Streaming News Round-Up: ‘Rings of Power,’ Five Days at Memorial,’ ‘Handmaid’s Tale’ Trailers; ‘The Bear’ Renewed
Tolkien fans around the world were treated to a surprise this week as Prime Video released an epic two-and-a-half minute trailer for its upcoming series “The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power.” The series is based on J. R. R. Tolkien’s works and chronicles the history of Middle Earth before the events of “The Lord of the Rings.” Amazon purchased the television rights to “LOTR” for $250 million nearly five years ago and has made a five-year commitment to the series.
“The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power” will premiere on the streaming service on Friday, Sept. 2, 2022.
Watch the trailer for “The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power”:
Upcoming shows and deals:
Following nearly universal acclaim, FX announced this week that it had renewed breakout hit comedy “The Bear” for a second season. Available exclusively on Hulu, “The Bear” focuses on renowned chef Carmen “Carmy” Berzatto (Jeremy Allen White) as he returns home to Chicago to take over his family’s Italian beef sandwich shop following the death of his brother.
Already appearing on critics’ best-of lists, the first season dropped all eight episodes on June 23 via the FX on Hulu deal. In addition to White, the series stars Ebon Moss-Bachrach, Ayo Edebiri, Lionel Boyce, Liza Colón-Zayas, and Abby Elliott. Oliver Platt, Joel McHale, Jon Bernthal, and Molly Ringwald also appear in Season 1.
“Five Days at Memorial” chronicles the terrible impact of Hurricane Katrina and its aftermath on a local New Orleans hospital. This week, Apple TV+ released a full trailer for the new series starring Vera Farmiga, Cornelius Smith Jr., and Cherry Jones. In the series, while coping with floods, power outages, and blistering heat, the medical staff at a New Orleans hospital is forced to make decisions about care that would haunt them for years. “Five Days at Memorial” is set to premiere on the streaming service on Aug. 12.
Watch the “Five Days at Memorial” trailer:
Also getting a trailer release this week was Season 5 of Hulu drama “The Handmaid’s Tale” starring Elisabeth Moss. This season, Gilead is after June (Moss) for coordinating the murder of Commander Waterford, and his wife Serena (Yvonne Strahovski) is out for revenge. Bradley Whitford, Max Minghella, O-T Fagbenle, Samira Wiley, and Ann Dowd also star in the dystopian drama.
Check out “The Handmaid’s Tale” Season 5 teaser:
This week we learned that Diane Lane and Jeff Daniels are set to star in the upcoming Netflix limited series “A Man in Full.” David E. Kelley will write and produce the six-episode series, based on Tom Wolfe’s novel. Regina King will direct the first three episodes as part of her deal with the streamer. The plot revolves around an Atlanta real-estate king (Daniels) who goes bankrupt. Lane plays his wife, who attempts to rebuild her life, but is forced to confront the entanglements and repercussions of a long marriage.
Apple TV has given an order to drama series “Ferrari,” based on racing legend Enzo Ferrari, founder of the Scuderia Ferrari Grand Prix motor racing team and the Ferrari automobile. Known as an autocratic manager, he often pitted his drivers against each other and encouraged rivalries. The series is based on Luca Dal Monte’s bio novel “Ferrari Rex.” “Enzo Ferrari: his name became a boast, an aspiration, and ultimately legend. But there was a trail of tragedy and torment along the way,” reads the show’s logline.
It was also announced that Idina Menzel, Luis Guzmán, and Sarah Sherman will appear in a film adaptation of “You Are So Not Invited to My Bat Mitzvah!,” slated to stream on Netflix. The film will also star the previously announced Adam Sandler, whose production company is backing the film. Sandler will appear in the film alongside his real-life daughters Sunny and Sadie and his wife Jackie. The movie is based on Fiona Rosenbloom’s 2005 young adult novel of the same name and focuses on the chaotic events preceding a young girl’s bat mitzvah that could derail her big day. Menzel and Sandler previously co-starred in “Uncut Gems.”
AMC Networks’ IFC announced that Season 2 of the New Zealand comedy “Good Grief” will make its U.S., Canadian, and U.K. premiere on Aug. 4 on Sundance Now and on IFC linear on Aug. 17. The six-episode series is set in a small New Zealand town and follows two very different millennial sisters who inherit the Loving Tributes funeral home from their grandfather. Sundance Now programming can be found on AMC+.
The third season of “Bluey” will stream on Disney+ beginning on Aug. 10. The new season will be split into two parts; the first features 25 seven-minute stories; the second part will debut later this year. “Bluey” is about a family of cattle dogs: six-year-old Blue, her younger sister Bingo, and their parents, Bandit and Chilli. The show is produced by Ludo Studio for BBC Studios and Australian Broadcasting Corp.
HGTV has ordered a new 12-episode season of “Holmes Family Rescue” starring contractor Mike Holmes and his reno-pro son and daughter. The Holmes family helps clients fix bad construction work with their signature approach. The new season will debut in spring 2023. As all shows from the network do, “Holmes Family Rescue” streams on discovery+.
Twenty years after her death, “María Félix, La Doña” is the first series to portray the life of the legendary actress. The show is set to premiere on Thursday, July 21 on TelevisaUnivision’s premium streaming service ViX+, the day the new streamer debuts. The series narrates the life of this iconic performer from her early days to her rise to fame, and chronicles her career, personal life, and more.