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Craig Mazin and John August may lend their storytelling expertise while hosting their podcast Scriptnotes, but now the hosts are ready to offer that knowledge in book form.

The Hollywood screenwriters will release Scriptnotes: A Book About Screenwriting and Things That Are Interesting to Screenwriters, based on their hit podcast by the same name, offering an “ultimate guide for writing screenplays or building a screenwriting career,” The Hollywood Reporter can exclusively announce.

John August Dustin Bocks

On their podcast, Mazin and August discuss “everything from writer’s block, to getting started in the industry, to the vagaries of work-for-hire and copyright law,” all the while sharing “their expertise and best tips for working in film and television.” For their podcast they have spoken to a myriad of entertainment figures, including Christopher Nolan, Greta Gerwig, Michael Schur, Rian Johnson, Aline Brosh McKenna, Ashley Nicole Black, Seth Rogen and more about the...

Six years ago, Octavia Spencer teamed with Blumhouse Productions for the psychological horror thriller Ma, where she played the homicidal title character, Sue Ann “Ma” Ellington. Last week, it was announced that Spencer is coming back for a Ma sequel – and now, Deadline has learned that Ashley Nicole Black has been hired to write the screenplay for the sequel.

If you’re not familiar with Black, Deadline has the information: “A writer, actress, and comedian, Black received an NAACP Award nomination for Outstanding Writing in a Comedy Series in 2022 for Ted Lasso, and was again nominated this year for her work on Shrinking, where she’s also an executive producer and recurs as Nikki. Other recent credits include serving as supervising producer and actor on Apple’s Bad Monkey and writing and performing on HBO’s A Black Lady Sketch show. A former writer and on-air correspondent for Full Frontal with Samantha Bee,...

Blumhouse isn’t letting her drink alone; sequel Ma 2 has enlisted Emmy-winner Ashley Nicole Black to write the screenplay, per Deadline.

Octavia Spencer was recently confirmed to return at Blumhouse’s The Business of Fear event.

“Ma has proven to be a social phenomenon since its release in 2019, with fans eagerly embracing the film and Octavia’s iconic performance as Ma. Ma likes to say ‘Don’t make me drink alone,’ so we’re thrilled Octavia will join us again for a second round,” said Blumhouse Founder/CEO Jason Blum.

Spencer played Sue Ann, a loner who keeps to herself in her quiet Ohio town. One day, she is asked by Maggie, a new teenager in town, to buy some booze for her and her friends, and Sue Ann sees the chance to make some unsuspecting, if younger, friends of her own.

While no director has been announced as of yet,...

Exclusive: Blumhouse’s sequel to Octavia Spencer revenge flick Ma has found its writer in Ashley Nicole Black, a two-time Emmy-winner known for her work on shows like Shrinking and Ted Lasso.

Blumhouse just announced at its recent Business of Fear symposium that Spencer is coming back for another film. No word yet on a director for the project.

Tate Taylor helmed the 2019 original, from a script by Scotty Landes. It grossed over $60 million worldwide, with fans taking notice of Spencer’s meme-worthy performance as as Sue Ann, a lonely middle-aged woman who befriends a group of teenagers and allows them to party in her basement, only to display increasingly erratic and sinister behavior.

A writer, actress, and comedian, Black received an NAACP Award nomination for Outstanding Writing in a Comedy Series in 2022 for Ted Lasso, and was again nominated this year for her work on Shrinking, where she’s...

Michael J. Fox will make his first acting appearance in several years with a role in season three of Shrinking.

The five-time Emmy winner will guest star in the Apple TV+ comedy; details of his role are being kept under wraps. Season three of Shrinking is currently in production.

Fox’s last on-camera acting role was in The Good Fight in 2020, reprising his Emmy-nominated role as attorney Louis Canning. The actor has been living with Parkinson’s disease for more than 30 years and has helped raise more than $2 billion for research through his eponymous foundation. In Shrinking, Harrison Ford’s character, Paul Rhoades, was diagnosed with Parkinson’s during season one.

Fox’s Shrinking appearance will be a reunion for him and co-creator Bill Lawrence. The two worked together on ABC’s Spin City (Lawrence’s first series as a creator), and Fox also guest-starred on Scrubs.

Fox joins Jeff Daniels,...

“Shrinking” has added longtime, award-wining actor Michael J. Fox to its cast lineup for Season 3 of the hit Apple TV+ series. This is one of the first projects the actor has starred in since his return to acting.

Details about Fox’s character are being kept under wraps, but his casting marks a reunion between Fox and “Shrinking” co-creator and executive producer Bill Lawrence, as Fox was the lead star on Lawrence’s breakout series. “Spin City.”

The cast of “Shrinking” Season 3 also includes previously announced additions Jeff Daniels, who will guest star as Jimmy’s father, Sherry Cola and Isabella Gomez.

His role in the show will end his five-year on-screen retirement from acting after he decided to step away from the craft due to his struggles with Parkinson’s disease. During an interview in Far Out Magazine, Lawrence credited Fox, who he referred to as his “mentor,” for...

Michael J. Fox has joined the Season 3 cast of the Apple TV+ comedy “Shrinking” as a guest star.

Though details about his character remain under wraps for now, the role will mark his first time acting since 2020, when he retired due to speech issues associated with his Parkinson’s disease.

“Shrinking” will also reunite him with series co-creator Bill Lawrence. Previously, the two worked together when Fox led Lawrence’s ABC sitcom “Spin City,” which he departed after four seasons in 2000 due to Parkinson’s symptoms. Fox also had a two-episode arc in Lawrence’s NBC sitcom “Scrubs,” in which he played a genius doctor with severe Ocd.

Lawrence co-created “Shrinking” with Brett Goldstein and Jason Segel, who stars as Jimmy, a therapist whose grief about his late wife pushes him to start breaking the rules and making big changes in the lives of his patients, friends, family and self.

Exclusive: Five-time Emmy winner Michael J. Fox is returning to acting with a major guest-starring role on the upcoming third season of Apple TV+’s hit comedy series Shrinking, toplined by Jason Segel and Harrison Ford.

Details around the role are being kept under wraps but it may be connected to the character arc of Ford’s therapist Paul Rhoades. It was revealed at the end of Season 1 that Paul has Parkinson’s, a disease Fox has been battling for three and a half decades.

This marks a reunion for Fox and Shrinking co-creator/executive producer Bill Lawrence. Fox headlined Lawrence’s first series as a creator, Spin City, for four seasons before leaving when his symptoms became more serious. The ABC comedy landed Fox his fifth Emmy award; he had won four for Family Ties.

Since then, Fox was the star of The Michael J. Fox Show and has...

Newly announced programming for the 2025 Atx TV Festival, being held Thursday, May 29 through Sunday, June 1, in Austin, Texas, includes:

▶ A screening of Max’s Duster (premiering May 15), followed by a Q&a with co-creator/EP Latoya Morgan and cast members Josh Holloway, Rachel Hilson, Keith David and Asivak Koostachin

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▶ A conversation with The Gilded Age cast members Carrie Coon,...

The third season of “Shrinking” has added both Sherry Cola and Isabella Gomez to its cast.

Variety has learned that both Cola and Gomez will appear in Season 3 of the Apple TV+ dramedy in recurring roles. They join fellow new Season 3 cast member Jeff Daniels as well as returning stars Jason Segel, Harrison Ford, Christa Miller, Emmy Award nominee Jessica Williams, Luke Tennie, Michael Urie, Lukita Maxwell, and Ted McGinley.

“Shrinking” Season 2 launched in October and concluded in December. Both Segel and Williams have received Emmy Award nominations for the show’s first season.

Per the official logline, the show “follows grieving therapist Jimmy (Segel) who starts to break the rules and tell his clients exactly what he thinks. Ignoring his training and ethics, he finds himself making huge, tumultuous changes to people’s lives … including his own.”

Cola most recently appeared in the hit Netflix comedy “Nobody Wants This.

Exclusive: Apple’s Shrinking family is growing by two more as Sherry Cola and Isabella Gomez join the comedy series in recurring roles.

Co-created by Jason Segel, Bill Lawrence and Brett Goldstein, Shrinking follows grieving therapist Jimmy (Segel), who starts to break the rules and tell his clients exactly what he thinks. Ignoring his training and ethics, he finds himself making huge, tumultuous changes to people’s lives … including his own.

In addition to Segel and Ford, Christa Miller, Jessica Williams, Luke Tennie, Michael Urie, Lukita Maxwell, and Ted McGinley also star. As Deadline recently announced, Emmy, SAG, and Golden Globe Award-winner Jeff Daniels will guest star as Jimmy’s father.

Shrinking is produced for Apple TV+ by Warner Bros Television, where Lawrence and Goldstein are under overall deals, and Lawrence’s Doozer Productions. Lawrence, Segel,...

Jeff Daniels is stepping into Shrinking Season 3, and honestly, we’re all ears – because when this Emmy-winning powerhouse joins a cast that already boasts Harrison Ford, you know stuff’s about to get even juicier. Apple TV+ clearly isn’t playing around, adding another Hollywood heavyweight to its hit dramedy.

Jeff Daniels in Dumb and Dumber | Credits: New Line cinema

But who’s he playing? A rival therapist? A long-lost friend? A chaotic wildcard ready to shake things up? Whatever it is, expect Daniels to bring in his signature mix of charm, wit, and emotional depth.

Jeff Daniels joins Shrinking season 3 as Jason Segel’s on-screen dad – Here’s what we know Jeff Daniels in A Man in Full (2024) | Credits: Royal Ties Productions

Apple TV+ just leveled up Shrinking Season 3. Emmy winner Jeff Daniels is stepping in to play Jimmy’s father – yes, Jason Segel’s on-screen dad. Industry sources...

Apple TV+’s Shrinking is adding an Emmy winner to its season three cast.

Jeff Daniels will guest-star in the comedy’s third season, playing Jimmy’s (Jason Segel) father. The two-time Emmy winner joins a cast that also includes Harrison Ford, Christa Miller, Jessica Williams, Luke Tennie, Michael Urie, Lukita Maxwell and Ted McGinley; co-creator Brett Goldstein recurred in season two.

Details of how Jimmy’s dad enters the show are being kept quiet for now. Season two ended with Jimmy forgiving the drunk driver (Goldstein) who caused the accident that left him widowed — and himself for how he had previously handled his relationship with his daughter, Alice (Lukita Maxwell).

“You want Jimmy to get to the point where he would leave it all behind for Alice, including his therapy practice and all that,” Segel told The Hollywood Reporter when season two concluded. “I think that’s what makes it the primary relationship.

Jeff Daniels has joined the cast of “Shrinking” at Apple TV+, Variety has learned.

The actor will appear in the series’ upcoming third season, which was originally announced in October 2024. Daniels will appear in a guest star role as Jimmy’s (Jason Segel) father. Along with Segel, the cast of the critically-acclaimed dramedy also includes Harrison Ford, Jessica Williams, Michael Urie, Lukita Maxwell, Christa Miller, and Ted McGinley.

This will be the latest TV role for Daniels in the past several years. Previously, he starred in the Showtime (and later Amazon Prime Video) series adaptation of “American Rust” as well as the premium cabler’s limited series “The Comey Rule.” He has also starred in shows like “A Man in Full,” “The Newsroom” (for which he won an Emmy in 2013), “Godless” (for which he won an Emmy in 2018), and “The Looming Tower.” Daniels is a highly-accomplished film actor, starring in...

Exclusive: Emmy winner Jeff Daniels (The Looming Tower) has been tapped to recur opposite Jason Segel and Harrison Ford in the upcoming third season of Apple TV+’s popular comedy Shrinking.

Co-created by Segel, Bill Lawrence and Brett Goldstein, Shrinking follows grieving therapist Jimmy (Segel) who starts to break the rules and tell his clients exactly what he thinks. Ignoring his training and ethics, he finds himself making huge, tumultuous changes to people’s lives … including his own.

In a guest arc, Daniels will play Jimmy’s father.

This marks a return to comedy for Daniels, who has worked primarily on the drama side over the past decade since the 2014 sequel to his signature comedy film with Jim Carrey, Dumb and Dumber. Shrinking is Daniels’ first major live-action comedy series role.

In addition to Segel and Ford, Shrinking‘s main cast includes Christa Miller, Jessica Williams, Luke Tennie, Michael Urie,...

Following its critically acclaimed and Rotten Tomatoes Certified Fresh first season, Apple’s hit comedy series Bad Monkey, from award-winning executive producer Bill Lawrence, and starring and executive produced by actor, producer and screenwriter Vince Vaughn, has been renewed for a second season.

“I hope that people know that Carl Hiaasen is an idol of mine and an inspiration for me as a writer,” said showrunner and executive producer Bill Lawrence. “To get to go on telling his story with Vince Vaughn and this great cast, at least the characters who are still alive, is very exciting. I’m very thankful to our partners at Apple TV+ and Warner Bros, as well as the entire team that helps bring this show to life.”

“Since ‘Bad Monkey’ first made its debut on Apple TV+, this highly entertaining series became an instant fan favorite,” said Matt Cherniss, head of programming for Apple...

“Bad Monkey” has been renewed for Season 2 at Apple TV+, Variety has learned.

The series originally debuted on Apple’s streaming service back in August with the season finale airing in October. The first season was based on the novel of the same name by Carl Hiaasen. There is a sequel novel to “Bad Monkey” titled “Razor Girl,” but according to an individual with knowledge of the production, Season 2 will not be based on that book. Bill Lawrence developed “Bad Monkey” for television with Vince Vaughn starring in the lead role.

“I hope that people know that Carl Hiaasen is an idol of mine and an inspiration for me as a writer,” Lawrence said. “To get to go on telling his story with Vince Vaughn and this great cast, at least the characters who are still alive, is very exciting. I’m very thankful to our partners at Apple TV+ and Warner Bros,...

Apple TV+ has given a Season 2 renewal to breakout comedy Bad Monkey, from developer, executive producer and showrunner Bill Lawrence, star/executive producer Vince Vaughn and Warner Bros. Television where Lawrence is based.

The pickup comes more than a month after the Season 1 finale of Bad Monkey was released. I hear the delay was largely due to logistics related to relocation. In a rare good news for California production amid the recent exodus, Bad Monkey will be moving from Miami and the Florida Keys to the Los Angeles area in Season 2, sources tell Deadline. I hear the move was important to LA-based Vaughn, and the crew also faced a lot of weather-related challenges while filming Season 1. To do it, the series was awarded a $20M tax credit from California.

Since Bad Monkey is an adaptation of Carl Hiaasen’s work, which is synonymous with Florida, there will be pickup shoots in the Sunshine State,...

Bad Monkey is coming back.

The Bill Lawrence series, based on Carl Hiaasen’s novel of the same name has been renewed for season two at Apple TV+ with Vince Vaughn set to return.

“I hope that people know that Carl Hiaasen is an idol of mine and an inspiration for me as a writer,” the showrunner and executive producer said in a statement. “To get to go on telling his story with Vince Vaughn and this great cast, at least the characters who are still alive, is very exciting. I’m very thankful to our partners at Apple TV+ and Warner Bros, as well as the entire team that helps bring this show to life.”

The acclaimed comedy follows Vaughn’s Andrew Yancy, who has been bounced from the Miami Police Department and is now a health inspector in the Keys, according to the logline. When he stumbles on...

Bill Lawrence and Jason Segel unpacked their reasons for empowering “Shrinking” writers to guest star in the series, highlighting that it’s important to provide opportunities for growth in Hollywood, and that it simply just helps the show be better and funnier.

“I am of the opinion that you should empower everybody who is working on something to have their opportunities, because this job is really hard,” Segel, one of the creatives behind “Shrinking” who strongly suggested that Brett Goldstein — who stars as Louis in the series — take on the role, told TheWrap.

“I don’t make decisions about the writers doing guest spots. They earn those all on their own,” Segel went on. “But I really do feel like if you have the opportunity to give someone breaks, give people breaks left and right.”

“Shrinking” executive producer Brian Gallivan, Nicole Ashley Black, Matt Knudsen, Rachna Fruchbom and more are...

Harrison Ford has just gotten some good news from Apple TV+. After the return of the actor's acclaimed series Shrinking, the streamer has ordered more episodes of the show.

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Per Apple TV+, Shrinking has officially been renewed for Season 3. The announcement comes just one day after Season 2 premiered on the streaming platform. The second season has quickly garnered high praise, currently ranked with a Certified Fresh score of 90% on Rotten Tomatoes, on par with the 91% score held by Season 1. Series co-creator and executive producer Bill Lawrence noted his excitement about the renewal in a a statement released to confirm the news after it was first announced at New York Comic Con by the creators and several stars of the show.

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Im so...

On the heels of the second season premiere of Shrinking, Apple TV+ today announced that the critically acclaimed, Emmy Award-nominated comedy has landed a renewal for season three. Co-created by Jason Segel, Bill Lawrence, and Brett Goldstein, the first two episodes of Shrinking season two are now streaming globally on Apple TV+, and new episodes premiere every Wednesday.

The news was announced at New York Comic Con, where creators Segel and Goldstein and stars Christa Miller, Jessica Williams, Luke Tennie, Michael Urie, Lukita Maxwell, and Ted McGinley took the Main Stage for a special discussion around the new season.

“I’m so lucky to work on ‘Shrinking’ with actors, writers, and a crew so talented that they all elevate the material,” said co-creator and executive producer Bill Lawrence. “I’m even luckier that they are people I’d want to spend time with anyway. Huge thanks to Apple TV+ and...

“Shrinking” has been renewed for Season 3 at Apple TV+.

Co-created by Jason Segel, Bill Lawrence and Brett Goldstein, the show follows “grieving therapist Jimmy (Segel), who starts to break the rules and tell his clients exactly what he thinks. Ignoring his training and ethics, he finds himself making huge, tumultuous changes to people’s lives … including his own,” per the official description.

In addition to Segel, “Shrinking” stars Harrison Ford (as Paul) in one of his first television roles, Christa Miller (Liz), Jessica Williams (Gaby), Luke Tennie (Sean), Michael Urie (Brian), Lukita Maxwell (Alice) and Ted McGinley (Derek). Goldstein also makes a guest star appearance in the second season.

The news of the renewal was announced Thursday at New York Comic Con, where creators Segel and Goldstein, along with members of the “Shrinking” cast, appeared for a special discussion around Season 2. The first two episodes of the latest season are...

The grieving therapist is back.

Apple has renewed Shrinking, which stars Jason Segel and Harrison Ford, for a third season. It comes a day after the launch of season two.

The news comes as the creators and stars of the show are speaking at New York Comic Con.

Shrinking was co-created by Segel, Bill Lawrence and Brett Goldstein. It stars Segel as grieving widower Jimmy Laird, who starts to break the rules and tell his clients exactly what he thinks. Ignoring his training and ethics, he finds himself making huge, tumultuous changes to people’s lives … including his own.

Harrison Ford stars as Jimmy’s boss and mentor Paul, Jessica Williams as their co-worker Gaby, Michael Urie as Jimmy’s best friend Brian, Luke Tennie as one of Jimmy’s clients Sean, Lukita Maxwell as Jimmy’s daughter Alice, Christa Miller as Jimmy and Alice’s neighbor and Ted McGinley as Liz’s husband Derek.

Shortly after the premiere of “Shrinking” Season 2, Apple TV+ has renewed the comedy series for a third season. The show, which is set in the world of therapy, debuted in 2023 as the brainchild of “Ted Lasso” co-creator Bill Lawrence, Jason Segel and Brett Goldstein.

“I’m so lucky to work on ‘Shrinking’ with actors, writers and a crew so talented that they all elevate the material,” said co-creator and executive producer Bill Lawrence in a statement to press. “I’m even luckier that they are people I’d want to spend time with anyway. Huge thanks to to Apple TV+ and Warner Bros. for the amazing partnership and support. So grateful we get to keep making this show. Onward!”

“Shrinking” marks the third partnership for Apple, Lawrence and Warner Bros. Television, alongside “Ted Lasso” and new comedy series “Bad Monkey.”

“It has been wonderful to watch audiences around the world...

Shrinking has booked more sessions at Apple.

The therapy comedy starring Jason Segel has been renewed for a third season at the streamer. The news comes on the heels of Tuesday’s season two launch.

Created by Segel with Bill Lawrence and Brett Goldstein — the latter, who joined the cast in a key guest role for the second season — the cast also includes Harrison Ford in one of his first television roles.

The renewal news was announced Thursday at New York Comic Con when Segel and Goldstein — along with castmembers Christa Miller, Jessica Williams, Luke Tennie, Michael Urie, Lukita Maxwell and Ted McGinley — took the Main Stage for a discussion around season two, which is now streaming its first two episodes.

“I’m so lucky to work on Shrinking with actors, writers and a crew so talented that they all elevate the material,” said co-creator and executive producer Lawrence in a statement.

Plot: Follows a grieving therapist who starts to break the rules and tell his clients exactly what he thinks. Ignoring his training and ethics, he finds himself making huge, tumultuous changes to people’s lives … including his own.

Review: When the first season of Shrinking premiered in January 2023, I called it one of the year’s best shows. Audiences felt the same as the follow-up series from Ted Lasso co-creator Bill Lawrence alongside Brett Goldstein and Jason Segel. It was warmly received for its balance of humor and emotional storylines. Almost two years later, the sophomore run of Shrinking is finally debuting on AppleTV+ with the main ensemble back for more psychological shenanigans. Segel and Harrison Ford continue to shine alongside Jessica Williams, Christa Miller, Michael Urie, Ted McGinley, Lukita Maxwell, and Luke Tennie, with some new faces joining the cast. Shrinking continues to shine a light on the harder aspects of love,...

Get ready to crank up the volume because Val Verde’s favorite (and now officially #1) classic rock station, 108.9 The Hawk, is back for Season 5! Join hosts Geoff “The Angry Man” Garlock (the seminal hardcore band Orchid) and Jason Gore as they navigate the turbulent waters of radio broadcasting with their signature blend of improvised comedy, classic rock, and absurd characters.

This season, 108.9 The Hawk is turning up the heat with a lineup of amazing special guests, starting off with a bang with guest Dave Holmes (Who Killed the Video Star?; Waiting For Impact; MTV). Tune in on Monday, August 19th as Dave takes on the role of Val Verde’s beloved weatherman Greg Fresca, as they celebrate Extreme Heat Days, Val Verde's favorite outdoor festival that takes place in a mall parking lot. The following week they will be joined by Will Hines (Comedy Bang Bang; The World’s Greatest...

Andrew Yancy is a former detective demoted to restaurant inspector, but when the craziest case of his life falls in his lap, he has a plan to get back on the police force. In the new Apple TV+ series “Bad Monkey,” Vince Vaughn navigates the insanity of a severed hand, a voodoo witch, and a nasty monkey. Based on the book of the same name by Carl Hiaasen, the series premieres on Wednesday, Aug. 14 and is created by “Scrubs” and “Ted Lasso” creator Bill Lawrence. Watch this new comedy-crime series with a 7-Day Free Trial of Apple TV+.

How to Watch ‘Bad Monkey’ When: Wednesday, Aug. 14, 2024 Where: Apple TV+ Stream: Watch with a 7-Day Free Trial of Apple TV+. 7-Day Free Trial $9.99+ / month apple.com About ‘Bad Monkey’

Based on Carl Hiaasen’s New York Times bestselling novel and enduring cult favorite, “Bad Monkey” tells the story of Andrew Yancy...

Vince Vaughn is back on the red carpet!

The 54-year-old actor was joined by wife Kyla Weber at the premiere of his new Apple TV+ series Bad Monkey on Monday (August 12) held at the Billy Wilder Theater at The Hammer Museum in Los Angeles.

Fellow cast members in attendance included L. Scott Caldwell, Rob Delaney, Meredith Hagner, Natalie Martinez, Alex Moffat, Michelle Monaghan, Ronald Peet, Zach Braff, Ashley Nicole Black, Scott Glenn and Charlotte Lawrence.

Hours earlier, Vince was honored with the star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame – and his and Kyla‘s two kids made a very rare public appearance at the ceremony!

Keep reading to find out more…Based on Carl Hiaasen’s New York Times bestselling novel, “Bad Monkey tells the story of Andrew Yancy (Vaughn), who has been bounced from the Miami Police Department and is now a health inspector in the Keys. But after...

Plot: The story of Andrew Yancy, who has been bounced from the Miami Police Department and is now a health inspector in the Keys. But after stumbling upon a case that begins with a human arm fished up by tourists, he realizes that if he can prove murder, he’ll be back in. He just needs to get past a trove of Floridian oddballs and one bad monkey.

Review: The last time Vince Vaughn starred in a mystery series for television, the result was the divisive second season of True Detective. Playing a fully dramatic role was nothing new for the versatile Vaughn, but the mixed reception pushed the actor back to the big screen. Aside from a recurring role in the final seasons of Curb Your Enthusiasm, Vince Vaughn has stayed away from television until now. Partnering with Bill Lawrence, the creator of Scrubs and co-creator of Ted Lasso,...

To lift a title from kids’ novelist Wilson Rawls, this has become the Summer of the Monkeys.

Before we get to HBO’s Chimp Crazy and Netflix’s Secret Lives of Orangutans, devotees of the simian arts will be treated to Apple TV+’s Bad Monkey, a Carl Hiaasen adaptation from the streamer’s comedy patron saint, Bill Lawrence (Ted Lasso, Shrinking).

Contrary to the show and novel’s name, the eponymous monkey is not, in fact, bad. Played by veteran animal thespian Crystal — you know her from Community, The Fabelmans and more — she is, in fact, quite good, reliable for reactive cutaways or wild, furry hijinks. She (actually, Crystal is playing a character who seems to identify as male, but we are not going down the path of monkey pronouns here) doesn’t always feel particularly connected to the plot of Bad Monkey, but it’s charming and fun just to have her around.

Audible and Broadway Video Enterprises are launching two new, original comedy podcasts this fall, with a lineup of castmembers including Glen Powell, Nicholas Braun, Taraji P. Henson and Tracee Ellis Ross.

The Best Man’s Ghostwriter follows Nate (voiced by Powell) as a speechwriter hired to help write best man speeches and one of his client’s, Dan (voiced by Braun), in a podcast exploring the “often idiotic world of male friendship.” The podcast, written and directed by comedian Matthew Star, a former real-life best man’s ghostwriter, debuts Sept. 12.

The cast for The Best Man’s Ghostwriter also includes Ashley Park, D’Arcy Carden, Lance Bass, Zach Braff, Lukas Gage, Alex Wolff, Debra Messing, George Takei, Jack McBrayer, Nicole Byer, Zach Cherry, Lennon Parham, Neil Flynn, Jason Mantzoukas, Ben Marshall, John Higgins, Martin Herlihy, Jonathan Van Ness and Sherri Shepherd.

“Bringing The Best Man’s Ghostwriter to life was a blast,...

Bad Monkey finally has a release date. The new comedy series starring Vince Vaughn will arrive on Apple TV+ next month. The streaming service ordered the comedy from Bill Lawrence (Ted Lasso) in August 2021. Ten episodes have been produced.

Starring Vaughn, L. Scott Caldwell, Rob Delaney, Meredith Hagner, Natalie Martinez, Alex Moffat, Michelle Monaghan, Ronald Peet, Jodie Turner-Smith, the Bad Monkey series is based on a novel by Carl Hiaasen. John Ortiz, Zach Braff, Ashley Nicole Black, Scott Glenn, and Charlotte Lawrence guest star.

Read More…...

“The Boy and the Heron” Comes to Max in September

Hayao Miyazaki’s most recent “last” film “The Boy and the Heron” is taking flight.

The Oscar and Golden Globe-winning animated film from famed studio Studio Ghibli will make its United States streaming debut exclusively on Max on Friday, Sept. 6.

The hand-drawn original written and directed by Miyazaki was the famed filmmaker’s first feature film in 10 years. The story follows young Mahito Maki, who loses his mother in a hospital fire and a series of mysterious events leads him to a secluded and ancient tower, home to a mischievous gray heron.

Watch the trailer for “The Boy and the Heron” below:

When his new stepmother disappears, Mahito follows the gray heron on an epic journey into a fantastic world shared by the living and the dead, uncovering the secrets of the world and the truth about himself.

The voice...

“Bad Monkey” is a new ‘crime comedy’ TV series, starring Vince Vaughn, L. Scott Caldwell, Rob Delaney, Meredith Hagner, Natalie Martinez, Alex Moffat, Michelle Monaghan, Ronald Peet, Jodie Turner-Smith, John Ortiz, Zach Braff, Ashley Nicole Black, Scott Glenn and Charlotte Lawrence, streaming August 14, 2024 on AppleTV+:

“…’Andrew Yancy’ has been bounced from the ‘Miami Police Department’ and is now a health inspector in the Florida Keys.

“But after stumbling upon a case, he realizes if he can prove a murder, he’ll be back in. He just needs to get past a trove of Floridian oddballs and one bad monkey…”

Click the images to enlarge…...

"All kinds of bad people getting in the water now." Apple has revealed an official trailer for Bad Monkey, a comedy series about more crazy kooky Floridians (also see: Netflix's Florida Man). This series will be on Apple TV+ streaming in August before the summer's over if anyone's interested. "Welcome to the shady side of paradise where Vince Vaughn has a long list of unusual suspects." Vince Vaughn stars as Andrew Yancy, who has been bounced from the Miami Police and is now a health inspector working in the Florida Keys. But after stumbling upon a case that begins with a human arm being fished up, he might help solve a murder which will bring him back in. He just needs to get past a trove of Floridian oddballs and one bad monkey... The ensemble cast includes L. Scott Caldwell, Rob Delaney, Meredith Hagner, Natalie Martinez, Alex Moffat, Michelle Monaghan,...

Today, Apple TV+ unveiled the trailer for Bad Monkey, the highly anticipated comedy from award-winning executive producer Bill Lawrence and starring acclaimed actor, producer and screenwriter Vince Vaughn, who also serves as an executive producer. The 10-episode series will premiere globally on Apple TV+ with the first two episodes on August 14, 2024 followed by new episodes every Wednesday through October 9.

Based on Carl Hiaasen’s New York Times bestselling novel and enduring cult favorite, Bad Monkey tells the story of Andrew Yancy (Vaughn), who has been bounced from the Miami Police Department and is now a health inspector in the Keys. But after stumbling upon a case that begins with a human arm fished up by tourists, he realizes that if he can prove murder, he’ll be back in. He just needs to get past a trove of Floridian oddballs and one bad monkey.

The ensemble cast also includes L. Scott Caldwell...

Apple TV+ has unveiled the trailer for ‘Bad Monkey,’ the highly anticipated comedy from award-winning executive producer Bill Lawrence and starring acclaimed actor, producer and screenwriter Vince Vaughn.

Based on Carl Hiaasen’s New York Times bestselling novel and enduring cult favourite, the series tells the story of Andrew Yancy (Vaughn), who has been bounced from the Miami Police Department and is now a health inspector in the Keys. But after stumbling upon a case that begins with a human arm fished up by tourists, he realizes that if he can prove murder, he’ll be back in. He needs to get past a trove of Floridian oddballs and one bad monkey.

The ensemble cast also includes L. Scott Caldwell, Rob Delaney, Meredith Hagner, Natalie Martinez, Alex Moffat, Michelle Monaghan, Ronald Peet, Jodie Turner-Smith, with special guest star John Ortiz and guest stars Zach Braff, Ashley Nicole Black, Scott Glenn.

Bad Monkey, Bill Lawrence’s adaptation of the Carl Hiaasen 2013 novel of the same thing and a longtime passion project for the power producer, is finally set to premiere. Having firmed up plans for its Aug. 14 release, Apple TV+ dropped the first trailer for the project on Wednesday.

The Florida-set dramedy mystery tells the story of Andrew Yancy (Vince Vaughn), a former Miami P.D. detective whose transfer to the Keys quickly resulted in him getting bounced from the force entirely to work as a health inspector. When a privileged tourist hooks a human arm on a fishing trip, Yancy is drawn into a murder mystery whose resolution he thinks might earn back his badge.

Filling out the comically large ensemble of oddball characters related to the case are L. Scott Caldwell, Rob Delaney, Meredith Hagner, Natalie Martinez, Alex Moffat , Michelle Monaghan, Ronald Peet and a capuchin playing the titular primate.

Vince Vaughn is getting down and dirty in the Florida Keys as a detective in the Apple TV+ dramedy series “Bad Monkey.” The actor stars in and executive produces the adaptation of Carl Hiaasen’s bestselling novel. Bill Lawrence also executive produces and serves as showrunner, adding to his Apple TV+ portfolio.

The official synopsis reads: “Andrew Yancy (Vaughn) has been bounced from the Miami Police Department and is now a health inspector in the Keys. But after stumbling upon a case that begins with a human arm fished up by tourists, he realizes that if he can prove murder, he’ll be back in. He just needs to get past a trove of Floridian oddballs and one bad monkey.”

The series co-stars Michelle Monaghan, Jodie Turner-Smith, Alex Moffat, L. Scott Caldwell, Rob Delaney, Meredith Hagner, Natalie Martinez, and Ronald Peet. Zach Braff, John Ortiz, Ashley Nicole Black, and Scott Glenn guest star,...

On Thursday June 20 2024, CBS broadcasts After Midnight!

James Davis; Ashley Nicole Black; Laurie Kilmartin Season 1 Episode 73 Episode Summary

In this episode of “After Midnight” on CBS, viewers can look forward to a night filled with laughter and humor. Comic James Davis, comic Ashley Nicole Black, and comic Laurie Kilmartin will take the stage to entertain the audience with their unique styles and comedic talents.

James Davis, known for his sharp wit and relatable humor, will kick off the show with his hilarious observations on everyday life. Ashley Nicole Black, with her infectious energy and clever punchlines, is sure to keep the audience in stitches with her comedic charm. Laurie Kilmartin, a seasoned comic with a knack for storytelling, will bring her wit and sarcasm to the stage, promising an evening of laughs for all.

“As Midnight” continues to showcase a diverse lineup of talented comedians, each bringing their own flavor of humor to the table.

On Wednesday, June 19, 2024, After Midnight, hosted by Taylor Tomlinson, welcomes James Davis, Ashley Nicole Black, and Laurie Kilmartin to the show. James Davis, a stand-up comedian, writer, and actor, is known for his work on Hood Adjacent and Wild n Out. Davis has also appeared on The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon and […]

After Midnight: James Davis, Ashley Nicole Black, Laurie Kilmartin...

Leif & Co. are on the move in a new trailer for Netflix’s Vikings: Valhalla, which you can check out above.

Set in the early 11th century, the period drama chronicles the “heroic adventures of some of the most famous Vikings who ever lived, Leif Eriksson (played by Sam Corlett), his sister Freydis (Frida Gustavsson) and the Norwegian prince Harald Sigurdsson (Leo Suter),” per the official description.

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Exclusive: Ashley Nicole Black is doubling down on both sides of the camera.

The two-time past Emmy winner has joined the second season of Shrinking and the upcoming first season of Bad Monkey, I’ve learned.

However, Black’s’ addition to the two AppleTV+ series, executive produced by Bill Lawrence, is both a little unconventional and playing to all the Black Lady Sketch Show vet’s strengths. While it was already out there that Black was writing on the Vince Vaughn-led Bad Monkey, she will also be a member of the cast of the Florida-set restaurant-inspecting comedy. Also, having been part of the award-winning Ted Lasso writing team, Black is now joining Lawrence and Brett Goldstein on their Harrison Ford, Jessica Williams and Jason Segal-led therapists comedy show.

Like on Bad Monkey, Black will be both a writer on Shrinking Season 2 and a member of the cast.

What...

Exclusive: Veteran producer and executive Becky Sloviter has been named President of Miramax Motion Picture Group, Deadline can exclusively reveal.

The news follows Miramax’s announcement three weeks ago that Jonathan Glickman had been officially appointed as CEO, taking over from the exiting Bill Block.

An Emmy and Golden Globe nominee, Sloviter launched her production company, A Dare To Be Great Situation, in 2022 and has most recently been under a first-look overall deal with ABC Signature. Prior to that, she served as Head of Funny Story Films, a division of MRC Film, there producing upcoming titles including the road trip comedy The Inheritance from Emmy winner Ashley Nicole Black and the Annie Murphy starrer Witness Protection, from screenwriters David West Read and Rupinder Gill, alongside Alloy Entertainment.

In addition to the acclaimed Andy Samberg rom-com Palm Springs, which won the Critics’ Choice Award...

Atx TV Festival announced new updates to its line-up Wednesday, including screenings of Fargo, Pretty Little Liars and the Season 3 premiere of HBO’s critically acclaimed Industry. All of these are in addition to the previously announced Suits reunion panel that’s set to take place at the annual Austin, Texas event later this spring.

Fargo creator, writer and director Noah Hawley will join for a screening of Season 5, Episode 1 (“The Tragedy of the Commons”), followed by a conversation about the overall season, which stars Juno Temple, Jon Hamm and Jennifer Jason Leigh.

More from TVLineI Apparently Inspired a Scene...

Ike Barinholtz is going full dumbass.

That’s how The Mindy Project writer-star describes his latest character, Chris Chatman, who he’ll play for his newest project, The Chris Chatman Do-Over podcast, beginning Jan. 11.

The weekly show, which is being billed as an original improvised comedy, is the second of three installments in a series of podcasts from Amy Poehler’s Paper Kite Productions and Audacy. The first, which launched in September, is Say More with Dr? Sheila, which stars Poehler as a fictional, world-class therapist/life coach, who has questionable methods and credentials and sees new couples each week. Barinholtz is among the many recognizable voices who have appeared as fictional guests on the popular podcast; though in his case, he was setting up a standalone series as Chatman, a controversial shock jock host.

The premise of The Chris Chatman Do-Over is that Chatman’s hit podcast was canceled but he’s listened,...

The 2023 strikes in the entertainment industry led to the cancelation of several TV shows, highlighting the ongoing issues of wages and working conditions for writers and actors. Grease: Rise of the Pink Ladies, A League of Their Own, and How I Met Your Father were among the shows impacted by the strikes and subsequently canceled, despite positive reviews and critical acclaim. The strikes also resulted in changes and advancements for future projects, suggesting that the efforts made by unions will have a positive impact on the industry.

The 2023 SAG-AFTRA and WGA strikes have come to an end, but after many months, unfortunately some productions won’t be returning to TV screens. The WGA strike ended after 148 days on September 27, while the SAG-AFTRA strike ended after 118 days on November 9. Sadly, this is far from the first time the unions have had to strike, nor the first time television shows have been impacted.

In the 24th weekly installment of the Deadline Strike Talk Podcast, host Billy Ray doesn’t seem too shaken by the surprise breakoff of talks between the studios and SAG-AFTRA.

Even though CAA chief Bryan Lourd stated publicly there is a wide gap between the streamers and actors over residuals, Ray believes a deal could be had by the end of next week. The pressure is high, as crew members stretch further without a paycheck, and the streamers find themselves the focus over issues like viewer transparency and what that should mean in the area of residuals and health benefits for actors.

This week, Ray takes a look at the actor’s life with three veterans who each trod a hard road to get to a position of prominence: Ashley Nicole Black, Clark Gregg, and Robert Wisdom. They discuss the ongoing strike, the importance of continued solidarity and the essential next steps for performers to protect their work.

Ray’s intro deals with Jackie Robinson and former Dodgers Gm Branch Rickey and how the historic shattering of baseball’s color line came two years in the making and involved a key person who’d grown up in the segregated South and had to be swung over to the right side of history in order for the audacious move to succeed. Luck is opportunity meeting preparation, Ray says. He believes that the planning that went into the current painful labor stoppage will change the business long term, for the better, and make it possible for the next Ashley Nicole Black, Clark Gregg and Robert Wisdom to thrive in an art form that pours of billions in revenues, and ought to provide for health benefits and a cushion against lean times like the ones we are all dealing with right now.

Listen here:...