LeVar Burton Producing ‘Roots’ Remake for History, A&E, Lifetime
In 1977, Star Trek: The Next Generation star LeVar Burton made his acting debut in the ABC award-winning miniseries Roots, based on the novel by Alex Haley about a young man from Africa named Kunte Kinte who is sold into slavery in colonial America. Now almost forty years later, History Channel, A&E and Lifetime are remaking that story into an event series due out next year. Burton and producers Will Packer and Mark Wolper are leading the project, with Lawrence Konner and Mark Rosenthal (Planet of the Apes), Alison McDonald and Charles Murray on board to write the scripts. [Variety]
‘Pretty Little Liars’ Season 6 Trailer: No More Games
When Pretty Little Liars returns to ABC Family on June 2 with its season 6 premiere, it looks like things will start to take a turn to the horror movie side. In the first promo for the episode, titled “GameOn, Charles,” the series’ villain ‘A’ still has the liars in his fun house of evil, and he definitely isn’t happy about their recent attempt to escape. It’s the #SummerofAnswers, so could we finally find out Charles’ true identity? [TVLine]
Jordana Brewster Playing Denise Brown in ‘American Crime Story’
Ryan Murphy has already made Glee a cultural phenomenon and American Horror Story a ratings hit, and next he’ll attempt to do the same with his new FX anthology series American Crime Story. Jordana Brewster (Furious 7) has joined the cast of American Crime Story: The People V OJ Simpson as Denise Brown, the sister of the slain Nicole Brown. The first 10-episode season, also starring Cuba Gooding Jr., John Travolta, Sarah Paulson, David Schwimmer and Connie Britton, will focus on the murder trial of O. J. Simpson. [EW]
Stephen Amell Is Casey Jones in First ‘TMNT 2’ Photo
Stephen Amell must have vigilante blood running through his veins, because the Arrow star, already well known for playing a superhero on The CW series, also recently joined the cast of Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles 2 as crime fighter Casey Jones. Producer Michael Bay has now released the first photo of Amell on the set of TMNT 2, donning the comic book character’s iconic mask while holding his signature hockey stick. The sequel directed by Dave Green and starring Megan Fox premieres in theaters on June 3, 2016. [Twitter]
NBC Gives Series Orders to ‘Chicago Med,’ ‘Heartbreaker’ & ‘Blindspot’
NBC isn’t wasting any time getting this year’s upfront week started. On the first day of May, the broadcast network has picked up medical dramas Chicago Med and Heartbreaker, as well as FBI drama Blindspot, from its long list of 19 pilots. Chicago Med is a spinoff of Chicago Fire and Chicago PD, starring an ensemble cast headlined by Oliver Platt and Laurie Holden. Heartbreaker follows Dr. Alex Panttiere (Melissa George), an outspoken world-renowned heart-transplant surgeon as she navigates her racy personal life. While Blindspot from Greg Berlanti centers on a vast international plot that explodes when a beautiful Jane Doe (Jaimie Alexander) is discovered naked in Times Square with mysterious tattoos and no memory, asking for FBI agent Kurt Weller (Sullivan Stapleton). Upfront week begins May 11. [THR]