Cameron Crowe is Going to Showtime, and Changes Are Coming to 'SNL'

By Dustin Rowles | Industry | June 13, 2014 |

Here’s a round-up of TV and movie news items not quite worthy of their own posts:

Cameron Crowe and — oddly, J.J. Abrams’ Bad Robot Productions — are joining forces to create a Showtime pilot, which will be run by Winnie Holzman (My So-Called Life). Crowe will direct the pilot for Roadies, an ensemble comedy set during a U.S. rock tour. (NikkiFinke)

Speaking of Nikki Finke, she is back with a laughable opening post and an absurd logo. She breaks a lot of stories, so there’s no getting around citing her, but henceforth, I’m going with “NF.”

In an interview with NF’s old site, Deadline, Lorne Michaels admitted that he’s still in the midst of rebuilding, and that there will be casting changes this year. I don’t know if we can read between the lines here, but Michaels may be suggesting that Noel Wells’ job is safe:

Noel [Wells] impressed everyone at the auditions in LA, and then came to the studio and did just as well. There were a lot of people that we brought in who did really well in Chicago or LA or other cities, and then when they get into the studio, they’re not ready.

Tom Hiddleston, of all people, has been cast as the lead in a Hank Williams biopic, I Saw the Light, from director Marc Abraham. And yes, he will sing. (Deadline)

USA Network’s Sirens has been renewed, while I Wanna Marry Harry has been cancelled (the rest of its run will air online).

Guillermo del Toro, who is always signing on to projects he has no intention of following through on, has dropped out of the live-action Beauty and the Beast with Emma Watson. (Coming Soon)

Despite all the furor, the drop in ratings, and the increasing lack of likability, the Today show has nevertheless re-upped Matt Lauer’s contract for at least two more years. (NYTimes)

Dascha Polanco (who plays pregnant Dayanara Diaz) and Samira Wiley (who plays Poussey) have been elevated to series regulars beginning in season three of Orange is the New Black.

Dan Harmon updates us on Hulu’s potential revival of Community, and he’s not that optimistic. (Uproxx)

Finally, I leave you with the full trailer for Denzel Washington’s Equalizer, and despite the fact that it’s based on an old TV show, it’s looks very much like a typical Denzel action pic. That is not a bad thing.