HBO/Cinemax Programming Overview - Winter 2018
The company recaps its plans for the rest of the year and beyond.
[via press release from HBO] HBO/CINEMAX PROGRAMMING OVERVIEW
To help you plan your TV coverage, below is information on upcoming programming for HBO and CINEMAX. Updated information will be provided when available.
DRAMA SERIES
MOSAIC: This six-part limited series from Steven Soderbergh explores the psychological underpinnings of love and murder in a small town, blurring the line between reality and memory. Sharon Stone stars, along with an ensemble cast that includes Garrett Hedlund, Frederick Weller, Jennifer Ferrin, Beau Bridges, Paul Reubens, Devin Ratray, James Ransone, Jeremy Bobb, Michael Cerveris and Maya Kazan. Executive produced by Casey Silver and Michael Polaire; directed by Steven Soderbergh; written by Ed Solomon. Debuts Jan. 22.
HERE AND NOW: From Alan Ball, and starring Tim Robbins and Holly Hunter, the show is a provocative and darkly comic meditation on the disparate forces polarizing present-day American culture, as experienced by the members of a progressive multi-ethnic family? - ?a philosophy professor and his wife, their adopted children from Vietnam, Liberia and Colombia, and their sole biological child? - ?and a contemporary Muslim family, headed by a psychiatrist who is treating one of their children. Jerrika Hinton, Daniel Zovatto, Raymond Lee, Sosie Bacon, Andy Bean, Joe Williamson and Peter Macdissi also star. Executive producers, Alan Ball, Peter Macdissi and David Knoller. The ten-episode season begins Feb. 11.
WESTWORLD: This Emmy(R)-winning one-hour drama series is a dark odyssey about the dawn of artificial consciousness and the evolution of sin. The season one cast included Anthony Hopkins, Ed Harris, Evan Rachel Wood, James Marsden, Thandie Newton, Jeffrey Wright, Tessa Thompson, Sidse Babett Knudsen, Jimmi Simpson, Rodrigo Santoro, Shannon Woodward, Ingrid Bolsø Berdal, Ben Barnes, Simon Quarterman, Angela Sarafyan, Luke Hemsworth, Clifton Collins, Jr., Talulah Riley and Louis Herthum. Joining the season two cast are Katja Herbers, Gustaf Skarsgard and Fares Fares. Season two credits: Created for television by Jonathan Nolan and Lisa Joy, who are executive producers with J.J. Abrams, Athena Wickham, Roberto Patino, Richard Lewis and Ben Stephenson. Production companies, Kilter Films and Bad Robot Productions in association with Warner Bros. Television; based on the film written by Michael Crichton. Season two begins this spring.
SUCCESSION: This drama series follows the Roy family? - ?Logan Roy and his four adult children? - ?who control one of the biggest media and entertainment conglomerates in the world. The show tracks the lives of the key members as they grapple with what the future will hold for them as their aging father begins to step back from the company. The ten-episode season stars Brian Cox, Jeremy Strong, Hiam Abbass, Sarah Snook, Kieran Culkin, Alan Ruck, Nicholas Braun, Matthew Macfadyen, Natalie Gold, Peter Friedman and Rob Yang. Created by Jesse Armstrong; executive produced by Jesse Armstrong, Adam McKay, Frank Rich, Kevin Messick, Will Ferrell, Jane Tranter and Mark Mylod. Debuts in June.
GAME OF THRONES: Based on the popular book series "A Song of Ice and Fire," by George R.R. Martin, this hit Emmy(R)-winning fantasy series chronicles an epic struggle for power in a vast and violent kingdom. Regulars for the seventh season included Emmy(R) and Golden Globe winner Peter Dinklage, Nikolaj Coster-Waldau, Lena Headey, Emilia Clarke, Aidan Gillen, Kit Harington, Diana Rigg, Sophie Turner and Maisie Williams. Season seven credits: Executive producers, David Benioff, D.B. Weiss, Carolyn Strauss, Frank Doelger and Bernadette Caulfield; co-executive producers, Bryan Cogman, Guymon Casady, Vince Gerardis and George R.R. Martin. The show will return for an eighth and final season in 2019.
THE DEUCE: Created by George Pelecanos and David Simon and starring James Franco and Maggie Gyllenhaal, this drama series follows the story of the legalization and subsequent rise of the porn industry in New York's Times Square from the early 1970s through the mid-1980s, exploring the rough-and-tumble world at the pioneering moments of what would become the billion-dollar American sex industry. George Pelecanos, David Simon, James Franco and Nina K. Noble executive produce. The show has been renewed for a second season.
SHARP OBJECTS: Based on the book of the same name by New York Times bestselling author Gillian Flynn, this eight-episode series tells the story of a reporter who returns to her small hometown to cover the murders of two preteen girls. Trying to put together a psychological puzzle from her past, she finds herself identifying with the young victims a bit too closely. Amy Adams stars; co-stars include Patricia Clarkson, Chris Messina, Eliza Scanlen, Elizabeth Perkins and Matt Craven. Directed by Jean-Marc Vallé from scripts by Marti Noxon and Gillian Flynn. Executive producers are Jason Blum, Charles Layton and Jessica Rhoades, as well as Amy Adams, Gillian Flynn, Marti Noxon, Jean-Marc Vallée, Nathan Ross and Gregg Fienberg. Additional writers include co-executive producer Vince Calandra, co-producer Scott Brown, consulting producer Alex Metcalf and Ariella Blejer & Dawn Kamoche. An Entertainment One (eOne) and Blumhouse Television production.
MY BRILLIANT FRIEND: This eight-episode series is based on the best-selling book of the same name by Elena Ferrante. Produced by Lorenzo Mieli and Mario Gianani for Wildside and Domenico Procacci for Fandango, the HBO-RAI original series will be filmed in Italian. Saverio Costanzo directs.
GENTLEMAN JACK: From Sally Wainwright, this eight-episode series tells a remarkable and unlikely love story, set in the complex, changing world of 1832 Halifax, the cradle of the industrial revolution, just as it begins. Starring Suranne Jones, it focuses on landowner Anne Lister and her determination to change the fate of Shibden Hall, her faded ancestral home, by re-opening the coal mines and marrying well. The charismatic, single-minded, swashbuckling Lister? - ?who dresses head-to-toe in black and charms her way into high society? - ?has no intention of marrying a man. True to her nature, she plans to marry a seriously wealthy woman, heiress Ann Walker. Every part of the story is based in historical fact, recorded in the four million words of the real-life Anne Lister's diaries, which contain the most intimate details of her life, once hidden in a secret code that is now broken. Creator/writer/director Sally Wainwright executive produces along with Faith Penhale and Piers Wenger. Produced by Lookout Point for BBC One, and co-produced with HBO.
THE NEW POPE: Created and directed by Paolo Sorrentino, this drama will mark his second limited series set in the world of the modern papacy, following "The Young Pope." The show will go into production late this year in Italy. A joint production of HBO and Sky; to be produced by Lorenzo Mieli and Mario Gianani for Wildside in co-production with Mediapro; screenplay by Paolo Sorrentino and Umberto Contarello.
COMEDY SERIES
DIVORCE: Starring Sarah Jessica Parker, who also serves as an executive producer, season two finds Frances (Parker) and her ex-husband, Robert (Thomas Haden Church), dealing with the aftermath of their explosive separation and learning to rebuild their lives independently, even as they stay entangled through their kids and mutual friends. While focusing on their careers, new relationships and finding ways to be happy again, they both learn that pursuing their next chapter will be more complicated than they imagined. Molly Shannon, Talia Balsam, Tracy Letts, Sterling Jerins and Charlie Kilgore also star. Series created by Sharon Horgan; executive produced by Jenny Bicks, Sarah Jessica Parker, Alison Benson, Sharon Horgan and Aaron Kaplan. Bicks serves as showrunner. Thomas Haden Church serves as producer. Season two begins Jan. 14.
CRASHING: Feeling lost in the universe, Pete has an enlightening conversation with an atheist, which sends him into a night of New York debauchery. This marks the beginning of a season in which he starts to question his faith and find his voice. Created by and starring Pete Holmes, the series draws on his own experiences as a comedian, offering a behind-the-scenes look at the world of stand-up comedy. Executive produced by Pete Holmes, Judd Apatow and Judah Miller; co-executive producer, Igor Srubshchik; supervising producer, Oren Brimer; producers, Josh Church and Dave Rath. Season two begins Jan. 14.
HIGH MAINTENANCE: Providing a peek into the cramped apartments, grinding routines and urban neuroses of New Yorkers, the show weaves together a labyrinth of humor, poignant observations and heartfelt moments in stories that explore the lives of intriguing and colorful individuals from all walks of life. Ben Sinclair returns as The Guy, a bearded, pot-dealing deliveryman whose growing clientele is keeping him busier than ever. Created by Katja Blichfeld and Ben Sinclair; executive producers, Katja Blichfeld, Ben Sinclair and Russell Gregory; producers, Willy Friedman, Gwen Bialic and Emi Irikawa; consulting producer, Eric Slovin. Season two begins Jan. 19.
SILICON VALLEY: This Emmy(R)-winning series takes a comic look at the modern-day epicenter of the high-tech gold rush, where the people most qualified to succeed are the least capable of handling success. A collaboration between Mike Judge and Alec Berg, the show's cast includes Thomas Middleditch, Zach Woods, Kumail Nanjiani, Martin Starr, Josh Brener, Amanda Crew, Matt Ross, Suzanne Cryer and Jimmy O. Yang. Mike Judge, Alec Berg, Clay Tarver, Michael Rotenberg, Tom Lassally, Jamie Babbit and Jim Kleverweis executive produce; created by Mike Judge & John Altschuler & Dave Krinsky. The fifth season begins March 25.
BARRY: This dark comedy stars Bill Hader as a depressed, low-rent hitman from the Midwest. Lonely and dissatisfied in his life, he reluctantly travels to Los Angeles to execute a hit on an aspiring actor. Barry follows his "mark" into an acting class and ends up finding an accepting community in a group of eager hopefuls within the LA theater scene. Barry wants to start a new life as an actor but his criminal past won't let him walk away? - ?can he find a way to balance both worlds? Stephen Root, Sarah Goldberg, Glenn Fleshler, Anthony Carrigan and Henry Winkler also star. The series was created, executive produced and written by Bill Hader and Alec Berg. Debuts March 25.
WYATT CENAC'S PROBLEM AREAS: The comedian and writer stars in a half-hour late-night docu-series that will take a satirical look at social and cultural issues from his unique perspective. Rather than sit behind a desk, Cenac will undertake a journey to understand some of the big issues of the moment and investigate real-world solutions. Produced for HBO by Avalon Television; executive producers, Wyatt Cenac, Ezra Edelman, John Oliver and Hallie Haglund. Debuts this spring.
BALLERS: This series looks at the lives of former and current football players, following former superstar Spencer Strasmore (Dwayne Johnson), who has reinvented himself as a financial manager for current players in sunsoaked Miami. Season three credits: Rob Corddry, John David Washington, Omar Benson Miller, Donovan Carter, Troy Garity, London Brown, Jazmyn Simon and Dulé Hill also star. Created by Steve Levinson; executive produced by Stephen Levinson, Mark Wahlberg, Dwayne Johnson, Dany Garcia, Peter Berg, Evan Reilly, Rob Weiss, Julian Farino, Denis Biggs and Karyn McCarthy. The fourth season debuts later this year.
INSECURE: Starring Issa Rae, Yvonne Orji, Jay Ellis and Lisa Joyce, this comedy series follows the friendship of two black women as they deal with their own real-life flaws while attempting to navigate different worlds and cope with an endless series of uncomfortable everyday experiences. Season two credits: Created by Issa Rae and Larry Wilmore; executive produced by Issa Rae, Prentice Penny, Melina Matsoukas, Michael Rotenberg, Dave Becky and Jonathan Berry. The third season debuts later this year.
VEEP: This Emmy(R)-winning show stars Emmy(R) winner Julia Louis-Dreyfus as former Vice President Selina Meyer, who became president after her predecessor stepped down. The season six cast also included Emmy(R) winner Tony Hale, Anna Chlumsky, Reid Scott, Matt Walsh, Timothy Simons, Sufe Bradshaw, Kevin Dunn, Gary Cole, Sam Richardson and Hugh Laurie. Season six credits: Dave Mandel, Julia Louis-Dreyfus, Frank Rich, Lew Morton, Morgan Sackett executive produce. The seventh season begins later this year.
CURB YOUR ENTHUSIASM: The Emmy(R)- and Golden Globe-winning comedy series stars "Seinfeld" co-creator Larry David as an over-the-top version of himself in an unsparing but tongue-in-cheek depiction of his fictionalized life. Season nine credits: created by Larry David; executive produced by Larry David, Jeff Garlin and Jeff Schaffer. The show will return for a tenth season.
ANIMALS.: Created by Phil Matarese & Mike Luciano and produced by Duplass Brothers Television, this animated adult comedy series focuses on the downtrodden creatures native to Earth's least-habitable environment: New York City. Whether it's lovelorn rats, gender-questioning pigeons or aging bedbugs in the midst of a midlife crisis, the awkward small talk, moral ambiguity and existential woes of non-human urbanites prove startlingly similar to our own. The show has been renewed for a third season.
OTHER SERIES
REAL TIME WITH BILL MAHER: Returning for its 16th season, this weekly live show is devoted to news and comedy, allowing Maher to offer his unique perspective on contemporary issues. Editions debut Fridays at 10:00 p.m. (ET/PT). The season begins Jan. 19.
LAST WEEK TONIGHT WITH JOHN OLIVER: Returning for its fifth season, the only weekly news-oriented comedy series to be presented on Sunday night takes a satirical look at news, politics and current events. Taped in New York a few hours before it debuts, the Emmy(R)-winning show features Oliver's topical commentary on the previous week's events, as well as addressing broader issues. Editions debut Sundays at 11:00 p.m. (ET/PT). The season begins Feb. 18.
VICE: HBO partners with VICE on this innovative weekly news magazine show, hosted by VICE Media founder Shane Smith, covering the kinds of stories often overlooked by mainstream media outlets. The Emmy(R)-winning weekly series is executive produced by Bill Maher, Shane Smith, Eddy Moretti and Josh Tyrangiel, with CNN's Fareed Zakaria serving as consultant. The sixth season begins this spring.
VICE NEWS TONIGHT: This half-hour newscast is presented weeknights at 7:30 p.m. (ET/PT) and is geared to viewers who want an alternative to daily broadcast news.
ROOM 104: Set in a single room of a typical American chain motel, each episode of this anthology series tells a different story of the assorted characters who pass through it. From creators and executive producers Mark and Jay Duplass, the show tells a different story every week, ranging from comedy to drama to horror. The show has been renewed for a second season.
HBO FILMS
NOTES FROM THE FIELD: This adaptation of Tony and Pulitzer Prize nominee Anna Deavere Smith's acclaimed one-woman show dramatizes the accounts of students, parents, teachers and administrators caught in America's school-to-prison pipeline, which pushes underprivileged, minority youth out of the classroom and into incarceration. Drawn from interviews with more than 250 people living and working within a challenged system, and featuring Smith's fearless portrayals of 18 real-life characters, the film shines a light on a lost generation of American youth, hoping to inspire awareness and change. Executive produced by Gary Goetzman, Anna Deavere Smith; produced by Frank Garritano, Emily Cohen, Steven Shareshian; directed by Kristi Zea; written by Anna Deavere Smith. Debuts Feb. 24
FAHRENHEIT 451: Michael B. Jordan and Michael Shannon star in this HBO Films presentation, based on Ray Bradbury's classic novel "Fahrenheit 451," depicting a future where media is an opiate, history is outlawed and "firemen" burn books. Jordan stars as Montag, a young fireman who forsakes his world, battles his mentor, Beatty (Michael Shannon), and struggles to regain his humanity. The cast also includes Sofia Boutella and Lilly Singh. Directed by Ramin Bahrani, who co-wrote the script with Amir Naderi. Executive produced by Ramin Bahrani, Sarah Green, Michael B. Jordan, Alan Gasmer, Peter Jaysen. David Coatsworth produces. Debuts this spring.
PATERNO: Starring Al Pacino and directed by Barry Levinson, this drama centers on Penn State's Joe Paterno in the aftermath of the Jerry Sandusky sexual abuse scandal. After becoming the winningest coach in college football history, Paterno's legacy is challenged and he is forced to face questions of institutional failure in regard to the victims. The film also stars Riley Keough as Sara Ganim, the 23-year-old journalist who first reported on the Sandusky case for the Patriot-News; Kathy Baker as Sue Paterno, Joe's wife; Greg Grunberg as Scott Paterno and Larry Mitchell as Jay Paterno, Joe's sons; and Annie Parisse as Mary Kay Paterno, Joe's daughter. A Levinson/Fontana production of a Barry Levinson Film; executive produced by Barry Levinson, Jason Sosnoff, Edward R. Pressman, Rick Nicita and Lindsay Sloane; Amy Herman produces. Produced in association with Sony Pictures Television. Written by Debora Cahn and John C. Richards. Debuts this spring.
MY DINNER WITH HERVÉ: Starring Peter Dinklage, who also serves as an executive producer, and Jamie Dornan, the film is inspired by real events and explores an unlikely friendship that evolves over one wild night in LA between struggling journalist Danny Tate (Dornan) and actor Hervé Villechaize (Dinklage), the world's most famous gun-toting dwarf, with life-changing consequences for both. The film also stars Mireille Enos as Hervé's longtime girlfriend, Kathy Self, Harriet Walter as Danny's newspaper editor, Baskin, Oona Chaplin as Danny's girlfriend, Katie, with David Strathairn as Villechaize's longtime agent, Marty Rothstein, and Andy García as Ricardo Montalbán, Villechaize's "Fantasy Island" co-star. Directed by Sacha Gervasi, who also serves as an executive producer along with Steven Zaillian, Richard Middleton, Ross Katz, Peter Dinklage and Jessica de Rothschild; Garrett Basch and David Ginsberg co-executive produce. Teleplay by Sacha Gervasi from a story by Sacha Gervasi and Sean Macaulay.
HBO MINISERIES
CHERNOBYL: This five-part miniseries dramatizes the true story of one of the worst man-made catastrophes in history, and tells of the brave men and women who sacrificed to save Europe from unimaginable disaster. Written by Craig Mazin; directed by Johan Renck; executive produced by Carolyn Strauss, Jane Featherstone and Craig Mazin; co-executive produced by Chris Fry and Johan Renck. Filming begins this year.
SPECIALS
2 DOPE QUEENS: The hit comedy podcast featuring Jessica Williams and Phoebe Robinson, comes to HBO as a series of four themed hour-long specials directed by Tig Notaro. Shows include: "New York," with Jon Stewart; "Hair," with Sarah Jessica Parker; "Hot Peen," with Tituss Burgess; and "Black Nerds" (aka "Blerds"), with Uzo Aduba. Executive produced by Phoebe Robinson, Jessica Williams, Amy Aniobi, Carrie Byalick, Jon Thoday, Richard Allen Turner, David Martin and Chenoa Estrada; executive producers for A24 include Ravi Nandan and John Hodges. Debuts Feb. 2.
2017 ROCK AND ROLL HALL OF FAME INDUCTION CEREMONY: Taping April 14, this HBO special features some of the biggest names in music in celebratory reunions, moving tributes and heartfelt speeches from both presenters and inductees. This year's inductees include Bon Jovi, The Cars, Dire Straits, The Moody Blues, Nina Simone and Sister Rosetta Tharpe. Debuts in May.
JON STEWART: The former "Daily Show" star headlines his first stand-up special since 1996.
HBO DOCUMENTARIES
THE NUMBER ON GREAT GRANDPA'S ARM: When ten-year-old Elliott asks his 90-year-old great-grandfather, Jack, about the number tattooed on his arm, he sparks an intimate conversation about Jack's life that spans happy memories of childhood in Poland, the loss of his family, surviving Auschwitz, and finding a new life in America. Drawing on haunting historical footage, photos and hand-painted watercolor animation, the short film tells a heartbreaking story of Jewish life in Eastern Europe before and during the Holocaust. Debuting on International Holocaust Remembrance Day, this gently powerful documentary centers on Elliott's love for his beloved great-grandfather and his wish to keep Jack's memories and lessons from that terrible time alive. Directed and produced by Amy Schatz. Debuts Jan. 27.
MAY IT LAST: A PORTRAIT OF THE AVETT BROTHERS: From longtime fans Judd Apatow and Michael Bonfiglio, and filmed with extensive access over the course of more than two years, this intimate portrait of the acclaimed North Carolina band charts their decade-and-a half rise, while chronicling the Avetts' present-day collaboration with famed producer Rick Rubin on the multi-Grammy-nominated album "True Sadness." With the recording process as a backdrop, it depicts a lifelong bond and unique creative partnership, as band members experience marriage, divorce, parenthood, illness, and the challenges of the music business. More than just a music documentary, the film is a meditation on family, love and the passage of time. An Apatow Production in association with RadicalMedia. Debuts Jan. 29.
ATOMIC HOMEFRONT: This timely film shines an urgent light on the lasting toxic effects nuclear waste can have on communities. Focusing on a group of moms-turned-advocates in St Louis, it follows them as they confront the Environmental Protection Agency, state regulators and the corporations behind the illegal dumping of dangerous radioactive waste in their neighborhoods. Directed by Rebecca Cammisa. Debuts Feb. 12.
ARTHUR MILLER: WRITER: This intimate portrait of one of the greatest playwrights of the 20th century is told from the unique perspective of his daughter, Rebecca Miller, who filmed interviews with her father over decades. Drawing on a wealth of personal archival material, the film provides new insights into Miller's life as an artist and explores his character in all its complexity. Directed by Rebecca Miller. Debuts March 19.
THE ZEN DIARIES OF GARRY SHANDLING: Judd Apatow's two-part, four-and-a-half-hour documentary explores the remarkable life of the legendary comedian, who was Apatow's mentor and friend. It features interviews from nearly four dozen friends, family and colleagues; four decades' worth of television appearances; and a lifetime of personal journals, private letters and home audio and video footage that reveal Shandling's brilliant mind and restless soul. Debuts March 26 and 27.
ELVIS PRESLEY: THE SEARCHER: This three-hour, two-film presentation focuses on Elvis Presley the musical artist, taking the audience on a comprehensive creative journey from his childhood through the final 1976 Jungle Room recording sessions. The films include stunning atmospheric shots taken inside Graceland, Elvis' iconic home, and feature more than 20 new, primary source interviews with session players, producers, engineers, directors and other artists who knew him or who were profoundly influenced by him. The documentary also features never-before-seen photos and footage from private collections worldwide, and includes an original musical score composed by Pearl Jam lead guitarist Mike McCready. An HBO Documentary Films Presentation in association with Sony Pictures Television; executive producers, Glen Zipper, Priscilla Presley, Jerry Schilling, Andrew Solt, Alan Gasmer and Jamie Salter; producers, Jon Landau and Kary Antholis; directed and produced by Thom Zimny. Debuts April 14.
KING IN THE WILDERNESS: Drawing on stories from the people around him, this film follows Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. during the last years of his life, from the passage of the Voting Rights Act in 1965 to his assassination in 1968. The documentary provides a clear window into King's character, showing him to be a man with an unshakeable commitment to nonviolence in the face of an increasingly unstable country. With the U.S. currently in one of the most divided periods in 50 years, King's words underscore why nonviolence is still vital today. Directed by Peter Kunhardt and produced by George and Teddy Kunhardt. Debuts in April.
TRAFFIC STOP: This film tells the story of Breaion King, a 26-year-old African-American school teacher from Austin, Texas, who was stopped for a routine traffic violation that escalated into a dramatic arrest. Caught on police dashcams, King was pulled from her car by the arresting officer, repeatedly thrown to the ground and handcuffed. En route to jail in a squad car, she engaged in a revealing conversation with her escorting officer about race and law enforcement in America. The documentary juxtaposes dashcam footage with scenes from King's everyday life, offering a fuller portrait of the woman caught up in this unsettling encounter. Directed by Kate Davis; produced by David Heilbroner. Debuts in April.
I AM EVIDENCE: Produced by Mariska Hargitay, this documentary reveals the shocking number of untested rape kits in the United States today. Despite the power of DNA to solve and prevent crimes, hundreds of thousands of these kits, containing potentially crucial DNA evidence, languish untested in police evidence storage rooms across the country. The film tells stories of survivors who have waited years for their kits to be tested, as well as the law enforcement officials who are leading the charge to work through the backlog and pursue long-awaited justice. Directed by Trish Adlesic and Geeta Gandbhir. Debuts in April.
THE FINAL YEAR: This film is a unique insiders' account of President Barack Obama's foreign policy team during its last year in office. Featuring unprecedented access inside the White House and State Department, the film offers an uncompromising view of the inner workings of the Obama administration as it prepares to leave power after eight years. Directed by Greg Barker. Debuts in May.
JANE FONDA IN FIVE ACTS: Girl next door, sex kitten, activist, fitness tycoon: Oscar(R)-winner Jane Fonda has lived a life marked by controversy, tragedy and transformation, and she's done it all in the public eye. Directed and produced by award-winning documentarian Susan Lacy, this intimate look at her singular journey draws on 21 hours of interviews with Fonda, who speaks candidly and frankly about her life and her missteps. The revealing portrait also includes interviews with family and friends, as well as rare home movies and verité footage of the 80-year-old Fonda's busy life today. A Pentimento production; produced and directed by Susan Lacy; produced by Emma Pildes and Jessica Levin. Debuts this year.
MUHAMMAD ALI: This untitled multi-part documentary explores Ali's greatest triumphs and comebacks, painting an intimate portrait of a man who, against all odds, dreamed and achieved the impossible, over and over again. The production will feature archival footage and gorgeous cinematic recreations that transport viewers into the ring and at home with "The Greatest of All Time," as well as never-before-seen photos and footage from private collections of the Ali family and others. An HBO Entertainment presentation in association with SpringHill Entertainment and Fuqua Films; executive producers, LeBron James, Antoine Fuqua, Maverick Carter, Paul Wachter, Bill Gerber, Jamie Salter and Glen Zipper; directed by Antoine Fuqua.
SPORTS
REAL SPORTS WITH BRYANT GUMBEL: Winner of 31 Sports Emmys(R), and the only sports show to receive four Columbia University-duPont broadcast journalism awards, this magazine program explores issues, controversies and personalities in the sports world with provocative reports in new monthly editions. Host Bryant Gumbel is joined by correspondents Mary Carillo, Jon Frankel, Bernard Goldberg, Andrea Kremer, David Scott and Soledad O'Brien. Now in its 24th season. The next edition debuts Jan. 30.
THE FIGHT GAME WITH JIM LAMPLEY: Hosted by the four-time Sports Emmy(R) winner, this series is a provocative, engaging and informative program that delves into intriguing storylines, newsmakers and issues that are top-of-mind in boxing. The sixth season begins this spring.
MUHAMMAD ALI: This untitled multi-part documentary explores Ali's greatest triumphs and comebacks, painting an intimate portrait of a man who, against all odds, dreamed and achieved the impossible, over and over again. The production will feature archival footage and gorgeous cinematic recreations that transport viewers into the ring and at home with "The Greatest of All Time," as well as never-before-seen photos and footage from private collections of the Ali family and others. An HBO Entertainment presentation in association with SpringHill Entertainment and Fuqua Films; executive producers, LeBron James, Antoine Fuqua, Maverick Carter, Paul Wachter, Bill Gerber, Jamie Salter and Glen Zipper; directed by Antoine Fuqua.
ANDRE THE GIANT: This wide-ranging documentary examines the life and career of the beloved pro wrestling legend, exploring Andre's upbringing in France, his celebrated career in WWE and his forays into the entertainment world. HBO Sports, WWE and Bill Simmons' The Ringer Films co-produce. Debuts this spring.
FAMILY
SESAME STREET: The award-winning show continues on HBO. For more than four decades, the series has helped children grow smarter, stronger and kinder by providing preschoolers with the gold-standard in quality educational programming. Season 48 episodes debut Saturdays at 9:00 a.m. (ET/PT).
CINEMAX SERIES
STRIKE BACK: Returning for a ten-episode fifth season, the action-packed drama series features a new cast portraying members of the revived Section 20, facing new threats and new enemies. Stars include Warren Brown, Daniel MacPherson, Roxanne McKee and Alin Sumarwata. A CINEMAX Presentation in association with Sky; a Left Bank Pictures Production; Andy Harries, Sharon Hughff, Jack Lothian and MJ Bassett are executive producers. Bill Shepherd is series producer and Nuala O'Leary is producer. Debuts Feb. 2.
RELLIK: This original six-part thriller stars Richard Dormer as Gabriel, an obsessive and disfigured UK police detective, and Jodi Balfour as Elaine, his bright and intense partner. Focusing on a serial killer, the story begins with the capture of the suspect and moves backwards in time to the crime itself. Obsessed with his hunt for the killer, Gabriel's story becomes intrinsically bound to that of his suspect, asking the question, "What are the experiences that forge the people we all become?" Four episodes are directed by Sam Miller, and two by Hans Herbots. Debuts April 13.
C.B. STRIKE: This dramatic series is based on the best-selling crime novels written by Harry Potter creator J.K. Rowling under the pseudonym Robert Galbraith. Starring Tom Burke, the story centers on Strike, a war veteran turned private detective, operating out of a tiny office in London's Denmark Street. Although wounded both physically and psychologically, Strike's unique insight and his background as a military police investigator prove crucial in solving three complex cases that have baffled the police. The series launches with three one-hour episodes based on the first book in the trilogy, "The Cuckoo's Calling" (directed by Michael Keillor), followed by adaptations of the remaining two books, "The Silkworm" (directed by Kieron Hawkes) and "Career of Evil" (directed by Charles Sturridge), both of which will consist of two one-hour episodes. Debuts in June.
OUTCAST: The second season continues the suspenseful mystery of what lies behind the town of Rome's supernatural manifestations in the adaptation of the Skybound/Image comic title by Robert Kirkman and artist Paul Azaceta. Patrick Fugit stars as Kyle Barnes, a young man who has been plagued by demonic possession all his life. With the help of Reverend Anderson, played by Philip Glenister, a preacher who believes he is a soldier in God's holy war against the forces of evil, Kyle struggles to protect those he holds most dear, now that otherworldly threats prove greater than anticipated. His struggle will grow into a fight for all of his hometown, as he discovers the haunting secrets of his own past. Debuts in July.
WARRIOR: Inspired by an idea from martial-arts legend Bruce Lee, this gritty, action-packed crime drama is set during the brutal Tong Wars of San Francisco's Chinatown in the second half of the 19th century. Filming in Cape Town, South Africa, it follows a martial arts prodigy who immigrates from China to San Francisco under mysterious circumstances, and becomes a hatchet man for one of Chinatown's most powerful organized crime families. Produced for CINEMAX by Perfect Storm Entertainment, Tropper Ink Productions and Bruce Lee Entertainment; created and executive produced by Jonathan Tropper under Tropper Ink Productions; Justin Lin and Danielle Woodrow executive produce on behalf of Perfect Storm Entertainment; Shannon Lee executive produces for Bruce Lee Entertainment.
