"Obi-Wan Kenobi" trailer / Paramount+ adds 6.8M subs / Lionsgate may sell Starz / Chappelle attacked on stage

Plus today's calendar, Freevee 2022 slate, Davis in "Peacemaker" spinoff, Netflix's "No Good Deed," and more

Inside.com Part of   Network May 04, 2022

Disney+ released a new trailer for the "Star Wars" limited series "Obi-Wan Kenobi." The six-part event debuts on May 27. More: Ewan McGregor reprises his role as Jedi Master Obi-Wan Kenobi from the "Star Wars" prequel films for the series, as does Hayden Christensen as Darth Vader and Joel Edgerton as Owen Lars. The cast also includes Kumail Nanjiani, Moses Ingram, and Rupert Friend. The trailer was released in honor of May the 4th, a traditional day of "Star Wars" celebration online each year. CNN

"Jackass Forever" Paramount+ added 6.8 million subscribers during the first quarter of 2022. Nonetheless, parent company Paramount Global missed its forecasted quarterly revenue, bringing in $7.33 billion vs. an estimated $7.38 billion. More: This brings Paramount+'s total to around 62 million subscribers at the end of March, up from 56 million at the end of 2021. Paramount shares dropped by about 6% following the report. During the company's earnings call, CEO Bob Bakish teased a new series from the "Jackass" crew, following up on the box office success of this year's theatrical film, "Jackass Forever." The streamer is also developing a revival of the classic hip-hop series "Yo! MTV Raps." Paramount+ will launch in India in 2023 as part of a collaboration with Viacom18. CNBC

DAILY CALENDAR TUESDAY, MAY 3 SPRING AWAKENING: THOSE YOU'VE KNOWN: Documentary feature chronicling preparations for the November 2021 "Spring Awakening" reunion concert, a one-time-only event benefitting the Actors Fund. The show's entire original Broadway cast -- including stars Jonathan Groff, Lauren Pritchard, Lea Michele, and Skylar Astin -- took part in the reunion, along with lyricist/playwright Steven Sater, composer Duncan Sheik, and producers Tom Hulce and Ira Pittelman. [HBO Max] DEATH IN PARADISE: The mystery drama series follows British Detective Inspector Neville Parker (Ralf Little) and his team as they solve crimes on the fictional Caribbean island of Saint Marie. Season 11 hit BritBox yesterday in the US.  [BritBox] HOLD YOUR BREATH: THE ICE DIVE: 40-minute documentary profiling Finnish freediver Johanna Nordblad and chronicling her attempt to set a new world record for swimming the furthest distance under ice within a single breath. Director Ian Derry previously made another short film, "Johanna," that's also about Nordblad. [Netflix] SHOWTIME 1958: Period drama feature from Malaysia, recreating a real 24-hour benefit concert -- held in Singapore in 1958 -- to support laid-off creatives from the Malayan Artistes Union. Anwardi Jamil co-wrote and directed the film; his father, filmmaker Jamil Sulong, was one of the organizers of the original event. [Netflix] WEDNESDAY, MAY 4 THE CIRCLE: Season 4 of the reality competition series -- in which contestants live in the same apartment complex, but communicate exclusively through a social media app -- debuts today with 4 episodes. 4 new shows will arrive weekly, culminating in a finale on May 25. Michelle Buteau hosts. [Netflix] MELTDOWN: THREE MILE ISLAND: Four-part Netflix documentary re-examining events that led to the near-catastrophe at Pennsylvania's Three Mile Island nuclear power plant in 1979 and the attempted cover-up that followed. Kief Davidson ("The Ivory Game") directed. [Netflix] EL MARGINAL: The Spanish-language crime series from Argentina, set among the inmates of the fictional San Onofre prison, returns on Wednesday for a fifth and final season. The cast includes Nicolás Furtado, Claudio Rissi, Lorenzo Ferro, and Daniel Pacheco. [Netflix] SUMMERTIME: The Italian romantic drama series, about young people spending their summers in the seaside town of Cesenatico, returns today for a third and final season. The cast includes Coco Rebecca Edogamhe, Ludovico Tersigni, Amanda Campana, and Andrea Lattanzi. [Netflix] 40 YEARS YOUNG (CUARENTONES): Spanish-language comedy-drama feature from Mexico starring Erick Elias as a chef competing in an elite competition in Cancún while dealing with a family crisis. Pietro Loprieno wrote and directed. [Netflix] THE CHASE: The ABC trivia game show finds contestants going head-to-head against legendary game show veterans. Season 3 debuted last night on TV and hits Hulu today. This season's new chasers include "Jeopardy!" favorites Buzzy Cohen and Victoria Groce, plus "Who Wants to Be a Millionaire?" champ Brandon Blackwell. Sara Haines hosts. [Hulu] HOLEY MOLEY: FORE-EVER: The ABC mini-golf competition series returns for a fourth season, which will introduce The Muppets as guest commentators alongside returning regulars Rob Riggle, Joe Tessitore and Jeannie Mai. New episodes air on Tuesdays and come to Hulu on Wednesdays. [Hulu] WHO DO YOU BELIEVE?: Debut true-crime series from ABC, presenting real narratives from two contrasting viewpoints, and leaving viewers to determine which interviewee is telling the truth. [Hulu] REAL HOUSEWIVES OF NEW YORK CITY: Season 13 of the Bravo reality series aired on TV during the summer of 2021 and comes to Hulu today. Cast members include Luann de Lesseps, Ramona Singer, Sonja Morgan, Leah McSweeney, and Eboni K. Williams. [Hulu] DISNEY GALLERY: THE BOOK OF BOBA FETT: In honor of "Star Wars Day," Disney+ will release the latest installment of this behind-the-scenes docuseries, looking back at the production of "The Book of Boba Fett." [Disney+] LIFE BELOW ZERO: The National Geographic reality series chronicles the lives of hardy individuals and families who make their homes in remote areas of Alaska. Season 18 aired earlier this year on TV and comes to Disney+ today. [Disney+] SCARIEST MONSTERS IN AMERICA: 2-hour original documentary special looking at legendary monsters and beasts from throughout American folklore. [Tubi]

Lionsgate is considering the sale or spinoff of the cable network and streaming platform Starz. Roku and Apollo Global Management are apparently among the bidders for a minority stake in the brand. More: Lionsgate acquired Starz in a $4.4 billion deal in 2016; the management team voted to begin exploring a full or partial spinoff in November 2021. Lionsgate declined to comment on the bids. Roku recently signed a separate deal with Lionsgate to stream the studio's 2022 theatrical releases, including "John Wick 4," "Borderlands," and "Expendables 4."  HOLLYWOOD REPORTER

@abazar on Twitter Police in Los Angeles arrested the man who allegedly attacked Dave Chappelle on stage at the Hollywood Bowl on Tuesday night, during the Netflix is a Joke comedy festival. 23-year-old Isaiah Lee was taken into custody and charged with assault with a deadly weapon. More: Lee apparently attacked Chappelle with a plastic replica gun containing a blade. He's currently being held on $30,000 bail. Only a few videos are available of the incident, as attendees had to secure their phones prior to the performance. DEADLINE

"Bosch: Legacy" Amazon Freevee unveiled a fresh slate of new series and renewals -- as well as a film licensing deal with Disney -- at the NewFronts advertising conference in New York. The free ad-supported streaming service was rebranded from IMDb TV in April. More: The service renewed the "Bosch" spinoff "Bosch: Legacy" ahead of its Season 1 premiere this week. Freevee ordered the debut unscripted series "America's Test Kitchen: The Next Generation" and "Play-Doh Squished," and renewed the LeBron James-produced sports reality series "Top Class: The Life and Times of the Sierra Canyon Trailblazers" for a third and fourth season. The streamer also announced a US remake of the BBC dark comedy-horror anthology "Inside No. 9" and a comedy-drama series inspired by the YA novel "Black Beauty." The Disney licensing deal will bring a number of library titles -- including the "Deadpool" films, "Logan," and "Hidden Figures" -- to the Freevee service. DEADLINE

Deadline reported that Viola Davis may reprise her role as Amanda Waller in a new "Suicide Squad" spinoff series at HBO Max. Davis appeared as Waller in the two "Suicide Squad" theatrical films along with the HBO Max series "Peacemaker." More: In addition to starring, Davis would also executive produce the series. Filmmaker James Gunn -- who made the second "Suicide Squad" film with Davis and "Peacemaker" -- will executive produce the new project; "Watchmen" vet Christal Henry will write and executive produce. "Peacemaker" has been renewed for a second season. Davis also appears in the Showtime drama series "The First Lady," and was the lead in the ABC drama "How to Get Away with Murder." DEADLINE

Netflix ordered a first season for "No Good Deed," a new dark comedy series from "Dead to Me" vet Liz Feldman. The new show will center on three very different families all competing to purchase the same home, a 1920s Spanish-style villa. More: Feldman will produce the project as part of her overall multi-year deal with Netflix. "Dead to Me" and "You" vet Silver Tree will direct the "No Good Deed" pilot and multiple Season 1 episodes; Will Ferrell is onboard as an executive producer. Feldman said the show was inspired by her experiences during the early period of the pandemic, when she would stay up late "maniacally searching Zillow listings" to pass time and ease her anxiety. DEADLINE

Netflix ordered a first season for the action comedy series "Obliterated" from "Cobra Kai" trio Jon Hurwitz, Hayden Scholssberg, and Josh Heald. The project was previously greenlit by TBS in 2019 but never made it to air. More: The series follows an elite special forces team that throws a wild party after disabling a deadly bomb in Las Vegas, only to discover they've only confronted a decoy and must pull themselves together to confront the real threat. Hurwitz, Scholssberg and Heald will executive produce the series and serve as showrunners. Warner Bros. Discovery no longer plans to produce original scripted shows for TBS and TNT, so a number of projects previously in development at the cable networks are being shopped around to other distributors. DEADLINE

QUICK HITS SeedInvest launches a pitch competition for historically underrepresented founders. Over $40,000 in prizes. Pitch to Baron Davis and Jesse Draper. Learn More.* HBO Max renewed the biographical comedy series "Julia" -- looking back at the life of trailblazing TV chef Julia Child -- and the late-night chat series "Game Theory with Bomani Jones" for second seasons. IGN spoke with "Umbrella Academy" showrunner Steve Blackman and posted some early images from the Netflix comic book adaptation's upcoming third season. Victoria Pedretti will no longer star in the Hulu drama series "Saint X" due to "creative differences"; "Fear the Walking Dead" vet Alycia Debnam-Carey will take over the lead role. Tyler Perry signed on to executive produce "Never Seen Again," an upcoming Paramount+ docuseries from CBS News about people who suddenly vanish, and the devastating aftermath for their families and loved ones. A new Netflix sizzle reel showcasing the platform's upcoming animated shows for young viewers includes the first-ever footage from the Sonic the Hedgehog series, "Sonic Prime." Netflix ordered a docuseries from The Verge and Vox Media, "The Future Of...," which will explore the likely impact of cutting-edge technology on our everyday lives in the years to come. Netflix renewed the romantic drama series "Sweet Magnolias" for a third season; stars JoAnna Garcia Swisher, Brooke Elliott, and Heather Headley will all return for the new episodes. Peacock announced plans to produce its upcoming TV adaptation of the '90s baseball drama "Field of Dreams" in Iowa, but won't shoot on the original set, nor Major League Baseball's newly-reconstructed field in the area. Long-time "Law & Order: SVU" showrunner Warren Leight will exit the series following its current 23rd season. Comedian Cristela Alonzo announced her second Netflix stand-up special, to be titled "Middle Classy." This week, the cast and crew of "Grey's Anatomy" celebrated producing their 400th overall episode, which will also serve as the Season 18 finale. The stand-up comedy showcase "This Joka" will not return to Roku for a second season; the streamer originally picked up the series, which was executive produced by Will Smith, from the short-lived mobile streaming service Quibi. B2B businesses are switching to ecommerce. Now, it’s your turn. Learn three persuasive approaches that communicate the value of digital to decision-makers.* *This is sponsored content

Lon Harris is the writer and editor of Inside Streaming and was the very first person to ever write an Inside newsletter. He lives in Los Angeles, California, and also writes about TV and film for Fandom, Screen Junkies, Rotten Tomatoes, Gamma Ray and others. Plus he has a Game of Thrones podcast called "Casterly Talk" and competes on The Movie Trivia Schmoedown as "The Professor." Editor Jonathan Harris is a writer and editor who lives in Los Angeles.

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