Netflix Considering “Wednesday” Spinoff Centered Around Fred Armisen’s Uncle Fester Character

Posted on December 18, 2023 by Tom Castaneda

Fred Armisen’s most recent role may be festering a new series…

Netflix is looking to build a franchise around its reigning most popular series, with a Wednesday spinoff centered around the 57-year-old half-Venezuelan American actor/comedian’s Uncle Fester character in early development at the streamer from MGM Television.

Conversations about the offshoot are happening alongside preparations for Season 2 of Wednesday — a new take of The Addams Family starring Jenna Ortega as Wednesday Addams — which became a ratings and pop culture phenomenon when it launched in November 2022.

The horror comedy ranks as Netflix’s most popular English-language series with 252.1M views, almost doubling the next most popular television season on the streamer.

Armisen guest starred in one episode of Wednesday‘s first season in a memorable appearance as Uncle Fester, brother of Wednesday’s father Gomez Addams (Luis Guzman), who used his ability to generate electricity to revive Thing.

Gwendoline Christie, Riki Lindhome, Jamie McShane, Hunter Doohan, Percy Hynes White, Emma Myers, Joy Sunday, Georgie Farmer, Naomi J. Ogawa, Christina Ricci and Moosa Mostafa co-starred in Season 1, with Catherine Zeta-Jones recurring as Wednesday’s mother Morticia.

Season 2 will be filmed in Ireland, with production tentatively slated to begin in late April. Season 1 was shot in Romania.

There is little information about where the mothership Wednesday series would go thematically in Season 2.

Gough and Millar have hinted that we might see more Addams family members — further expanding the universe and potentially setting up new offshoots — and explore further Wednesday’s relationship with her mother while Ortega, who is becoming a producer for Season 2, has indicated that the show would have stronger emphasize on horror over teen romance.

Yul Vazquez to Star in MGM+’s Crime Thriller “Hotel Cocaine”

Posted on March 29, 2023 by Tom Castaneda

Yul Vazquez is checking into his next project…

The 58-year-old Cuban-American actor and musician is set as a lead opposite Danny Pino and Michael Chiklis in Hotel Cocaine, MGM+’s upcoming crime thriller from creator Chris Brancato.

Hotel Cocaine is the story of Roman Compte (Pino), a Cuban expatriate who fought against Fidel Castro in the Bay of Pigs invasion and re-made his life in Miami. He is general manager of the Mutiny Hotel, the glamorous epicenter of the Miami cocaine scene of late ‘70s and early ‘80s. The Mutiny Hotel was Casablanca on cocaine, a glitzy nightclub, restaurant and hotel frequented by Florida businessmen and politicians, international narcos, CIA and FBI agents, models, sports stars and musicians.

Vazquez will play Nestor Cabal, Roman Compte’s (Pino) brother and one of the biggest suppliers of cocaine to a coke-hungry Miami population. He’s dangerous, funny, wily, and seeking reunion with his long-lost brother.

Chiklis plays Agent Zulio who will stop at nothing to shut down the drug trade, even if it means using innocent civilians to accomplish his ends.

The eight-episode series from MGM+ Studios, in partnership with MGM Television, will begin production in May in the Dominican Republic, and is slated to premiere in early 2024.

Vazquez will next be seen in the HBO Max limited series White House Plumbers, opposite Woody Harrelson and Justin Theroux. He was most recently seen on season 3 of the MGM+ series Godfather of Harlem opposite Forest Whitaker and in the Emmy-nominated Apple TV+ series, Severance, directed by Ben Stiller.

His other credits include Jason Bateman’s HBO series The Outsider, ABC’s Promised Land, Netflix’s Russian Doll, TNT miniseries I Am The Night and HBO’s Succession, among others.

His film work includes Books of Blood, Last Flag Flying, Gringo, Traffic and The Infiltrator.

Danny Pino Lands Leading Role in MGM+’s Crime Thriller “Hotel Cocaine”

Posted on March 15, 2023 by Tom Castaneda

Danny Pino is checking in to a new project…

The 48-year-old Cuban American actor, who stars in Mayans M.C., will star as the lead in Hotel Cocaine, MGM+’s upcoming crime thriller from creator Chris Brancato.

Hotel Cocaine is the story of Roman Compte (Pino), a Cuban expatriate who fought against Fidel Castro in the Bay of Pigs invasion and re-made his life in Miami. He is general manager of the Mutiny Hotel, the glamorous epicenter of the Miami cocaine scene of late ‘70s and early ‘80s. The Mutiny Hotel was Casablanca on cocaine, a glitzy nightclub, restaurant and hotel frequented by Florida businessmen and politicians, international narcos, CIA and FBI agents, models, sports stars and musicians. At the center of it all was Compte, who was doing his best to keep it all going and fulfill his own American dream.

Brancato serves as executive producer and showrunner. Guillermo Navarro will direct the pilot episode and executive produce the series, with Michael Panes and Alfredo Barrios Jr. also serving as executive producers. The eight-episode series from MGM+ Studios, in partnership with MGM Television, will begin production in May in the Dominican Republic, and is slated to premiere in early 2024.

Pino, born and raised in Miami, stars as organized crime boss Miguel Galindo in Mayans M.C., which is heading into its fifth and final season on FX.

He made his episodic directorial debut in the drama’s fourth season. Pino, also known for his roles as police detective Nick Amaro on Law & Order: SVU and Detective Scotty Valens on Cold Case, recently completed the short film, Union de Reyes (Union of Kings), which he wrote, directed, produced and starred in.

Hotel Cocaine will be distributed internationally by MGM.

Netflix Renews Jenna Ortega’s Hit Series “Wednesday” for Second Season

Posted on January 6, 2023 by Tom Castaneda

Jenna Ortega’s Wednesdays are officially booked for another season…

Netflix has ordered a second season of its hit series Wednesday, starring the 20-year-old Mexican and Puerto Rican actress.

From MGM Television, Wednesday crossed the 1B hours viewed mark – only the third show to do that on Netflix – in less than a month and overtook Dahmer to become the second most-watched U.S. show behind season four of Stranger Things.

Wednesday offers a new take on The Addams Family — the classic cartoon strip that was created by Charles Addams which ultimately became a ’60s sitcom and a ’90s feature film.

Wednesday ranks No. 2 on the most popular (English) TV list with 1.237 billion hours viewed within its first 28 days.

What’s most unique about the series is how one of Netflix’s biggest rivals, Amazon, is responsible for the series after it closed a $8.5B deal to buy MGM.

MGM Television has since been restructured into Amazon Studios under Jen Salke.

Wednesday debuted in November. The coming-of-age comedy is from Smallville creators Al Gough and Miles Millar and directed/executive-produced by Tim Burton.

Nick Gomez to Star on Season 5 of FX’s “Fargo”

Posted on October 14, 2022 by Tom Castaneda

Nick Gomez is headed to Fargo…

The Latino actor has joined the cast of FX’s Fargo for the series’ fifth season.

Gomez is among a list of new cast additions that includes David Rysdahl, Sam Spruell and Jessica Pohly.

They join the previously announced Juno Temple, Jon Hamm, Jennifer Jason Leigh, Joe Keery, Lamorne Morris and Richa Moorjani.

The latest installment is set in 2019, and asks the question: when is a kidnapping not a kidnapping, and what if your wife isn’t yours?

Gomez will play Agent Joaquin.

Noah Hawley (creator/writer/director), and his production company 26 Keys, lead the creative team behind the latest installment. Warren Littlefield via his production company The Littlefield Company, also serves as Executive Producer along with Joel & Ethan Coen and others.

Fargo is produced by MGM Television and FX Productions, with MGM Television serving as the lead studio and MGM distributing the series internationally.

Gomez most recently starred in She-Hulk: Attorney at Law. His other credits include Criminal Minds, SEAL Team, General Hospital and Bosch.

Jenna Ortega to Star in Netflix’s Addams Family-Themed Series “Wednesday”

Posted on May 20, 2021 by Tom Castaneda

Jenna Ortega is all about Hump Day…

The 18-year-old Puerto Rican and Mexican American actress has landed the title role in Wednesday, Tim Burton’s live-action Addams Family series for Netflix focused on the iconic character of Wednesday Addams.

The coming-of-age comedy, written by Smallville creators Al Gough and Miles Millar and to be directed by Burton, is a sleuthing, supernaturally infused mystery charting Wednesday Addams’ (Ortega) years as a student at Nevermore Academy. That’s where she attempts to master her emerging psychic ability, thwart a monstrous killing spree that has terrorized the local town, and solve the supernatural mystery that embroiled her parents 25 years ago — all while navigating her new and very tangled relationships.

The YA series, Wednesday Addams’ first solo vehicle, marks Burton’s first live-action show and his television directing debut.

Ortega is taking over the role from Christina Ricci, the actress most closely associated the character, who played Wednesday in both feature films, The Addams Family in 1991 and sequel Addams Family Values in 1993.

Burton executive produces with Gough and Millar, who will serve as showrunners on the series. Wednesday is produced by MGM Television, which controls the underlying rights to the IP.

Ortega burst onto the scene in 2014 with two major recurring roles on Fox’s Rake and the CW’s Jane the Virgin. The latter, where Ortega played younger version of the title character, put her on the map, and Ortega quickly landed her first series lead role on Disney Channel’s Stuck In the Middle.

A lead role on Season 2 of Netflix’s You followed. On the streamer, Ortega also recently co-starred in hit feature comedy Yes Day.

Her recent feature credits also include leads in The Fallout and the upcoming Scream.

Ortega shared the news on Instagram:

View this post on Instagram

A post shared by Jenna Ortega (@jennaortega)

Hulu Renews Alexis Bledel’s Drama Series “The Handmaid’s Tale” for Fifth Season

Posted on December 13, 2020 by Tom Castaneda

Alexis Bledel will have more tale to tell…

Hulu has renewed its flagship drama series The Handmaid’s Tale, starring the 39-year-old half-Argentinian American actress, for a fifth season.

The news, which Bledel and her cast mates shared on social media, comes ahead of its Season 4 premiere on the streamer.

Based on Margaret Atwood’s novel of the same name, The Handmaid’s Tale follows the story of life in the dystopia of Gilead, a totalitarian society in what was formerly part of the United States.

The series, produced by MGM Television and internationally distributed by MGM, stars Elisabeth Moss, Joseph Fiennes, Yvonne Strahovski, Samira Wiley, Bledel, Ann Dowd, Max Minghella, Madeline Brewer, O-T Fagbenle, Amanda Brugel, Bradley Whitford, and Sam Jaeger.

In season four, June (Moss) strikes back against Gilead as a fierce rebel leader, but the risks she takes bring unexpected and dangerous new challenges. Her quest for justice and revenge threatens to consume her and destroy her most cherished relationships.

The drama was nominated for 54 Primetime Emmy Awards over its first three seasons, winning 15, including best original drama, the first drama series win from a streaming service, lead actress in a drama series for Moss and outstanding guest actress in a drama series for Bledel.

Bledel has earned two additional Emmy nods for her performance on the series.

Odette Annable to Star in Pilot for ABC’s “thirtysomething” Sequel, “thirtysomething(else)”

Posted on February 12, 2020 by Tom Castaneda

Odette Annable is taking on something big!

The 34-year-old Colombian & Cuban American actress will lead the ensemble cast of the ABC pilot thirtysomething(else), a sequel to Marshall Herskovitz and Ed Zwick’s beloved 1987-91 drama series thirtysomething, playing grown-up Janey Steadman.

Written by Herskovitz and Zwick and to be directed by Zwick, thirtysomething(else) will follow an ensemble of new faces playing the grown-up children of the original cast, the new generation of thirtysomethings.

They are being joined by returning original cast members Ken Olin(Michael Steadman),Mel Harris(Hope Murdoch), Timothy Busfield(Elliot Weston) and Patty Wettig(Nancy Weston), reprising their characters in supporting roles.

Annable’s Janey Steadman is the striking spinoff of Hope and Michael. With piercing eyes and unruly dark hair, Janey is a passionate, some might say driven person, possessed of what her boyfriend, Brad, calls a very big engine in a very small car.

Annable joins recently cast Chris Wood, who’ll play Janey’s younger brother, Leo Steadman. The two previously co-starred together on Supergirl.

Although seen as an ensemble drama, the original thirtysomethingseries revolved around husband and wife Michael and Hope and their baby Janey. Little Janey was played by twins Brittanyand Lacey Craven.

Herskovitz and Zwick executive produce for ABC Studios, part of Disney Television Studios, and MGM Television.

Filming on the pilot is slated to begin in March in New Jersey.

Annable played a lead on the second season of CBS All Access’ anthology series Tell Me a Story. Before that, she was a series regular on Season 3 of the CW’s Supergirl, playing the villainous Samantha Arias/Reign.She is reprising her role in an episode airing later this month.

Her other credits include House, October Road and Banshee.

Joe Minoso to Appear on Third Season of Epix’s “Get Shorty”

Posted on August 29, 2019 by Tom Castaneda

Joe Minosois coming up short(y)…

The 40-year-old Latino actor and Chicago Fire star has landed a recurring role opposite Chris O’Dowd and Ray Romano on the upcoming third season of Epix’s Get Shorty, from MGM Television.

Get Shorty is based in part on Elmore Leonard’s 1990 bestselling novel and created for television by Davey Holmes.

The dark comedy follows Miles Daly (O’Dowd), muscle for a Nevada crime ring who tries to become a movie producer in Hollywood with the help of a washed-up producer, Rick Moreweather (Romano), as a means to leave his criminal past behind. In season two, Miles struggled to reconcile his ambitions as a filmmaker and a family man with his skill set as a career criminal. His progress in Hollywood was jeopardized when the washed-up producer, with whom he partnered in season one, agreed to wear a Federal wire.

In season three, Miles (O’Dowd) embraces more ruthless methods as he settles scores and attempts to climb the Hollywood ladder.

Minoso will play Hector, a Capotillo gang leader that controls crime in Los Angeles.

Get Shorty is produced by MGM Television and internationally distributed by MGM.

Minoso plays the series regular role of Joe Cruz on NBC’s Chicago Fire, which premieres its eighth season this fall.

His other credits include television appearances on Boss, Shameless and Prison Break.

Epix to Premiere Season Three of Lidia Porto’s Dark Comedy “Get Shorty” in October

Posted on July 29, 2019 by Tom Castaneda

Lidia Portois heading back to the small screen in October…

Epix will premiere season three of the 56-year-old Colombian actress’ dark comedy Get Shorty on October 6.

The dark comedy from MGM Television, based in part on the 1990s best-selling Elmore Leonard novel of the same name and created for television by Davey Holmes, will return this fall with seven all-new episodes.

Season 3 will see Miles Daly, newly released from prison, in a cat and mouse game with studio head Laurence Budd, while Amara (Porto) and Rick flee to the Guatemalan jungle to escape the FBI.

Season 3 ofGet Shorty premieres on Sunday, October 6 at 10:00 pm ET.

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