Getty Images/Startraksphoto.comIt's Dolly Parton's world and we're all just living in it. Including NBC.
At the 2015 Winter TCA Press Tour on Friday, NBC boss Bob Greenblatt announced the network was partnering with the country music legend and movie star to produce a slate two-hour TV movies based on her songs, stories and life. "I don't know anybody in the world who doesn't love Dolly Parton," he said. "I hope we will create some uplifting movies that the entire family can enjoy together."
And she isn't the only big name coming to NBC as Eva Longoria is set to make her return to primetime TV in a scandalous new role. Plus, NBC's boss revealed what the next live musical event could be after Peter Pan Live! and sounded off on the future of several of the network's bubble shows.
Eva Longoria: The Desperate Housewives fan favorite is set to star in and produce a single-camera comedy, which received a 13-episode order, called Telenovela, which follows "the behind the scenes look at the making of a telenovela," Greenblatt revealed. So who is Longoria playing? Of course, the most delicious-sounding role: Ana Maria, "the beautiful and overly dramatic diva star of a popular telenovela," Greenblatt said.
Next Live Event: Following the success of Peter Pan Live!, Greenblatt revealed NBC is deciding between two popular musicals for next holiday season's live event: The Music Man or The Wiz!
We are looking very seriously at some casting options," he said of The Music Man before revealing, "We just optioned the rights for The Wiz. That could be what we do instead. It will either be The Music Man or The Wiz."
Chicago PD & Fire: "The odds are great that the Chicago shows will be back," Greenblatt said of Dick Wolf's popular series. "We're thrilled with both of them." As for a potential third spinoff, Chicago Med, he said, it's "something that we're seeding into the system and seeing if there is a show there that can spin off into its own self."
"It's a bit of an experiment to see how those characters come out," Jennifer Salke, NBC's president of entertainment, added. "But he's had such a great run with the crossover episodes and so it's natural that he wants to add a medical component into that. It's an organic way to see if it can sustain its own show."
Hannibal: Rest assured, the cult series is returning."Hannibal is going to be back in the summer. It's a show we love. It's been critically acclaimed by many. We love it. We also love summer," Greenblatt said. "We have a lot of good and exciting plans for summer like Aquarius and Heroes."
Constantine: While comic book adaptations seem to be all the rage on TV these days, Constantine failed to bring in the numbers NBC was hoping for. "We got on the bandwagon on comic book shows but maybe there's too many of them," he said. "It's a show we really like and we love Matt Ryan. We did right by many fans who did not like the film version of it."
And there is some hope, as Greenblatt added, "The future is still up in the air."
(E! And NBC are both part of the NBCUniversal Family.)