News

Dennis Quaid's new Paramount+ crime series has debuted with a strong Rotten Tomatoes score from critics ahead of its premiere later this week. Quaid's best performances have often been in movies, the actor getting significant praise for his roles in movies like The Big Easy, Traffic, and Far from Heaven. His latest movies include two releases from 2024, portraying US President Ronald Reagan in the aptly-titled biopic Reagan, and TV show producer Harvey in The Substance. His upcoming movies include the crime drama Sovereign and the sci-fi action film War Machine.

However, Quaid is no stranger to TV, having had various parts on the small screen since the beginning of his career. Some of his bigger roles have come in the last decade or so, starring as Sheriff Ralph Lamb in 2012's period drama Vegas, and having a key role in Crackle's 2015 auction house series The Art of More.

An Oscar-and Emmy-nominee known for his iconic voice is rumored to be joining his second Taylor Sheridan television series. The actor is said to be joining the cast of Paramount+’s Landman.

Per Collider, Sam Elliott is in talks to join the cast of the popular drama series. Elliott previously worked with Sheridan, who created Landman, on the Yellowstone spin-off series, 1883, before it was canceled after one season on Paramount+. Per a report by Matt Belloni’s Puck newsletter, Elliott will have a major role in the Billy Bob Thornton-led Landman.

Landman was officially renewed for a second season in March, two months after its Season 1 finale. The show has seen high viewership numbers since it premiered in November 2024. Its debut episode was watched by 35 million viewers worldwide and was the most-watched global premiere on Paramount+. It also ranked as one of the Top 10 streaming shows with other Sheridan...

Michael Fassbender details the most challenging scene for him to film in his new movie. The X-Men actor, best known for playing Erik Lehnsherr, aka Magneto, in 20th Century Fox's X-Men saga, has a diverse career outside of superhero movies. He portrayed Bobby Sands in the historical drama Hunger, and has starred in Ridley Scott's Prometheus and Alien: Covenant. In the comedy space, Fassbender left a memorable performance as a coach of the American Samoa soccer team in Next Goal Wins.

In recent years, Fassbender has been deep in the thriller/spy genre. Following his journey portraying an assassin in David Fincher's 2023 film The Killer, the actor starred in the 2024 Paramount+/Showtime spy series The Agency, where he plays thecovert CIA agent Martian, who struggles to cut ties with an old flame after his mission has come to an end. Fassbender's new 2025 film further sees him in...

Spy stories have become dominant within popular culture, and not just because of the success of major franchises like Mission: Impossible, Jason Bourne, The Kingsman,and James Bond; there are many prestige television shows that examine espionage, including The Old Man, The Agency, Black Doves, A Man on the Inside, and Special Ops: Lioness. Given that many of these have managed to push the genre forward by exploring current political and social issues, the prospect of Steven Soderberghmaking an old-fashioned spy thriller about identifying a mole within a powerful institution may have seemed rather antiquated. Thankfully, Black Bag uses its espionage elements as a means of exploiting the complexity of adult relationships, and puts much more emphasis on dialogue and performances than it does on action and adventure.

Assemble this bundle of three services and get all the latest local news updates you could want for only $27 per month.

Local news is a key programming segment among audiences across age lines. A 2023 survey found that local evening news was the most-watched program on broadcast TV channels for all age groups, and one of the main concerns cord-cutters have after canceling a pay-tv subscription is making sure they still have access to area-specific news stations.

With that in mind, I’ve assembled a bundle of three streaming services that will allow you to stream local news options for less than $30 per month. Keep reading and see what’s in the bundle to find out how much you can save over an expensive pay-tv subscription.

What’s the best budget streaming bundle for watching local news?

Paramount+ with Showtime

Peacock

Local Now

Paramount+ with Showtime

The first streamer in the bundle is Paramount+ with Showtime.

The highly anticipated second season of The Agency is well underway, and updates on the espionage thriller that took audiences by storm last year are beginning to trickle in. Michael Fassbender, the show’s charismatic lead, recently shared exciting news about the progress of filming and what viewers can expect from the upcoming episodes. During a recent interview with Indie Wire, Fassbender offered some insight into the progress of The Agency Season 2. The star, who is best known for his performances in films like 12 Years a Slave and the X-Men film series, revealed that filming is moving along smoothly, with the creative team working tirelessly to build upon the foundation laid by the first season. He said:...

After a self-imposed hiatus from acting, Michael Fassbender is back onscreen with a vengeance in 2025. Sure, his comeback technically started in 2023 with David Fincher‘s “The Killer” and Taika Waititi‘s “Next Goal Wins,” but Fassbender is all over the place this year. There’s Season 1 of Showtime‘s “The Agency,” which just wrapped airing in January.

Continue reading Michael Fassbender Talks Botched ‘Mad Max: Fury Road’ Audition & Passing On The Magneto Character Torch at The Playlist.

Michael Fassbender offers an exciting tease for The Agency season 2. Fassbender led the cast of the Showtime political thriller, which followed the story of a covert CIA agent who has to abandon his undercover life. Already adjusting to his way of living, things are further shaken up for him as one of his past loves appears, catapulting them both into the world of espionage. The Agency cast also includes Jeffrey Wright, Jodie Turner-Smith, John Magaro, Sarah Lightfoot-Leon, and Katherine Waterston.

Speaking with IndieWire, Fassbender offered a tease about The Agency season 2. The actor told the outlet that he is reading scripts now, with the series beginning to shoot in London, Estonia, and Egypt at the end of April. Speaking on the series, Fassbender referred to The Agency as "a slow burn." He explained what he meant by this and noticed that season 2 "continues to tighten" and "doesn't let up." Check...

Ali Larter as Angela Norris and Billy Bob Thornton as Tommy Norris in ‘Landman’ (Photo credit: Ryan Green/Paramount+)

Paramount+ has officially renewed Landman starring Oscar winner Billy Bob Thornton and co-created by Taylor Sheridan and Christian Wallace. After being listed as one of the Top 10 Subscription Video on Demand (SVOD) original series for the fourth quarter of 2024, the renewal is not surprising.

Paramount+ reports that the fourth quarter Top 10 SVOD list marked the first time a streamer, other than Netflix, has earned three spots. Paramount+ was represented by Tulsa King (#4), Landman (#8), and Lioness (#9).

“Landman was one of the biggest shows of the year because of Taylor Sheridan’s unique ability to tap into the cultural zeitgeist, harnessing the Neo-Western themes of rugged individualism, ambition, and working-class struggles set against contemporary debates around energy, climate change and economic growth,” stated Chris McCarthy, President and CEO, Showtime/MTV Entertainment Studios and Paramount Media Networks.

Paramount+ has given the green light to Landman Season 2 after the series ranked as a Top 10 SVOD (Subscription Video on Demand) title across all SVOD titles for the fourth quarter of 2024.

To be specific, the series ranked in eighth place for the quarter (according to Nielsen) while Paramount+ series Tulsa King ranked fourth and Lioness ranked ninth. Landman had 35 million global streaming viewers for the premiere episode and set new records for Paramount+.

Landman had the most watched global premiere and finale of any series in Paramount+ history and was the No. 1 original ever on the service. Billy Bob Thornton also scored a Golden Globe nomination for Best Actor in a Drama Series for his role as Tommy Norris.

Season one is available to stream exclusively on Paramount+.

“Landman was one of the biggest shows of the year because of Taylor Sheridan’s unique ability to tap into the cultural zeitgeist,...

Michael Fassbender is back. After a recent four-year hiatus (2020-2023) to pursue sports car racing at Le Mans, he’s returned to acting with a vengeance.

In 2023, he played a perfectionist assassin in David Fincher’s “The Killer” (Netflix); an alcoholic soccer coach in Taika Waititi’s sports comedy “Next Goal Wins” (Searchlight); and took on his first TV series since his early years, as a London CIA agent in love with Jodie Turner-Smith’s Sudanese professor in “The Agency” (Paramount+/Showtime).

And, this week, his latest movie opens in theaters, Steven Soderbergh’s “Black Bag” (Focus), a rarity in today’s world: an original smart spy thriller for adults.

Fassbender is specializing in spies of late. In this witty British whodunit artfully written by Hollywood veteran David Koepp, the German-Irish Fassbender is George Woodhouse, a star spy at Britain’s National Cyber Security Centre, happily married to another star spy,...

Paramount+ is officially buying up more real estate for Tayor Sheridan’s contemporary Western drama Landman. The network announced Landman Season 2 on Wednesday afternoon, giving fans of the series starring Billy Bob Thornton, Ali Larter, and Demi Moore a reason to get excited about the future.

In addition to announcing Landman Season 2, Paramount+ is excited to share that Landman scored in the Top 10 of Nielsen’s Original Series chart for Q4 across all SVOD titles. Alongside Paramount+’s Tulsa King (4th place) and Lioness (9th place), Landman stakes its claim in the 8th spot. Landman has 35 million global streaming viewers for the premiere episode, setting a new record for Paramount+.

“Landman was one of the biggest shows of the year because of Taylor Sheridan’s unique ability to tap into the cultural zeitgeist, harnessing the Neo-western themes of rugged individualism, ambition and working-class struggles set against contemporary debates around energy,...

“Landman” has been renewed for Season 2 at Paramount+, Variety has learned.

The Taylor Sheridan series, which stars Billy Bob Thornton and is set in the world of the West Texas oil fields, originally debuted on Paramount+ in November, with the Season 1 finale airing in January.

The show was well received by audiences upon its release. According to Nielsen streaming data, the show ranked No. 8 on the top 10 chart for all SVOD originals for Q4 2024. According to Paramount, the show also had the most watched global premiere and finale of any series in the history of Paramount+. Thornton also nabbed a Golden Globe nomination for best actor in a drama series for his work on the show.

“‘Landman’ was one of the biggest shows of the year because of Taylor Sheridan’s unique ability to tap into the cultural zeitgeist, harnessing the Neo-western themes of rugged individualism, ambition and working-class struggles...

“Landman” will be returning for a Season 2. It’s an unsurprising move from Paramount+ considering how big of a hit the Billy Bob Thornton-led drama has been for the streamer.

The premiere episode of the Taylor Sheridan series secured 35 million streaming viewers globally, making it the most streamed premiere episode in the history of Paramount+. Additionally, “Landman” set internal records for debuting the most-watched finale in the history of the streamer and becoming the No. 1 most-watched Paramount+ original, the No. 1 engagement driver and No. 1 show in households.

The success of “Landman” continued a hot streak for Sheridan and Paramount+. Three of Sheridan’s streaming originals — “Landman,” “Tulsa King” and “Lioness” — ranked among Nielsen’s list of the Top 10 SVOD Original Series during the fourth quarter of 2024. Since Nielsen began recording this metric in the third quarter of 2017, this marks only the second time that a non-Netflix streamer has...

Tommy Norris isn’t giving up the oil business anytime soon.

Paramount+ has renewed Taylor Sheridan and Christian Wallace’s Landman for Season 2, TVLine has learned.

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“Landman was one of the biggest shows of the year because of Taylor Sheridan’s unique ability to tap into the cultural zeitgeist, harnessing the Neo-western themes of rugged individualism, ambition and working-class struggles set against contemporary debates around energy,...

The 2025 NCAA Men’s Basketball Tournament starts very soon, and this bundle is one of the cheapest ways to watch each game.

When the calendar turns to March, a certain breed of sports fan has just one thing on their mind: basketball. The 2025 NCAA Men’s Basketball Tournament starts with the First Four on Tuesday, March 18, and the first round commencing on Thursday, March 20.

With prices on seemingly everything rising these days, fans might be wondering how to watch March Madness without having to pay through the nose. Fortunately, The Streamable is here to help you stream every game for only $30 per month, less than half of what you’d pay to sign up for a service like YouTube TV to watch the tournament.

Best budget streaming bundle for watching 2025 NCAA Men’s Basketball Tournament

Watch games on TNT, TBS, and truTV with Max

See all games on CBS with...

//TV shows status included: 1883, 1932, 1944, 2024, 6666, 61st Street, A Classic Spy, A Gentleman in Moscow, Act Your Age, The Acolyte, Aftermath, The After Party, Agatha All Along, The Agency, Alex Rider, Alias Grace, Alien, All the Light We Cannot See, All the Queen's Men, All Rise, All's Fair, Almost Paradise, American Born Chinese, American Classic, American Crime, American Dad!, American Gigolo, American Horror Story, American Horror Stories, American Love Story, American Hostage, American Rust, American Sports Story, American Tragedies: Waco – The Trials, American Princess, Anansi Boys, And Just Like That …, Andor, The Angel of Darkness, Anne Rice's Interview with the Vampire, Anne Rice’s Mayfair Witches, Anne Rice’s The Talamasca, Apples Never Fall, Archer, The Archer Connection, Are You Afraid of the Dark?, The Ark, Armor Wars, A Small Light, The Artful Dodger, Art Detectives, The Assassin, Avatar: The Last Airbender, Awkwafina Is Nora from Queens, Backstage,...

Steven Soderbergh’s spy comedy sends two married agents after a mole, who might turn out to be one of them

The months and years drag on with no new James Bond, no clear indication of how he is to be repurposed as IP. Into this vacuum has rushed a new generation of spy stories on streaming television: action-intelligence office procedurals such as Black Doves, The Day of the Jackal, Slow Horses and indeed The Agency, starring Michael Fassbender, remade from the French show Le Bureau Des Légendes. These are secret agent dramas that give us the violence and the tech, juxtaposing suspected treason and infidelity in the traditional way, but with a new kind of workaday realist sexiness, and more elaborately about showing up for work: much emphasis on ID badges of various security-clearance levels that beep on card readers and can be worn round your neck on lanyards.

Are you ready for more Fear Street? Netflix hopes so, but they are not holding back on the violence much this time. In a newly dropped teaser trailer for Fear Street: Prom Night, we only get a glimpse of the horror about to come. But make no mistake, there will be horror.

This will be the streamer's fourth installment of the series of R.L. Stine books. But if twill be the first in four years. That was when we got to see 1994, 1978, and 1666. In Prom Queen, the story revolves around a gaggle of It Girls all pining to win, well, you guess it...prom queen. Only an outsider also gets nominated for queen and people start disappearing.

The movie will be set in 1988, and the teaser shows that Netflix appears to have gotten the tone exactly correct for the time. There is a blood-covered disco ball, lots of screams as...

“Half Man,” the upcoming six-episode HBO and BBC drama from Richard Gadd that reps the follow-up to his wildly successful Emmy winner “Baby Reindeer” (which ran on Netflix), has rounded out its cast. Joining Gadd and co-star Jamie Bell will be Mitchell Robertson, Stuart Campbell, Neve McIntosh and Marianne McIvor, among others.

Gadd and Bell play estranged “brothers” Ruben and Niall, respectively, in the series, which has now started filming on location in Scotland. Robertson (“Curfew”) will play a young Niall, while Campbell (“Rogue Heroes”) plays a young Ruben. McIntosh (“Doctor Who”) will play Lori, Niall’s mother, while McIvor (“Lady Chatterley’s Lover”) will play Maura, Ruben’s mother.

Others joining the cast include Charlie De Melo (“The Interceptor”), Bilal Hasna (“The Agency”), Julie Cullen (“Traces”) and Philippine Velge (“Station Eleven”).

Also added to the cast: Stuart McQuarrie (“28 Days Later”), Piers Ewart (“The Primrose Railway Children”), Scot Greenan (“T2 Trainspotting...

Exclusive: Paramount+ is launching a service in Turkey with beIN Media Group, bringing movies including Transformer: Rise of the Beasts and Mission: Impossible – Dead Reckoning and series The Agency, Elsbeth and the NCIS franchise.

Paramount Global Content Distribution cut the deal with beIN, which will see the rollout of what it refers to as branded destination in Turkey. Specifically, the Paramount+ service will be carried on beIN’s Ott platforms Tod and beIN Connect.

It will have films from Paramount Pictures and Republic Pictures, series from CBS Studios, and premium dramas from Showtime. The news dropped at the London TV Screenings, where Paramount Global is rolling out the red carpet for buyers, today.

Paramount and beIN have already teamed on a Paramount+ destination that is carried in the Mena region and was announced last year. Dan Cohen, Chief Content Licensing Officer, Paramount and President, Republic Pictures, said beIN is...

Though Dexter: Original Sin on Paramount+ with Showtime proved that there's still a lot of life left in the franchise, it now has the numbers to back it up. The season premiere on December 13 managed to draw in 2.1 million global cross-platform viewers, and while audience numbers tend to dip as seasons progress, that wasn't the case here. Just the opposite happened, solidifying the fact once and for all that yes, Dexter is back, and – if fans have anything to say about it – won't be going anywhere for a while.

Per Deadline, the finale of Dexter: Original Sin on Feb. 14, "Code Blues," amassed 2.68 million global views, making it the most-streamed episode of the season. That number includes its Paramount+ streaming premiere on Friday, and stretches to its linear premiere on Showtime Sunday night. According to Paramount Global, the finale was up 30% from the debut episode, as audiences tuned in en masse...

Season 2 of HBO’s The Last of Us comes out on April 13, 2025. Season 2 will follow the game so we can expect to be introduced to Abby Anderson and her story. With Kaitlyn Dever taking on the role, the series has the opportunity to expand on one key aspect of her backstory that was cut from Naughty Dog’s second game.

The first season was a big success we’re hyped for Season 2. | Image Credit: HBO

According to Laura Bailey, who voiced Abby in the game, there was a deleted flashback revealing Abby’s history with Wlf leader Isaac Dixon. The scene would’ve given us more context into their relationship and explained why he was so forgiving of her betrayal. Let’s hope it makes it to Season 2.

Abby’s story will be a big part of The Last of Us Season 2 And this cut content would add a lot of weight to it.

Exclusive: Dexter: Original Sin ended on a high note over the weekend, measuring a finale audience that grew 27% over the December premiere.

The finale tallied 2.68M global viewers on Paramount+ with Showtime, according to Paramount Global. This includes the three-day streaming audience that tuned in once the episode became available on Friday, as well as any same-day viewers that watched when the episode aired on the linear network Sunday night.

It was the most-streamed episode of the season, Paramount Global says, up 30% from the premiere’s streaming audience.

The company did not provide streaming-specific numbers, but the claim is supported by the 27% increase in total viewers over the weekend.

Paramount Global is touting this as Showtime’s most-streamed series in 10 years. It’s worth noting that Showtime began to develop its online presence around 2015, and there has been an overall audience shift to streaming in recent years, so that...

Small Things Like These, an Irish drama starring Cillian Murphy as a coal merchant and father haunted by secret abuses in a local convent sanctioned by the Catholic Church, beat out Kneecap, the hip-hop comedy featuring Michael Fassbender, to win the best film honor at the Irish Film & Television Awards 2025 during a ceremony held in Dublin on Friday. Saoirse Ronan left with two awards (the lead actress honor for her role in The Outrun and the supporting actress trophy for Blitz). Murphy won the best actor IFTA for his work in Small Things Like These. Demi Moore (The Substance) and Ralph Fiennes (Conclave) were honored in the international acting categories, and Colin Farrell (The Penguin) and Sharon Horgan (for writing Bad Sisters) earned TV statuettes.

Rich Peppiatt received the best director IFTA for Kneecap, which follows the West Belfast hip-hop trio of the same name on their mission to save their mother tongue.

John Magaro is the kind of actor you discover, like a personal secret. Maybe he first caught your eye in The Big Short, as the geeky stand out among a pack of slick, self-interested traders; grabbed you as Yael Stone’s dreamy prison pen pal in Orange Is the New Black love story, or won you over as Arthur, in Celine Song’s Past Lives, as the husband on the outside looking in as his wife Nora (Greta Lee) reunites and rekindles with her childhood friend from Korea. I first spotted him playing a New Jersey drummer desperate to make it big in David Chase’s Not Fade Away (2012), but my come-to-Magaro moment was his performance as Cookie in Kelly Reichardt’s First Cow. His quietly devastating depiction of male friendship and quiet yearning was the on-screen standout of 2019.

More recently, Magaro has been getting attention for Oscar contender September 5, where he plays a U.

Former Lionsgate sales veteran Wendy Reeds and seasoned producer Ashley Stern have joined Patrick Wachsberger’s growing production and sales outfit 193, as the company looks to build out its indie film slate. The hires were unveiled on Friday, the opening day of Berlin’s European Film Market.

Reeds, who spent 16 years at Lionsgate and previously worked alongside Wachsberger when he served as motion picture group chairman there, steps in as executive vp of sales. During her Lionsgate tenure, she handled international licensing for major franchises, including John Wick and The Hunger Games, while also spearheading the studio’s expansion into Asia through partnerships with Hunan TV and iQIYI.

Stern, taking the role of executive vp, head of creative affairs, extends a collaboration with Wachsberger that began in 2019 at Picture Perfect Federation. She comes fresh off executive producing Paramount+’s hit series The Agency starring Michael Fassbender, and producing upcoming features...

Patrick Wachsberger and Legendary Entertainment’s new Jv has made two key hires. Wendy Reeds has joined 193 as EVP, sales, and Ashley Stern is aboard as EVP, Head of Creative Affairs.

193 was announced in late January, with former Lionsgate exec Wachsberger as CEO. “Wendy and Ashley are two of the industry’s best and bringing them aboard at this juncture makes me even more confident about what 193 can achieve,” he said. “There is an exceptional opportunity for 193 in the global production and sales marketplace to create an industry-leading slate of premium films for audiences all over the world.”

193 will develop and produce a slate and as well as working with third parties on international distribution for completed films. It will also provide capital and be across territory sales for early-stage projects.

Reeds spent 16 years with Lionsgate, overlapping for nearly a decade with Wachsberger, who was Chairman of the studio’s Motion Picture Group.

The Emmy-nominated psychological thriller series stars Melanie Lynskey, Christina Ricci, and more.

Secrets can’t stay buried, not even deep in the wintery wilderness. Back for its junior season, the hit Showtime series “Yellowjackets” returns this Friday, Feb. 14, and after a long and terrifying winter, summer is here at last for the survivors, but their older counterparts must keep their own lives from unraveling as their pasts continue to be unearthed. Equal parts survival epic, psychological horror story, and coming-of-age drama, “Yellowjackets” premieres its third season this Friday on streaming, or Sunday, Feb. 16 at 8 p.m. Et/Pt on Showtime. Watch first with a subscription to Paramount+ with Showtime.

How to Watch ‘Yellowjackets’ Season 3 When: Friday, Feb. 14, 2025 at 3:01 a.m. Et Where: Paramount+ with Showtime Stream: Watch with a subscription to Paramount+ with Showtime. From anywhere: Watch with a subscription to a Vpn. Everything you need to know to...

Right now, Apple TV+ has some of the best original series in the streaming space, and one of its most recent hits is the thriller series Prime Target. In the series, The White Lotus and One Day breakout Leo Woodall stars as a math genius who finds himself at the center of a dangerous global conspiracy when his research on prime numbers puts a target on his back.

While the show hasn't attained the overwhelming watercooler status of its streamer mate Severance, Prime Target has ranked just below the twisty sci-fi thinker on Apple TV+'s most popular shows leaderboard. It's received mixed reception for its slower pace, but Prime Target has still been one of the more engaging and interesting new series of 2025 so far.

If you're enjoying the series, which nears its season-ending episode in March 2025, you're probably wanting to add more shows just like it to your watch list.

The series stars Eddie Redmayne as an assassin who is pursued by one of the most tenacious intelligence officers he’s ever faced.

If you haven’t watched “The Day of the Jackal” on Peacock yet, you may be one of the only ones. The series, which stars Eddie Redmayne as a highly skilled contract killer who is pursued across Europe in a deadly cat-and-mouse game by a British intelligence officer, has won wide acclaim from critics and viewers alike. In fact, Peacock has revealed that the show is now its most-watched original drama series of all time.

Key Details: Viewership for “The Day of the Jackal” in its first 75 days has surpassed all other Peacock original dramas. The first season has been nominated for several awards, and the show has already been renewed. Fans should check out shows like “The Agency” and “Black Doves” once they finish “The Day of the Jackal.

Paris-based European production and sales powerhouse Federation Studios has named Côme Chazal as group executive director of UK strategy as it further expandsits footprint in English-language film and TV content.

Chazal has relocated from Paris to the London office, which is home toFederation Stories, set up in 2021 and run by managing director and producer Polly Williams.

Tasked with coordinating and developing the company’s activities in the UK, he will also work alongside Vertigo Films, acquired by Federation Studios in 2022.Chazal will report to Lionel Uzan and Marco Chimenz, the group’s co-managing directors.

“The UK is a crucial territory...

Exclusive: In what turned into one of the more competitive open directing assignments of the year, sources tell Deadline Joe Wright has landed the highly-coveted directing job for the AI thriller Alignment at Fifth Season. Natan Dotan penned the spec with Makeready producing. Scott Silver will exec produce.

The story follows a cutting-edge tech company whose latest AI model begins manipulating global markets and stoking international conflict. A principled board member and an out of his depth software engineer must race to convince their profit-obsessed colleagues to shut down their creation before it triggers a globally catastrophic event.

Fifth Season landed the spec in one of 2024’s bigger spec sales following a highly competitive bidding war. Insiders say the search for a director was equally intense with half dozen directors in the mix for the job. Wright’s take eventually won over producers and now that he is on board,...

Steven Soderbergh, the mastermind behind Ocean’s Eleven and Contagion, is back with another banger. His next movie, Black Bag, promises to be a riveting blend of drama, action, and suspense. It’s a spy story with some serious emotional stakes—and it’s dropping this spring!

Steven Soderbergh

Meet George and Kathryn Woodhouse, married spies caught in secrets, lies, and betrayal. This is the premise of the upcoming flick that delivers all the ravishing spy action. Plus, a star-studded cast to seal the deal!

With Michael Fassbender and Cate Blanchett front and center, plus Soderbergh’s signature brilliance, Black Bag is set to be one of 2025’s must-watch films. So, what is Soderbergh’s upcoming spy thriller all about, and why should it be on your radar? Let’s break it down.

What is the story of Black Bag? Michael Fassbender in Black Bag (Credits: Universal Pictures)

Black Bag dives...

Based on the French series The Bureau,Showtime'sThe Agencyended on an action-packed note in its Season 1 finale. Following Michael Fassbenderin the shoes of an undercover CIA agent, The Agency sets up multiple storylines throughout its ten-episode season. With Showtime renewing the espionage series for a comeback, Season 1 of The Agency ensures that the ground is set for Season 2 to maintain the adrenaline-inducing action. The season finale, while sealing the fate of a few important characters, such as the Russian General Volchok (Juris Zagars), leaves the fate of others, including Fassbender's Martian, hanging in the balance. Thankfully, while Season 1's ending ensures that there is scope for a lot of action in the future, the renewal news confirms that audiences will get an opportunity to witness how The Agency resolves its many entangled story threads.

Tales of secret agents and conspiracies are becoming more popular on television. In recent months, fans have been treated to amazing shows like Black Doves, Mr. & Mrs. Smith, and The Agency (the American adaptation of the French thrillerLe Bureau des Légendes), among others.

In film, the genre has always been popular. It began to flourish during the two World Wars, where counterintelligence was crucial in victories. Later, during the Cold War, spy work was essential in preventing another major global conflict. Even better, talented authors like Ian Fleming and John le Carré preferred the genre, so Hollywood and other film industries always had somewhere to look.

Ideally, spy tales need to play out for more minutes (or on more pages), for them to be intriguing, and in the age of streaming services, television has proved to be the perfect platform. Most importantly, today’s espionage stories aren’t monotonous.

Michael Fassbender, the Hollywood star of films like Inglourious Basterds, X-Men: First Class and The Killer, has expressed interest in returning to the Alien franchise to make another sequel. Fassbender gave life to David in Prometheus and Alien: Covenant, two essential but divisive entries in the universe created by Ridley Scott. However, Fassbender's comments suggest that his love of the franchise is down to one man alone; Ridley Scott. While Scott acted as producer and advisor on both Alien: Romulus, and the upcoming TV seires Alien: Earth, it is not clear whether Fassbender would only consider a return if he was being directed by Scott.

Fassbender recently spoke to Esquire about his latest TV show, The Agency. Based on the French thriller The Bureau, the series follows Brandon Colby, aka Martian, an international spy living undercover. It premiered on Showtime last November, and its last episode ran a few days ago.

On Friday January 31 2025, Parsho broadcasts The Agency!

Overtaken by Events Season 1 Episode 10 Episode Summary

The upcoming episode of “The Agency,” titled “Overtaken by Events,” promises to be a gripping installment filled with tension and unexpected twists. As the story unfolds, Bosko finds himself losing control of a critical operation. This shift in command brings a grim reality to light, highlighting the challenges faced by those in charge. The pressure mounts as Bosko navigates the consequences of this loss of authority.

Meanwhile, Naomi receives troubling news from Iran that could have significant implications for the agency. This development adds another layer of urgency to the episode, as the team must react quickly to a situation that could escalate. Naomi’s character is set to face tough decisions that could affect not only her future but also the agency’s mission.

Richardson takes a different path in this episode, running a rogue...

Here are four more great shows to keep the spy-times rolling.

That’s a curtain call on the first season of Paramount+ with Showtime’s “The Agency,” a slick new spy thriller starring Michael Fassbender. After two months of suspenseful twists, the show aired its intense season finale on Friday, Jan. 24. Packed with espionage and emotional stakes, “The Agency” marked Fassbender’s return to TV in a big way, following his work in films like “X-Men: Days of Future Past,” “Slow West,” and most recently, “Next Goal Wins.”

In “The Agency,” Fassbender plays Martian, a seasoned CIA operative forced out of the shadows and back into the high-stakes world of London Station. With his past catching up in the form of old flames, unresolved missions, and dangerous new threats, Martian is caught in a web of intrigue. Alongside a stellar cast that includes Jeffrey Wright, Jodie Turner-Smith, and Richard Gere,...

The Agency Season 2 is on track for release, but the exact date has not yet been revealed.

The streaming Paramount+ thriller stars Michael Fassbender as Brandon Colby, a CIA agent stationed in London who is pulled out of undercover life as a past romantic flame enters the picture and risks his mission. 

About midway through Season 1, a second batch of episodes was greenlit by the streamer to capitalize on the show's generally favorable reviews and positive audience feedback. 

Read full article on The Direct.

The Emmy-winner takes on a dangerous conspiracy in this eight-episode political thriller.

Sterling K. Brown stars as Xavier Collins, a Secret Service agent thrust into chaos in Hulu’s new political thriller “Paradise.” When Collins discovers the body of former President Cal Bradford (James Marsden), he becomes the prime suspect in a high-stakes murder investigation. With betrayal at every turn, Collins must fight to clear his name and expose a deep conspiracy hiding in plain sight. “Paradise” premieres on Tuesday, Jan. 28, with the first three episodes streaming on Hulu.

How to watch ‘Paradise’ When: Tuesday, Jan 28, 2025 at 12:01 a.m. Et TV: Hulu Stream: Watch with a subscription to Hulu From anywhere: Watch with a subscription to a Vpn. 30-Day Free Trial $9.99+ / month hulu.com Everything you need to know about ‘Paradise’

How to watch ‘Paradise’

Watch the trailer for ‘Paradise’

About ‘Paradise’

What other thriller series can you watch on Hulu?...

All episodes of The Agency Season 1 are now streaming on Paramount+, but the studio had so much faith in the show that it was renewed long before the recently aired finale. The show earned solid scores of 68% from critics and 76% from general audiences on Rotten Tomatoes, but it also scored strong viewership for Paramount+ and features a load of star power. The Agency set up plenty of threads to pull on in Season 2 and potentially beyond, and during a recent interview at Sundance with Collider's Perri Nemiroff for his upcoming movie Omaha, The Agency star John Magaro, who plays Owen in the hit spy thriller series, spoke about this being one of his first chances to come back and play the same character in a second season:...

Michael Fassbender is fresh off a strong run in his latest series The Agency, the spy thriller that also stars Jeffrrey Wright and Jodie Turner-Smith, but he stepped into one of his most iconic roles first in 2012 and he may not be done with it yet. Fassbender portrays David, the lifelike android, in Prometheus, the Alien prequel film that was directed by Ridley Scott and also stars Idris Elba and Charlize Theron. Fassbender later returned to the franchise to reprise his role as David in Alien: Covenant, the sequel to the prequel that still takes place before the first Alien movie. During a recent interview with Esquire, Fassbender wasn't quick to rule out a return to the Alien franchise, and in fact, he did quite the opposite:...

On Monday January 27 2025, Parsho broadcasts The Agency!

Overtaken by Events Season 1 Episode 10 Episode Summary

The upcoming episode of “The Agency,” titled “Overtaken by Events,” promises to be a gripping installment filled with tension and unexpected twists. As the story unfolds, viewers will see Bosko grappling with the reality of losing control over a critical operation. This shift in command brings a sense of urgency and concern, setting the stage for a high-stakes scenario that will keep audiences on the edge of their seats.

Meanwhile, Naomi faces her own challenges as she receives troubling news from Iran. The situation there adds an extra layer of complexity to the episode, highlighting the far-reaching implications of the agency’s work. Her reaction to this news could have significant consequences for her character and the mission at hand.

Richardson, on the other hand, takes a different approach by running a rogue operation. This decision...

On Sunday January 26 2025, Parsho broadcasts The Agency!

Overtaken by Events Season 1 Episode 10 Episode Summary

The upcoming episode of “The Agency,” titled “Overtaken by Events,” promises to be a thrilling ride filled with tension and unexpected twists. As the story unfolds, the dynamics within the operation shift dramatically, leaving Bosko in a tough position. He has to confront a grim reality that could change everything for the team. This shift in command adds a layer of uncertainty, making viewers wonder how it will impact the mission and the relationships among the characters.

Meanwhile, Naomi finds herself dealing with troubling news coming from Iran. This development could have serious implications for the agency’s plans and adds a sense of urgency to her role in the operation. The weight of this news might push her to make difficult decisions, showcasing her resilience and commitment to the team’s goals.

Richardson, on the other hand,...

Spoilers ahead for “The Agency” Season 1, Episode 10.

One of the best cast and most anticipated series of 2025 just ended with a bang. The Season 1 finale of “The Agency” had everything fans of espionage thrillers could ask for — explosions, a high-stakes mission, heated interrogations and double crossings galore.

Wondering how this first season came to an end? Here’s what to know.

“The Agency” Season 1 ending, explained

The Season 1 finale of “The Agency” belonged to three agents: Danny (Saura Lightfoot-Leon), Coyote (Alex Reznik) and Martian (Michael Fassbender). As is always the case with this tense show, there are a lot of moving parts, so let’s start with the easiest story. Did Danny ever make it to Tehran?

Most of Season 1 was a push and pull between Danny’s ego and the wisdom of Danny’s case officer, Naomi (Katherine Waterston). While Danny insisted she was ready to go out into the field,...

[This article contains major spoilers from the season finale of The Agency, “Overtaken by Events.”]

The season one finale of The Agency ends with Michael Fassbender’s Martian in nearly the same emotional space as he was when the show began: longing to be reunited with Dr. Samia Zahir (Jodie Turner-Smith), the Sudanese anthropology professor he fell in love with while stationed as a CIA operative in Ethiopia.

However, their inability to be together is no longer just a matter of distance and duty to one’s country, as it once was when Martian ended their relationship upon returning to his post in London to resume life under the cover of Paul Lewis. It’s now one of life and death, as Martian’s failed attempt to recruit Samia to the CIA has not only put her life in danger but also his own when he agrees to become a double agent for the U.K.’s Secret Intelligence Service...

Spy shows are becoming a hot commodity in the television landscape. From The Agency on Paramount+ to The Night Agent and The Recruit on Netflix and Prime Video's ever-expanding Citadel universe, there's no shortage of cloak-and-dagger tales to choose from. But there's one that might have flown under people's radar: the five-part miniseries Treason, which debuted on Netflix in 2022. Treason was notable for being created by Matt Charman, the writer who helped shape Steven Spielberg's Bridge of Spies, but it's also notable for having Charlie Cox in the lead — and delivering a story that's full of twists and turns.

In this week’s episode of Bingeworthy, host Mike DeAngelo is torn between love and duty when taking on “The Agency.” The excellent high-stakes espionage thriller culminates its first season with a finale airing on January 24 on Paramount+ with Showtime (read our review). Based on the French series “Le Bureau des Légendes,” the show follows a CIA operative’s struggle between duty and desire.

Continue reading ‘The Agency’: Jeffrey Wright & Katherine Waterston Discuss Their Espionage Drama, ‘Batman II’, ‘Alien’ & More [Bingeworthy Podcast] at The Playlist.

The following contains spoilers for The Agency Season 1, Episode 10, "Overtaken by Events," now streaming on Paramount+ with Showtime and debuting Friday, Jan. 24 on Showtime.

The Agency Season 1 finale "Overtaken by Events" is everything the entire season should have been. Episode 10 is a masterful concoction of double-crosses and left-field plot twists, regularly catching audiences off guard. The stakes are predictably higher with Coyote in transit across the Belarus border, Sami in an illegal black site, and Danny en route to Tehran. In all this, Martian is emotionally compromised, professionally erratic, and grasping at straws. His need to save Sami influences every decision, threatening his integrity and who knows what else.

In a finale with everything to play for, The Agency writers Jez and John-Henry Butterworth -- who also penned the sci-fi movie Edge of Tomorrow -- finally reach their goals. Gone is the introspective navel-gazing that defined so much of this season.