 murder of Peggy Hettrick in Fort Collins, Colorado.
No casting has yet been announced.
Janine Sherman Barrois, the showrunner on TNT series “Claws,” will write and executive produce. Her other credits include “Criminal Minds,” “Third Watch,” and “ER.”
She is also the co-showrunner and executive producer on the upcoming Netflix limited series “Madam C.J. Walker” starring Octavia Spencer as the early 20th century entrepreneur who invented a line of cosmetics and hair care products for black women and became the wealthiest self-made woman in America.
Kidman is also executive producing and starring in the upcoming HBO limited series “The Undoing.”
Not all her projects are at HBO: She’s executive producing upcoming series “Nine Perfect Strangers” at Hulu and “The Expatriates” for Amazon.
“The One Where ‘Friends’ Leaves Netflix” is coming: WarnerMedia announced the official name and programming lineup for its new streaming service on Tuesday, revealing that it will be the exclusive home of the beloved sitcom beginning next year.
That means that Netflix will be bidding farewell to one of its most popular programs, and the streaming service confirmed the sad news in a bittersweet Twitter post on Tuesday.
“We’re sorry to see Friends go to Warner’s steaming service at the beginning of 2020 (in The US),” the tweet said. “Thanks for the memories, gang.”
The move was long expected, after WarnerMedia revealed its plans last year to launch its own standalone platform. Netflix had to do some expensive financial wrangling to keep “Friends” in the fold for all of 2019 (and ward off rumors of its premature departure), but apparently couldn’t justify the financial toll of securing it in perpetuity. According to The Hollywood Reporter, WarnerMedia shelled out a whopping $425 million for a five-year exclusive contract for the series.
But if you think “Friends” is all that the Warners service has to offer, think again: The new platform, called HBO Max, will feature not only films and TV series from the Warner Bros. and New Line libraries — including DC properties, the “Fantastic Beasts” films, and recent hits like “A Star Is Born” and “Crazy Rich Asians” — but also HBO content including “Game of Thrones,” “Big Little Lies,” and the upcoming “Watchmen” series.
Other highlights include original movies from Reese Witherspoon and Greg Berlanti; numerous original series, including an animated “Gremlins” prequel; popular series like “The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air” and “Pretty Little Liars”; and content from a host of networks including Turner Classic Movies (“The Wizard of Oz” gets a big shout-out in the above promo), Cartoon Network, CNN, The CW, and TBS, among others.
