HBO Max released a trailer and key art for The Runaway Bunny, an animated special based on the classic children's book by Margaret Wise Brown, Deadline reported. Tracee Ellis Ross narrates and performs an original lullaby by Brown in the special, with songs also performed by Mariah Carey, Kelly Rowland, Rosanne Cash, Ziggy Marley, Kimya Dawson, Rufus Wainwright and Michael Kiwanuka. Premiering March 25, The Runaway Bunny is produced and directed by Amy Schatz (Goodnight Moon & Other Sleepytime Tales, the Classical Baby series).
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HBO has greenlighted a new project from The Wire's executive producer David Simon and producer George Pelecanos. Deadline reported that casting is already underway for a limited series based on Justin Fenton's book We Own This City: A True Story of Crime, Cops and Corruption, which Simon and Pelecanos are writing and executive producing.
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Timothy Spall (Mr. Turner, Summer of Rockets) has joined Lesley Manville to headline PBS/BritBox crime series Magpie Murders, based on the novel by Anthony Horowitz, Deadline reported. Peter Cattaneo (The Full Monty) is directing the project, which goes into production this week in England and Ireland. Magpie Murders is an Eleventh Hour Films production for Masterpiece and BritBox UK, with Sony Pictures Television distributing worldwide. It will premiere next year.