Disney+ to Dish Up Black Cake

Disney+ will premiere Black Cake, a family drama with a murder mystery twist, on November 1.

The six-episode adaptation of Charmaine Wilkerson’s novel spans decades and destinations, from Scotland, England and Italy to Jamaica and Southern California. Reads the blurb:

In the late 1960s, a runaway bride named Covey disappears into the surf off the coast of Jamaica and is feared drowned or a fugitive on the run for her husband’s murder. In present day California, a widow named Eleanor Bennett, loses her battle with cancer, leaving her two estranged children, Byron and Benny, a flash drive that holds previously untold stories of her journey from the Caribbean to America. These stories, narrated by Eleanor, shock her children and challenge everything they thought they knew about their family’s origin.

Mia Isaac, Adrienne Warren, Chipo Chung, Ashley Thomas, Lashay Anderson, Faith Alabi and Glynn Turman star.

Quiz Lady (November 3) is billed as “a hilarious and heartfelt comedy” about a dysfunctional family and the game show which just might be the key to their salvation. Reads the blurb:

A brilliant but tightly wound, gameshow-obsessed young woman, Anne (Awkwafina), and her estranged, train-wreck of a sister Jenny (Sandra Oh), must work together to help cover their mother’s gambling debts. When Anne’s beloved dog is kidnapped, they set out on a wild, cross-country trek to get the cash the only way they know how: by turning Anne into a bona-fide gameshow champion.

The movie, which also stars Jason Schwartzman, Holland Taylor, Tony Hale, and Will Ferrell, is directed by Jessica Yu.

Modern Family’s Eric Stonestreet joins season two of The Santa Clauses, also is due in November.

He plays Magnus Antas, aka “The Mad Santa”, a rowdy and mercurial 14th-century ruler who challenges Scott (Tim Allen) Calvin’s family business empire when he returns to reclaim the North Pole.

S1 of The Santa Clauses was a top five most-watched original series on Disney+ by hour streamed during its streaming campaign (November 3-December 31).

And new on October 13 is Goosebumps, a chilling new series inspired by R.L. Stine’s best sellers. Reads the blurb:

Plunging viewers into a world of mystery and suspense, the new Goosebumps series follows a group of five high schoolers as they embark on a shadowy and twisted journey to investigate the tragic passing three decades earlier of a teen named Harold Biddle — while also unearthing dark secrets from their parents’ past.

“R.L. Stine’s Goosebumps franchise is a pop culture phenomenon that holds a special place in the hearts of people of all ages,” said Ayo Davis, president, Disney Branded Television.

“We are delighted to bring this spooky new series to audiences everywhere in a big way on Disney+, which we hope will not only captivate new audiences with its elevated thrills and chills, but also lifelong fans nostalgic for the stories that are a staple of their generation.”