Hello, welcome to an all-new edition of The Monitor, WIRED’s entertainment news roundup. What’s been happening the last few days? Lots of television news. Let’s dig in.
HBO Likely Won’t Make a Second Season of Watchmen
Have you been wondering what happened to Regina King after she stepped into that pool in the season finale of Watchmen? Welp, you’re probably never going to find out. According to a report in USA Today, HBO’s head of programming, Casey Bloys, said the cable network likely wouldn’t produce another season of the graphic novel adaptation unless show creator Damon Lindelof was interested in making one. Lindelof told the paper he had no interest in one, so it seems as though it won’t be happening. However, as the news was circulating, Bloys tweeted a piece from Decider, which noted that another season was “still a possibility.” So, I wouldn’t hold your breath, but with Dr. Manhattan’s powers, anything is possible.
Taika Waititi Might Be Directing a Star Wars Movie
OK, so this is barely above a solid rumor, but The Hollywood Reporter is reporting that Thor: Ragnarok director Taika Waititi is being “courted” to develop a Star Wars movie. Disney and Lucasfilm didn’t comment on the reporting and a lot is still unclear, but Waititi did direct The Mandalorian’s excellent season finale, so taking on a Star Wars property wouldn’t be entirely new. It’s also worth noting that as the news was spreading, Waititi tweeted an image of the cover of Fleetwood Mac’s Rumours. So there’s that.
NBC’s Streaming Service Has a Release Date
The year of streaming largesse continues. Last week, NBC announced that its forthcoming streaming service, Peacock, will launch April 15 for Comcast Xfinity customers (NBCUniversal is owned by Comcast) and nationally on July 15. The service will have several tiers: Peacock Free, which will offer 7,500 hours of ad-supported movies and TV, and Peacock Premium, which will have 15,000 hours of programming, including originals. Premium will be free for Comcast and Cox customers and $4.99 for everyone else. There will also be an ad-free Premium offering for $9.99.
Julia Louis-Dreyfus Is Getting Into the Apple TV+ Business
Apple and Julia Louis-Dreyfus are going into business together. The tech company and the Veep star have entered into a multi-year agreement for the actress and producer to develop new exclusive projects for Apple TV+. It’s Louis-Dreyfus’ first overall deal with a streamer. “I am thrilled about this new partnership with my friends at Apple,” she said in a statement. “Also, many thanks and kudos to my representatives for structuring the deal in such a way that I am paid in AirPods.”
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