Friday round-up: Latest news, deals & hires

Maigret extends run with Masterpiece 

PBS drama strand Masterpiece has extended Playground’s drama Maigret into a second season.

The contemporary adaptation of Georges Simenon’s novels about the French detective started filming this month in Budapest, with Benjamin Wainwright (Belgravia: The Next Chapter) reprising the titular role.

Simenon’s Maigret novels The Hanged Man of Saint-Pholien, Maigret’s Revolver, and The Yellow Dog form the basis for the second run.

Patrick Harbinson (Homeland) returns as showrunner, director and executive producer for Windhover Films. Executive producers for Playground are Colin Callender and David Stern (Signora Volpe).

Law & Order: Organized Crime to end

NBCUniversal has axed Law & Order: Organized Crime after five seasons.

The show starred Christopher Meloni’s Elliot Stabler character as he reprised his role from the franchise’s SVU series.

It was produced by NBCU sibling Universal Television and Wolf Entertainment and had initially bowed on NBC before its most recent fifth run streamed on Peacock.

Ellison reaffirms theatrical and SVOD window plans 

Paramount chief exec David Ellison has moved to allay concerns over the studio’s proposed merger with Warner Bros Discovery by telling CinemaCon attendees that he was fully committed to the theatrical model.

“I wanted to look every single one of you in the eye and say that once we combine with Warner Bros we’re going to make a minimum of 30 films across both studios,” the chief exec told the Dolby Colosseum audience at Caesars Palace.

He added that “every film” will receive a full theatrical release with a minimum 45-day window, going to SVoD in 90 days. “You can count on our complete commitment,” he continued.

Job losses, concerns over windowing and doubts that the combined studio will manage to sustain 30 releases a year have been among regular issues raised following news of the deal, which is moving through regulatory phase.

All American special ordered by The CW 

The CW Network has ordered a special to mark the eighth and final season of drama All American, which will premiere with a two-hour special on Monday, 13 July.

Prior to that, The CW will air an hour-long “celebration of the series” with All American: The Final Season Special on 22 June, exploring key events and cultural impacts of the American football-focused series.

The show has run to almost 150 episodes and is described as “a coming-of-age story about identity, ambition, and staying true to your roots.” Warner Bros. Television and CBS Studios produce in association with Berlanti Productions.