Tag: Entertainment-Variety

“Scrubs” is back.

The hospital comedy series, which premiered on NBC 25 years ago in 2001, returns to ABC and Hulu with a revival season that sees original stars Zach Braff, Donald Faison, Sarah Chalke and Judy Reyes returning to Sacred Heart Hospital.

I caught up with the cast at the revival’s red carpet premiere on Monday night at the Academy Museum in Los Angeles. Braff, who plays John Michael “J.D.” Doria, was working as a waiter when he learned he first booked “Scrubs” years ago.

“I wore a beige tunic and served French Vietnamese food and was often yelled at that we didn’t serve bread, and so I was lucky enough to audition six times and get this show and it changed my life,” Braff said.

He admits he never imagined in “1,000 years” that a revival would happen. “I never thought that the demand would continue this many years later and it would still have such a global audience, and it’s crazy that the show just kept going,” Braff said. “In some international countries it’s even bigger than it ever was here.”

Faison, who plays Christopher Turk, auditioned three times for what he remembers was “the hottest pilot of that season.” “I remember being in a restaurant when my agent called me and told me I got it,” he said. “I remember the wait in between when I heard I got until when we started filming and it was such a long wait and I didn’t have that much money at the time and I was like, ‘I need this thing to start going.’ But once it started going, this has been such an amazing ride and I can’t believe we’re back here.”

Chalke and her best friend were coming home from a concert when her audition script was dropped off at her door. “I remember opening the envelope and being like, ‘Oh no, oh no, this is the best thing I’ve ever read, and my audition’s in nine hours,’” said Chalke, who plays Elliot Reid. “I remember reading that script and thinking like it was so groundbreaking and so different. I love the combination that [series creator] Bill Lawrence does with all of his shows. There’s heart and comedy and pathos and hope, and I just remember it was so unique and different than anything I’ve read and I just wanted to be a part of it.

“And then you go through the series of auditions that are like the first one and then the callback with Bill and then the studio and then the network,” Chalke continued. “I remember Bill called me and said, ‘You got the job,’ and I just thought, ‘Oh, my God, I’m so lucky. This is going to be incredible.’ It was life changing.”

Reyes, who plays head nurse Carla Espinosa, said the first day of filming the revival was a “surreal” experience. “They rebuilt the entire hospital in the stages in Vancouver, so it was kind of hard to get my bearings because it was so strange, but other than that it was it was just like going back because knew each other. The crew had more getting used to each other than we do.”

While a second season of the revival has not been given the go-aheard just yet, I asked the cast about possible dream guests stars.

“I want Kate McKinnon to be my patient in an episode,” Chalke said.

What kind of ailment should the former “Saturday Night Live” player suffer from? “I’m actually not a real doctor so I don’t know,” Chalke said. “But it’s got to be something recurring do that she can stay around for awhile.”

Faison would like two of his acting idols to make appearances: “Harrison Ford, because he’s one of the reasons why I’m an actor. It’s him and Denzel [Washington].”

Reyes has few ideas. “I wouldn’t mind a Boris Kodjoe. I wouldn’t mind an Idris Elba. I wouldn’t mind a Bad Bunny,” she said.

I asked Reyes to brainstorm a storyline for the Grammy-winning Super Bowl halftime performer superstar: “This rapper comes to the hospital. Carla’s a huge fan and every time she goes to see him, she can’t treat him because she feels like throwing up.”

Braff pitched the return of former guest star Scott Foley: “He used to play Sarah’s love interest. Scott Foley is one of the funniest straight men ever. A lot of people know this because he’s usually playing the heartthrob somewhere, but I’d love for Scott Foley to come back and be my nemesis again.”

IX to Five, a new joint venture “built to supercharge the business of women’s sports,” is launching from David Levy and Chris Weil’s global sports marketing agency Horizon Sports & Experiences and popular women’s sports media company TOGETHXR.

Described as an offering “created in response to a clear and growing demand for authentic and engaging women’s sports content,” per the two companies, IX to Five “will focus on creating, developing, and commercializing women’s sports content through premium storytelling, unique intellectual properties, signature live experiences, and high-value brand partnerships.”

IX to Five will launch with a programming slate featuring talent including StudBudz, professional basketball players Courtney Williams and Natisha Hiedeman, and Lily Shimbashi, founder of Sportsish, known for her fresh perspectives on sports and pop culture, with additional content offerings to be announced later this year.

New joint venture IX to Five marks the second collaboration between TOGETHXR and HS&E, which preciously partnered in December at the annual early season basketball showcase Women’s Champions Classic. At the HS&E co-produced event at the Barclays Center, which was anchored by the University of Connecticut and featured Top 25 basketball teams, TOGETHXR recorded podcasts and additional content.

“Women’s sports is a high-growth, big ROI business. We’re excited to team up with TOGETHXR, the leader in women’s sports media, to deepen our commitment and redefine the commercial and consumer opportunities in the category,” Horizon Sports & Experiences co-CEO and founder David Levy. “IX to Five was born out of the industry’s need for infrastructure and a year-round strategy to turn unprecedented momentum into sustained media and commercial impact. We are creating a scalable platform, which complements HS&E’s premium programming, for brands to invest in a more meaningful, authentic way and for fans to have more opportunities to engage with the athletes and content shaping culture.

“Women’s sports doesn’t need more moments — it needs infrastructure that turns momentum into careers, culture, and commerce,” TOGETHXR executive chair Nancy Dubuc said. “TOGETHXR has helped move the space from ‘after hours’ attention to always-on storytelling, and this partnership with David and Horizon Sports & Experiences accelerates that shift — building a platform where athletes, creators, and brands grow together year-round.”

Baby of the Year brings together proud parents nationwide to share their little miracles and raise awareness for a worthy cause. This year, Colossal’s online fundraising campaign raised $17.7 million to support DTCare which grants funds to Baby2Baby, a non-profit organization that provides children living in poverty with diapers, formula, clothing and the basic necessities that every child deserves.

Meet Luca, the adorable champion who charmed his way to becoming the 2025 Baby of the Year! This expressive baby boy is being raised bi-coastally in Southern California and Florida by his devoted parents, Collin and Carolina. Collin is a serial entrepreneur from Charleston and Carolina is a first-generation Nicaraguan from Los Angeles who traded tech sales for full-time motherhood. Together, they bring a unique perspective to parenthood.

As first-time parents, these two are doing everything with great intention, from figuring out Luca’s diet and routine to making the most of their time together. Putting health at the forefront of their active, busy lives, Carolina will tell you that the gut is really the heart of health consciousness. “Giving your baby foods that strengthen their gut means they are less likely to have digestive issues; they will have healthy food reactions and a strong immune system,” she says. “Luca has not been sick in a year, and I was able to clear his eczema this way.”

One life hack that helps Carolina stay focused on family is meal prepping. By freezing large batches of her health-focused recipes, she saves precious time in the kitchen, making room for the moments that matter most. She says, “As a parent, a lot of the ‘free time’ you used to have pretty much becomes non-existent. But it’s important to find the time to take care of yourself and to continue to cultivate your relationship with your partner.”

Luca just celebrated his first birthday with a monkey-themed party, perfect for this brave, banana-loving explorer who is climbing higher by the day! At this stage, there is a lot to celebrate; saying (or screaming) his first word “Dada!”, playing with their dog Osita, dancing to music, exploring his home and giving kisses that occasionally include a gentle bite. Mom says, “Every time he eats, he makes little sounds like it is the best thing in the world.” Luca’s zest for living serves as a great reminder to enjoy the little things and take a bite of life!

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The Cuteness Continues 
While everyone is a winner in our hearts, these tiny tots took the top spots in the competition. 

Augustus S.

Hailing from a small town in Oklahoma, Augustus has never met a stranger; only friends he doesn’t know yet! This little guy has a big personality and loves to show it off, waving at everyone, even passing cars. Some of his favorite activities include climbing, headbanging to music and going up on dad’s shoulders.

You might wonder, how did Gus get to be so outgoing? One reason might be his mom’s “can do” attitude and encouragement to bring your kids along for the ride. “Do everything you normally would do in life with your baby — within reason.” She says, “Your baby will adapt and get to live the life you have enjoyed and you can do it together. If you do this from the get-go, it gets easier, quicker, and you will have such a resilient and go-with-the-flow baby. I promise; you won’t regret it.” With that personality and smile, Gus is surely going places!

Follow @tanny_girl_ to see more of Gus and his family.
Photography: @everlastingmemoriesbymercedez

Emilia M.

With her quiet magic, Emilia is the puzzle piece that completes her family in Charlotte, North Carolina. The youngest of four, she’s growing up surrounded by much older siblings in their teens and early twenties, who fill the home with vibrant energy. Add six dogs and two cats to the mix, and life is delightfully lively. At the center of it all is Emi, whose gentle energy seems to steady the room.

Emilia’s mother Verónica, a compassionate therapist, says, “Her presence brings an easy warmth and happiness wherever she goes, making every space feel lighter.” Calm, content and rarely fussy, Emilia draws people in with love, laughter and adorable dance moves. She loves to learn, and her dad, Robert, relishes opportunities to teach her new things. By simply being herself, Emilia’s brought hearts closer together, transforming a blended family into one that feels undeniably whole; proof that the smallest humans can make the biggest impact.

Skye C.

The moment Skye’s parents, Jennifer and John, realized they were pregnant with her, they were smitten. Though the path into parenthood wasn’t easy (jaundice and multiple hospital visits tested them early), they say it has been their most rewarding and transformative experience. “Parenting has taught us to cherish time before it flies by,” Jennifer shares. “One day you’re holding a baby the size of your forearm, and in a blink, she’s standing tall at your hip.”

Leading with a connect-first approach, Skye’s parents meet her where she’s at, modeling emotional regulation, valuing progress over perfection and celebrating every milestone. Skye knows sign language, lip-syncs to songs and mirrors dances with ease, revealing a remarkable ability to observe, communicate, and express herself at such a young age. As a family, they sing, dance and practice expressive reading together; connecting, being silly and building skills along the way. The progress speaks for itself!

Follow on Instagram @skyeeloisecruz

Macey H.
Chicago, Illinois
Favorite things: dancing to music, bananas, “Finding Nemo” and “Go, Dog. Go!”

Ajani N.
Woodbridge, Virginia
Favorite things: cars, airplanes, cuddles, Ms. Rachel and “Danny Go!”

Brody B.
Clayton, North Carolina
Favorite things: “101 Dalmatians,” “Bob’s Burgers” and “Chicka Chicka Boom Boom”

Camden A.
San Francisco, California
Favorite things: soccer, basketball, bedtime stories, lullabies and all kinds of food

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Championing Change for Children in Need

As a nationally registered professional fundraiser, Colossal powers competitions designed to inspire people to advocate for themselves and those in need. Baby of the Year unites thousands of parents and tiny tots alike to vie for the title while raising awareness and funds for Baby2Baby. Through Colossal’s charity grantmaking partner, DTCare, the Baby of the Year initiative has delivered more than $42 million in support of families and children in need over the past two years.

www.colossal.org

Baby2Baby is a non-profit organization that provides children in need with diapers, formula, clothing, and the basic necessities that every child deserves, serving more than one million children across all 50 states. In the last 14 years, Baby2Baby has distributed over half a billion items to children in homeless shelters, domestic violence programs, foster care, hospitals and school districts as well as children who have lost everything in the wake of disaster.

www.baby2baby.org

Together Films has acquired world rights excluding Canada to Kenya-Jade Pinto’s feature doc debut “The Sandbox” ahead of its world premiere on March 17 in CPH:DOX’s flagship international competition section DOX:AWARD.

“The Sandbox” explores modern border control, where surveillance, AI and militarization decide who lives and who dies, using testimony from survivors, journalists and witnesses.

From the Arizona desert to the drone-policed Mediterranean, migrants flee unforgiving landscapes while rescuers face the task of keeping them safe.

Meanwhile, tools tested at borders spill into databases and daily life, collapsing distance between watcher and watched. No villain stands at the center of the film, only processes and protocols.

Pinto comments: “There was a moment, standing at the border wall that bisects the town of Sasabe – between the USA and Mexico – that I realized I’m not really trying to tell a “tech” story. I understand this will likely be the entry point for many: a futuristic, algorithmic hook that implicates drones, robo-dogs, and AI. But on that day the wind was snaking its way through giant steel rods that jut out of the ground like a rusted-out grin and it all felt eerily familiar. A tidal metronome. If I closed my eyes I could just as easily have been standing on the shoreline of a Greek Island. Just as the ocean steals many of the lives who dare cross it, so too does the harsh landscape of the Sonoran desert. We are not so far away from one another, each of us.”

Pinto is an Indo-Kenyan-Canadian documentary photographer, whose work has been published in The Globe and Mail and Business Insider, and on Al Jazeera. She has participated in DOC Institute’s Breakthrough Program as well as HotDocs’ Emerging Filmmaker Program and Incubator. In 2021, she was invited to be a National Geographic Explorer.

Jess Reilly, head of sales and acquisitions at Together Films, said: “We are thrilled to be representing ‘The Sandbox’ From the moment we saw the film, we recognized both its urgent cinematic power and its international sales and impact potential. It speaks to one of the defining issues of our time – the rapid expansion of surveillance, AI and militarized border infrastructures – in a way that is both deeply human and globally resonant.”

“The Sandbox” is produced by Shasha Nakhai and Pinto for Canadian outlet Compy Films with Rich Williamson, Bob Moore and Jennifer Baichwal exec producing. The film has been commissioned by TVO and Knowledge Network with Alexandra Roberts as commissioning editor and Shane Smith as production executive. EyeSteelFilm will also distribute the film domestically in Canada.

“The Sandbox” has been produced with the participation of EyeSteelFilm, Canada Media Fund, Telefilm Canada, Ontario Creates, TVO, Ford Foundation JustFilms, Knowledge Network, Hot Docs Funds, Rogers Telefund, and Canadian federal and provincial tax credits.

The film has been developed with the support of Canadian Creative Accelerator, DOC Institute, Hot Docs Accelerator, Hot Docs Forum & Deal Maker, Hot Docs Netflix Incubator, Women Make Movies, and the Voices of Canada Roundtables at DOC NYC.

Liza Marshall recently discovered that she was the only person who bid for the rights to “Hamnet.”

This was back in October 2019, after the producer had been sent Maggie O’Farrell’s novel a good five months before publication. A voracious reader, Marshall got through the book in no time. “And I just fell in love with it as a piece of writing,” she says. Of course, O’Farrell’s agent was leading her to believe others had fallen in love with it just as much, but a month ago he let slip that Marshall’s had been the solitary offer.

More than six years on from making the bid, the decision feels like an automatic slam-dunk.

“Hamnet” the book — telling a fictional account of the real-life relationship between William Shakespeare and Agnes Hathaway and their grief over the tragic loss of their eldest son from the plague — became a literary sensation in 2020, winning numerous prizes for O’Farrell and selling more than 2 million copies worldwide.

“Hamnet” the film adaptation — distributed by Focus, directed by Chloe Zhao and starring Jessie Buckley and Paul Mescal alongside Emily Watson, Joe Alwyn and Jacobi Jupe — has grown into an awards season juggernaught since premiering in Telluride and is now a box office smash hit. It recently surpassed $90 million globally, while at last Sunday’s BAFTA awards — which it went into having broken the record for nominations for a feature directed by a woman — it won outstanding British film and leading actress for Buckley. In just over two weeks it enters the Oscars with eight nominations, including best film.

But, as Marshall admits, adapting the book for the big screen was far from straightforward when she first read it.

“It was a book set in the 1580s, about the death of a child that’s very internalized — it didn’t seem like an easy route to getting made,” she says, speaking shortly after “Hamnet” returned to the top of the U.K. box office. “But it’s just so beautifully written and I was just completely captivated by it. And I always go with my gut.”

That instinct is something that’s come to define Marshall, a quiet, modest force in British film and TV for many years who is only now — as lead producer of “Hamnet” — getting her deserved due as a true tastemaker of excellence.

She’s speaking from the breezy West London offices of her company Hera Pictures. It’s a decent shlep from city’s usual creative hub of Soho but, as she notes, a short walk from her home (and coincidentally, given the theme of her most recent hit, overlooking a vast graveyard).

Hera was set up by Marshall in 2017 after stints as the co-founder of Archery Pictures (where she produced “Riviera”), setting up and running Scott Free London for Ridley Scott (“A Life in the Day,” “Taboo”) and five years as head of drama at Channel 4 (where she greenlit top titles such as “Top Boy” and the “Red Riding” film trilogy).

Named after the wife of Greek god king Zeus — “a female name that felt up there,” she says (while noting that her husband, the actor Mark Strong, was not part of the decision) — Hera was borne out of Marshall’s desire not just to “be my own boss,” but to make work that “felt authored and distinctive.” And it’s since slowly emerged as one of the U.K.’s most distinctive independent production outfits.

On a wall behind Marshall is a poster featuring Julianne Moore and Nicholas Galitzine in Elizabethan era splendor for the raunchy Sky/Starz period series “Mary & George,” which aired in 2024. Directed by Olivier Hermanus, the historical drama about English royal peeress Mary Villiers and ruthless queer social climbers was another “go with your gut” moment for Marshall.

“There’s not much written about her in history, but Mary essentially went from being a nobody with no property or money to being the closest woman to James I by basically pimping out her really hot second son,” she says. “It’s such an extraordinary story, but when I started talking about it, everyone was like, ‘Well,that’s never going to get made.”’

It took five years, but Marshall did get “Mary & George” made (and it currently boasts a 94% rating on Rotten Tomatoes).

On the wall to her left is a poster for another long-haul development, the gripping 2023 survival film “The End We Start From,” in which Jodie Comer navigates an environmentally apocalyptic Britain with her newborn baby. Based on Megan Hunter’s novel, optioned in 2017 along Benedict Cumberbatch’s company SunnyMarch, it would mark Hera’s first feature. “It’s this beautiful, poetry prose book that I just completely fell in love with… again!” says Marshall. “But that took six years to get made, because it’s essentially a film about motherhood in extremis.”

There’s a clear literary-focused throughline that runs through Hera’s output, unsurprising given Marshall’s appetite (“I’m just constantly reading books,” she says). And this includes last year’s “What it Feels Like for a Girl,” the widely-praised coming-of-age BBC drama series based on the autobiography by transgender author and campaigner Paris Lees.

But Marshall says that even from Hera’s very first production — the Sky series “Temple,” based on the hit Norwegian drama “Valkyrien” and starring husband Strong as a surgeon running an illegal clinic in a disused underground station — she’s wanted “everything to feel different and be a unique take on the world.”

And Marshall has managed to achieve this through not just her own deliberate, authored stewardship of each project, but alongside the growing pool of creative collaborators she’s amassed along the way.

She had actually worked with Neal Street Production’s Pippa Harris on TV in the 1990s, so when the producer came knocking about the rights to “Hamnet” (once O’Farrell’s book had become a hit), it felt like the perfect fit. Harris, alongside her Neal Street partner Sam Mendes, had the connection through “1917” to Steven Spielberg at Amblin, who then took it to Focus. Suddenly, “Hamnet” was a $30 million production, with a team of creatives largely handpicked by Marshall. Zhao was her first choice as director, having loved “The Rider” and her unique shots of nature, but also wanting both a woman behind the camera and someone not from the U.K. who didn’t have “such a reverential attitude to Shakespeare” and could see the story through Agnes’ point of view.

At Telluride in 2022, Zhao — who apparently had been looking for a project about a “witchy woman” — met with both Mescal (there with “Aftersun” and sporting a somewhat Shakespearean hooped earring) and Buckley (in town for “Women Talking”). “It was all just serendipity,” says Marshall.

While there was perhaps a splash of serendipity in pulling the pieces together, there’s no question that one of the year’s most unexpected cinematic success stories began following that first spark in October 2019 as Marshall read O’Farrell’s words. In the U.K., “Hamnet” is the highest grossing film of all the BAFTA best film nominees — surpassing “One Battle After Another,” “Marty Supreme” and “Sinners.” And it’s a result driven by a younger audience (including Marshall’s eldest son, now at university).

“People are hearing that they have to go to the cinema and watch it with a group of people to experience that emotion altogether,” she says. “So it’s a bit of a phenomenon.”

Next up for Hera — which thanks to its growing slate is now expanding its small team — actually isn’t a novel Marshall fell in love with long before it hit the shelves. But it does reunite her with some former collaborators.

Based on a short story by Steven Soderbergh, “The Return of Stanley Atwell” is a mystery thriller set in 1959 and was brought to Marshall by its writer-director Brian Welsh, the lead director on “What It Feels Like for a Girl” (who Marshall hired off the back of his 2019 indie hit “Beats”). For the lead role, a presumed dead heir to a Lord’s title and fortune who unexpectedly returns to the family estate, she turned to “Mary and George’s” pimped-out “hot” son, Galitzine. Further casting is due for announcement soon, with the film set to start production later this year.

And then, just over the horizon, there is a project straight out of the Hera handbook, underscoring Marshall’s deep-rooted connection with authors. Off the back of the success of “Hamnet,” she’s extended her partnership with O’Farrell by landing the rights to her next novel, “Land.”

Partially based on her own family history, the story follows a father and son as they traverse Ireland in 1865 in the aftermath of the Great Hunger. Not due out until June, the book has already generated huge buzz, with the demand for tickets to the book tour in the U.K. and U.S. “on a par with only Margaret Atwood in terms of authors selling out events,” says Marshall. Of course, while O’Farrell is a beloved force in her own right, having “Hamnet” continuing to dominate headlines has surely helped.

There will surely be no shortage of producers, directors, actors and distributors lining up to be a part of this project. “There’s a lot of interest in it,” Marshall acknowledges.

“But I’ve just finished reading it for the second time,” she says. “It’s such beautiful book and I’m just really excited to get going.”

The rise of Hera Pictures comes amid a challenging time for many independent producers, many of whom are dedicating years to projects only to find themselves squeezed out of the final financial equation due to an ever-shrinking pot of money. For Marshall, it’s the fact that she also makes TV that has helped keep her afloat. “You just can’t make a living making films in the U.K. — it’s really tough,” she says. “But I’ve always worked in TV and I really like the fast pace of it and to just tell stories completely differently. But films are like a passion, they take longer.”

But as many other British entities are now bringing on board the deep-pockets of major international partners to ensure longevity, Marshall says she wants to remain “fiercely independent” for the foreseeable.

“People have been asking me, but I quite like doing what I want and being really flexible,” she says. “And actually not having a distribution deal is really great, because when we take a project out to market we have multiple people bidding for it, which often puts us in a better financial position. So I think there’s an advantage to being completely independent, although it obviously comes with with risks.”

As “Land” starts to attract potential suitors, Marshall admits there are now, thanks to “Hamnet,” considerably more pre-publication novels coming through her letterbox than before. But she claims there’s now a lot of competition.

“Everyone’s looking for the perfect book — and it’s hard,” she says. “But you’ve just got to go with your gut. That’s all you can go on.”

Matt Dillon is set to lead the upcoming “Magnificent Seven” series adaptation at MGM+, Variety has confirmed.

The show was formally picked up at MGM+ back in December. Dillon will play Chris Adams, the role originated by Yul Brynner in the original 1960 film. The description of the character states, “Stoic, steady under pressure, and with an unflinching gaze that does most of the talking for him, Chris has no patience for hypocrisy or cruelty and holds fast to a quiet moral code rooted in fairness and restraint.”

“Matt Dillon brings extraordinary depth and gravitas to this iconic role,” said Michael Wright, global head of MGM+. “His ability to portray complex, morally conflicted characters makes him the perfect choice to lead our reimagining of The Magnificent Seven. This series honors the legacy of the original film while exploring timeless themes about courage, redemption, and standing up against oppression—and Matt’s performance will be at the heart of that story.”

This will be one of the few TV roles of Dillon’s career. Previously, he appeared in the Apple TV series “High Desert,” the Fox supernatural drama “Wayward Pines.” He is primarily known for his film roles, including his Oscar-nominated turn in the hit 2006 film “Crash.” He has also starred in features likes “The House That Jack Built,” “Wild Things,” “There’s Something About Mary,” “The Outsiders,” and “Asteroid City.”

He is repped by UTA and Untitled Entertainment.

Dillon is the latest actor to take up the mantle of the leader of the Seven. Brynner once again played the character in the 1966 sequel “Return of the Seven,” while George Kennedy took over the part in 1969’s “Guns of the Magnificent Seven.” Lee Van Cleef then played Adams in “The Magnificent Seven Ride!” Michael Biehn played Chris Larabee in the CBS series “The Magnificent Seven,” which was largely based by the Chris Adams character from the films. Most recently, Denzel Washington played Sam Chisholm in Antoine Fuqua’s 2016 film remake, with Chisholm being the leader of the Seven with similar traits to Adams.

The logline for the show says, “Set in the 1880s American frontier, ‘The Magnificent Seven’ follows a group of mercenaries who are hired to protect a peaceful Quaker village after it is massacred by a land baron’s hired guns. As the flawed but gifted mercenaries embed with the Quakers, they must grapple with the question of whether it is acceptable to use violence to defend a people whose faith is based on nonviolence. The series will explore each member of the Seven, exploring what’s at stake and why they chose to take on this mission.”

The series hails from writer Tim Kring, who will executive produce alongside Donald De Line, Lawrence Mirisch and Bruce Kaufman. Dillon will executive produce in addition to starring. The series is produced by MGM+ Studios and MGM Television Studios. Casting is by Seth Yanklewitz. Production is set to begin in June 2026.

“Industry” has been renewed for Season 5 at HBO, which will be the show’s final season.

The series, created by Mickey Down and Konrad Kay, is set to air its Season 4 finale on March 1 one hour earlier than usual at 8 p.m. ET/PT on HBO and HBO Max.

“We’re privileged to have joined the small, esteemed club of dramas that have run for five seasons on HBO,” Down and Kay said in a statement. “This March marks a decade since we first began to conceive of the world of ‘Industry’ and it exists because of the unwavering faith and vision of our partners and former partners at HBO — Casey, Frannie, Kara, Cela, Sam, Kathleen, and Max. Without Jane Tranter’s imagination and belief, the show would simply be a dead idea in a drawer somewhere. She — alongside her partners at Bad Wolf — has been our guiding light and fiercest champion. We’d also like to thank the BBC for their partnership.”

“For some time now we have been thinking about how best to end the show on an unparalleled high,” the pair continued. “Unlike some of our characters, we know when to leave a party. We’d like to thank our evangelical fan base, especially those who have watched from day one. Finally: we owe everything to our crew and the best cast on TV for making our writing live. The characters will live on because of their world class performances. Seeing the HBO ident in front of our work will never stop being a thrill. It remains the best place to make television, and we look forward to continuing our collaboration well into the future.”

Per HBO, “Industry” Season 4 has been averaging 1.7 million viewers per episode across U.S. platforms, roughly 30% ahead of where Season 3 was at the same point. The fourth season’s cast includes: Myha’la, Marisa Abela, Kit Harington, Ken Leung, Max Minghella, Miriam Petche, Sagar Radia, Toheeb Jimoh, Charlie Heaton, Amy James-Kelly, Roger Barclay, Andrew Havill, Kiernan Shipka, Kal Penn, Jack Farthing, Stephen Campbell Moore, Claire Forlani, and Edward Holcroft.

“For four seasons, ‘Industry’ has thrilled us while examining power, money, politics, and class. Under Mickey and Konrad’s ambitious and singular vision, it has solidified itself as an important contemporary, genre-bending drama in HBO’s lineup that keeps viewers on the edge of their seat week after week,” said Francesca Orsi, executive vice president of HBO Programming and head of HBO Drama Series and Films. “It is gratifying that viewers and critics have recognized season four as bigger and more thrilling than ever, buoyed by career defining performances from our magnificent cast. Alongside the amazing team under executive producer Jane Tranter at Bad Wolf and executive producer Kathleen McCaffrey at Little Gems, we are so proud we can announce the fifth season of this terrific show, which Mickey and Konrad have decided will take us to the end of ‘Industry’s’ story.”

The official description of Season 4 states, “At the top of their game and living the lives they set out to have as Pierpoint grads, Harper (Myha’la) and Yasmin (Abela) are drawn into a high stakes, globetrotting cat-and-mouse game when a splashy fintech darling bursts onto the London scene. As Yasmin navigates her relationship with tech founder Sir Henry Muck (Harington) and Harper is pulled into the orbit of enigmatic executive Whitney Halberstram (Minghella), their twisted friendship begins to warp and ignite under the pressure of money, power, and the desire to be on top.”

“Industry” is created, written, and executive produced by Down & Kay. The series is a Bad Wolf Production for HBO/BBC and is executive produced by Jane Tranter, Kate Crowther, and Ryan Rasmussen for Bad Wolf; Kathleen McCaffrey for Little Gems; and Rebecca Ferguson for BBC. Directors this season include Down & Kay, Michelle Savill, and Luke Snellin. Writers include Down, Kay, and Joseph Charlton.

“When we first pitched the idea for ‘Industry’ to HBO, Casey and I believed this might be ‘the little engine that could’. Over 10 years later, ‘Industry’ has more than proven this to be true,” said Tranter, executive producer, CEO, and founder of Bad Wolf. “Mickey and Konrad have magnificently matured a raw, brilliant idea into a bold and uncompromising drama series passionately appreciated by both critics and its fiercely loyal fanbase. It has been loved onto the screen by the ferocious talent of MK, the exceptional executives at HBO and the world-class production team in Wolf Studios Wales, where Bad Wolf has filmed every season. Watching Mickey and Konrad and our extraordinary and beloved cast grow over the seasons continues to be a huge privilege. And now to see ‘Industry’ take its place among HBO’s most distinguished long-running drama series is to the great credit of them all.”