WIRE Buzz: Netflix nabs new series from Adventure Time creator; The Vampire Chronicles exits Hulu; more

Netflix has announced a new adult animated series from Pendleton Ward, the creator of Adventure Time, and comedian Duncan Trussell. The streaming services ordered eight episodes of the series called The Midnight Gospel. As Deadline reports, the same animation studio behind Netflix's hit series Big Mouth will also spearhead the new series slated to come out in 2020. 

The new series will reportedly focus on an enigmatic character named Clancy, a spacecaster with a multifunctioning multiverse simulator, who interviews beings from dying worlds. Naturally. It will also use clips from Trussell's popular comedy podcast Duncan Trussell Family Hour, which has more than 350 episodes under its belt.

Ward is perhaps known best for his Emmy Award-winning series Adventure Time on the Cartoon Network. The show's 10-season run followed the travels of 12-year-old Finn as he battles evil in the Land of Ooo along with his magical dog, Jake. It was also recently announced that Adventure Time will have a limited series at HBO. Both Ward and Trussell will serve as co-creators and executive producers of The Midnight Gospel.

The planned Hulu series based on Anne Rice's popular novel The Vampire Chronicles is in search of a new home, according to Variety. Rice is now shopping the series as a major TV package to other interested parties. Why the planned Hulu series is no longer moving forward is not yet known.

Per Variety, Rice and her team are seeking "around $30 to $40 million, in addition to a $2.5 million buyout of Warner Bros.’ rights." It is rumored that Paramount is among four other bidders for the packaged show.

The production was meant to be a joint venture with Paramount Television and Anonymous Content, who optioned the rights to the books last spring. Rice was slated to be the executive producer of the Hulu project, with her son, Christopher Rice, writing some episodes — as was previously teased on social media...

The Rices will continue to be heavily involved in the process of bringing the beloved series to life.

The Vampire Chronicles chronicles the life of Lestat de Lioncourt, a Frenchman-turned-vampire during the late 1700s. The first book in the series, 1976's Interview With the Vampire, was adapted into a star-studded Hollywood film in 1994. Rice's 13th book in the series, Blood Communion: A Tale of Prince Lestat, was released in October 2018.

It's a big day for the streaming service Netflix (and for chronicle IPs, apparently). Actor Tyrese Gibson (Fast and Furious) has joined the cast of The Christmas Chronicles 2, which also includes Kurt Russell (Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2) returning as Santa Claus. The first film was a surprise holiday hit for the streaming service.

The first film saw two siblings, Kate and Teddy Pierce (Darby Camp and Judah Lewis), teaming up in a scheme to capture Santa Claus on Christmas Eve. Of course, with Kurt Russell as the no-nonsense real Santa Claus, the plan to kidnap Ol' St. Nick doesn't exactly go off without a hitch. When the siblings cause Santa's sleigh to crash, the three have to find a way to work together to save Christmas. 

Gibson will play the boyfriend of Darby's mother, played by Kimberly Williams-Paisley. Williams-Paisley joins returning cast members Judah Lewis and Goldie Hawn (as Mrs. Claus). The second film will pick off with Kate, now a teenager, unexpectedly reunited with Santa. A new threat emerges for Kate, Santa, and in fact all of Christmas when a magical being named Belsnickel threatens to destroy Christmas forever.

The film's first producer, Chris Columbus (Home Alone) is co-writing the sequel along with director Matt Lieberman (The Addams Family). The Hollywood Reporter reports The Christmas Chronicles 2 is currently in production and is aiming for a 2020 holiday release.