August 14, 2017 10:30am PT by Lesley Goldberg
Michael Douglas, Alan Arkin to Star in Chuck Lorre Comedy Series for Netflix
From left: Michael Douglas, Chuck Lorre, Alan Arkin
'The Kominsky Method' marks the prolific producer's second show at the streaming giant.
Netflix continues to roll out the red carpet to top showrunners and stars.
The streaming giant, fresh off announcing a game-changing deal with Shonda Rhimes, is reteaming with Chuck Lorre for comedy The Kominsky Method, with Michael Douglas and Alan Arkin attached to star. Netflix and producers Warner Bros. Television declined comment as the deals are not completely done.
Lorre is attached to pen the script, with two-time Academy Award winner Douglas playing Sandy Kominsky, an actor who years ago had a brief fling with success and is now a revered Hollywood acting coach. Arkin plays his long-suffering agent and friend, Norman. Warner Bros. Television, where the prolific producer's Chuck Lorre Productions remains under an overall deal, will executive produce the 10-episode single-camera series. Douglas also will be attached as an exec producer.
This marks the second series for Lorre at Netflix. His straight-to-series pot comedy Disjointed, starring Kathy Bates, premieres Aug. 25.
"I wrote a script and we sent it to them and they said yes," Lorre told The Hollywood Reporter of how the project came together. "I'm so excited to work with people that I've admired for 45-50 years. Streets of San Francisco is the first time I saw Michael. Alan Arkin in The Russians Are Coming, The In-Laws … I didn't expect them both to sign on. Douglas plays a guy named Sandy Kominsky, who is a Hollywood acting coach with a little class in Hollywood at one of those black-box classrooms and a lot of young students. He had a brief flirtation with fame a long, long time ago, but those days are gone."
Lorre remains one of TV's most prolific producers. In addition to Disjointed, he has broadcast's No. 1 comedy among the advertiser-coveted adults 18-49 demo in The Big Bang Theory, which is already renewed for two additional seasons, as well as critical darling Mom, both at CBS.
For Douglas, The Kominsky Method marks a return to television after ABC's The Streets of San Francisco, which was also produced by Warner Bros. Television during its five-season run between 1972-77. His big-screen credits include Oscar wins for Wall Street and One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest, as well as Fatal Attraction and Ant-Man. He next has the Marvel sequel Ant-Man and the Wasp due in summer 2018. Douglas is repped by UTA and Manatt Phelps.
Arkin, meanwhile, will mark his biggest TV role with Kominsky Method following 2002's 100 Centre Street. He won an Oscar for his supporting role in Little Miss Sunshine. His feature credits also include Argo and Million Dollar Arm. Arkin is repped by ICM Partners and Lasher Group.
Lorre, who next has Big Bang Theory prequel Young Sheldon launching in the fall on CBS, is with UTA.
For Netflix, The Kominsky Method joins a roster of comedies including Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt, Grace and Frankie, Master of None, The Ranch, One Day at a Time, Dear White People and Fuller House, among others, as the streaming giant continues its free spending. Netflix is anticipated to spend $6 billion on originals this year alone.