Deadline: 'Leverage' Reboot Starring Noah Wyle Ordered By IMDb TV

[Robin Miller]

https://deadline.com/2020/04/leverage-reboot-noah-wyle-timothy-hutton-not-returning-imdb-tv-beth-riesgraf-gina-bellman-christian-kane-aldis-hodge-amazon-studios-1202912578/


‘Leverage’ Reboot Starring Noah Wyle Ordered By IMDb TV; Original
Series’ Team, 4 Cast Members Set To Return

By Nellie Andreeva
April 22, 2020 4:41pm


EXCLUSIVE: Dean Devlin, John Rogers and Chris Downey’s cult 2008 crime
drama series Leverage is coming back with a new lead. IMDb TV, Amazon’s
free, ad-supported streaming service, has ordered a Leverage
reimagening, headlined by Noah Wyle in a reunion with Rogers and Devlin
after their collaboration on The Librarian/The Librarians franchise. It
marks the first major original series for IMDb TV, whose content team
recently moved under the Amazon Studios umbrella.

The reimagining will include new characters, including one played by
five-time Emmy nominee Wyle, who also will direct two of the 13
episodes. He will be joined by original cast members Beth Riesgraf,
reprising her character as “Parker”; Gina Bellman as “Sophie Devereaux”;
and Christian Kane as “Eliot Spencer”– who will all be series regulars —
as well as Aldis Hodge, who will return as “Alec Hardison” in a
recurring role, subject to availability from his Showtime series City on
a Hill, whose Season 2 will likely be filming at the same time as Leverage.

The one original Leverage cast member not returning for the reboot is
lead Timothy Hutton, who recently faced sexual assault allegations.

[RM: I was unaware of this, but here is the story:
https://www.buzzfeednews.com/article/kateaurthur/oscar-winning-actor-timothy-hutton-raped-me-when-i-was-14]

The Leverage sequel is a fresh update of the original concept, about
reformed crooks using their unique skills to right corporate and
governmental injustices inflicted on common citizens.

The original series’ EP/director Devlin of Electric Entertainment is
spearheading the followup series. He is executive producing the revival,
with Leverage creators Rogers and Downey returning as consulting
producers. Additional EPs for the reimagening include Marc Roskin,
Rachel Olschan-Wilson and Kate Rorick.

“Since the day it was cancelled, I’ve longed to return to the world of
Leverage. The show, the characters, the cast and the people who made it
happen all hold a very special place in my heart,” said Devlin. “Our new
series with Amazon Studios and IMDb TV is a re-imagining of the original
premise. While Leverage centered on a crusade to avenge the death of a
child, this series is propelled forward as a redemption story of
misdeeds that need amends. I could not be more excited and fired up
about returning to the world of Hitter, Hacker, Grifter, Thief!!”

The original Leverage series ran on TNT for five seasons from 2008-2012.
It was a rarity at the time — a high-end drama series on a major TV
network financed and produced independently by Devlin’s Electric
Entertainment. “I’m incredibly proud of the show and what we’ve
accomplished,” Devlin wrote in a letter to fans ahead of the Leverage
series finale.

The pickup of a new Leverage installment follows the success of the the
original Leverage series on IMDb TV, where it has been a popular title
since its July 2019 launch.

That is an approach Devlin and Rogers took with The Librarians, the TNT
series follow-up to their successful The Librarian original movie
franchise for the network. The films’ star Wyle executive produced,
directed, wrote and recurred as his Librarian character Flynn Carsen on
the series, which ran for four seasons. Other cast members from the
movies also came back as supporting players on the series, alongside a
new ensemble led by Rebecca Romijn and Leverage‘s Kane.

Devlin’s Electric Entertainment has the upcoming Season 3 of the CW’s
summer fantasy adventure series The Outpost as well as WGN America’s new
drama Almost Paradise.

IMDb TV, available as an app on FireTV and a free channel within the
Prime Video and IMDb apps across hundreds of devices, currently features
a range of TV and film library titles and has no direct link to Amazon
Prime Video originals. In addition to Leverage, its offerings include TV
shows such as Chicago Fire, Schitt’s Creek, The Middle, Desperate
Housewives and Friday Night Lights, and movies like Blade Runner 2049,
Scooby-Doo, Spider-Man, The Smurfs and Spotlight.

I hear Wyle has a one-year deal to star in the new Leverage. Filming is
tentatively slated to begin in late June-early July in Louisiana
following safety protocols to protect the cast and crew from the
coronavirus pandemic.

Following his 15-season run on ER, Wyle headlined the TNT sci-fi drama
series Falling Skies, which ran for five seasons and where he made his
directorial debut. Through Slippery Moon Productions, his new production
label with Zach Luna, Wyle is working on several projects including a
limited-series adaptation of the 2016 Hungarian Oscar submission film
Kills on Wheels. Wyle is repped by Brillstein Entertainment Partners and
Gersh.

Hodge, who plays the co-lead opposite Kevin Bacon on Showtime’s City on
a Hill, recently starred in the hit horror movie The Invisible Man. He
is repped by Paradigm and Priluck Company.

Riesgraf co-stars on Paramount Network’s 68 Whiskey, which has done well
and looks promising for renewal. I hear an arrangement has been made for
her to be a series regular on both 68 Whiskey and Leverage. She
previously did an arc on The Librarians. Riesgraf is repped by A3
Artists Agency and Silver Lining Entertainment.

Bellman is heavily recurring on Season 2 of Sky’s Bulletproof. Also
known for her starring role on BBC’s hit comedy Coupling, she is repped
by Insight Entertainment and KMR & Associates.

Kane currently headlines another Electric Entertainment series, WGNA’s
Almost Paradise. He is repped by BRS / Gage Talent Agency.

[Adam H. Kerman]

Robin Miller <robin....@invalid.invalid> wrote:

>https://deadline.com/2020/04/leverage-reboot-noah-wyle-timothy-hutton-not-returning-imdb-tv-beth-riesgraf-gina-bellman-christian-kane-aldis-hodge-amazon-studios-1202912578/

>Leverage Reboot Starring Noah Wyle Ordered By IMDb TV; Original
>Series Team, 4 Cast Members Set To Return

>By Nellie Andreeva
>April 22, 2020 4:41pm

>EXCLUSIVE: Dean Devlin, John Rogers and Chris Downey's cult 2008 crime
>drama series Leverage is coming back with a new lead. IMDb TV, Amazon's
>free, ad-supported streaming service, has ordered a Leverage
>reimagening, headlined by Noah Wyle in a reunion with Rogers and Devlin
>after their collaboration on The Librarian/The Librarians franchise. It
>marks the first major original series for IMDb TV, whose content team
>recently moved under the Amazon Studios umbrella.

>The reimagining will include new characters, including one played
>by five-time Emmy nominee Wyle, who also will direct two of the 13
>episodes. He will be joined by original cast members Beth Riesgraf,
>reprising her character as "Parker"; Gina Bellman as "Sophie

>Devereaux"; and Christian Kane as "Eliot Spencer" - who will all
>be series regulars - as well as Aldis Hodge, who will return as "Alec

>Hardison" in a recurring role, subject to availability from his Showtime
>series City on a Hill, whose Season 2 will likely be filming at the same
>time as Leverage.

It's interesting that the Philipines-based series Kane stars in for
Devlin doesn't conflict with production. Sounds like a huge hint that it
won't be renewed. But I suppose Devlin could have worked out
nonconflicting production schedules.

>The one original Leverage cast member not returning for the reboot is
>lead Timothy Hutton, who recently faced sexual assault allegations.

>[RM: I was unaware of this, but here is the story:
>https://www.buzzfeednews.com/article/kateaurthur/oscar-winning-actor-timothy-hutton-raped-me-when-i-was-14]

Sensitive Conrad from Ordinary People raped a 14 year old girl two years
later?

I can't really tell who is being truthful here. Sera Johnston waited an
absurdly long time to go to the police: over three decades. She told
five people over the years, including her mother and step-father,
neither of whom told her to report it. She told a friend the next day
who did tell her to report it, but she refused. She told her mother days
later when her mother questioned her about a movie t-shirt she found in
her things, but her mother wouldn't take her to the police either.

Then there are the other two underage girls she was with. It sounded
like one had a similar story but she didn't claim she was raped. The
third girl will not back up her story and won't come forward.

Then her ex-boyfriend attempted to extort Hutton last year.

Hutton, on the other hand, claimed that he never met the girl, but still
offered a legal settlement. In this day and age, how does offering a
payout make you look innocent?

The article says that Hutton hired three legal teams and two publicists.
He's anticipating criminal or civil charges. How long is the statute of
limitation anyway?

[anim8rfsk]

Wed, 22 Apr 2020 21:56:45 -0700 Robin Miller<robin....@invalid.invalid>
wrote:

> Deadline: 'Leverage' Reboot Starring Noah Wyle Ordered By IMDb TV
> Robin Miller<robin....@invalid.invalid>
> April 22, 2020 at 9:56:45 PM MST
>
> https://deadline.com/2020/04/leverage-reboot-noah-wyle-timothy-hutton-not-retu
> rning-imdb-tv-beth-riesgraf-gina-bellman-christian-kane-aldis-hodge-amazon-stu

> dios-1202912578/
>
> ‘Leverage’ Reboot Starring Noah Wyle Ordered By IMDb TV; Original
> Series’ Team, 4 Cast Members Set To Return
>
> By Nellie Andreeva
> April 22, 2020 4:41pm
>
> EXCLUSIVE: Dean Devlin, John Rogers and Chris Downey’s cult 2008 crime
> drama series Leverage is coming back with a new lead. IMDb TV, Amazon’s
> free, ad-supported streaming service, has ordered a Leverage
> reimagening, headlined by Noah Wyle in a reunion with Rogers and Devlin
> after their collaboration on The Librarian/The Librarians franchise. It
> marks the first major original series for IMDb TV, whose content team
> recently moved under the Amazon Studios umbrella.
>
> The reimagining will include new characters, including one played by
> five-time Emmy nominee Wyle, who also will direct two of the 13
> episodes. He will be joined by original cast members Beth Riesgraf,
> reprising her character as “Parker”; Gina Bellman as “Sophie
> Devereaux”;
> and Christian Kane as “Eliot Spencer”– who will all be series regulars
> —

That bodes poorly for Almost Paradise.

--
Join your old RAT friends at
https://www.facebook.com/groups/1688985234647266/

[anim8rfsk]

If it's going to cost $200k to defend yourself, and you can get her to go
away and accept a gag order for half that, it's something you need to think
about, guilty or innocent. Note that we didn't hear about it until after the
settlement fell apart.

> The article says that Hutton hired three legal teams and two publicists.
> He's anticipating criminal or civil charges. How long is the statute of
> limitation anyway?

Yeah, I wondered about that, especially between countries.

[Adam H. Kerman]

anim8rfsk <anim...@cox.net> wrote:
>Wed, 22 Apr 2020 23:07:08 -0700 Adam H. Kerman<a...@chinet.com> wrote:
>>Robin Miller<robin....@invalid.invalid> wrote:

>>>. . .

>>>The one original Leverage cast member not returning for the reboot is
>>>lead Timothy Hutton, who recently faced sexual assault allegations.

>>>RM: I was unaware of this, but here is the story:
>>>https://www.buzzfeednews.com/article/kateaurthur/oscar-winning-actor-timothy-hutton-raped-me-when-i-was-14

>>Sensitive Conrad from Ordinary People raped a 14 year old girl two years
>>later?

>>I can't really tell who is being truthful here. Sera Johnston waited an
>>absurdly long time to go to the police: over three decades. She told
>>five people over the years, including her mother and step-father,
>>neither of whom told her to report it. She told a friend the next day
>>who did tell her to report it, but she refused. She told her mother days
>>later when her mother questioned her about a movie t-shirt she found in
>>her things, but her mother wouldn't take her to the police either.

>>Then there are the other two underage girls she was with. It sounded
>>like one had a similar story but she didn't claim she was raped. The
>>third girl will not back up her story and won't come forward.

>>Then her ex-boyfriend attempted to extort Hutton last year.

>>Hutton, on the other hand, claimed that he never met the girl, but still
>>offered a legal settlement. In this day and age, how does offering a
>>payout make you look innocent?

>If it's going to cost $200k to defend yourself, and you can get her to go
>away and accept a gag order for half that, it's something you need to think
>about, guilty or innocent. Note that we didn't hear about it until after the
>settlement fell apart.

Gag orders don't work. If she spoke, his career would be finished just
because of the settlement. Suing her wouldn't help.

>>The article says that Hutton hired three legal teams and two publicists.
>>He's anticipating criminal or civil charges. How long is the statute of
>>limitation anyway?

>Yeah, I wondered about that, especially between countries.

I think Canada and the United States honor each other's supeonas and
arrest warrants.

[Adam H. Kerman]

anim8rfsk <anim...@cox.net> wrote:

>That bodes poorly for Almost Paradise.

Devlin's murdering his own show. Those scripts have been well below the bar
set for one of his shows. Kane's playing his usual character for Devlin;
I actually forgot he was in Leverage.

The only character I like is the older detective. The actor is
overcoming the scripts.

I haven't yet watched this week's episode. I'm letting it, uh, improve
with age.

[anim8rfsk]

Her career is over anyway. She's a 50 year old ex-model.

> > > The article says that Hutton hired three legal teams and two publicists.
> > > He's anticipating criminal or civil charges. How long is the statute of
> > > limitation anyway?
>
> > Yeah, I wondered about that, especially between countries.
>
> I think Canada and the United States honor each other's supeonas and
> arrest warrants.

How come all the draft dodgers used to go there to hide?

[anim8rfsk]

I didn't know anybody else was still watching it. :D

This week at least had some SCUBA diving.

It wasn't great by any means, but it wasn't bad.

[Rhino]

Excellent news! I rather liked 68 Whiskey and am hoping it will be renewed.

> I hear an arrangement has been made for
> her to be a series regular on both 68 Whiskey and Leverage. She
> previously did an arc on The Librarians. Riesgraf is repped by A3
> Artists Agency and Silver Lining Entertainment.
>
> Bellman is heavily recurring on Season 2 of Sky’s Bulletproof. Also
> known for her starring role on BBC’s hit comedy Coupling, she is repped
> by Insight Entertainment and KMR & Associates.
>
> Kane currently headlines another Electric Entertainment series, WGNA’s
> Almost Paradise. He is repped by BRS / Gage Talent Agency.
>
>

--
Rhino

[Rhino]

With some limitations. For instance, we declined for years to return an
American serial killer who had fled here because he faced the death
penalty in California for his crimes; I think the US prosecutors had to
take the death penalty off the table before we'd send him back.

Of course, rape isn't a death penalty candidate in either country so
that won't be a factor in this case.

--
Rhino

[Rhino]

Because we let them.

--
Rhino

[Robin Miller]

anim8rfsk wrote:
> Wed, 22 Apr 2020 23:51:19 -0700 Adam H. Kerman<a...@chinet.com> wrote:
>
>> anim8rfsk <anim...@cox.net> wrote:
>>
>>> That bodes poorly for Almost Paradise.
>>
>> Devlin's murdering his own show. Those scripts have been well below the bar
>> set for one of his shows. Kane's playing his usual character for Devlin;
>> I actually forgot he was in Leverage.
>>
>> The only character I like is the older detective. The actor is
>> overcoming the scripts.
>>
>> I haven't yet watched this week's episode. I'm letting it, uh, improve
>> with age.
>
> I didn't know anybody else was still watching it. :D
>
> This week at least had some SCUBA diving.
>
> It wasn't great by any means, but it wasn't bad.
>

I watched the first episode, but it wasn't very good, and I didn't
continue. Sounds like it got at least a little bit better.

--Robin

[Adam H. Kerman]

Who cares about her career? His career would be over because the offer
of a cash settlement makes him look guilty. It was a truly stupid thing
for him to do, given that the actual extortion attempt from her ex
boyfriend made him look sympathetic.

>>>>The article says that Hutton hired three legal teams and two publicists.
>>>>He's anticipating criminal or civil charges. How long is the statute of
>>>>limitation anyway?

>>>Yeah, I wondered about that, especially between countries.

>>I think Canada and the United States honor each other's supeonas and
>>arrest warrants.

>How come all the draft dodgers used to go there to hide?

I thought you were against the Viet Nam War and hated Johnson for
escalating it. Wouldn't fleeing to Canada have been the moral stance?

[suzeeq]

It's not too bad, got a bit better.

[shawn]

On Thu, 23 Apr 2020 15:53:55 -0000 (UTC), "Adam H. Kerman"

Given the way attitudes have been recently even the accusation could
hurt his career so if giving her some money gets rid of the possible
complaint it's probably worth it even if he never met the woman. I
likely wouldn't do it but I can see why some people would choose to go
the payout route as a first step at getting rid of the issue.

>>>>>The article says that Hutton hired three legal teams and two publicists.
>>>>>He's anticipating criminal or civil charges. How long is the statute of
>>>>>limitation anyway?

I can't imagine there's any real chance of a criminal case since even
if they tried to go forward it's going to be he said/she said. I would
expect her placing a report with the police is probably her first step
in trying to start a civil case. So hiring legal and publicists seems
a reasonable step.

[BTR1701]

In article <r7s905$h94$2...@dont-email.me>,

In name only. The Canadidians should have known he'd never really be
executed. That would be mean or something.

[Adam H. Kerman]

shawn <nanof...@notforgmail.com> wrote:
>Thu, 23 Apr 2020 15:53:55 -0000 (UTC), "Adam H. Kerman" <a...@chinet.com>:

If Hutton weren't lying and never met her, then she's an extortionist.
Her word isn't any good. Paying her off won't buy her silence.

Your assumption that giving her some money gets rid of her is
unreasonable.

>>>>>>The article says that Hutton hired three legal teams and two publicists.
>>>>>>He's anticipating criminal or civil charges. How long is the statute of
>>>>>>limitation anyway?

>I can't imagine there's any real chance of a criminal case since even
>if they tried to go forward it's going to be he said/she said. I would
>expect her placing a report with the police is probably her first step
>in trying to start a civil case. So hiring legal and publicists seems
>a reasonable step.

There was no chance of a criminal case against Bill Cosby either, was there.

[shawn]

In his case they had multiple people bringing charges and one was
recent enough to allow them to bring charges, as I recall. In this
case it's one person bringing up charges from decades ago. Also wasn't
Bill Cosby's behavior well known while I don't recall anyone stepping
forward to confirm this as standard behavior for Mr Hutton?

[Adam H. Kerman]

shawn <nanof...@notforgmail.com> wrote:
>Thu, 23 Apr 2020 22:41:14 -0000 (UTC), "Adam H. Kerman" <a...@chinet.com>:

They changed the law so he could be prosecuted, and the prosecutor broke
the deal made by his predecessor to reveal Cosby's admissions.

Magically, they can prosecute people despite witnesses who refused to
come forward at the time of the incidents and statutes of limitations. I
really don't see how Cosby got a fair trial.

The point I'm making is that Hutton cannot afford to believe it's
impossible to be prosecuted and I'm guessing one of the legal teams is
preparing for this.

>In this case it's one person bringing up charges from decades ago. Also
>wasn't Bill Cosby's behavior well known while I don't recall anyone
>stepping forward to confirm this as standard behavior for Mr Hutton?

Hell, some of the women saw him again and again over the years.

It's not entirely comparable; Cosby's incidents were with adults. Here
we're talking about underage girls.

If there's any truth to any of this, her parents did a shit job of
protecting her by discouraging her from filing a complaint.

[anim8rfsk]

Thu, 23 Apr 2020 08:52:57 -0700 Robin Miller<robin....@invalid.invalid>
wrote:

Yes.

Time is passing between eps, which is interesting.

In ep 2, he asks the cops for help, and they aren't interested because
they've been trying to get him to help with all these cases and he keeps
turning them down. In that one they go undercover as smugglers and have some
fun.

In ep 3, he has to stop a protection racket the involves garbage smuggling
(!) and the police chief who is apparently crooked.

In ep 4, Walker gets a job on a movie as a diving stunt double while trying
to solve the disappearance of an underwater blogger. This one has some
beautiful photography, stupid plot holes, and, holy crap, an atomic bomb!?!?
At least they didn't outrun it (which is the point at which I quit Hawai'i
5.1).

The downside is that his evil worthless landlord is demanding utility
payments EVERY SINGLE EPISODE. He just needs to make her go away.

And he's actually got the gift shop up and running in fairly short order.

[anim8rfsk]

No. The people that went to Canada were abject cowards. Remember NY Mayor
Lindseed, who wanted the dodgers let back in free and clear, but the men who
stood their ground, stayed here, and fought it in the legal system, to rot in
jail forever? Now there's a guy who needed a gun in his mouth.

Johnson lied about his intentions and basically murdered 38,000 Americans.
Nobody but Jane Fonda or John Kerry could *not* hate that.

Barry Goldwater should have made South Viet Nam an island.

[anim8rfsk]

Or, what suzzeq said.

[anim8rfsk]

Yes. It's already cost him the Leverage reboot. That would be worth a lot
more than the $135k payoff she supposedly wanted.

> > > > > > The article says that Hutton hired three legal teams and two publicists.
> > > > > > He's anticipating criminal or civil charges. How long is the statute of
> > > > > > limitation anyway?
>
> I can't imagine there's any real chance of a criminal case since even
> if they tried to go forward it's going to be he said/she said. I would
> expect her placing a report with the police is probably her first step
> in trying to start a civil case. So hiring legal and publicists seems
> a reasonable step.

I don't think she's trying to start any kind of legitimate case. She's just
gone from private extortion to public extortion, raising the noise level
hoping to make him cave.
At some point some of these women (think Chris Hardwick's squeeze) need to
face some serious prison time so they'll think twice about bogus accusations.

[anim8rfsk]

It's the same thing the pro child rape French use to excuse not extraditing
Polanski.

[anim8rfsk]

Ian's written multiple detailed Wiki entries on this.
Dozens of civil cases were brought by Gloria Allred.
I can't tell if they ever got him doping anybody against their knowledge, but
he admitted that giving women prescription meds was illegal.
They got him on three counts against one Toronto woman from 14 years earlier.
He's now rotting in a Pennsylvania prison in the general population.

The Wiki says as many as 50 women had made complaints of incidents that
supposedly happened from 1969 to 1992, but doesn't say when they first
brought it up.

[BTR1701]

In article <0001HW.2452873C01...@NEWS.EASYNEWS.COM>,

anim8rfsk <anim...@cox.net> wrote:

> Thu, 23 Apr 2020 11:29:03 -0700 BTR1701<atr...@mac.com> wrote:
>
> > In article<r7s905$h94$2...@dont-email.me>,
> > Rhino <no_offlin...@example.com> wrote:
> >
> > > On 2020-04-23 2:45 AM, Adam H. Kerman wrote:
> >
> > > > I think Canada and the United States honor each other's supeonas and
> > > > arrest warrants.

> > > With some limitations. For instance, we declined for years to return an
> > > American serial killer who had fled here because he faced the death
> > > penalty in California for his crimes;
> >
> > In name only. The Canadidians should have known he'd never really be
> > executed. That would be mean or something.
>
> It's the same thing the pro child rape French use to excuse not
> extraditing Polanski.

Well, Polanski could never be given death for diddling a 13-year-old, so
I don't know what the French are smoking.

[anim8rfsk]

Thu, 23 Apr 2020 21:39:26 -0700 BTR1701<atr...@mac.com> wrote:

> In article<0001HW.2452873C01...@NEWS.EASYNEWS.COM>,

They want to say what his penalty can be before they'll release him.
The Swiss are even worse - they want to retry him themselves first.

[Robin Miller]

Then maybe I should have stayed with it. I might set the DVR to record
again.

--Robin

[suzeeq]

Try them out. The last two have been pretty good.

[anim8rfsk]

Fri, 24 Apr 2020 10:10:15 -0700 Robin Miller<robin....@invalid.invalid>

It's good for shut-ins, which we all are this week.

Something dire has to happen to his landlady though.

[RichA]

That show was a bore. Why bring it back?