Alessandro Nivola (pictured below) is set to co-star alongside André  Holland in Apple TV+’s The Big Cigar, a six-episode limited series that will chronicle the story of Black Panther leader Huey P. Newton’s escape to Cuba.

While the storyline sounds like a drama, Deadline notes that The Big Cigar tells the extraordinary, hilarious, almost-too-good-to-be-true story of how Newton relied on his best friend, Bert Schneider (Nivola), the Hollywood producer behind Easy Rider, to elude a nationwide manhunt and escape to Cuba while being pursued into exile by the FBI.

In other Apple TV+ News

Government Cheese: David Oyelowo is set to star in a dramedy series that is nearing a pickup order at Apple.

The show is titled “Government Cheese” and is based on the short film of the same name made by Paul Hunter. Hunter serves as co-creator on the series version with Aeysha Carr (“Brooklyn Nine-Nine,” “The Carmichael Show”).

“Government Cheese” follows Hampton Chambers (Oyelowo), a man recently released from prison who struggles to keep his criminal past at bay and win back his family, all while processing moments of divine intervention that seem to happen with increasing frequency. For more, read the exclusive story on Variety.

Maya Rudolph and Natasha Lyonne’s Animal Pictures is formalizing its relationship with Apple TV+:

The streamer has signed a first-look deal with Animal Pictures, led by president Danielle Renfew Behrens. Under the multi-year deal, Apple will get the opening shot at series and digital feature projects developed at the company.

The deal comes just a few days after Apple TV+ debuted Loot, a comedy series starring Rudolph and produced by Animal Pictures. Natasha currently stars in the Netflix series Russian Doll.

For more, read the full report from The Hollywood Reporter.

Archive: Apple TV News