This week has been another packed full of exciting television news, with announcements that will please all kinds of fans of the small screen. Here, we’ve collected together five of the biggest stories, so you don’t have to go scouring the web for the latest gossip!
Alien TV series expected to debut in 2023
Sci-fi franchise Alien will be making the move to the small screen in the near future, following the huge success of the original series. Whilst the movies focused on the iconic Ellen Ripley (Sigourney Weaver) however, the TV show will take place in the future, on Earth. Now, we’ve been given an update on when we may see the show make its debut.
Speaking during the Television Critics Association summer press tour, FX Networks' chief John Landgraf said that "we're well into" production on the series, before admitting he had "optimism it will roll out in 2023... It probably will roll out in 2023.”
Whilst this isn’t 100% confirmation, with there still being over 16 months until 2023 even begins, we’re sure that plenty of work can be done between then and now to ensure that the date can be met.
American Horror Story: Double Feature trailer drops
This week has seen the release of the first official trailer for American Horror Story: Double Feature, which offers a glimpse at some of the action we should expect from the first part of the season.
Returning stars Finn Wittrock, Lily Rabe, Frances Conroy, Sarah Paulson, Evan Peters, Billie Lourd, Angelica Ross and Leslie Grossman are all seen in the teaser, which also includes series newcomers Ryan Kiera Armstrong and Macaulay Culkin.
Lord of the Rings series moves to the UK
After recently wrapping up filming on their first season of The Lord of the Rings in New Zealand, Amazon Studios have decided to move production from the country to the UK for Season 2. No exact location has been announced, but filming on the new batch of episodes is set to begin in January of 2022.
Amazon Studios' VP and Co-Head of TV Vernon Sanders explained in a statement: “We want to thank the people and the government of New Zealand for their hospitality and dedication and for providing The Lord of the Rings series with an incredible place to begin this epic journey. We are grateful to the New Zealand Film Commission, the Ministry of Business, Innovation and Employment, Tourism New Zealand, Auckland Unlimited, and others for their tremendous collaboration that supported the New Zealand film sector and the local economy during the production of Season One.”
The change is said to have come about because of the company’s want to expand their footprint in Britain.
Kate Burton returning to Grey’s Anatomy
As the longest running medical drama in television history, Grey's Anatomy is constantly having to shock to impress. When we heard that Kate Burton would be returning to the series for its upcoming landmark 18th season, we were certainly taken by surprise!
As Meredith Grey's late mother Ellis, it's clear that she will only be returning in a guest role basis, but exactly how she'll play into the story coming up remains to be seen. With an appearance set for the season premiere on September 30th however, it won't be long before we find out in exactly what capacity she is arriving.
Despite her death way back in Season 3, Ellis has made several appearances on the show, whether it be during near-death experiences or dreams. When she didn't show up in Season 17 during Meredith’s coronavirus battle, many thought that Burton was done with Grey's Anatomy forever. Fortunately for audiences, that doesn’t seem to be the case!
The White Lotus renewed for second season
A new report from Deadline has given fans of HBO Max series The White Lotus good news, as it revealed the show would be returning for a second season, but not in the same location or with the same bunch of characters we’ve gotten to know throughout Season 1.
The announcement revealed that The White Lotus would be continuing as an anthology series, meaning all-new stories will be told every time it hits the small screen for another season, much like American Horror Story and American Crime Story.
Combining social commentary with topical and relatable comedy, The White Lotus has become quite the hit with audiences. We can’t wait to see where it goes next.
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