Rueben's Ramblings

Hey All,

Here are the news items for the past week:

RENEWAL/CANCELLATION NEWS

Syfy has given the new series Happy a second season renewal. (The Futon Critic)

The Chi has been given a second season renewal by Showtime. (Variety)

Hulu has canceled the drama series “Shut Eye” after two seasons. (Variety)

While the Netflix streaming series A Series of Unfortunate Events will airs its second season online on March 30, the third season – which has yet to be given a return date – will be the final season. (The Hollywood Reporter)

CASTING NEWS

Suits will be back for an 8th season, but without actress Megan Markle, who – as everyone on the planet knows – is marrying Prince Harry in May and without actor Patrick J. Adams. Series creator Aaron Korsh will be back along with stars Gabriel Macht, Sarah Rafferty, Rick Hoffman and new series regular Dulé Hill. It was also announced that Katherine Heigl (Grey’s Anatomy) will be joining the show for its 8th season as Samantha Wheeler, a talented new partner at Pearson Specter Litt who challenges the status quo and will either become the firm’s greatest ally or most powerful enemy. (Variety)

Actress Tembi Locke (Eureka) has landed a recurring role on NCIS: Los Angeles, playing Leigha Winters, a powerful executive at an investment bank who assumes control after the death of the firm’s head. (Deadline)

Actor Jeff Pierre (Freeform’s Beyond) will play Prince Naveen opposite actress Mekia Cox, who has been playing Princess Tiana aka Sabine in Once Upon a Time. (Deadline)

Actress Shalita Grant will be exiting her series regular role of Sonja Percy on NCIS: New Orleans as of the April 3 episode. (Variety and The Futon Critic)

MOVIE CASTING NEWS

Actor Brandon Routh (DC’s Legends of Tomorrow) will so-star in the live-action remake of Anastasia. Set in 1917, the family film follows Anastasia Romanov, who escapes through a portal when her family is threatened by Vladimir Lenin and finds herself in the year 1988, befriended by a young American girl. Emily Carey (she played young Diana in the box office film Wonder Woman) will play the title character and Amiah Miller (War for the Planet of the Apes) plays Megan. Routh will portray Czar Nicholas, the Czar of Russia and the father of Princess Anastasia. (Deadline)

Actor Robbie Jones (One Tree Hill and Necessary Roughness) will star in the Shaft sequel, which will also star past Shaft actors Samuel L. Jackson and Richard Roundtree. The film will also include Jessie T. Usher, Regina Hall, Alexandra Shipp, Cliff “Method Man” Smith and Matt Lauria. The film will follow John Shaft Jr. (a.k.a. JJ), a cyber security expert and FBI analyst who reluctantly enlists his estranged father to help to find out who killed his best friend Karim and bring down a drug-trafficking/money-laundering operation in NYC. (Deadline)

Tom Hanks will star in a biopic based on iconic Mister Rogers Neighborhood creator Fred Rogers, playing the lead role. (Deadline)

That’s it. Enjoy!