TV News Wrap-Up: ‘Downton Abbey 2’ is Happening, ‘Secret Invasion’ Eyes Emilia Clarke, Olivia Colman, ‘Ted Lasso’ Season 2 Release Date, Trailer
A TV favorite returns to the big screen, Marvel sets its sights on two queens, and everyone’s favorite football coach is back.
Ring the butler and check out this week’s news!
‘Downton Abbey 2’ Release Date Announced
Prepare to reunite with the Crawleys and their staff, as Downton Abbey 2 has been confirmed by Focus Features, per Deadline.
Production on the new film began in early April, with the original cast members all set to return. They will be joined by Hugh Dancy, Laura Haddock, Nathalie Baye, and Dominic West.
Released in 2019, Downton Abbey followed the Crawleys and their staff as Downton was taken over for a royal visit.
Downton Abbey originally ran for six seasons, winning 18 Emmys.
“After a very challenging year with so many of us separated from family and friends, it is a huge comfort to think that better times are ahead and that next Christmas we will be re-united with the much beloved characters of Downton Abbey,” said the film’s producer Gareth Neame.
Downton Abbey 2 is currently scheduled for release on Dec. 22.
LeVar Burton Among New ‘Jeopardy!’ Guest Hosts
The internet has spoken! Star Trek: The Next Generation and Reading Rainbow legend LeVar Burton is finally going to host Jeopardy!.
Variety reports, the TV icon will join sportscaster Joe Buck, journalists Robin Roberts and George Stephanopoulos, and CNBC host David Faber as the next group of guest hosts.
Burton has been the subject of a determined internet campaign since the show began having rotating guest hosts following the death of longtime host Alex Trebek.
“Our goal has been to present a wide variety of guest hosts with different skill sets and backgrounds on our path to finding a permanent host,” said Jeopardy! executive producer Mike Richards. “Our passionate fans are telling us what they like, and we are listening. All of the guest hosts have brought individualism, energy and an authentic love of our show to each of their episodes. We look forward to sharing the rest of the season with our viewers.”
Upcoming Jeopardy! guest host schedule:
Bill Whittaker – May 3-14
Buzzy Cohen – May 17-28 (Tournament of Champions)
Mayim Bialik – May 31-June 11
Savannah Guthrie – June 14-25
Dr. Sanjay Gupta – June 28-July 9
George Stephanopoulos – July 12-16
Robin Roberts – July 19-23
LeVar Burton – July 26-30
David Faber – Aug. 2-6
Jeopardy! airs in syndication, so check local listings.
‘How I Met Your Mother’ Sequel ‘How I Met Your Father’ Ordered to Series at Hulu
Hulu has given a straight to series order to How I Met Your Father, a sequel to popular comedy How I Met Your Mother.
Hilary Duff will star in and executive produce the 10 episode series, which will be a combination of multi-cam and single-cam production.
Per the official synopsis: “In the near future, Sophie (Duff) is telling her son the story of how she met his father: a story that catapults us back to the year 2021 where Sophie and her close-knit group of friends are in the midst of figuring out who they are, what they want out of life, and how to fall in love in the age of dating apps and limitless options.”
“I’ve been incredibly lucky in my career to play some wonderful characters and I’m looking forward to taking on the role of Sophie,” said Duff. “As a huge fan of How I Met Your Mother, I’m honored and even a little nervous that Carter and Craig would trust me with the sequel of their baby. Isaac and Elizabeth are brilliant, and I can’t wait to work alongside them and all of their genius. Just fangirling over here getting to join the Hulu Originals and 20th families. I realize these are big shoes to fill and I’m excited to slip my 6 ½’s in there!”
How I Met Your Mother ran for nine seasons and followed Ted Mosby as he told his kids the story of their parents’ meeting. It starred Josh Radnor, Jason Segel, Cobie Smulders, Neil Patrick Harris, and Alyson Hannigan.
Emilia Clarke Joins ‘Secret Invasion,’ Olivia Colman in Talks for Marvel Series
Emilia Clarke is moving from one major franchise to another, as Variety reports she is joining Marvel’s Disney+ series Secret Invasion.
Clarke is known around the world for her role as Game of Thrones‘ Daenerys Stormborn of House Targaryen, the First of Her Name, Queen of the Andals and the First Men, Protector of the Seven Kingdoms, the Mother of Dragons, the Khaleesi of the Great Grass Sea, the Unburnt, the Breaker of Chains.
She is not the only high-profile name Marvel is wooing because Variety reports Olivia Colman is negotiating to join the series.
Colman was most recently seen playing Queen Elizabeth II in The Crown. She is currently nominated for an Academy Award for Best Supporting Actress for The Father.
Secret Invasion features Samuel L. Jackson’s Nick Fury and Ben Mendelsohn’s Talos unraveling a Skrull invasion of top government officials.
Kingsley Ben-Adir has also joined the cast and is rumored to be the big bad. As usual, Marvel is playing it close to the vest, so we don’t know what roles Clarke and Colman may take on.
‘Ted Lasso’ Releases Season 2 Trailer, Announces Premiere Date
AppleTV+ comedy hit Ted Lasso is ready for an encore. The Season 2 trailer has been released ahead of the show’s Friday, July 23 premiere.
The clip features Jason Sudeikis’ title character trying to get his team through a slump. A sports psychologist is brought in, but to Ted’s dismay, she doesn’t eat sugar. The laugh out loud teaser even has time for a little fun at the New York Jets’ expense.
The series was the belle of award season winning Critics Choice, SAG, Writers Guild, and Producers Guild Awards, as well as, being the lone comedy named an AFI Program of the Year.
For the uninitiated, Ted Lasso follows Sudeikis’ titular college football coach, who moves to England to coach a soccer club, even though he knows nothing about the sport. Apple has already given it a Season 3 renewal.
Ted Lasso is currently streaming on Apple TV+, with Season 2 premiering Friday, July 23.
Lewis Tan to Star in ‘The Quantum Spy’ Pilot Adaptation
Fresh off his starring role in Mortal Kombat, Lewis Tan is set to star in a high-profile pilot. The actor will executive produce and star in Quantum Spy, based on David Ignatius’ novel, per Variety.
The series “follows a top-secret American quantum research lab compromised by a Chinese mole.” Tan is CIA Officer Harris Chang, who must catch the mole and unravel the mysterious investigation as he becomes increasingly obsessed with it.
The project was originally ordered by NBC, but will now be shopped around. Tan can be seen as Cole Young in the feature film Mortal Kombat, which is currently streaming on HBO Max.
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Stephanie Holland
Stephanie Holland is a nerdy lover of Star Wars, Disney, Doctor Who, Arrowverse, Star Trek and WWE. Is living the dream of turning a lifelong obsession with TV into an actual job. Still waiting for a reboot of the '80s classic Small Wonder.