Hey All,
Here are the news items for today:
TELEVISION
Actor Francois Arnaud (The Borgias) will star opposite Maggie Q (Nikita) in the limited series Red Flag that will begin production this fall; but does not have a specific network attached just yet. The limited series will be set in the early 1800s, centering on Ching Shih (Maggie Q), a beautiful young Chinese prostitute who goes on to become one of history’s most powerful pirates and head of the most successful crime syndicate in China. With over 100,000 sailors and 1500-plus vessels, Ching controlled the South China Sea while taking on the Imperial Chinese navy, the Portuguese navy, and the all-powerful British navy to eventually conquer them all. Arnaud will play Carlito, the Portuguese sailor and bounty Hunter engaged to hunt down and capture Ching Shih. He has no loyalty and takes from everybody to kill Ching Shih and soon becomes her lover. (The Deadline Team)
Actor Mike Epps has landed a recurring role on the upcoming second season of the BET hit new drama Being Mary Jane where he will play Chris Warren, husband and a father who is in a great marriage, something Mary Jane (series lead Gabrielle Union) covets. (Nellie Andreeva at Deadline)
No great surprise here, but ABC has not only pulled the plug on Once Upon a Time in Wonderland (the trailer for next week’s episode did, after all, say series finale); but the network has also cancelled the Christian Slater-Steve Zahn-led drama Mind Games after five low-rated episodes. (Nellie Andreeva at Deadline)
Syfy has given a second season order to their new thriller series Helix, which airs its season finale tonight. (Twitter)
DEVELOPMENT NEWS
Actor Boris Kodjoe (Undercovers) has landed a role in the straight-to-series ABC drama The Club that will focus on the upstairs/downstairs stories at a private country club. Kodjoe will play Deacon, a Hall of Fame pro football player who moved his family back East and is trying his hand at real estate. Infuriated by the bureaucracy, and ultimately realizing that knowing the right people will make things easier, he joins the Club. (The Deadline Team)
ONLINE SERIES NEWS
Actress Dana Delany (China Beach and Body of Proof) has joined the cast of the Amazon Studios pilot Hand of God that will follows Judge Pernell (Ron Perlman from Beauty and the Beast and Sons of Anarchy fame), a law-bending man with a call girl on the side, who has a religious awakening. He begins to have visions and hear voices that could be God speaking to him through his ventilator-bound son. Delany will play Crystal Harris, the wife of powerful Judge Pernell. (Natalie Jarvey at The Hollywood Reporter)
BOX OFFFICE NEWS
Actor Dayo Okeniyi (The Hunger Games and The Spectacular Now) has landed the final lead role in the upcoming reboot film Terminator: Genesis. He joins the likes of Emilia Clarke (Game of Thrones) [who plays Sara Connor], Jason Clarke (Zero Dark Thirty) [who plays John Connor], Jai Courtney (Divergent and A Good Day to Die Hard) [as Kyle Reese] and Arnold Schwarzenegger. Okeniyi will play Danny Dyson, son of brainiac cyborg developer Miles Dyson. The film will be out in July 2015. (Mike Fleming, Jr. at Deadline)
BOX OFFICE TRAILER
Trailer: Begin Again (with Keira Knightly & Mark Ruffalo)
Q&A SECTION (with Matt Mitovich at TV Line and TV Scoop Team at E! Online)
Question: I could really use some scoop on Pretty Little Liars — preferably on Ezra, but I’ll take anything you have. –Estee
Mitovich: “Anything I have” wins! Early in Season 5, we’ll meet the potentially recurring character of Sydney, a new member of the high school swim team. Speculation here at the office has her either A) sharing a connection to either Emily’s ex, Paige or B) forging a “connection” with Ems herself!
Question: Do you have any scoop on Syfy’s Bitten? There are only a few episodes left. –Carol
Mitovich: This Monday, Jeremy finally tells Elena the truth about why Clay bit her years ago. And then in the April 8 finale, as Elena and the Pack prepare for a final stand against a Mutt army led by Santos and the mysterious James Williams, Elena will cement her status as a heart-breaker — but probably not in the way you’re thinking.
Question: Are we going to see more magic lessons for Once Upon a Time‘s Emma? –Robertino
Mitovich: “That is definitely something that comes up,” says Jennifer Morrison, who describes the Emma/Regina scenes as both “fun” and “interesting.” As she points out, “Regina’s a bit annoyed because Emma wasn’t really into learning magic in Neverland, so there’s some banter back and forth about my ‘reluctance’ to be magical.” But with a Wicked Witch on the loose and Henry in a partially amnesic limbo, “Emma has that extra motivation to reach into place in herself that she’s not necessarily comfortable with.”
Question: Reign is insane right now! What’s ahead? – Luke
TV Scoop Team: More family drama is coming! “You will see some family members,” of some of the characters Anna Popplewell dishes, though she notes no one from Lola’s family has been introduced since her wayward brother.
Question: Any spoilers on Avery and Juliette on Nashville? They’re my favorite couple on the show now! – Jeaneen
TV Scoop Team: Sorry, but there are rocky waters ahead for Juliette and Avery after he is all too quick to be there for a struggling Scarlett (along with her mother, who we’ll meet very soon). The good news? It looks like Juliette will actually be the mature one in this situation. Our girl’s growing up!
That’s it. Enjoy!
Have a great weekend!!
Rueben's Ramblings 
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