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After both receiving Oscar nominations this year, Demi Moore and Colman Domingo are set to star in an exciting new romance film that blends love with a thrilling alien abduction twist. Titled Strange Arrivals, we've shared everything there is to know so far about this upcoming movie down below.

Strange Arrivals comes from See-Saw Films. One Story Up also works together with See-Saw Films to produce the movie. Roger Ross Williams (Stamped from the Beginning) is signed on to direct with Jane Anderson penning the script. Emile Sherman, Iain Canning, Samantha Lang, and Anne Carey are producers. In addition, Simon Gillis, Garth Davis, Williams, Thorsten Schumacher, Aaron Mahnke, Bob Pittman, Conal Byrne, and Geoff Martz are executive producers of the film.

Based on Toby Ball's podcast of the same name, the movie's story is inspired by a real-life event involving Betty and Barney Hill, an interracial couple from the 1960s.

Demi Moore and Colman Domingo are about to star in an epic romance movie with an alien twist. They will play Betty and Barney Hill, famous figures in the UFO community, in the Roger Ross Williams-directed Strange Arrivals.

The story of Betty and Barney Hill is a fascinating one. For a start, they were an interracial couple in the early '60s, which was rare enough in of itself. But then came the alleged alien abduction.The Hills always maintained that they were abducted by aliens while driving back from Nigara Falls in September 1961. They even underwent hypnosis to explain what they saw, but naturally many people disbelieved them, claiming they hallucinated as a result of sleep deprivation.

Moore was a darling of '90s cinema, and recently made her comeback with horror film The Substance, for which she was nominated for an Oscar for. Domingo is likewise an Oscar nominee,...

Demi Moore and Colman Domingo are set to star together in “Strange Arrivals” an epic romance from See-Saw Films.

Oscar winner Roger Ross Williams is directing the film, which Rocket Science and Cross City Film will launch in Cannes.

“Strange Arrivals” is inspired by the incredible true story of Betty and Barney Hill, an interracial couple who, in 1961, became the first reported case of an alien abduction, as they journeyed back from their honeymoon in Niagara Falls. Their experience catapulted them to fame and celebrity, but underneath that notoriety simmered the truth of what really happened that night, which would test even the most epic of romances.

The film will be produced by Emile Sherman, Iain Canning, Samantha Lang and Anne Carey. Executive Producers are Simon Gillis, Garth Davis, Roger Ross Williams, Thorsten Schumacher, Aaron Mahnke, Bob Pittman, Conal Byrne and Geoff Martz. “Strange Arrivals” was developed at See-Saw’s label I Am That,...

Hot off respective Oscar nominations for The Substance and Sing Sing, Demi Moore and Colman Domingo are set to star in Strange Arrivals, an alien abduction-themed romance based on the podcast from Toby Ball, which Oscar winner Roger Ross Williams (Stamped from the Beginning) will direct for See-Saw Films.

Rocket Science will launch international sales at Cannes, in partnership with Cross City Films, See-Saw’s in-house sales arm. WME Independent, CAA Media Finance and Cross City Films are co-repping U.S. rights.

Adapted for the screen by Jane Anderson, the Emmy-winning playwright and screenwriter behind titles like The Wife and Olive Kitteridge, Strange Arrivals is inspired by the true story of Betty and Barney Hill, an interracial couple who, in 1961, became the first reported case of an alien abduction, as they journeyed back from their honeymoon in Niagara Falls. Their experience catapulted them to fame and celebrity, but underneath that...

iHeartMedia, the No. 1 podcast network globally according to Podtrac, announced today its plan to launch a slate of multi-language podcasts from high-profile hosts across the fast-growing Asian market. The push into the Asian Pacific (Apac) region will be in partnership with Mammoth Media Asia, who will spearhead the partnerships and production on the ground.

The Asia Pacific podcast market was valued at US $373.57 million in 2024 and is projected to grow at a Cagr of 30.2% to $3.1 billion value from 2024 to 2031, driven by rising internet penetration and increasing digital content consumption in China, Japan, India and South Korea according to Cognitive Market Research.

The influence of Asian culture has been growing rapidly around the world and the initial podcast slate will focus on presenting high-profile talent from across the Asian entertainment industries ranging from K-pop, to Bollywood, to China’s hip-hop scene and beyond. The podcasts will highlight the most exciting personalities,...

If you’re a true crime fan and love adaptations as much as documentaries, you’re absolutely going to want to watch the new Paramount+ limited series Happy Face, which is inspired by a true story.

When 15-year-old Melissa Moore’s father is arrested for murder, her life is forever changed. As the notorious Happy Face Killer, Keith Jesperson spent the early 90s traveling around the country as a long-haul trucker, murdering eight women along the way. He was finally arrested in 1995, confessed, and he is serving four life sentences as an inmate at the Oregon State Penitentiary. Happy Face on Paramount+ picks up here and jumps off from Melissa’s story in continuance of the true crime adaptation.

Happy Face premiered today, March 20, 2025 with the first two episodes on Paramount+. Going forward, one new episode will be released from the 8-episode season on Thursdays until the finale on May...

Dennis Quaid is set to mark a haunting role in his filmography: Playing a serial killer. Starring alongside Annaleigh Ashford, upcoming Paramount+ series “Happy Face” follows real-life murderer Keith Jesperson, also known as the Happy Face Killer. Ashford stars as Jesperson’s daughter Melissa Reed Aka Melissa G. Moore, who is forced to confront the carnage caused by her father during the trial of another alleged killer.

“Keith Jesperson is a serial killer,” Quaid told IndieWire of his character at Paramount+’s The Lodge in SXSW. “He killed eight women in five years. He was also a father to Annaleigh’s character, Melissa, and she had a very close relationship. Then she found out at the age of 15, when he was caught, that he was a serial killer. How do you reconcile having that loving dad, with this monster, what he did? That’s basically what the show ‘Happy Face’ is about.

Paramount+ has released the official trailer and key art for its Happy Face series, which will premiere with two episodes on Thursday, March 20. The eight-episode season will stream on Paramount+ in the U.S. and international markets where the service is available.

Following the premiere, new episodes of the series will drop weekly on Thursdays, with the season finale debuting on May 1.

Happy Face is inspired by the true-life story of Melissa G. Moore; the critically acclaimed Happy Face podcast from iHeartPodcasts and Moore; and the autobiography Shattered Silence, written by Moore with M. Bridget Cook.

At 15, Moore discovered that her beloved father was the prolific serial killer known as Happy Face. As an adult, she has changed her name and guarded her secret while her father has been serving life in prison.

Jumping off from Moore’s true-life story, the Paramount+ Original Series follows Melissa (Annaleigh Ashford) and her incarcerated father,...

Fresh off last year’s The Substance, Dennis Quaid stars in the eight-episode series “Happy Face” for Paramount+, which will premiere on March 20 with the first two episodes.

Watch the new trailer for “Happy Face” below. The series will be streaming exclusively on Paramount+ in the U.S. and international markets where the service is available. Following the premiere, new episodes will drop weekly on Thursdays, with the finale on May 1.

Annaleigh Ashford (“American Crime Story”) co-stars, with series regulars also including James Wolk, Tamera Tomakili, Khiyla Aynne and Benjamin Mackey.

“Happy Face” is inspired by the true-life story of Melissa G. Moore, as well as the critically acclaimed Happy Face podcast from iHeartPodcasts and Moore; and the autobiography Shattered Silence, written by Moore with M. Bridget Cook.

At 15, Moore discovered that her beloved father was the prolific serial killer known as Happy Face. As an adult, she has changed...

Dennis Quaid is transforming into a haunting serial killer for the true crime series “Happy Face.” In the upcoming Paramount+ series, the actor portrays real-life murderer Keith Jesperson, also known as the Happy Face Killer. “Impeachment” actress Annaleigh Ashford stars as Jesperson’s daughter Melissa Reed Aka Melissa G. Moore, who is forced to confront the carnage caused by her father during the trial of another alleged killer.

At 15, Moore discovered that her beloved father was the prolific serial killer known as Happy Face. As an adult, she has changed her name and guarded her secret while her father has been serving life in prison. The official synopsis for the series reads: “After decades of no contact, Keith forces his way back into his daughter’s life. In a race against the clock, Melissa must find out if an innocent man is going to be put to death for a crime her father committed.

Annaleigh Ashford is the daughter of the notorious Happy Face serial killer out to help save an innocent man facing death for a crime her father committed in the trailer for the Paramount+ dramatic thriller Happy Face.

Ashford plays Melissa Reed, who must get her father, convicted killer Keith Jerperson, and played by Dennis Quaid, to help save an innocent man before he goes to his death for a crime he committed. “If I don’t deal with him, there is a family who lost a daughter, who will never get answers,” Reed says at one point in the trailer for the drama inspired by a true-life story.

After decades of no contact, Jerperson forced his way back into his daughter’s life, and Reed, trying to solve the crime her imprisoned father committed, faces a reckoning of her own identity and the impact the Happy Face killer had on his victims’ families.

BBC Studios, producer and global distributor of innovative and world-class audio content from the BBC, and iHeartMedia, the leading audio company in the United States, today announced a multi-year deal that will make iHeartMedia the exclusive third-party advertising reseller of BBC podcasts to the U.S. market. The partnership will see iHeartMedia’s leading audio sales force work closely with BBC Studios to represent its extensive slate of premium podcasts and to amplify BBC’s content portfolio in this growing market.

BBC is home to some of the highest-quality and most popular podcasts across the globe, including Global News Podcast, World of Secrets, In Our Time, History’s Secret Heroes, and Infinite Monkey Cage. In early 2024, BBC Studios launched a dedicated audio unit to maximize creative and commercial opportunities for the BBC’s premium podcast output in the global audio market.

Louise la Grange, SVP, BBC Audio, Digital News and Streaming at BBC Studios,...

iHeartMedia, the No. 1 podcast publisher globally and the Government Communications Office of the State of Qatar (Gco) announced that iHeartPodcasts will be the official podcast partner for the 2025 Web Summit Qatar.

The second edition of Web Summit Qatar is set to gather more than 20,000 technology and business leaders, founders, world-leading investors, media and a record 1,250 startups at the Doha Exhibition and Convention Centre (Decc) from February 23 - 26, 2025.

Top iHeartPodcasts talent, show producers and executives will be in attendance to participate in a range of events including educational sessions, live podcast recordings and Centre Stage content like fireside chats, panel discussions and Q&a sessions.

This year’s Centre Stage sessions will welcome Conal Byrne, CEO of the iHeartMedia Digital Audio Group along with other leading iHeartPodcasts talent including Malcolm Gladwell, best-selling author and co-founder of Pushkin Industries and host of “Revisionist History”; Jay Shetty, global best-selling author and award-winning host...

Dennis Quaid is once again stepping back out on the bad-guy limb and embracing another creepy character, this time taking on his darkest role yet. The actor, who is best known for his characters in action movies and as a charming, handsome lead in romcoms, is set to portray real-life serial killer Keith Hunter Jesperson in the upcoming, Paramount+ original drama series Happy Face. The streaming giant recently released the teaser trailer for its new true-crime adaptation, and it is seriously twisted, folks. If you’re a fan of true crime, you’re gonna want to watch this.

Happy Face, which premieres Thursday, March 20 with the first two episodes on Paramount+, is inspired by the true-life story of Melissa G. Moore, who, at 15 years of age, discovered her father was the prolific serial killer known as Happy Face. The series is based on her critically acclaimed podcast “Happy Face” and her autobiography “Shattered Silence,...

Dennis Quaid, who had a shining role in The Substance last year as a Terry Gilliam-style grotesquerie, will play American killer Keith Hunter Jesperson a.k.a. "The Happy Face Killer" (because of the smiley faces he wrote on notes to authorities) in a new series, Happy Face, for Paramount+.

The only thing America is better at than producing serial killers is drama series and movies based on those serial killers. Maybe it was the leaded gasoline of the mid-20th century that crushed the nation's neural empathy centers, but the 60s through the 90s churned out some of the most deranged serial killers of all time.

Though Quaid plays the dead-eyed killer as the center of the string of grisly murders in the early 90s, the series focuses on Jesperson's daughter, Melissa G. Moore who, at 15, discovered her father's secret life as a criminal.

The series is based on Moore's 2018 podcast,...

Paramount+ has announced this week that the eight-episode series “Happy Face” will premiere on March 20 with two episodes, and they’ve also released the official trailer.

“Happy Face” starring Dennis Quaid (The Substance) will be streaming exclusively on Paramount+ in the U.S. and international markets where the service is available. Following the premiere, new episodes will drop weekly on Thursdays, with the season finale on May 1.

Annaleigh Ashford (“American Crime Story”) co-stars, with series regulars also including James Wolk, Tamera Tomakili, Khiyla Aynne and Benjamin Mackey.

“Happy Face” is inspired by the true-life story of Melissa G. Moore, as well as the critically acclaimed Happy Face podcast from iHeartPodcasts and Moore; and the autobiography Shattered Silence, written by Moore with M. Bridget Cook.

At 15, Moore discovered that her beloved father was the prolific serial killer known as Happy Face. As an adult, she has changed her name and guarded...

Paramount+ today revealed the teaser trailer and premiere date for its original drama series Happy Face. The eight-episode season will premiere on Thursday, March 20 with two episodes, exclusively on Paramount+ in the U.S. and international markets where the service is available.

Following the premiere, new episodes of the series will drop weekly on Thursdays, with the season finale on May 1.

Happy Face is inspired by the true-life story of Melissa G. Moore; the critically acclaimed Happy Face podcast from iHeartPodcasts and Moore; and the autobiography Shattered Silence, written by Moore with M. Bridget Cook.

At 15, Moore discovered that her beloved father was the prolific serial killer known as Happy Face. As an adult, she has changed her name and guarded her secret while her father has been serving life in prison.

Jumping off from Moore’s true-life story, the Paramount+ Original Series follows Melissa (Annaleigh Ashford) and her incarcerated father,...

The long-in-the-works thriller Happy Face will arrive on Paramount+ in the spring.

The streamer has set a March 20 premiere date and released a teaser for the drama, which stars Annaleigh Ashford (B Positive, Masters of Sex) as Melissa, a woman whose father (Dennis Quaid) is a notorious serial killer known as Happy Face. The show, executive produced by Robert and Michelle King (Evil, Elsbeth), is based on a true story.

In the teaser, Ashford’s Melissa says that “every violent act is a rock dropped in water. If you stay silent, the ripples of trauma just keep pulling everyone they touch underneath.” Watch it below.

Along with Ashford and Quaid, Happy Face also stars James Wolk, Tamera Tomakili, Khiyla Aynne and Benjamin Mackey. The show is based on the real-life story of Melissa G. Moore; the Happy Face podcast from Moore and iHeartPodcasts; and Moore’s autobiography Shattered Silence, written with M.

The new Paramount+ crime drama series Happy Face will premiere on March 20 with two episodes with individual drops to follow on Thursdays concluding on May 1. An eerie teaser trailer can be seen above.

The CBS Studios-produced Happy Face is inspired by the true-life story of Melissa Moore; the Happy Face podcast from iHeartPodcasts and Moore; and the autobiography Shattered Silence, written by Moore with M. Bridget Cook.

At 15, Moore discovered that her beloved father was the prolific serial killer known as Happy Face. As an adult, she has changed her name and guarded her secret while her father has been serving life in prison.

Annaleigh Ashford and Dennis Quaid lead the Happy Face cast, joined by series regulars James Wolk, Tamera Tomakili, Khiyla Aynne and Benjamin Mackey.

Jumping off from Moore’s true-life story, the Paramount+ Original Series follows Melissa (Ashford) and her incarcerated father, known as the Happy...

Normal Gossip, Call Her Daddy and Las Culturistas with Matt Rogers and Bowen Yang are among the titles in contention for the podcast of the year at the 2025 iHeartPodcast Awards.

The high-profile category also includes the podcasts Three, Giggly Squad, Hysterical, The Telepathy Tapes, Who Killed JFK?, Empire City: The Untold Origin Story of the NYPD and The Good Whale. Fans will vote on the winner starting Jan. 7 through Feb. 16.

New Heights, hosted by Jason and Travis Kelce, took home the prize of podcast of the year at the 2024 ceremony.

In addition to the 29 competitive categories, which span several genres, the iHeartPodcast Awards will also present three icon awards that honor podcasts and creators who have made groundbreaking contributions to the industry. Sarah Spain, an Emmy and Peabody award-winning journalist and host of Good Game, will be honored with the 2025 Social Impact Award for her role in championing equity in sports coverage,...

Peacock has released a full trailer for its forthcoming limited series Fight Night: The Million Dollar Heist that puts the spotlight on both its A-list cast and the style of the time — 1970 — when it takes place.

The series is based on a true story (or “some sh*t that really happened,” as the trailer puts it) about an armed robbery on the night of Muhammad Ali’s 1970 comeback fight in Atlanta. It will also tell the story of how Atlanta became the “Black Mecca” of the United States.

Peacock ordered the series in December 2023; it’s based on an iHeart podcast written by Jeff Keating (who also hosted) and Jim Roberts. Kevin Hart stars as a hustler named Chicken Man, who “hosts an afterparty to celebrate the fight with a guest list of the country’s wealthiest,” per the show’s description. “The night ends with the most brazen criminal...

Peacock has dropped the first trailer for Fight Night: The Million Dollar Heist, its upcoming limited series that tells the story of an infamous armed robbery after Muhammad Ali’s historic 1970 comeback fight. You can also see some new first-look images below.

Based on the iHeart true-crime podcast of the same name, the series follows the infamous story of how an armed robbery on the night of Muhammad Ali’s (Dexter Darden) historic 1970 comeback fight changed not only one man’s life but ultimately transformed Atlanta into the “Black Mecca.”

When a hustler named Chicken Man (Kevin Hart) hosts an afterparty to celebrate the fight with a guest list of the country’s wealthiest, the night ends with the most brazen criminal underworld heist in Atlanta’s history. Suspected of masterminding the crime, Chicken Man is hellbent on clearing his name but must convince his old adversary, J.D. Hudson...

Peacock has released the first trailer for the upcoming limited series “Fight Night: The Million Dollar Heist.”

Kevin Hart leads the all-star cast of the series, which includes Samuel L. Jackson, Taraji P. Henson, Don Cheadle, and Terrence Howard, as well as guest stars like Chloe Bailey, Marsha Stephanie Blake, Dexter Darden, Lori Harvey, and Sinqua Walls.

Watch the full trailer below.

“Fight Night” is based on the iHeart true-crime podcast of the same name. The series is set in Atlanta in 1970 in the day surrounding Muhammad Ali’s comeback fight against Jerry Quarry. The series’ logline states:

“When a hustler named Chicken Man (Hart) hosts an afterparty to celebrate the fight with a guest list of the country’s wealthiest, the night ends with the most brazen criminal underworld heist in Atlanta’s history. Suspected of masterminding the crime, Chicken Man is hellbent on clearing his name but must convince his old adversary,...

Exclusive: Amazon MGM Studios has landed the package Murder 101, with Jon Watts attached to direct. Watts will also produce alongside Dianne McGunigle and KT Studios’ Stephanie Lydecker. Carrie Lieberman and Conal Byrne will produce for iHeartMedia. This follows a brisk auction last week that had numerous studios in the fray.

The film forms its basis from the true story that unfolds in the KT Studios’ and iHeartPodcasts’ #1 true crime podcast. Set in a small Tennessee town, the podcast told a story about how a group of high school students and their teacher Alex Campbell profiled a local serial killer. It led to his capture.

Jon Watts most recently directed Marvel Studios/Sony Pictures’ Spider-Man: Homecoming Trilogy and directed and executive produced the FX series The Old Man. Upcoming, Watts wrote, directed, and produced Wolfs, starring George Clooney and Brad Pitt, set for a fall release from Apple Studios and Sony.

Exclusive: Rockmond Dunbar has joined the recurring cast of Peacock’s upcoming limited series Fight Night: The Million Dollar Heist, starring and executive produced by Kevin Hart. This marks Dunbar’s first acting job since he was terminated from 9-1-1 in 2021 over not complying with the studio’s Covid vaccine mandate after his requests for a medical and religious exemptions were rejected. The actor subsequently filed a $1M lawsuit against Disney over the firing, with the case now headed to trial.

Fight Night tells the infamous story of how an armed robbery during the night of Muhammad Ali’s historic 1970 comeback fight changed not only one man’s life, but an entire city’s destiny.

Dunbar will play Uncle Willie, who owns an autobody shop but his real job is as the top fence in the area. He joins an ensemble cast led by Hart, Samuel L. Jackson and Terrence Howard.

Exclusive: Happy Face has rounded out its series regular cast, adding Khiyla Aynne (Circuit Breakers) and Benjamin Mackey (The Morning Show) alongside Annaleigh Ashford, Dennis Quaid, James Wolk and Tamera Tomakili. David Harewood (Homeland) also joins the upcoming Paramount+ drama series in a recurring role. The series hails from creator and executive producer Jennifer Cacicio and executive producers Robert and Michelle King. Filming began this week in Vancouver. See Ashford’s Instagram announcement below.

Happy Face is inspired by the true-life story of Melissa Moore; the Happy Face podcast from iHeartPodcasts and Moore; and the autobiography Shattered Silence, written by Moore with M. Bridget Cook.

In the series, jumping off from Moore’s true-life story, Happy Face (Quaid) is an incarcerated serial killer who also is Melissa’s (Ashford) once-beloved father. After decades of no contact, he finally finds a way to force himself back into his daughter’s life.

Exclusive: Happy Face is rounding out its series regular cast, adding Tamera Tomakili (Winning Time) alongside Annaleigh Ashford, Dennis Quaid and James Wolk to Paramount+’s upcoming drama series. The series hails from creator and executive producer Jennifer Cacicio and executive producers Robert and Michelle King.

Happy Face is inspired by the true-life story of Melissa Moore; the Happy Face podcast from iHeartPodcasts and Moore; and the autobiography Shattered Silence, written by Moore with M. Bridget Cook.

In the series, jumping off from Moore’s true-life story. Happy Face (Quaid) is an incarcerated serial killer who also is Melissa’s (Ashford) once-beloved father. After decades of no contact, he finally finds a way to force himself back into his daughter’s life. In a race against the clock, Melissa must find out if an innocent man is going to be put to death for a crime her father committed. Throughout,...

Exclusive: James Wolk (Ordinary Joe) has been tapped as a lead opposite Annaleigh Ashford and Dennis Quaid in Paramount+ upcoming drama series Happy Face. Quaid will play the titular role of the real-life serial killer notoriously called “Happy Face” because of the smiley faces he drew on evidence where he bragged about his crimes. Ashford stars as his daughter, Melissa.

Happy Face is inspired by the true-life story of Melissa Moore; the Happy Face podcast from iHeartPodcasts and Moore; and the autobiography Shattered Silence, written by Moore with M. Bridget Cook.

In the series, jumping off from Moore’s true-life story. Happy Face (Quaid) is an incarcerated serial killer who also is Melissa’s (Ashford) once-beloved father. After decades of no contact, he finally finds a way to force himself back into his daughter’s life. In a race against the clock, Melissa must find out if an innocent man...

Dennis Quaid (Photo credit: Derrek Kupish / Provided by Paramount+)

Dennis Quaid (Lawmen: Bass Reeves) is slipping into the world of a serial killer who used a smiley face as his calling card for Paramount+’s Happy Face. Emmy nominee Quaid will star as the Happy Face Killer in the streamer’s new drama, inspired by the killer’s daughter Melissa Moore’s autobiography, Shattered Silence, and her Happy Face podcast.

Emmy nominee Annaleigh Ashford (Welcome to Chippendales) was previously announced to play Melissa. Filming is expected to get underway this spring, with Paramount+ targeting a 2025 premiere for the eight-episode season.

“Happy Face for Paramount+ jumps off from Moore’s true-life story. Happy Face (Quaid) is an incarcerated serial killer who also is Melissa’s (Ashford) once-beloved father. After decades of no contact, he finally finds a way to force himself back into his daughter’s life,” reads Paramount+’s synopsis.

Last month, it was announced that Melissa Moore’s autobiography Shattered Silence, which previously inspired the podcast Happy Face, is getting a Paramount+ streaming series adaptation that’s also titled Happy Face. Annaleigh Ashford – whose credits include B Positive, American Crime Story, and Masters of Sex – had already signed on to star in the series at that time, and now The Hollywood Reporter has confirmed that Dennis Quaid, whose long lists of credits includes the likes of The Day After Tomorrow, Innerspace, Frequency, and Jaws 3D, will be playing a serial killer on the show.

Happy Face will see Ashford taking on the role of Melissa, who at age 15, discovered that her beloved father was the prolific serial killer known as “Happy Face.” As an adult, she has changed her name and guarded her secret while her father has been serving life in prison. Melissa is drawn back into her...

Paramount+’s drama Happy Face has found its title star.

Dennis Quaid will star with Annaleigh Ashford in the series and will play very much against type in the role of a notorious serial killer nicknamed “Happy Face” because he drew smiley faces on evidence in boasting about his crimes. The series, from executive producers Robert and Michelle King (Evil, The Good Fight) and showrunner Jennifer Cacicio, is based on the real-life story of Melissa Moore, the daughter of the killer; the true-crime podcast Happy Face, from iHeartPodcasts and Moore; and Moore’s autobiography Shattered Silence, written with M. Bridget Cook.

The show will use Moore’s story as a jumping-off point to tell a story of how Melissa (Ashford) is drawn back into her father’s world after decades of not having contact with him. Happy Face (Quaid), in prison for his crimes, finds a way to force himself...

Dennis Quaid has signed on for a leading role in the upcoming Paramount+ series “Happy Face,” Variety has learned.

Quaid will appear alongside previously announced star Annaleigh Ashford. The series is inspired by the podcast of the same name from iHeartMedia and Melissa Moore, the book “Shattered Silence” written by Moore with M. Bridget Cook, and Moore’s true-life story.

In real life, Moore discovered at 15 that her father was the serial killer known as “Happy Face,” due to the smiley faces he drew on evidence where he bragged about his crimes. As an adult, she has changed her name and guarded her secret while her father has been serving life in prison.

The official description for the series states that it jumps off from Moore’s real life story. “Happy Face (Quaid) is an incarcerated serial killer who also is Melissa’s (Ashford) once-beloved father,” the description reads. “After decades of no contact,...

Dennis Quaid is set to star opposite Annaleigh Ashford in Paramount+ upcoming drama series Happy Face. Quaid will play the titular role of the real-life serial killer notoriously called “Happy Face” because of the smiley faces he drew on evidence where he bragged about his crimes. Ashford stars as his daughter, Melissa.

Happy Face is inspired by the true-life story of Melissa Moore; the Happy Face podcast from iHeartPodcasts and Moore; and the autobiography Shattered Silence, written by Moore with M. Bridget Cook.

In the series, jumping off from Moore’s true-life story. Happy Face (Quaid) is an incarcerated serial killer who also is Melissa’s (Ashford) once-beloved father. After decades of no contact, he finally finds a way to force himself back into his daughter’s life. In a race against the clock, Melissa must find out if an innocent man is going to be put to death for a crime her father committed.

Exclusive: Peacock‘s limited series Fight Night: The Million Dollar Heist has added six actors to its growing cast: Chloe Bailey (Candy Cane Lane), Melvin Gregg (Snowfall), Artrece Johnson (A Thousand One), Jalyn Hall (Genius: MLK/X), Clifton Powell (Black Lightning) and Lori Harvey. Production is set to begin next week

The series, based on the eponymous iHeartPodcast, will tell the story of how on the night of Ali’s defeat of Jerry Quarry, which came after he was banned from boxing for refusing to enter the military draft, hundreds of guests at an after-party were robbed at gunpoint, becoming one of the largest armed robberies the country has ever seen. Fight Night, set in Atlanta, will focus on the cop and the hustler, at the center of it all.

Previously announced cast includes Dexter Darden as Muhammad Ali, Samuel L. Jackson, Kevin Hart, Terrence Howard, Taraji P. Henson and Don Cheadle.

Marsha Stephanie Blake has joined the cast of the upcoming Peacock limited series “Fight Night: The Million Dollar Heist,” Variety has learned exclusively.

Blake joins previously announced series lead Kevin Hart in the show, along with fellow cast members Taraji P. Henson, Samuel L. Jackson, Terrence Howard, Don Cheadle, and Dexter Darden.

The series is based on the podcast “Fight Night,” which was produced by Will Packer along with iHeartPodcasts and Doghouse Pictures. It will be set in Atlanta in 1970. The official description states that it will tell “the infamous story of how an armed robbery during the night of Muhammad Ali’s (Darden) historic 1970 comeback fight changed not only one man’s life, but an entire city’s destiny.”

Blake will star as Delores Hudson, described as “Jd’s (Cheadle) wife and a social worker fighting for her community.”

Blake received an Emmy nomination for her role in the...

Don Cheadle is the latest name to team up with Kevin Hart to star in Peacock’s limited true crime series ‘Fight Night: The Million Dollar Heist.’

Based on the podcast ‘Fight Night,’ the series is set in Atlanta in 1970. The official description states that it will tell “the infamous story of how an armed robbery during the night of Muhammad Ali’s historic 1970 comeback fight changed not only one man’s life, but an entire city’s destiny.”

Cheadle will take on the role of the series regular Jd Hudson, described as “one of Atlanta’s first Black detectives assigned to Ali’s security detail and the robbery.”

He joins previously announced series lead Kevin Hart in the show, along with fellow cast members Taraji P. Henson, Samuel L. Jackson, Terrence Howard, and Dexter Darden.

Also in news – Toni Collette set for comedy ‘A French Pursuit’

Kevin Hart is...

The Peacock miniseries Fight Night: The Million Dollar Heist will unite the McU's War Machine actors.

In the original Iron Man film, which kicked off the Marvel Cinematic Universe in 2008, the role of James "Rhodey" Rhodes (aka War Machine) was played by Terrence Howard. After an apparent falling-out with Marvel Studios, Howard never reprised the role, and Don Cheadle took over as the character starting in 2010's Iron Man 2. Now, per Variety, the two War Machine actors will be co-stars in Fight Night: The Million Dollar Heist, which, according to its logline, tells the "infamous story of how an armed robbery during the night of Muhammad Ali’s historic 1970 comeback fight changed not only one man’s life, but an entire city’s destiny."

Related Don Cheadle Hinted at a Major War Machine Twist a Year Before Secret Invasion Don Cheadle's cryptic comment from last year about War Machine...

Don Cheadle is the latest addition to the stacked cast for the upcoming Peacock limited true crime series “Fight Night: The Million Dollar Heist.”

Cheadle joins previously announced series lead Kevin Hart in the show, along with fellow cast members Taraji P. Henson, Samuel L. Jackson, Terrence Howard, and Dexter Darden.

The series is based on the podcast “Fight Night,” which was produced by Will Packer along with iHeartPodcasts and Doghouse Pictures. It will be set in Atlanta in 1970. The official description states that it will tell “the infamous story of how an armed robbery during the night of Muhammad Ali’s (Darden) historic 1970 comeback fight changed not only one man’s life, but an entire city’s destiny.”

Cheadle will appear in the series regular role of Jd Hudson, described as “one of Atlanta’s first Black detectives assigned to Ali’s security detail and the robbery.”

Cheadle has...

Fight Night: The Million Dollar Heist, the Peacock limited series that tells the story of an infamous armed robbery after Muhammad Ali’s historic 1970 comeback fight, has added Don Cheadle to its cast.

Cheadle is to play Jd Hudson, one of Atlanta’s first Black detectives assigned to Ali’s security detail and the robbery, in the series.

He joins Kevin Hart, Taraji P. Henson, Samuel L. Jackson and Terrence Howard in the series, which comes from Shaye Ogbonna.

Set in Atlanta, the series follows the heavyweight fight and criminal underground heist that introduced the world to the city dubbed “the Black Mecca,” and the cop and the hustler at the center of it all.

The series was created and written by Ogbonna, who serves as showrunner alongside Jason Horwitch. It is produced by Universal Television and is based on the podcast Fight Night.

Ogbonna, Horwitch, Hart, Will Packer, Sabrina Wind,...

Peacock’s limited series Fight Night: The Million Dollar Heist continues to add to its A-list cast.

Don Cheadle is the latest actor to sign on to the drama, which tracks an armed robbery (and its fallout) on the night of Muhammad Ali’s 1970 comeback fight in Atlanta. Cheadle joins a cast that also includes Kevin Hart (who’s also executive producing), Samuel L. Jackson, Taraji P. Henson, Terrence Howard, Dexter Darden (who’s playing Ali) and Myles Bullock.

Fight Night is based on an iHeart podcast and will follow “the heavyweight fight and criminal underground heist that introduced the world to the city dubbed ‘the Black Mecca,’ and the cop and the hustler at the center of it all,” according to the show’s logline. Oscar and Emmy nominee Cheadle will play the aforementioned cop, Jd Hudson, one of the first Black detectives on Atlanta’s police force who...

SmartLess, Wiser Than Me with Julia Louis-Dreyfus, On Purpose with Jay Shetty and Normal Gossip are among the titles in contention for the 2024 iHeartRadio Podcast Awards.

The category, which will be voted on by fans from Feb. 5 through Feb. 18, also includes popular podcasts Crime Junkie, The Daily, My Favorite Murder, New Heights, The Retrievals and Scamanda. Las Culturistas, hosted by Bowen Yang and Matt Rogers, took home the top prize last year.

Other competitive awards span 29 categories, including comedy, crime, news, tv and film, sports, food and business.

In the Icon Awards categories, which honor those who have made groundbreaking contributions to the industry, Wrongful Conviction hosts Maggie Freleng and Jason Flom will both be honored with the 2024 Social Impact Icon Award. Jonathan Goldstein, host of the Heavyweight podcast, will be honored with the 2024 Pioneer Icon Award.

The podcast Rotten Mango will receive the Innovator Award presented by YouTube, which...

Exclusive: Myles Bullock (Bmf) has landed a role in Peacock’s starry true crime limited series Fight Night: The Million Dollar Heist. He joins an ensemble that includes Kevin Hart, Samuel L. Jackson, Terrence Howard, Taraji P. Henson and Dexter Darden. Details as to his role are under wraps.

Created and written by Shaye Ogbonna based on the same-name podcast from iHeartPodcasts, Doghouse Pictures and Will Packer Media, Fight Night tells the infamous story of how an armed robbery during the night of Ali’s (Darden) historic 1970 comeback fight changed not only one man’s life, but an entire city’s destiny.

Ogbonna and Jason Horwitch are serving as showrunners, with Craig Brewer directing the first two episodes and exec producing alongside Hart, Bryan Smiley and Mike Stein for Hart’s Hartbeat, Will Packer and Sabrina Wind for Will Packer Media, Conal Byrne, Will Pearson and Carrie Lieberman for iHeartPodcasts,...

Dexter Darden (Chang Can Dunk) is ready to float like a butterfly and sting like a bee as Muhammad Ali for Fight Night: The Million Dollar Heist, a limited crime series coming to Peacock. The forthcoming series features Samuel L. Jackson, Kevin Hart, and Terrence Howard for a story about an infamous armed robbery after Muhammad Ali’s historical comeback fight in 1970.

In the series, Jackson plays Frank Morten, a real-life underworld kingpin dubbed the Black Godfather by the New York tabloids. The project finds Jackson reuniting with Black Snake Moan filmmaker Craig Brewer, who will direct the first two episodes of Fight Night. Meanwhile, Howard plays Richard “Cadillac” Wheeler, a gangster and associate of the Council of 12. Hart plays Chicken Man in the series, while Taraji P. Henson portrays Vivian Thomas, a savvy businesswoman and Chicken Man’s mistress.

The plot takes place on the night of Ali defeating...

Taraji P. Henson is the latest addition to the cast of the upcoming Peacock limited series “Fight Night: The Million Dollar Heist,” Variety has learned.

Henson joins previously announced cast members Kevin Hart, Samuel L. Jackson, Terrence Howard, and Dexter Darden. The role reunites Henson, Howard, and Craig Brewer, who is executive producing and directing. The three previously worked together on projects like the Oscar-winning film “Hustle & Flow” as well as the hit Fox music industry drama “Empire.”

The series is based on the podcast “Fight Night,” which was produced by Will Packer along with iHeartPodcasts and Doghouse Pictures. It will be set in Atlanta in 1970. The official description states that it will tell “the infamous story of how an armed robbery during the night of Muhammad Ali’s historic 1970 comeback fight changed not only one man’s life, but an entire city’s destiny.”

Hart will star as Chicken Man,...

Taraji P. Henson has joined the cast of Peacock’s limited series Fight Night: The Million Dollar Heist in the series regular role of Vivian Thomas, a savvy businesswoman and Chicken Man’s (Kevin Hart) mistress.

The series reunites Henson with Hart who have collaborated on multiple projects including the films Think Like a Man and Not Easily Broken. Additionally, Fight Night also brings Henson back together with Terrence Howard and Craig Brewer, with whom she collaborated on Hustle & Flow and Empire, among other projects.

Set in Atlanta, Fight Night tells the infamous story of how an armed robbery during the night of Muhammad Ali’s historic 1970 comeback fight changed not only one man’s life but an entire city’s destiny.

As Deadline exclusively revealed on Wednesday morning, Dexter Darden will star as the legendary boxer in the limited series. In addition to Henson,...

Dexter Darden has signed on to join Peacock’s “Fight Night: The Million Dollar Heist” limited series, Variety has confirmed. He’ll take on the role of heavyweight boxer, Muhammad Ali.

Based on the true crime podcast “Fight Night” by Doghouse Pictures, LLC and iHeartMedia + Entertainment, the true crime limited series tells the story of how an armed robbery during the night of Ali’s historic 1970 comeback fight changed not only one man’s life, but an entire city. The series follows the infamous heavyweight fight and criminal underground heist that “introduced the world to the city dubbed ‘the Black Mecca,’ and the cop and the hustler at the center of it all,” reads the description. nh. nnb

Darden joins previously announced star Kevin Hart, who also executive produces alongside Will Packer. As Variety previously reported, Samuel L. Jackson joined the series as notorious gangster Frank Moten, who was given...

Exclusive: Up-and-comer Dexter Darden (Chang Can Dunk) has been tapped to portray all-time great boxer Muhammad Ali in Fight Night: The Million Dollar Heist, the forthcoming true crime limited series for Peacock. He joins an ensemble that also includes Kevin Hart, Samuel L. Jackson and Terrence Howard, as previously announced.

Created and written by Shaye Ogbonna based on the same-name podcast from iHeartPodcasts, Doghouse Pictures and Will Packer Media, Fight Night tells the infamous story of how an armed robbery during the night of Ali’s historic 1970 comeback fight changed not only one man’s life, but an entire city’s destiny.

Ogbonna and Jason Horwitch are serving as showrunners, with Craig Brewer directing the first two episodes and exec producing alongside Hart, Bryan Smiley and Mike Stein for Hart’s Hartbeat, Will Packer and Sabrina Wind for Will Packer Media, Conal Byrne, Will Pearson and Carrie Lieberman for iHeartPodcasts,...

Exclusive: Terrence Howard (The Best Man: The Final Chapters) is set to star opposite Kevin Hart and Samuel L. Jackson in the Peacock limited series Fight Night: The Million Dollar Heist.

The project reunites Howard with Craig Brewer, who will direct and executive produce the first two episodes of the series. The pair previously worked together on Brewer’s 2005 feature Hustle & Flow, in which Howard starred, earning an Oscar nomination for his performance; and on the Fox series Empire, also starring Howard, on which Brewer was director-producer.

This also makes a return to Peacock for Howard who most recently appeared in the streamer’s limited series The Best Man: The Final Chapters, Peacock’s first original to break into Nielsen’s Top 10 streaming rankings.

Fight Night tells the infamous story of how an armed robbery during the night of Muhammad Ali’s historic 1970 comeback fight changed not only one man’s life,...

Paramount+ today announced that Emmy-nominated and Tony Award-winning actress Annaleigh Ashford will star in the new original drama series Happy Face. Michael Showalter has been tapped to direct the first episode. The eight-episode first season will begin production this year and premiere exclusively on Paramount+ in 2025. Happy Face is executive produced by Jennifer Cacicio – who also serves as showrunner – and Robert and Michelle King, Liz Glotzer, Melissa Moore, Conal Byrne, Will Pearson, Michael Showalter and Jordana Mollick. Ashford will play the lead role of Melissa in the series, which is inspired ... Read more...

Melissa Moore’s autobiography Shattered Silence inspired the podcast Happy Face, and now the podcast is getting a Paramount+ streaming series adaptation! Annaleigh Ashford – whose credits include B Positive, American Crime Story, and Masters of Sex – has signed on to star in the series, with Michael Showalter on board to direct the first episode.

I mainly know Showalter from an actor in projects like The State and Wet Hot American Summer, but his TV directing credits include episodes of Search Party, Love, Grace and Frankie, In the Dark, The Shrink Next Door, The Dropout, and I Love That for You. He has also directed the feature films Spoiler Alert, The Eyes of Tammy Faye, The Lovebirds, The Big Sick; Hello, My Name Is Doris; and The Baxter.

Happy Face will see Ashford taking on the role of Melissa, who at age 15, discovered that her beloved father was the prolific serial killer known as “Happy Face.