Max has renewed the comedy series Bookie for a second season and also announced new cast members joining the third installment of the HBO original The White Lotus.
Max original Bookie, from Emmy-nominated creators Chuck Lorre and Nick Bakay, stars Sebastian Maniscalco and is produced by Warner Bros. Television. The season one finale debuted on December 21, and the full first season is available to stream on Max.
“The collaboration between Chuck and Sebastian has proven to be a winning hand, and we’re looking forward to continuing the story with this incredibly talented cast and crew,” said Amy Gravitt, Executive Vice President of HBO Programming and Head of HBO & Max Comedy Series.
Executive producers Chuck Lorre (The Big Bang Theory) and Nick Bakay added: “We couldn’t be more excited that Max listened to their gut, paid the juice, and let it ride on season two of Bookie.”
“There’s no doubt that Chuck and Nick’s Bookie won big this season as they took us on a hilarious ride into the underbelly of illegal sports gambling, featuring a cast led by another dynamic duo: Sebastian Maniscalco and Omar J. Dorsey,” commented Channing Dungey, Chairman of Warner Bros. Television Group.
“I’m looking forward to watching more of their antics in season two. Congratulations to the entire cast and crew, and thanks to our partners at Max.”
The darkly funny comedy follows veteran Los Angeles bookie Danny (Maniscalco) as the potential legalization of sports gambling in California threatens to upend his business for good. Alongside best friend and former NFL player Ray (Omar J. Dorsey), side-hustling sister Lorraine (Vanessa Ferlito), and reluctantly reformed drug dealer Hector (Jorge Garcia), Danny must contend with his increasingly unstable clients as he tries to settle their debts – all while making plenty of risky bets of his own.
Full of relatable mishaps, Bookie chronicles one man’s journey to adapt to an ever-changing world as he attempts to charm and con his way to the top. Andrea Anders and Maxim Swinton also star.
Leslie Bibb, Dom Hetrakul, Jason Isaacs, Michelle Monaghan, Parker Posey, and Tayme Thapthimthong have joined the cast of the third installment of the Emmy-winning HBO Original series The White Lotus, alongside previously announced returning cast member Natasha Rothwell.
From Mike White, the series will begin production in and around Koh Samui, Phuket, and Bangkok in February and will follow a new group of guests at another White Lotus property. HBO has partnered with the Tourism Authority of Thailand to support the filming and promotion of the third installment.
“We are pleased to partner with the Tourism Authority of Thailand to execute Mike’s creative vision and showcase all that the beautiful country of Thailand has to offer as the next group of guests check in to the White Lotus,” said Janet Graham Borba, EVP of Production at HBO & Max.
Thapanee Kiatphaibool, Governor of the Tourism Authority of Thailand (TAT), added: “We are honored to have Amazing Thailand featured as the filming location for the highly anticipated upcoming season of ‘The White Lotus.’ The kingdom’s exotic natural beauty, rich historical sites, and diverse landscapes are the perfect settings to share our fascinating culture, fantastic cuisine, top-notch wellness and luxury offerings, and, most importantly, our people and Thai hospitality.
Kiatphaibool continued: “Thailand has long been considered one of the world’s favorite filming locations. ‘The White Lotus’ project will certainly strengthen the kingdom’s status as a preferred filming destination and a beacon of experience-based tourism, inspiring even more visitors to Amazing Thailand.”
The first installment, which premiered July 2021 and was set in Hawaii, received 20 Emmy nominations across 13 categories and ten wins, the most wins of any program that year, including Outstanding Limited or Anthology Series. The second installment, which premiered in December 2022, was set in Sicily and garnered 23 Emmy nominations, including Outstanding Drama Series.
Mirko Parlevliet has been reporting on the entertainment industry since 1998 and founded Vital Thrills in 2018 to cover the latest news on streaming, movies, TV, and video games.