TV News Roundup: HBO Sets Premiere Date for Hugh Jackman’s ‘Bad Education’ (Watch)
By J. Kim Murphy
LOS ANGELES (Variety.com) – In today’s TV News roundup, HBO Films set the premiere date for “Bad Education” starring Hugh Jackman and Allison Janney and “Volcano Live! with Nik Wallenda” tapes Chris Harrison and Sage Steele as hosts.
CASTING
“The Bachelor” host will host “Volcano Live! with Nik Wallenda” alongside co-host Sage Steele of ESPN, ABC announced. The pair will go live from the Masaya Volcano in Nicaragua as the titular Wallenda becomes the first person to embark on a 1,800-foot-long high wire walk over the volcano. The live two-hour event will air on March 4 at 8 p.m. ET / 5 p.m. PT. “Volcano Live! with Nik Wallenda” comes from Dick Clark Prods. Robyn Younie, Mark Bracco, Linda Gierahn, David Simone, Winston Simone, Shelley Ross and Wallenda serve as executive producers.
Natalie Ganzhorn has upped to series regular status on Pop TV’s “Best
Intentions.” Ganzhorn joins a cast including David Fynn, Daniel Rashid and Lindsey Gort. The coming-of-age comedy is executive produced by series writer Adam Herz, Barry Jossen of A+E Studios, and Howard T. Owens, Ben Silverman and Jay Weisleder of Propagate.
DATES
HBO Films has announced that “” will debut on April 25 at 8 p.m. The comedy-drama starring and Allison Janney follows the heads of a Long Island school district hiding an ongoing embezzlement scheme. The film had its world premiere at the Toronto International Film Festival in September before HBO Films acquired distribution. Caroline Jaczko serves as executive producer. Watch a teaser below.
GREENLIGHTS
Quibi has ordered “Micro Mayhem,” a stop-motion animation series featuring anthropomorphic cars. Inspired by the original Micro Mayhem viral short created by Eric Towner and John Harvatine IV, who executive produce this series, each episode of this new show is designed to be self-contained, dialogue-free, and will feature cars as characters. The series comes from Stoopid Buddy Stoodios and eOne. In addition to Towner and Harvatine, Jon Favreau’s Golem Creations, Seth Green, Matthew Senreich and Chris Waters serve as executive producers.
EXECUTIVE NEWS
Kim Williams and Dylann Brander Gunning have been named as vice presidents of casting for Fox 21 Television Studios and ABC Studios, respectively. Williams previously served at ABC as director of casting, while Gunning is currently the casting executive on ABC pilots including “Rebel” and “thirtysomething(else).”
WarnerMedia Entertainment will integrate the content acquisitions team across the company’s entire portfolio of entertainment networks and direct-to-consumer business under Michael Quigley, executive vice president, content acquisitions, Kevin Reilly, chief content officer, HBO Max and president, TNT, TBS, & truTV, announced. Now, Jonathan Melber has been promoted to senior vice president, content acquisition for HBO Max, and Royce Battleman will serve as senior vice president, content acquisition, primarily responsible for HBO, Cinemax, TNT, TBS and truTV. Additionally, the team will include Valerie Meraz, Chris Grunden and Leslie Cohen, who will add film acquisitions for HBO Max to their current HBO responsibilities. Acquisitions executive Liz Bannan Atcheson, from Turner, will continue her work on acquisitions for HBO Max.
SPECIALS
“Raven’s Home” will air an episode titled “What About Your Friends” which will spotlight the risks associated with youth vaping on March 1 at 8 p.m. on Disney Channel. A message from the cast on the optic will follow the broadcast, which will also become available to view on the Disney Channel YouTube channel. “Raven’s Home” comes from It’s a Laugh Productions, Inc.
