John Legend will join the team at WGN America’s upcoming Underground series, the network announced at its TCA presentation in Los Angeles Wednesday.
WGN America President and GM Matt Cherniss added that the Oscar winner’s production partners Get Lifted will also oversee all music aspects of the series, set to premiere next year.
“We are excited to join forces with WGN America and Sony and the talented team of writers and producers on this powerful project that we believe will inspire us all,” Legend said in a statement. “This series has a unique opportunity to speak to the passion and courage of those who risked it all as they raced to freedom. We are honored to bring our creative vision to this thrilling project.”
Underground, currently in production, follows a group of slaves on their journey to freedom through the Underground Railroad. It will mark the second phase of original content at the network that started with Salem and Manhattan.
The story of scientists and families in Los Alamos in the race for the atomic bomb, Manhattan also presented its plans for its upcoming second season at WGN America’s TCA panel.
The new season will take place over 15 months, a significantly longer time period than the first season, with one episode that jumps six months ahead, said the show’s executive producer Thomas Schlamme. Season two will also focus on the Trinity Test, which took place only months before the end of World War II, leading many to believe future seasons may center on the families dealing with the aftermath of the war. Season two of Manhattan debuts Oct. 13.
During National Geographic Channel’s time at Wednesday’s TCA presentation, the network made the big announcement that Bill Clinton will be the first guest of the new season of Neil deGrasse Tyson’s StarTalk.
“I couldn’t think of a more appropriate guest to kick off our second season,” Tyson said in a statement. “President Bill Clinton is a public figure whose impact and influence spans politics, pop culture and science — with an occasional dose of humor. That’s exactly the mission statement of StarTalk.”
The podcast-turned-TV-show also announced its next season’s debut date of Oct. 25. Susan Sarandon and Larry Wilmore will also appear on Nat Geo’s new season.
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