The 20 A-list stars making TV and streaming splashes

Sam Esmail ("Mr. Robot") is so hot right now that he was able to get Julia Roberts to star in a television series. 2018 is a wild time for television, indeed. Based on the podcast of the same name, “A caseworker [Roberts] at a facility that helps soldiers transition back to civilian life leaves to start a new life, living with her mother and working as a small-town waitress.” Also, if you’re one of those people who thought Julia Roberts and Dermot Mulroney should’ve ended up together in "My Best Friend’s Wedding" — mostly because Cameron Diaz’s character deserved better — you’ll be happy to hear they play a couple here.

Roberts also (maybe still) has HBO waiting in the wings for her (maybe) still-in-development series based on the novel "Today Will Be Different, ' which was technically supposed to be her first foray into television as a lead but hasn’t featured much traction since 2017. 

She’s already got "Big Little Lies" on HBO too, but more on that in a bit. We are in a Reese Witherspoon renaissance, and honestly, it’s about time. This show doesn’t even have a title yet — but Untitled Reese Witherspoon/Jennifer Aniston Morning Show Drama would be a bold permanent title — and it’s already one of the most anticipated upcoming series for a streaming service that doesn’t even really exist.

Remember when Reese Witherspoon played one of Jennifer Aniston’s very shallow sisters on "Friends?" Well, instead of doing Bob Greenblatt a solid and convincing Jen to do more Friends — you know he’s got to be pushing for more "Friends" — Reese convinced Jen to join her in this whole daytime talk show drama endeavor. See? Everyone thrives in the Reese Renaissance.

The most recent casting news for this magical Reese Witherspoon/Jennifer Aniston series is that of Steve Carell. (By the way, Gugu Mbatha-Raw and Billy Crudup are also part of the cast. The ReeseAissance!) “Carell will play Mitch Kessler, a morning show anchor who is struggling to maintain relevance in a changing media landscape.”

Reese Witherspoon must be some kind of a gateway drug, as she joins the cast of "Big Little Lies" for Season 2. (Actually, Meryl Streep was on three episodes of Lisa Kudrow’s "Web Therapy," so she’s definitely not opposed to TV on web TV.) Streep will be playing Mary Louise Wright, mother to Alexander Skarsgård’s biggest (yet not-so-much littlest) liar character Perry. And apparently, Reese throws ice cream at her? It’s really time to add “ReeseAissance” to our internet dictionaries.

Like Aniston and Carrell, Ali originally came from television — although "The 4400" stardom is a little different from Must See TV stardom — and now he’s returning home. Though, I suppose now’s as good a time as any to say “It’s not TV, it’s HBO.” (Actually, does HBO even say that anymore?) Ali stars in the third season of "True Detective," and hopefully it’s better than Season 2. That’s really the only bar to clear. (Mamie Gummer is also part of this season, so the Streep clan is about to be thriving on HBO.)

This feels like it was announced ages ago — the rumors began in January — but come "The Crown," Season 3, Helena Bonham Carter will be the new, older Princess Margaret (replacing Vanessa Kirby).

Yes, he already did a season of "True Detective," but as mentioned earlier, let us move on from that. Instead, let’s focus on another Farrell collaboration with director Yorgos Lanthimos ("The Lobster," "The Killing of a Sacred Deer"), this time in television form. And this time, with Farrell playing Oliver North during the Iran-Contra affair. This was actually announced back in 2017 (which was the last time there was any news), so who knows what the deal is with this anymore.

Imagine the Coors Light “TWINS” commercial — and show your age if you’re able to do that without Googling — but with Mark Ruffalo. Based on the best-selling book of the same name and written and directed by Derek Cianfrance, "the family saga follows the parallel lives of identical twin brothers Dominick and Thomas Birdsey, both played by Ruffalo, in an epic story of betrayal, sacrifice and forgiveness set against the backdrop of 20th-century America." Filming begins in 2019.

“After seeing her "late husband on the news, [Beckinsale’s character] is pulled back to face the world and will stop at nothing until she gets the truth about her past.” You might be disappointed this isn’t a part of a "Serendipity" extended universe, but honestly? You can pretend it is. (This is most likely the first and only time anyone will think of this series premise and say, “I should mention the Beckinsale/Cusack movie 'Serendipity.'”)

Remember that 2015 story about the two convicted murderers who escaped prison with the help of a female prison employee they’d seduced? Well, now it’s an eight-episode limited series for Showtime, with Del Toro as one of the two escapees. Paul Dano plays the other, and Patricia Arquette plays the prison employee. And executive producer Ben Stiller is directing. Might as well back up the awards truck already.

This Chuck Lorre-created series stars both Michael Douglas and Alan Arkin. “Aging actor Sandy Kominsky [Douglas] and his agent [Arkin] navigate their later years in Los Angeles, a city that values youth and beauty.”

CZJ is doing TV too, in a 10-episode dark comedy — half-hour episodes, because Catherine Zeta-Jones understands television. She was recently on FX’s "Feud" series (as Olivia de Havilland), but that didn’t require her to do a Southern accent. Set in Tulsa, Oklahoma, “It revolves around Vicki Ellis (Zeta-Jones), the most renowned and ruthless pageant coach in the state, and the hapless Samantha Stone, who hopes Vicki can mold her into a worthwhile contender for the title of Miss America.”

Clooney is back on TV for a Hulu miniseries (six episodes) based on the novel "Catch-22." "Clooney will play Colonel Cathcart in the series, an army commander during World War II who is eager to climb the ranks at any expense." Clooney in a period piece? Maybe TV and movies aren't so different after all.

International treasure Emma Thompson is coming to TV (yes, it’s HBO, but also it’s a joint-BBC production) for Russel T. Davies’ follow-up to "A Very English Scandal." “Years & Years begins in 2019 with Britain rocked by unstable political, economic and technological changes. It will follow members of the Lyons family as their lives converge on one night, and then over the next 15 years, as the twists and turns of everyday life are explored and viewers find out what, if any, effect the clan had on the world.” How vague — can’t wait.

Remember in the ‘80s and ‘90s when Arnold Schwarzenegger would just play some kind of all-American character, despite an accent that would argue otherwise? It looks like we’re back in that sweet spot, as Amazon currently has an Arnold Western miniseries in development. Actually, according to Deadline, we’re in a sweet spot where an Arnold joint finally creates a backstory for Arnold on that front: "It tells the dark and dangerous tale of a deputy who is not only tasked by a notoriously brutal judge with apprehending a legendary outlaw in the wilderness — but must also partner with a ruthless Federal Marshal to make sure justice is properly served. ... Austrian-born Schwarzenegger would play the Federal Marshal who immigrated to the U.S. from Europe as a child."

Diane Lane is part of the sixth and final season of "House of Cards," which is honestly now enough reason to wish it wasn’t the final season of "House of Cards."

Despite all the drama behind the scenes — and it’s a lot — it’s still easy to be hyped for Jennifer Connelly as the lead in the "Snowpiercer" TV adaptation, because here’s a fun fact: Jennifer Connelly is awesome. And as a whole, there’s simply not enough Jennifer Connelly in any form of entertainment, so bring it on, "Snowpiercer."

“Carnival Row" is a fantasy-noir set in a neo-Victorian city. Mythical creatures fleeing their war-torn homeland have gathered in the city, and tensions are simmering between citizens and the growing immigrant population. The investigation of a string of unsolved murders begins to eat away at whatever peace still exists. … Delevingne will play Vignette Stonemoss, a faerish refugee who flees homeland to come to the Burgue.” Oh, OK. Seriously, there’s a lot going on in this description — Delevingne is definitely coming in hot with her first TV regular role.

“In Carnival Row, Bloom will be playing Rycroft Philostrate, a police inspector who is investigating the unsolved murders in the show.” Look at that name: “Rycroft Philostrate.” That name’s a whole show right there. But "Carnival Row" specifically has an eight-episode order for its first (and hopefully not last) season. Also, surprisingly, it’s not based on a novel.