Holly Hunter headlines new Star Trek series, Brad Pitt signs on for Arkansas-set drama, and Ryan Murphy prepares Palm Springs-set project
Star Trek: Starfleet Academy (Paramount+)
Star Trek fans will be thrilled that a new streaming series—titled Starfleet Academy—is in pre-production and will star Academy Award-winner Holly Hunter (The Piano, Broadcast News) as the captain and chancellor of Starfleet Academy. The series will follow the adventures of a new class of Starfleet cadets as they come of age in one of the most legendary places in the galaxy. Under the watchful and demanding eyes of their instructors, they will discover what it takes to become Starfleet officers as they navigate blossoming friendships, explosive rivalries, first loves and a new enemy that threatens both the Academy and the Federation itself. The show’s primary director will be Olatunde Osunsanmi, who has already directed series episodes for the property’s Discovery and Short Treks series. Filming will begin in Toronto in late January.
Land of Opportunity (Paramount Pictures)
Director Jeff Nichols (The Bikeriders, Midnight Special) has landed his next project at Paramount Pictures with producer-star Brad Pitt. The story is set in a near-future Arkansas during the next Great Depression. Having reached peak oil, the American dollar has collapsed. In Stuttgart, Arkansas – the rice-growing capital of the world – the government has enacted a law to commandeer food crops instead of collecting taxes that meets significant resistance. Filming for the project will begin on May 5 in Los Angeles and on location in Stuttgart.
Mid-Century Modern (FX)
Since leaving Netflix, mega-producer Ryan Murphy has found success with a new overall deal at FX that has since resulted in American Sports Story: Aaron Hernandez and Grotesquerie. The next project will be Mid-Century Modern, which follows three older gay best friends who, after an unexpected death, decide to live together in Palm Springs. Nathan Lane (The Gilded Age, Monsters: The Lyle and Erik Menendez Story) plays Bunny, a businessman searching for love, while Matt Bomer (White Collar, Maestro) plays Jerry, a former Mormon who left his church and marriage. Linda Lavin (Alice) portrays Sybil, Bunny’s wise but critical mother. As a chosen family, they support each other through life’s challenges. Filming begins in Los Angeles on November 30.
