John Wells News

On the heels of Sunday's eighth season premiere, which delivered 50 percent year-over-year growth, SHOWTIME has given a ninth season order to SHAMELESS. The announcement was made today by David Nevins, President and CEO, Showtime Networks Inc.

The Television Academy has announced the names of the new inductees into its Hall of Fame. This year's honorees include Shonda Rhimes, Joan Rivers and the entire original cast of SNL.

SHOWTIME will support the Movember Foundation in honor of the network's No. 1 comedy SHAMELESS, which returns for an eighth season on Sunday, November 5 at 9 p.m. ET/PT.

SHOWTIME has released the poster art for its No. 1 comedy SHAMELESS and its new half-hour comedy SMILF, starring Frankie Shaw (Mr. Robot) and based on her Sundance Film Festival Jury Award-winning short film of the same name. SHOWTIME also debuted the trailer for SHAMELESS, which will premiere its eighth season on Sunday, November 5 at 9 p.m. ET/PT.

Paramount Network has set a date for its debut. The network will officially debut on Thursday, January 18 at 9:00pm ET/PT with a LIVE one-hour episode of 'Lip Sync Battle' emanating from the Paramount lot in Hollywood. Details on this star-studded event will be announced in the coming weeks.

MTV and Dimension TV today announced new roles and casting for SCREAM the TV series which begins production this Monday in Atlanta.

SHOWTIME has announced the premiere dates for its fall comedy slate, including two new half-hour comedy series and the return of the hit hour-long comedy SHAMELESS. WHITE FAMOUS – starring Jay Pharoah

Speaking to Deadline during this week's TCA press tour, NBC Entertainment chairman Bob Greenblatt discussed the possibilities of bringing back some of the network's most popular series for a second go-around.

Turner's TNT has renewed its original drama ANIMAL KINGDOM for a third season as strong multiplatform viewing helped make the series cable's only Top 20 drama this year to show growth among Adults 18-49 in its second season.

Today, SHOWTIME was recognized with 15 Primetime Emmy Award nominations including four acting nods for SHAMELESS star William H. Macy – his fourth consecutive nomination, the third consecutive nomination for RAY DONOVAN star Liev Schreiber, the third nomination for HOMELAND's Mandy Patinkin and the second consecutive nomination for RAY DONOVAN guest star Hank Azaria.

Turner's TNT has cast Jennifer Connelly, who earned an Oscar(R) for her performance in A Beautiful Mind, to star in the network's drama pilot SNOWPIERCER.

Turner's TNT has ordered a pilot for HIGHLAND, a scripted drama written and executive produced by Liz Sarnoff (Lost, Barry) and actress-comedian Margaret Cho (Margaret Cho: PsyCHO, Drop Dead Diva), who will also star.

Turner's TNT has cast Daveed Diggs, who earned a Tony for the Broadway hit HAMILTON, to star in the network's drama pilot SNOWPOERCER, which will be directed by Doctor Strange helmer Scott Derrickson.

Burning Coal Theatre Company and Contemporary Art Museum Raleigh will collaborate on a production of The Greeks, adapted by Ian Finley from the plays of Sophocles (Oedipus, Oedipus at Colonus and Antigone)  June 9 - 25, 2017 at CAM Raleigh, 409 West Martin Street, Warehouse District, Raleigh.

AMERICAN WOMAN, a new half-hour scripted dramedy starring Alicia Silverstone ('Clueless,' 'Suburgatory'), Mena Suvari ('American Beauty,' 'Chicago Fire') and Jennifer Bartels ('Broken'), starts production this week in Los Angeles, CA.

Turner's TNT has tapped Niels Arden Oplev to direct and executive-produce the pilot for THE DEEP MAD DARK, an atmospheric mystery-thriller about the complexities of friendship.

Turner's TNT has ordered a pilot for DEADLIER THAN THE MALE (working title), a challenging and morally complex thriller about three damaged people trying to start over.

WaterTower Music today announced the March 31 release date of the soundtrack to GOING IN STYLE, the new comedy that teams up Oscar winners Morgan Freeman (Million Dollar Baby), Michael Caine (The Cider House Rules, Hannah and Her Sisters) and Alan Arkin (Little Miss Sunshine), and is in theatres nationwide April 7.

Diversionary has announced casting for the World Premiere of BALLAST by Georgette Kelly. This highly poetic play explores the waking and dream lives of two trans and cisgender couples as they come to terms with the new lives they find themselves in.

Emmy winning actress-turned-director Cady McClain's Seeing is Believing: Women Direct will make its World Premiere and is an Official Selection of the 2017 Newport Beach Film Festival. The first episode in the series will screen as part of the program 'Short Femme Factor' on April 25 at 1:30 p.m. at Island Cinema 6 in Newport Beach. Seeing is Believing: Women Direct is a documentary series, directed, executive produced, written and edited by Cady McClain, about women directors who are on the front lines of the field: from major award winners and those in the vanguard of television and feature films, to graduated students and frustrated auteurs.