News

Tatiana Maslany is set to star in The Nightbeast, a pilot for Amazon MGM Studios from Leah Rachel (Chambers) and Travis Jackson (Hemlock Grove).

Maslany will also produce the pilot that follows a young mother who is unsatisfied with her seemingly perfect suburban life, so she begins an affair with the boogeyman in her son’s closet – a surprisingly sexy man called the Nightbeast. But this harmless affair she thought to be a figment of her imagination begins to have unexpected consequences, as her two worlds increasingly begin to collide in this seductive, darkly comedic tale.

Executive producers on the project are Peter Warren, Justin Levy, Fred Berger and Brian Kavanaugh-Jones, Kristen Campo (Campout) and Jamie Babbit (director).

Recent credits for Maslany, who won an Emmy in 2016 for starring in Orphan Black, include Invitation to a Bonfire, Invincible, and She-Hulk: Attorney at Law.

This won’t help his state of mind… Lucky Hank has been canceled after one season.

AMC has axed the Bob Odenkirk-led drama series, which premiered in March.

The series, which is an adaptation of Richard Russo’s novel Straight Man, saw Breaking Bad and Better Call Saul star Odenkirk play William Henry Devereaux, Jr., the unlikely chairman of the English department in a badly underfunded college in the Pennsylvania rust belt, who is somewhere between midlife crisis and full-blown meltdown.

The eight-part series premiered in March and came from Sony Pictures’ Television TriStar TV and Mark Johnson’s Gran Via. Aaron Zelman and Paul Lieberstein adapted the book and served as co-showrunners. The duo exec produced alongside Odenkirk, director Peter Farrelly, Richard Russo, Naomi Odenkirk and Marc Provissiero.

It’s been a tough twelve months, programming wide, for AMC Networks, which at the start of the year axed a...

Mary & George, which stars Julianne Moore and Nicholas Galitzine, has a new U.S. home.

The series was originally set to air on AMC in the U.S. and will now move to Starz. It is a co-production with British pay-tv broadcaster Sky. Watch the new teaser trailer above.

AMC Networks was planning to air it in the U.S., Canada, Australia and New Zealand. It’s not clear why AMC dropped the drama series, but it comes as AMC has been cost-cutting and axing shows such as including Demascus, Invitation to a Bonfire and second seasons of Pantheon, Moonhaven and 61st Street.

Enter Starz, which will now air the seven-part series in the U.S. and Canada along its swath of period dramas.

Mary & George stars Moore and Galitzine as a treacherous mother and son who schemed, seduced and killed to conquer the Court of England and...

With the streaming bubble bursting and entertainment companies retooling their vision for the future of television, it seems like every new day yields a polarizing series cancellation. From viewership stats to marketing pitfalls and budgetary concerns, TV series are seeing the plug pulled at a seemingly faster rate than ever before — in some cases, after production has been completed and even before they’ve had a chance to air.

For example, after outcry over recently canned series like “1899,” “First Kill” and “Warrior Nun,” Netflix’s new co-ceos Ted Sarandos and Greg Peters said they have never canceled a “successful show.” Platforms like AMC, Starz, Showtime and HBO Max have pulled shows despite having the majority of filming finished or nearly done so. And for Hulu, journalists and audiences raised disappointment following the cancellation of “Reboot.”

At the same time, some shows across networks and streamers are coming to a close; conversely,...

AMC Networks is planning to launch a cheaper, ad-supported tier later this year.

The new tier, which is expected to launch by October, will be pitched at the company’s 2023-2024 upfront, which will include a presentation in New York on Tuesday. Pricing for the tier was not disclosed.

“This is a big moment for AMC Networks and for our advertising partners, because it not only creates a fully-ad supported distribution ecosystem, it also allows advertisers to buy our shows, genres and franchises in a much more comprehensive and impactful way,” AMC Networks chief commercial officer Kim Kelleher said in a statement. “With our new series content, library titles and other targeted streaming platforms that are all bundled into AMC+, partners can move beyond individual shows and even series and choose to ‘own’ whole genres and franchises, and drive messaging to target audiences no matter what they are watching or where.

AMC is no longer moving forward with a second season of “Soulmates,” TheWrap has learned.

The sci-fi anthology series, which was created by Will Bridges (“Black Mirror”) and Brett Goldstein (“Ted Lasso”) and based on their short film “For Life,” was previously renewed for a second season in August 2020.

“We were immediately drawn to the unique premise of Soulmates as it explores love and relationships from several touchpoints in a way that naturally feeds the zeitgeist, prompting conversations around human connection, relationships and happiness,” Dan McDermott, president of original programming for AMC Networks’ Entertainment Group and co-president of AMC Studios, said at the time of the renewal. “These are stories and themes that resonate and feel almost timely given today’s climate in which so many of us feel disconnected or are coping with shifting relationship dynamics. We’re thrilled to continue our relationship with Will and Brett who never...

AMC is splitting up with Soulmates.

The cable network is not moving forward with the planned second season of the anthology series.

The Hollywood Reporter first reported the news, adding that the decision was made to cancel the series last year.

While AMC has caught a lot of heat for canceling previously renewed shows, the demise of Soulmates is said to be due to scheduling issues.

Brett Goldstein's busy schedule with Ted Lasso and Shrinking are said to have been a part of the reason for the cancellation.

But the show was never a winner in the ratings for the cabler.

THR notes the first season averaged fewer than 200,000 viewers across its initial season in 2020.

"We were immediately drawn to the unique premise of Soulmates as it explores love and relationships from several touchpoints in a way that naturally feeds the zeitgeist, prompting conversations around human connection, relationships and happiness,...

Add Soulmates to the list of shows that have been “unrenewed.”

AMC has reversed coursed on the previously announced second season for the sci-fi anthology from creators Will Bridges (Black Mirror) and Emmy winner Brett Goldstein (Ted Lasso).

Sources say the decision to cancel the show was made quietly last year with factors including Goldstein’s busy schedule as a writer and exec producer on both Apple’s Shrinking and Ted Lasso, the latter of which he also stars in. Other factors include Soulmates’ lackluster ratings as the six-episode first season averaged less than 200,000 viewers during its linear run on AMC. The series was also available at the launch of AMC+ before making its linear debut a few days later.

AMC renewed Soulmates in August 2020 — two months before its premiere and before Ted Lasso became a breakout hit for Apple, making Goldstein and his surly Roy Kent instant fan favorites.

AMC Networks’ interim executive chairman James Dolan issued a stark warning as the company revealed its fourth-quarter earnings Friday: The industry’s “current mechanisms for monetizing content are not working.”

“Across the board, the content industry is being disrupted by cord cutting in the traditional linear sector or MVPDs and also in the streaming sector,” Dolan told analysts on the company’s earnings call. “It’s also being disrupted by changing viewership habits, a challenged ad market and rising content costs.”

That materialized in a 403.8 million content write-off for the IFC Films and Sundance Channel parent in 2022. The writedown accounted for the bulk of restructuring charges that led to a net loss of 264.7 million for the fourth quarter of 2022. AMC translated that to a diluted loss per share of 6.11. Adjusted for one-time items, the company said it earned 2.52 per share. In addition to content write-offs, the company recorded 45.2 million in severance and other personnel costs.

Kristin Dolan, the wife of AMC Networks interim executive chairman and owner James Dolan, has been named the entertainment giant’s new chief executive officer.

Mr. Dolan said, “Kristin is a proven executive and operational leader with a track record driving organizational change, a history managing subscription-based businesses, and a deep understanding of audience engagement and advertising. These are areas of critical importance as we transform our company and monetize our high-quality content. With her considerable experience and knowledge of the company, Kristin is the ideal person to lead AMC Networks into its next chapter as we navigate this transformative period in the industry.”

“It’s a privilege to join a company with a long legacy of engaging audiences with excellent storytelling and world-class brands,” said Ms. Dolan. “It’s also where I started my career in the industry. I look forward to bringing my broad experience—across programming, cable operations,...

AMC Networks advertising executive Evan Adlman has been tapped to oversee the company’s digital and national sales team under a new reorganization of its commercial revenue business.

Adlman, who has served as AMC’s senior vice president of advanced advertising and digital partnerships, will become executive vice president of commercial sales and revenue operations. In his new role, Adlman will oversee national sales, linear and digital operations, the Fast/AVOD business team, programmatic sales and advanced advertising.

Todd Schwartzman and Tony Song will lead national sales under Adlman’s oversight, while Marisa Simon will be in charge of the linear and addressable operations teams.

Marc Krok, who was most recently senior vice president of advertising sales and partnerships, will also move into a new expanded role as executive vice president of revenue management, leading pricing and planning, direct response sales and sales and partnerships for BBC World News. His...

Anne Rice’s Mayfair Witches is set to fly again after being renewed for a second season at AMC.

The cable network is bringing back the series, which along with Interview with a Vampire is part of its extended Anne Rice universe, after becoming its number one new series premiere on its streaming service AMC+.

This comes despite a plethora of recent cancelations at AMC Networks. The company pulled Demascus and Invitation to a Bonfire as well as second seasons of Pantheon, Moonhaven and 61st Street, which were in various stages of completion and production, as part of a major cost-cutting drive.

Mayfair Witches, which is based on Rice’s trilogy of books, focuses on an intuitive young neurosurgeon, Rowan Fielding, played by Alexandra Daddario, who discovers that she is the unlikely heir to a family of witches. As she grapples with her newfound powers, she must contend with a...

It has all the makings of a new and disturbing trend in television — companies taking fully produced, unaired series and moving them off their books — but insiders are hesitant to say whether cancellations like what we saw today at Showtime, as well as what has happened at Warner Bros. Discovery, AMC, Starz, Netflix and Peacock over the last few months, is becoming the new normal.

Consider it more of a one-time “right-sizing,” they say.

“I don’t think those companies are going to want to make a practice of this on an ongoing basis,” a partner at a talent agency tells Deadline. “They’ve done it and they weren’t burned to the ground by the town, but the reaction was really, really strong. So barring any further kind of financial apocalypse or whatever, I think they’re going to want to reassure people this is a one-of-a-kind thing is...

Amid the ongoing Hollywood streaming content scrapping drama, Netflix is now planning on offloading two finished movies from the platform. The newest batch of films to receive that treatment is The Inheritance and House/Wife. The Inheritance was directed by Alejandro Brugués and is currently in post-production. The film stars Rachel Nichols, Peyton List, Austin Stromwell, and Bob Gunton. The other scrapped film, House/Wife, was directed by Danis Goulet. The news arrives during an ongoing wave of series and movies getting canceled, even after getting green-lit or ordered by a streamer.

According to a report from The Hollywood Reporter, Netflix is dumping the two completed movies before their scheduled release on the streamer. The report claims that Netflix’s decision to scrap the projects comes as the company seeks to maintain the same level of content spending from last year. Their content budget last year was roughly 17 billion. The...

A trend among entertainment companies as Hollywood continues its will-they/won’t-they relationship with a possible recession is the unloading of completed projects. The move has been seen across the industry, from AMC+ to Parmaount+ and Disney to HBO Max. Now The Hollywood Reporter has learned of two completed Netflix feature films, The Inheritance and House/Wife, that will no longer be distributed by the streamer, with filmmakers shopping them elsewhere for distribution.

The Inheritance, directed by Alejandro Brugués and produced by Paul Schiff, and House/Wife, from director Danis Goulet and producers Tripp Vinson and Daniel Bekerman, are genre films that were set to be released by Netflix, which will now no longer move forward with the movies.

In the summer, HBO Max made the announcement that the DC feature film Batgirl and the animated movie Scoob!: Holiday Haunt would be shelved after both had completed production. At the time,...

“Vampire Diaries” creators Julie Plec and Kevin Williamson’s planned adaptation of the comic book series “Dead Day” is no longer moving forward at Peacock, Variety has learned exclusively.

The move comes despite the fact the show was ordered straight-to-series at the NBCUniversal-owned streamer back in January 2022. Plec and Williamson were to serve as writers, executive producers, and co-showrunners on the series, with Universal Television producing. Plec remains under her overall deal at Utv, which she signed in 2020. According to an individual with knowledge of the situation, the studio is planning to shop “Dead Day” to other outlets. Peacock had bought the series preemptively so this will mark the first time it has been shown to other buyers.

For Plec, she still has the series “The Girls on the Bus” at HBO Max and recently opened a writers’ room for the mystery drama “Freeman” for Peacock. She also has...

The promise of an unlimited future for television content has run into the economic realities of a business driven by unpredictable market forces. A recent shift in strategy for the largest producers of content has become apparent in recent weeks: Major networks and streamers have reversed course and canceled previously ordered or renewed series — and even halted plans to launch already produced programs. Every outlet scraps a series or two from time to time. But the past 12 months have seen an unprecedented number of about-face decisions on greenlights and renewals.

As executives, producers and top creative talent descended on the Television Critics Assn. press tour this month in Pasadena, the overriding theme of conversations was about the state of the cable and pay TV marketplace, which is still slogging through a difficult transition from linear to streaming.

“It is a tough landscape, because everybody’s dealing with all the same economic pressures,...

Exclusive: Kyle Laursen is joining Justin Simien’s production company Culture Machine as President of Film and Television, where he will oversee all scripted and unscripted projects. Laursen will work alongside the award-winning Simien, and Creative Executive, Aaliyah Jihad. Culture Machine currently has an overall deal with Paramount Television Studios.

“Justin is a versatile artist with a singular voice that I’ve admired for many years. From the moment we met, I became further inspired by his ambition, integrity & desire to support creatives like himself who do not see their story reflected in our culture,” said Laursen. “I’m thrilled to help build Culture Machine alongside Justin, to provide a bridge for underrepresented voices to find their audience and to amplify thematically distinct creatives demanding of a big stage with the incredible support of our home studio.”

Laursen began his career at Plan B, where he became a Creative Executive on shows including The Oa,...

Exclusive: Jamie Neumann (Lovecraft Country) and Amy Darton (Sleeping Beauty) are set for heavily recurring roles in AMC’s upcoming series Invitation to a Bonfire based on the novel by Adrienne Celt of the same name. Additionally Emmy-nominated Cherien Dabis (Only Murders In The Building) has been tapped to direct the first two episodes of the six-episode series and executive produce. Premiere is slated for next year.

Created by Rachel Caris Love, Invitation to a Bonfire is a psychological thriller set in the 1930s at an all-girls boarding school in New Jersey. Inspired by Vladimir and Vera Nabokov’s co-dependent marriage, the series follows Zoya (Freya Mavor), a young Russian immigrant and groundskeeper, who is drawn into a lethal love triangle with the school’s newest faculty member — an enigmatic novelist, Leo (Pilou Asbæk)— and his bewitching wife (Maslany).

Darton will play Daphne. In the complex social hierarchy of the all-girls Donne School,...

Tatiana Maslany has accepted AMC's invitation to a bonfire. Literally, it's the name of her new show.   The Orphan Black actress is set to star in Invitation to a Bonfire, a new psychological thriller, AMC Networks announced Aug. 10.   But the Emmy winner will do more than just act in Invitation to a Bonfire, which is based on the novel by Adrienne Celt, as she's also executive producing the series.   The series, set in the 1930s at an all-girls boarding school in New Jersey, follows Zoya (Freya Mavor), a young Russian immigrant and groundskeeper, who is drawn into a lethal love triangle with the...

AMC had a string of exciting announcements at the Television Critics Association summer press tour.

Tatiana Maslany will return to AMC Networks with the lead role in on Invitation to a Bonfire, the cabler announced Wednesday.

Based on the novel by Adrienne Celt, Invitation to a Bonfire is a psychological thriller set in the 1930s at an all-girls boarding school in New Jersey. Maslany joins previously announced series regulars Freya Mavor (Skins), Pilou Asbæk and Ngozi Anyanwu (The Deuce).

From creator, showrunner and executive producer Rachel Caris Love (Physical) the series is inspired by Vladimir and Vera Nabokov’s co-dependent marriage, and follows Zoya (Mavor), a young Russian immigrant and groundskeeper, who is drawn into a lethal love triangle with the school’s newest faculty member (Asbæk) — an enigmatic novelist — and his bewitching wife (Maslany).

Inspired by Vera Nabokov, Maslany will portray Vera Orlov, who is more than Leo’s...

Orphan Black‘s Tatiana Maslany is returning to AMC Networks to star in a new psychological thriller. AMC Networks announced that the Emmy winner will star in and executive produce Invitation to a Bonfire, based on the novel by Adrienne Celt and set to premiere in 2023. She joins previously announced series regulars Freya Mavor, Pilou Asbæk, and Ngozi Anyanwu. The series, from creator, showrunner and executive producer Rachel Caris Love, is set in the 1930s at an all-girls boarding school in New Jersey. It is inspired by Vladimir and Vera Nabokov’s co-dependent marriage and follows Zoya (Mavor), a young Russian immigrant and groundskeeper, who is drawn into a lethal love triangle with the school’s newest faculty member (Asbæk) — an enigmatic novelist — and his bewitching wife (Maslany). Inspired by Vera Nabokov, Maslany plays Vera Orlov, who is more than Leo’s wife. She is his editor — and his everything.

Tatiana Maslany has been cast in “Invitation to a Bonfire,” AMC’s upcoming series from Rachel Caris Love inspired by the co-dependent marriage of Vladimir and Vera Nabokov. She will also executive produce the project, which is set to debut in 2023.

Maslany’s casting was announced during AMC’s presentation at the 2022 Television Critics Association summer press tour. She joins previously announced cast members Freya Mavor, Pilou Asbæk and Ngozi Anyanwu.

Based on the novel by Adrienne Celt and set at an all-girls boarding school in the 1930s, “Invitation to a Bonfire” follows Zoya (Mavor), a young Russian immigrant and groundskeeper, who is drawn into a lethal love triangle with the school’s newest faculty member Leo (Asbæk) — an enigmatic novelist — and the bewitching Vera (Maslany), who is Leo’s wife, his editor and his everything. Season 1 will run for six episodes.

Maslany is best known for starring in several...

Tatiana Maslany will star and executive produce the upcoming series Invitation to a Bonfire based on the novel by Adrienne Celt of the same name.

The series marks Maslany’s return to AMC Networks, where she starred in the hit series Orphan Black, which earned her the Outstanding Lead Actress in a Drama Series Emmy in 2016.

The actress will portray the character of Vera Orlov, who is more than Leo’s wife; she is his editor—and his everything. Vera is inspired by Vera Nabokov.

Created by Rachel Caris Love, Invitation to a Bonfire is a psychological thriller set in the 1930s at an all-girls boarding school in New Jersey. Inspired by Vladimir and Vera Nabokov’s co-dependent marriage, the series follows Zoya (Freya Mavor), a young Russian immigrant and groundskeeper, who is drawn into a lethal love triangle with the school’s newest faculty member — an enigmatic novelist,...

Orphan Black vet Tatiana Maslany is returning to the AMC fold with a starring role in Invitation to a Bonfire, a psychological thriller set in the 1930s at an all-girls boarding school.

The six-episode series, based on the novel by Adrienne Celt, follows Zoya (Industry‘s Freya Mavor), a young Russian immigrant and groundskeeper who is drawn into a lethal love triangle with the school’s newest faculty member Leo (Game of Thrones‘ Pilou Asbæk) — an enigmatic novelist — and his bewitching wife Vera (Maslany).

More from TVLineBetter Call Saul: Vince Gilligan Reveals the One Thing He Would Change About This...

Tatiana Maslany is heading back to the AMC Networks family. The actress, who previously starred on AMC’s BBC America series “Orphan Black,” will star in and executive produce “Invitation to a Bonfire.”

Due out 2023, the series is psychological thriller based on the novel by Adrienne Celt.

It is inspired by Vladimir and Vera Nabokov’s co-dependent marriage. The real life Vladimir Nabokov wrote the controversial 1955 novel “Lolita.”

The show is set in the 1930s at an all-girls boarding school in New Jersey. It follows Zoya (Freya Mavor), a young Russian immigrant and groundskeeper, who is drawn into a lethal love triangle with the school’s newest faculty member (Pilou Asbæk) — an enigmatic novelist — and his bewitching wife (Tatiana Maslany). The cast also includes Ngozi Anyanwu.

Maslany’s character, Vera Orlov, is described as more than Leo’s wife; she is his editor and his everything.

Also Read:

Tatiana Maslany...

Sundance Now, AMC Networks’ streaming platform, has unveiled two upcoming series: “Totally Completely Fine” starring Thomasin McKenzie (“Last Night in Soho”) and “Sanctuary” with Elaine Cassidy (“The Wonder”).

The Sundance Now Original shows — set for a 2023 premiere — join a previously announced slate of series that feature actors Sarah Goldberg (“Barry”), Temuera Morrison (“The Book of Boba Fett”) and Travis Fimmel (“Vikings”).

Inspired by true events, “Totally Completely Fine” is a six-part dark comedy that explores the complexities of grief, the power of friendship and the ways in which sadness can unite people. It follows a 20-something Vivian Cunningham (McKenzie), whose life is a mess. The logline continues, “Last week she accidentally burnt down her brother’s vegan food truck with a bacon-flavored vape and this week she’s inherited her grandfather’s coastal clifftop shack and is tasked with helping people who come too close to the edge. Strangely enough,...

Click here to read the full article.

Tatiana Maslany’s next TV role will be a world away from her current one.

The Emmy winner and She-Hulk: Attorney at Law star has joined AMC Networks’ drama Invitation to a Bonfire. She’ll also be an executive producer of the series, which is inspired by the codependent marriage of Lolita novelist Vladimir Nabokov and his wife, Vera.

The announcement was one of several AMC Networks made during its time at the Television Critics Association press tour Wednesday. The company has also named a new showrunner for its series Dark Winds and set a guest lineup for season two of IFC’s Sherman’s Showcase.

Invitation to a Bonfire is set at a girls boarding school in the 1930s. It follows Zoya (Freya Mavor), a young Russian immigrant and groundskeeper at the school, who’s drawn into a lethal love triangle with the...

Exclusive: Freya Mavor (Skins) and Pilou Asbæk are set to star in Invitation to a Bonfire, AMC’s series adaptation of the novel by Adrienne Celt. Ngozi Anyanwu (Deuce) also has been cast as a series regular in the project, which received a six-episode straight-to-series order under AMC’s “scripts-to-series” model to launch on the network and AMC+ in 2023.

Created by Rachel Caris Love, Invitation to a Bonfire is a psychological thriller set in the 1930s at an all-girls boarding school in New Jersey. Inspired by Vladimir and Vera Nabokov’s co-dependent marriage, the series follows Zoya (Mavor), a young Russian immigrant and groundskeeper, who is drawn into a lethal love triangle with the school’s newest faculty member — an enigmatic novelist, Leo (Asbæk)— and his bewitching wife.

Mavor’s Zoya Andropova is an orphaned refugee and the consummate outsider at the posh all-girls school where she works.