Entertainment

The ’90s hit series 7th Heaven could be getting a reboot with a diverse cast, and an alum of Queen Sugar and Bel-Air is developing it.

Variety reported that 7th Heaven is getting the reboot treatment from CBS Studios and Iron Ocean, the production company headed by original 7th Heaven star Jessica Biel. DeVon Franklin of Franklin Entertainment is also serving as producer through his overall deal with CBS Studios. Iron Ocean’s Michelle Purple also executive produces. The project is in very early development.

What would the new ‘7th Heaven’ series be about?

This time around, the family featured in 7th Heaven will be a “diverse family,” according to sources. Also, sources said that none of the original cast members would be a part of the new cast. So far, the series is still in the early stages.

Anthony Sparks is behind the project

But, the rumor that the series will focus on a diverse family has merit with the news that Anthony Sparks will serve as executive producer and showrunner. Sparks has worked on several series about Black life and Black experiences, including showrunning Queen Sugar, and executive producing Bel-Air and the Hulu Mike Tyson docuseries Mike, according to Variety.

Even though CBS Studios is behind the project, the project is not currently attached to any streamer or network.

The original 7th Heaven was created and produced by Brenda Hampton and followed a preacher’s family and the everyday dramas they faced. It aired for 11 seasons from 1996 to 2007 on The WB and its successor network, The CW. CBS Paramount Network Television, a CBS Studios predecessor, was the studio.

The original cast included Biel, Stephen Collins (who became embroiled in a scandal involving him admitting to molesting three children), Catherine Hicks, Barry Watson, David Gallagher, Beverley Mitchell, Mackenzie Rosman, Chaz Lamar Shepherd, Maureen Flannigan, Lorenzo Brino, Nikolas Brino, Georg Stults, Tyler Hoechlin, Ashlee Simpson, Adam LaVorgna, Christopher Michael, Rachel Blanchard and Jeremy London.

Months after filing for divorce from Tyler Francis, Netflix‘s Love Is Blind Season 7 alum Ashley Adionser is speaking out about the sperm donor situation that unfolded during Love Is Blind. In a sit-down with fellow Love Is Blind alum AD Smith, she reflected on her decision to stand by Francis and how that decision ultimately unraveled.

Viewers may recall that Adionser learned her soon-to-be husband, Francis, had been a sperm donor for three children. Later, social media users raised concerns about inconsistencies in Francis’ story, questioning whether he had an ongoing relationship with the children’s mother, a woman named Bre. Bre later came forward, alleging that Francis had been an active father to their children before appearing on the show but cut off contact after filming began. Additional questions emerged about Bre’s identity as an openly lesbian woman and what that meant for her past involvement with Francis.

Francis said Bre wanted to raise the children with a woman and that his role was more akin to a “godfather.” At the time, Adionser publicly supported him. However, weeks after the reunion episode aired, she announced their separation.

What did Ashley Adionser say she learned after ‘Love Is Blind’ aired?

In her discussion with Smith, Adionser said she began her own investigation after Bre spoke publicly and realized the extent of what she described as Francis’ dishonesty.

“Now I have to question the person I’m laying next to,” she said. “And I think that that’s such a scary feeling—to not know what’s true, what’s not true. He’s a pathological liar. And I was looking at this man like, ‘Who are you?’ And if we don’t have the two biggest things in a marriage, which are trust and honesty, then what do we have?”

Why did Ashley Adionser and Tyler Francis split after ‘Love Is Blind’?

Adionser said she felt misled by both Francis and the show’s production team. “When it first came out, when we had the conversation about the sperm donor on camera, the whole camera crew was crying. People came up to him afterward and thanked him essentially for his service,” she said, referring to his decision to become a sperm donor, which she initially viewed as commendable.

She also addressed the public criticism she received—especially from Black women—saying that she felt she faced more scrutiny than Francis did. She confirmed that she is no longer in contact with him.

Watch the full video below:

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Jason Momoa is bringing the untold story of Hawai’i’s fight against colonization to Apple TV+ with the new series Chief of War, which just dropped its first trailer.

The series follows a warrior who tries to bring his island nation together amid the threat of Western settlers hoping to colonize the islands for their own profit.

According to the series description:

Set amidst the beautiful backdrop of the islands of Hawai‘i, the nine-episode series based on true events, follows warrior Ka’iana, portrayed by Momoa, as he tries to unify the islands before Western colonization in the late 18th century.

The trailer gives a majestic look at Momoa as Ka’iana, the lushness of the Hawai’i landscape, and the terror of seeing Western explorers invade the islands. The series promises to give viewers a new perspective on Hawaiian culture and history, which is more than just being a sunny tourist destination.

Who else stars in ‘Chief of War’?

Momoa not only stars in the historical drama, but also serves as writer, executive producer and director of the season finale. As Apple TV+ states, Chief of War is told from an indigenous perspective and is a passion project for Momoa and Thomas Pa’a Sibbett, who both have a native Hawaiian background. The series also raises the profiles of Polynesian actors, including Luciane Buchanan, Temuera Morrison, Te Ao o Hinepehinga, Cliff Curtis, newcomer Kaina Makua, Moses Goods, Siua Ikale’o, Brandon Finn, James Udom, Mainei Kinimaka,Te Kohe Tuhaka and Benjamin Hoetjes.

Doug Jung serves as showrunner and executive producer with Sibbett, Peter Chernin, Jenno Topping, Tracey Cook, Brian Mendoza, Anders Engstrom, Jim Rowe, Molly Allen, Francis Lawrence, Tim Van Patten and Justin Chon, who directs the first two episodes. Hans Zimmer composed the series’ theme music and co-produced the series’ score with composer James Everingham.

When does ‘Chief of War’ premiere?

Chief of War debuts Aug. 1 with a two-episode premiere, followed by new episodes every Friday through Sept. 19. Check out additional first-look photos and trailer below:

Photo: Apple TV+

Photo: Apple TV+

Photo: Apple TV+

Photo: Apple TV+

Photo: Apple TV+

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Netflix released the names of the cast members filling out the second and third seasons of Netflix’s live-action Avatar: The Last Airbender series.

New cast members for Season 2 include Terry Chen as Jeong Jeong, Dolly de Leon as Lo and Li, Lily Gao as Ursa, Madison Hu and Fei and Severance‘s Dichen Lachman as Avatar Yangchen. Season 3 new cast members include Tantoo Cardinal as Hama and Jon Jon Briones as Piandao.

Previously announced Season 2 cast

They join previously announced, new cast members of Season 2 Miya Cech, Miya Cech, Chin Han, Hoa Xuande, Justin Chien, Amanda Zhou, Crystal Yu, Kelemete Misipeka, Lourdes Faberes and Rekha Sharma.

Returning stars from Season 1

The cast also includes Season 1 main and secondary cast members Gordon Cormier, Kiawentiio, Ian Ousley, Dallas Liu, Elizabeth Yu, Paul Sun-Hyung Lee, Daniel Dae Kim, Momona Tamada and Thalia Tran.

Netflix also released a video letting fans know that filming for Season 2 has completed, with the cast getting ready to start work on Season 3.

Check it out below.

As Netflix states, the series is a “live-action reimagining of the beloved Nickelodeon animated series following Aang, the young Avatar, as he learns to master the four elements (Water, Earth, Fire and Air) to restore balance to a world threatened by the terrifying Fire Nation.”

Gordon Cormier stars as Aang, with Kiawentiio and Ian Ousley playing water tribe siblings Katara and Sokka. Liu plays Fire Nation Prince Zuko, with Lee playing Zuko’s uncle Iroh. Kim plays Zuko’s father, Fire Lord Ozai, with Yu as Zuko’s sister Azula, Tamada as Ty Lee and Tran as Mai.

Executive producers include Christine Boylan, Jabbar Raisani, Dan Lin, Ryan Halprin, Brendan Ferguson and Albert Kim.

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It’s a four-peat. Yellowjackets has been renewed for Season 4 at Paramount+ with Showtime. The Ashley Lyle and Bart Nickerson-created series wrapped its Season 3 earlier this spring.

Season 3 was the show’s most-watched season ever, and the Season 4 finale back in April was the most-streamed episode in the show’s history.

Season three marks the most-watched season ever, with the April finale becoming the most-streamed Yellowjackets episode in series history. On social, season three stands as the most-engaged season ever for the show.

“Yellowjackets has become a cultural juggernaut; with season three shattering all previous records, we are thrilled to announce its renewal for a season four on Paramount+,” said Chris McCarthy, Co-CEO of Paramount Global and President of SHOWTIME/MTV Entertainment Studios, in a statement. “Ashley and Bart have masterfully crafted an utterly singular, genre-defying phenomenon: a perfect alchemy of psychological horror, survival thriller and coming-of-age drama that continues to captivate audiences worldwide, brought to life by our extraordinarily talented and beloved cast.”

What was Season 3 of the show about?

Per the official description, “Yellowjackets is the saga of a team of wildly talented high school girls’ soccer players who become the (un)lucky survivors of a plane crash deep in the remote northern wilderness. Equal parts survival epic, psychological horror and coming-of-age drama, the series chronicles their descent from a complicated yet thriving team to savage clans while also tracking the lives they’ve attempted to piece back together nearly 25 years later. It proves that the past is never really the past and what began in the wilderness is far from over.”

Season 3 starred Melanie Lynskey, Christina Ricci, Tawny Cypress, Lauren Ambrose, Sophie Nélisse, Jasmin Savoy Brown, Sophie Thatcher, Samantha Hanratty, Courtney Eaton, Liv Hewson, Steven Krueger, Warren Kole, Kevin Alves, Sarah Desjardins and Simone Kessell, with Elijah Wood recurring and Hilary Swank, Joel McHale and Ashley Sutton guest-starring.

The series is executive produced by Lyle, Nickerson, and their co-showrunner, Jonathan Lisco. Drew Comins of Creative Engine also executive produces with Jeff W. Byrd, Sarah L. Thompson, Ameni Rozsa and Brad Van Arragon. Lionsgate Television is the studio.

When does Season 4 premiere?

It is still unclear when Season 4 premieres, but production on the season is expected to begin soon, so the show may premiere in early or mid-2026.

HBO Max has dropped the first full trailer for Welcome to Derry, the upcoming It prequel series that stars Taylour Paige, Jovan Adepo, Chris Chalk and more.

From the original It and It: Chapter Two filmmakers Andy Muschietti and Barbara Muschietti, the two developed the series for television with It Chapter: Two co-producer Jason Fuchs.

Fuchs is co-showrunner with Brad Caleb Kane. Muschietti directs multiple episodes of the series.

The series also stars James Remar, Stephen Rider, Madeleine Stowe, Rudy Mancuso and Bill Skarsgård.

What we know so far about ‘It: Welcome to Derry’

The logline doesn’t give too many plot details and keeps it broad:

Set in the world of Stephen King’s IT universe, IT: WELCOME TO DERRY is based on King’s IT novel and expands the vision established by filmmaker Andy Muschietti in the feature films IT and IT Chapter Two.

However, we do have a bit of details from an Entertainment Weekly interview Andy and Barbara Muschietti did with Entertainment Weekly.

The report states, “It: Welcome to Derry will largely focus on the 1960s story surrounding the Black Spot, a nightclub and bar that catered to Black patrons, and the horrific events that led to its burning. ‘Every 27 years when It appears, It’s cycle is marked by two catastrophic events, one at the beginning and one in the end/ We are using the Black Spot as an event in which many stories are built around.’”

The series is produced by HBO and Warner Bros. Television. The Muschiettis executive produce through their Double Dream production company. Fuchs, Kane, David Coatsworth, Bill Skarsgård, Shelley Meals, Roy Lee and Dan Lin also executive produce.

When does ‘It: Welcome to Derry’ premiere?

We don’t have an official premiere date yet for the series, but it is confirmed to premiere this fall.

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