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Hot diggity dog: Jimmy Fallon develops new projects for NBCUniversal

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Author: 
Michelle Rose / TV Media
Jimmy Fallon’s Electric Hot Dog behind five new shows at NBCUniversal

Jimmy Fallon’s Electric Hot Dog behind five new shows at NBCUniversal

Hot diggity dog: Despite falling behind CBS's "The Late Show with Stephen Colbert" and ABC's "Jimmy Kimmel Live" in the ratings, the future looks bright for NBC's "The Tonight Show" and its host, Jimmy Fallon.

NBC recently renewed "The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon" for five more years, and under a new development deal, Fallon and his production company, Electric Hot Dog, are set to expand the late-night host's brand through a mix of series and specials that will air across NBCUniversal platforms.

Fallon is set to make his (most recent) prime-time hosting debut with the new unscripted series "That's My Jam."

The hour-long music and comedy variety show is inspired by his wildly popular "Tonight Show" contests, such as "Wheel of Musical Impressions," "Roots Name That Song" and "Slay It Don't Spray It." Each episode features two teams of two celebrities who are competing for charity in a series of "music- and dance-based games, performative segments and play-along trivia, with Fallon hosting all the action" (per NBC).

Fallon also has four more projects in development, though he'll be more of a behind-the-scenes presence on those ones. They include: "The Kids Tonight Show," Peacock's family-friendly "Tonight Show" spinoff hosted by kids and with kids' takes on some popular Fallon bits; "Clash of the Cover Bands" on E!, with two bands of the same musical genre vying for a cash prize and bragging rights; "5 More Sleeps 'til Christmas," a prime-time NBC holiday special based on Fallon's New York Times bestselling children's book; and a "Mama & Dada" animated preschool series that is being developed in partnership with DreamWorks Animation and is based on two more books by Fallon: "Your Baby's First Word Will Be Dada" and "Everything Is Mama."

"We continue to be in awe of all things Jimmy," Susan Rovner, NBCUniversal's chairman of entertainment content, said in an official statement from the network. "Who else could run 'The Tonight Show,' executive produce and host brand new formats and adapt his own bestselling books? Jimmy does them all with his signature style. We are privileged to call him a longtime member of our broadcast family."

 

'Caped Crusader' coming soon: Batman is about to get a makeover, courtesy of HBO Max.

From HBO Max and Cartoon Network comes "Batman: Caped Crusader," a new animated project that was recently handed a straight-to-series order. It's being billed as a "reimagining of the Batman mythology," but the bigger story is who's involved in bringing this version of Gotham City to life.

The project comes from powerhouse directors J.J. Abrams ("Star Wars: The Force Awakens," 2015) and Matt Reeves ("Cloverfield," 2008), who previously worked together on "Felicity" and "10 Cloverfield Lane" (2016). Of course, Reeves is also the director of the upcoming film "The Batman," starring Robert Pattinson ("Tenet," 2020) and due out in 2022, so there has been some online speculation about whether "Batman: Caped Crusader" will tie into the movie.

Fans should also be reassured (and even more excited) by the fact that DC animated universe veteran Bruce Timm is involved. Timm is the co-creator and producer of "Batman: The Animated Series," which won four Emmys during its run from 1992 to 1995 and set the bar high in terms of DC Comics adaptations (he also created the character of Harley Quinn).

"'Batman: The Animated Series' was a masterpiece that shaped the perception of the character for an entire generation of fans," Warner Bros. Animation president Sam Register said. "It is in that spirit that we are bringing together three master storytellers in J.J., Matt and Bruce -- each with their own intuitive understanding and affection for the character -- to create a new series that will continue in the same groundbreaking legacy."

"Batman: Caped Crusader" isn't the only new addition to the DC animated universe, either. HBO Max and Cartoon Network have also ordered a new family-friendly Superman animated series, "My Adventures with Superman," with Jack Quaid ("The Boys") providing the voice of 20-something Superman/Clark Kent.

 

Straight to Video (on Demand): If you loved "Big Little Lies," you'll probably want to keep an eye out for another book-to-series adaptation that's expected to land on Hulu stateside and in China, and on Amazon Prime Video practically everywhere else.

In fact, the eight-part series "Nine Perfect Strangers" has a lot in common with the HBO series, including a cast and crew that includes "Big Little Lies" executive producer Bruna Papandrea, creator David E. Kelley and actress Nicole Kidman (the three also worked together on HBO's "The Undoing"). And just like "Big Little Lies," the story is based on a bestselling novel by Australian author, Liane Moriarty.

Filmed on location in Australia, "Nine Perfect Strangers" follows nine stressed-out city dwellers who attend a retreat at a boutique spa that promises rejuvenation and a healthier lifestyle. Watching over them during their stay is the resort's director, Masha (Kidman), a self-help guru who is on a mission to reinvigorate their minds and bodies. But not everything is quite as it seems, and these nine strangers have no idea what lies ahead.

The cast also includes Melissa McCarthy ("Can You Ever Forgive Me?," 2016), Tiffany Boone ("Hunters"), Bobby Cannavale ("The Irishman," 2019), Luke Evans ("The Alienist"), Michael Shannon ("Boardwalk Empire"), Regina Hall ("Girls Trip," 2017), Manny Jacinto ("The Good Place"), Melvin Gregg ("Snowfall"), Samara Weaving ("Bill & Ted Face the Music," 2020) and Asher Keddie ("Offspring").

"I'm so proud of what we were able to pull together this past year, bringing 'Nine Perfect Strangers' filming to Australia during the global COVID-19 pandemic," Kidman said in an official news release. "Partnering with Melissa McCarthy, working with David Kelley, Liane Moriarty and my producing cohorts again, joining forces with Hulu in the U.S.A. and now this, a global distribution deal with my home studio of Amazon. The stars have aligned and I am thrilled!"

Look for this one to arrive on Hulu on Aug. 18.