Apple TV+ has unveiled the first look at its new eight-episode crime drama “Dope Thief” based on Dennis Tafoya’s book of the same name. Created by Peter Craig and executive produced by Ridley Scott, who also directs the pilot, the first two episodes premiere globally on Apple TV+ March 14, 2025, followed by new episodes every Friday until April 25.
According to the official logline, the series “follows long-time Philly friends and delinquents who pose as DEA agents to rob an unknown house in the countryside, only to have their small-time grift become a life-and-death enterprise, as they unwittingly reveal and unravel the biggest hidden narcotics corridor on the Eastern seaboard.”
Related Stories
Cast members include Brian Tyree Henry, Wagner Moura, Marin Ireland, Kate Mulgrew, Nesta Cooper, Amir Arison and Ving Rhames.
Popular on Variety
Hailing from Apple Studios, “Dope Thief” is a Scott Free production. David W. Zucker, Richard Heus, Henry, Jordan Sheehan, Clayton Krueger and Jennifer Wiley-Moxley serve as executive producers alongside Craig and Scott.
Check out the first look images below.
FIRST LOOKS / TRAILERS
The trailer for the HBO sports series “Hard Knocks: In Season With the AFC North” has been released. The show will premiere on the streamer on Dec. 3 at 9:00 p.m. ET/PT.
“‘Hard Knocks: In Season With the AFC North’ will document the battle for the AFC North crown during the final six weeks of the NFL season, as well as a playoff run for the division-winner and any AFC North Wild Card teams. This season follows the Mike Tomlin-coached Pittsburgh Steelers, who have never been featured on “Hard Knocks” in the history of the series, as well as coach John Harbaugh’s Baltimore Ravens, coach Zac Taylor’s Cincinnati Bengals, and coach Kevin Stefanski’s Cleveland Browns. Quarterbacks Lamar Jackson, Joe Burrow, Jameis Winston, and Russell Wilson will share the ‘Hard Knocks’ spotlight with Derrick Henry, Ja’Marr Chase, Myles Garrett, TJ Watt, and an array of other AFC North star players,” reads the show’s logline.
This season will follow an entire NFL division for the first time in the series’ history. Weekly episodes will air on Tuesdays until the end of the NFL regular season and continue through the playoffs in January 2025.
Watch the trailer below:
*
Small town feuds, internet conspiracies and an Elvis impersonator all unexpectedly converge in the new trailer for the documentary series “The Kings of Tupelo: A Southern Crime Saga,” with episodes set to release on Netflix Dec. 11.
From directors Maclain Way and Chapman Way (“Wild Wild Country,” “Untold”), the three-part true crime series follows an eccentric Elvis impersonator’s discovery in a morgue that sends him down a spiral of conspiracies, exposing the dark secrets hiding in Tupelo, Mississippi. But the trail doesn’t stop locally, leading all the way to the highest office in Washington, D.C.
The series is produced in association with Berlanti Productions and Warner-Horizon Television with executive producers Juliana Lembi, Chapman Way, Maclain Way, Dave Caplan, Greg Berlanti, Sarah Schechter, David Madden, Mike Darnell, Brooke Karzen, Bridgette Theriault and Dan Sacks.
Watch the trailer below:
*
Apple TV+ has unveiled the trailer for “Wonder Pets: In the City.” The new animated preschool series premieres globally on the streamer Dec. 13.
According to an official logline, “‘Wonder Pets: In the City’ introduces a trio of heroes: Izzy the Guinea Pig (Victoria Scola-Giampapa), Tate the Snake (Christopher Sean Cooper Jr.) and Zuri the Bunny (Vanessa Huszar). These heroic classroom pets live in a kindergarten in New York City and travel all around the globe in their amazing ‘Jetcar’ to rescue animals in musical, mini-opera-themed adventures. When the going gets tough, Izzy, Tate and Zuri always remember to combine their talents and abilities and work together to save the day – because together, there’s nothing they can’t do!”
The original “Wonder Pets!” debuted in 2006 and ran for 82 episodes until 2016. That series starred Sofie Zamchick, Teala Dunn and Danica Lee as Linny the Guinea Pig, Turtle Tuck and Ming-Ming Duckling respectively.
“Wonder Pets: In the City” was developed by Jennifer Oxley, who serves as executive producer alongside Steve Altiere and Jeffrey Lesser. Nickelodeon Animation produces the series.
Watch the trailer below:
*
Peacock’s new original comedy series “Laid” has released a trailer, unveiling a new twist on the romantic comedy genre. The series will premiere on the platform on Dec. 19.
The official synopsis describes the show as a a “f*cked up rom-com” where Ruby (Stephanie Hsu) must go through her sex timeline to inform her exes that they are dying. Ruby enlists the help of her best friend, AJ (Zosia Mamet), to track down her former lovers.
Hsu, who has landed multiple roles since her Oscar-nominated turn in “Everything Everywhere All at Once,” leaps into a leading role alongside a guest cast featuring Simu Liu, Kate Berlant, Alexandra Shipp, Andre Hyland, David Denman, John Early, Ettore Ewen, Olivia Holt and Finneas O’Connell.
Nahnatchka Khan and Sally Bradford McKenna serve as co-showrunners while Hsu also executive produces alongside John Davis and John Fox for Davis Entertainment, Jennifer Carreras for Fierce Baby and Marieke Hardy, Kirsty Fisher and Liz Watts for Porchlight Films.
Watch the trailer below:
*
“XO, Kitty” is officially returning to Netflix for a second season, set to premiere globally on Jan. 16, 2025. The cast took to the streets of Seoul, South Korea to announce the news on social media.
After the first season brought teen matchmaker Kitty Song Covey (Anna Cathcart) on a journey of self-discovery and love, here she returns to Seoul for a brand new semester at KISS. While she’s ready for a fresh start and just some casual dating, letters from her mother’s past disrupt the normalcy in her routine as secrets are revealed and bonds are tested for good.
The cast includes Minyeong Choi, Gia Kim, Sang Heon Lee, Anthony Keyvan, Regan Aliyah, Peter Thurnwald, Philippe Lee, Audrey Huynh, Jocelyn Shelfo, Michael K. Lee, Sasha Bhasin and Joshua Lee. Jessica O’Toole serves as showrunner, executive producer and writer alongside executive producers Jenny Han and Matt Kaplan of ACE Entertainment.
Check out the first look images and trailer below.
RATINGS
The 73rd Miss Universe pageant, which aired last Saturday, set a new record for Telemundo with 243 million engagements across television, digital, Peacock and social platforms.
The program currently ranks as the most-watched entertainment special of 2024 on Spanish-language television, totaling 2.1 million viewers. According to Nielsen, the event outperformed Univision’s “Premio lo Nuestro” and the Latin Grammy Awards. The numbers for Telemundo nearly doubled the total engagement from the 72nd edition of the pageant in 2023.
The program also averaged 568,000 adults in the 18-49 range on linear. In its time slots across Los Angeles, New York, Miami and San Francisco, it ranked as the #1 program regardless of language. It also ranked as the #1 Spanish-language program in Houston, Chicago, Phoenix, Sacramento, Orlando, Philadelphia, Washington D.C., Tampa, Boston and Charlotte within the same demographic.
The online multi-platform coverage of the pageant generated 223 million video views across Telemundo.com, the Telemundo App, Peacock, Instagram, TikTok, Facebook and YouTube.
The event was hosted by Jacqueline Bracamontes and Danilo Carrera alongside Andrea Meza, Carlos Adyan and Julia Gama. The night ended with Victoria Kjaer Theilvig from Denmark being crowned as the new Miss Universe.
PROGRAMMING
HBO has renewed “It’s Florida, Man” for a second season. The Season 1 finale of the late-night comedy series debuts Nov. 22 and the first season is available to stream on Max.
Per an official logline, “this irreverent late-night comedy series brings to life unbelievable ripped-from-the-headlines tales of the Sunshine State – straight from the people who live there. Featuring interviews from everyday Floridians and playful recreations starring a rotating cast of actors and comedians.”
Season 1 cast members include Anna Faris, Randall Park, Jake Johnson, Jon Gries, Sam Richardson, Ego Nwodim, Juliette Lewis and Simon Rex.
“It’s Florida, Man” is created and executive produced by Mark Herwick for Range Studios and Jeff Tomsic, who also serves as director. Executive producers include Danny McBride and Brandon James for Rough House Pictures and showrunner Bryan Storkel.
DEVELOPMENT/PRODUCTION
Patti LuPone, Zachary Quinto, Hank Azaria and Clark Gregg have joined the cast of “The Artist,” a new original series from the free ad-supported streaming platform The Network. The seven-episode limited series will premiere in March 2025.
The official logline for “The Artist” reads, “In the twilight of the Gilded Age, an ensemble of the era’s celebrities including Thomas Edison, Edgar Degas and Evelyn Nesbit meet at the home of an eccentric and failing tycoon and his wife which ends in his untimely demise. A compelling murder mystery, this work of historical fiction will have you guessing until the final credits roll.”
Previously announced cast members include Mandy Patinkin, Janet McTeer and Danny Huston.
“The Artist” was created by The Network founder Aram Rappaport, who also serves as writer, director and executive producer. Production is currently underway in Connecticut.
Azaria is repped by CAA and Sloane Offer Weber and Dern. LuPone is represented by Roger Charteris and Alfred Califano at the London agency Artists Partnership. Gregg is represented by Gersh, Anonymous Content and Jackoway Austen Tyerman Wertheimer Mandelbaum Morris Bernstein Trattner & Klein. Quinto is represented by WME, 42, Untitled Entertainment, Relevant PR and Jackoway Austen Tyerman Wertheimer Mandelbaum Morris Bernstein Trattner & Klein.
