Two-time Grammy(R) nominee Luke James (Star, Little), La La Anthony (Power) and Lil Rel Howery (Get Out, Bird Box) have signed on to guest star in multiple episodes of the third season of the SHOWTIME drama series THE CHI. In addition, writer Justin Hillian (Snowfall) has been named showrunner and executive producer this season. Birgundi Baker (Empire, Chicago Med), who plays Kiesha, has been upped to a series regular. THE CHI is currently in production in Chicago and will return to the network in 2020.
Filmmakers from the U.S., Lebanon, Palestine, and the United Kingdom have been selected for the 2019 Sundance Institute Directors and Screenwriters Labs, taking place at the Sundance Mountain Resort in Utah. At the Directors Lab (May 27-June 18), filmmakers will rehearse, shoot, and edit key scenes from their scripts, working in an immersive, hands-on environment with support from accomplished advisors to build their craft as directors and make key discoveries in collaboration with their actors and key crew. Immediately following, the Screenwriters Lab (June 20-24) provides the opportunity to process the insight gained from the Directors Lab through one-on-one story sessions with screenwriter advisors, and find inspiration and guidance for continued development of their screenplays.
SHOWTIME has picked up the hit drama series THE CHI for a third season. Created and executive produced by Emmy® winner Lena Waithe (Boomerang, Master of None) and executive produced by Academy Award®, Emmy and Golden Globe® winner Common (Selma), THE CHI is a timely coming-of-age story centering on a group of residents who become linked by coincidence but bonded by the need for connection and redemption. The cast includes Jason Mitchell (Mudbound, Straight Outta Compton), Ntare Guma Mbaho Mwine (Queen of Katwe), Jacob Latimore (Sleight), Alex Hibbert (Moonlight), Yolonda Ross (Treme) and Armando Riesco (Bull). The second season is currently airing Sundays at 10 p.m. PT/ET.
Starting today, the season two premiere of the hit SHOWTIME drama THE CHI is available for free sampling online, on streaming platforms and on TV on demand. Created and executive produced by Emmy® winner Lena Waithe (Boomerang, Master of None) and executive produced by Academy Award®, Emmy and Golden Globe® winner Common (Selma), THE CHI is a timely coming-of-age story centering on a group of residents who become linked by coincidence but bonded by the need for connection and redemption. The season premiere episode is available for free now on YouTube, and SHO.com ahead of its linear debut this Sunday, April 7 at 10 p.m. ET/PT.
The highly anticipated second season of the hit SHOWTIME drama THE CHI will premiere on Sunday, April 7 at 10 p.m. ET/PT. Created and executive produced by Emmy winner Lena Waithe (Master of None) and executive produced by Academy Award(r), Emmy and Golden Globe(r) winner Common (Selma), THE CHI is a timely coming-of-age story centering on a group of residents who become linked by coincidence but bonded by the need for connection and redemption. The ensemble cast includes Jason Mitchell (Mudbound, Straight Outta Compton), Ntare Guma Mbaho Mwine (Queen of Katwe), Jacob Latimore (Sleight), Alex Hibbert (Moonlight) Yolonda Ross (Treme), Tiffany Boone (The Following), Armando Riesco (Bull), Barton Fitzpatrick, Shamon Brown Jr., and Michael V. Epps. THE CHI averaged 4.5 million weekly viewers across platforms and ranks as the highest-rated SHOWTIME freshman series since BILLIONS in 2016. The announcement was made by Gary Levine, President of Entertainment, Showtime Networks Inc., at the Television Critics Association's Winter Press Tour.
The Walt Disney Company's new direct-to-consumer streaming service will be called Disney+. Disney Chairman and CEO Bob Iger revealed the service's name today during a live audio webcast of Disney's fiscal full year and fourth quarter 2018 financial results. Disney+ is scheduled to launch in the U.S. in late 2019.
Taika Waititi, Bryce Dallas Howard, Rick Famuyiwa, Deborah Chow and Dave Filoni are set to direct the first Star Wars live-action series, The Mandalorian, according to The Hollywood Reporter.
It has been reported that Disney will be developing a project by writers Ola Shokunbi and Lindsey Reed Palmer titled Sade which has been described as a live action fairy tale film.
Fan favorites Shamon Brown Jr. (Papa), Barton Fitzpatrick (Reg) and Michael Epps (Jake) have been upped from guest stars to series regulars for the highly anticipated second season of THE CHI. The hit SHOWTIME drama series is currently in production in Chicago and will return to the network in 2019. THE CHIaveraged 4.5 million weekly viewers across platforms and ranks as the highest-rated SHOWTIME freshman season since BILLIONS in 2016.
SHOWTIME is bringing its hot new comedy BLACK MONDAY and hit drama THE CHI to 2018 ESSENCE Festival. On Friday, July 6, THE CHI creator and executive producer Lena Waithe will headline a keynote conversation on the ESSENCE Empowerment Experience Stage and will later appear in the Great Hall to discuss THE CHI. All 500 fans who attend Waithe's Q&A at the Great Hall will receive $25 gift certificates to the SHOWTIME streaming service. On Saturday, July 7, BLACK MONDAY star Regina Hall returns to the Festival after the success of Girls Trip to debut the first footage from the highly anticipated new SHOWTIME comedy series exclusively for Essence Festival attendees, followed by a moderated Q&A. At the BLACK MONDAY conversation, SHOWTIME will give out 40 tickets to select fans for a meet and greet with Hall at the Fan Zone immediately following her Q&A. The debut season of BLACK MONDAY and season two of THE CHI will premiere on the network in 2019.
SHOWTIME is bringing its hot new comedy BLACK MONDAY and hit drama THE CHI to 2018 ESSENCE Festival. On Friday, July 6, THE CHI creator and executive producer Lena Waithe will headline a keynote conversation on the ESSENCE Empowerment Experience Stage and will later appear in the Great Hall to discuss THE CHI. All 500 fans who attend Waithe's Q&A at the Great Hall will receive $25 gift certificates to the SHOWTIME streaming service. On Saturday, July 7, BLACK MONDAY star Regina Hall returns to the Festival after the success of Girls Trip to debut the first footage from the highly anticipated new SHOWTIME comedy series exclusively for Essence Festival attendees, followed by a moderated Q&A. At the BLACK MONDAY conversation, SHOWTIME will give out 40 tickets to select fans for a meet and greet with Hall at the Fan Zone immediately following her Q&A. The debut season of BLACK MONDAY and season two of THE CHIwill premiere on the network in 2019.
Viewers will have the opportunity to catch up on the hit drama THE CHI when SHOWTIME airs mini marathons of the first four episodes on Sunday, February 4, starting at 12 p.m. ET/PT and 8 p.m. ET/PT. The series will resume with a new episode on Sunday, February 11 at 10 p.m. ET/PT. All episodes of THE CHI are also available on SHOWTIME streaming, SHOWTIME ANYTIME® and SHOWTIME ON DEMAND®. Created and executive produced by Emmy® Award winner Lena Waithe (Master of None) and executive produced by Academy Award®, Emmy and Golden Globe® winner Common (Selma), THE CHI explores the humanity behind the headlines sensationalizing the South Side of Chicago.