Rueben's Ramblings

Hey All,

Here are the news items for the past three weeks:

RENEWALS/CANCELLATIONS

Westworld has been renewed for a fourth season by HBO. (Variety)

CBS has renewed the following dramas: All Rise, Blue Bloods, Bull, FBI, FBI: Most Wanted, MacGyver, Magnum P.I., NCIS, NCIS: Los Angeles, NCIS: New Orleans, S.W.A.T. and SEAL Team. CBS has already renewed Evil, but they pulled the plug on Tommy. (Variety)

The USA Network has cancelled Dare Me after one season. (The Hollywood Reporter and The Futon Critic)

The History Channel has cancelled both Knightfall and Project Blue Book after two seasons (for each show). (Deadline and The Futon Critic)

PICK-UP ORDERS

CBS announced they have picked up the following new shows:

Equalizer, starring Queen Latifah as an enigmatic woman with a mysterious background who uses her extensive skills to help those with nowhere else to turn. Chris Noth, Lorraine Toussaint, Tory Kittles, Liza Lapira and Laya DeLeon Hayes also star.

Clarice stars Rebecca Breeds as Clarice Starling, as she returns to the field in 1993, six months after the events of “The Silence of the Lambs.” Kal Penn, Nick Sandow, Michael Cudlitz, Lucca De Oliveira and Devyn A. Tyler also star. (Variety)

TV Land is eyeing a potential spin-off series for Younger set to star Hilary Duff. (The Hollywood Reporter and The Futon Critic)

The 8-episode scripted series The Right Stuff, adapted from Tom Wolfe’s best-selling non-fiction account of the early days of the US space program will debut on Disney+ after being developed for National Geographic. The cast includes Patrick J. Adams (Suits), Jake McDorman (Limitless), Colin O’Donoghue (Once Upon a Time), James Lafferty (One Tree Hill) and Michael Trotter (Underground) [among others]. (TV Line)

CASTING NEWS

Actress Laura Sohn has been promoted to series regular for season 8 of The Blacklist. She has been recurring as FBI Agent Alina Park this season. (TV Line)

Actress Carrie Coon (Fargo) has replaced Amanda Peet in the upcoming HBO drama The Gilded Age from Downton Abbey creator Julian Fellowes. The shows takes a look at life of millionaires living in New York during the 1800s. Coon will star as Bertha Russell, who comes from the ordinary middle class. (Deadline and The Futon Critic)

MOVIE CASTING

Actor Chris Pine is expected to star in a reboot of The Saint, based on the 1920’s book series. The movie follows Simon Templar, better known as The Saint, a Robin Hood-esque criminal and thief for hire who goes on a globetrotting adventure. (Variety)

HOLIDAY MOVIE CASTING

Veteran actress Betty White has signed on to star in a Lifetime Christmas movie. In the untitled film, White’s character helps ready would-be Santas for the holidays. But a mystery looms: Is she actually Mrs. Claus? The network also plans to have Kelly Rowland star in Merry Liddle Christmas Wedding, a sequel to last year’s Merry Liddle Christmas. Melissa Joan Hart will direct the tentatively titled Feliz NaviDad, starring alongside Mario Lopez, who will play a widowed father whose daughter helps him rediscover the holiday spirit. (Entertainment Weekly)

That’s it. Enjoy!