The CW has picked up three specials to air at the end of the year, including a new “The Waltons” movie starring Bellamy Young, “This Is Us” alum Logan Shroyer and original series star Richard Thomas.
Timed to the 50th anniversary of the original movie that launched the series, “The Waltons’ Homecoming” will revisit the franchise, with Young taking up the role of Olivia Walton and Shroyer playing her 17-year-old son, John Boy. Thomas, who starred as the original John Boy, will narrate the film.
The film is set in the 1933 Depression Era and told through the eyes of John Boy. Here is the full description:
His mother expects John Boy to help her raise his sisters and brothers, and his father expects him to follow in his footsteps to help support the family, but secretly, John Boy wants to be a writer. Times are hard enough in 1933, but to make matters worse, it looked to be the Waltons’ first Christmas without John Sr. When Olivia receives a letter that John Sr. is planning to make it home for Christmas after all, the family is thrilled and races to prepare for his homecoming. But when a storm threatens his arrival on Christmas Eve, and John Sr. is nowhere to be found, Olivia sends John Boy out into the night to find his daddy – a journey that will change John Boy’s life forever.
“The Waltons” franchise was launched in 1971 with the film “The Homecoming: A Christmas Story.” The show’s success led to the “Waltons” spinoff series, which was created by Earl Hamner Jr. and ran for nine seasons on CBS. The show was followed by six spinoff films that aired on CBS and NBC.
“The Waltons’ Homecoming” is produced by Magnolia Hill Productions in association with Warner Bros. Television. Sam Haskell executive produces alongside writer and co-executive producer Jim Strain. Lev L. Spiro directs.
In addition to “The Waltons,” The CW has also picked up two animated specials from Warner Bros. Animation, “The Scooby-Doo Reunion Special” and “Beebo Saves Christmas.” All three projects are set to air in the fourth quarter of 2021.
“The Scooby-Doo Reunion Special” is a one-hour project from Warner Bros. Animation and Warner Bros. Unscripted Television in association with Warner Horizon and Abominable Pictures. Jonathan Stern is executive producer.
The film sees Scooby and the gang reunite at Warner Bros. Studios after 52 years of solving mysteries to reminisce about their favorite cases and how they were filmed. But it turns out the backlot may have its own monster problem, leading Fred, Daphne, Velma, Shaggy and Scooby-Doo to investigate a new mystery while celebrating the legacy of the franchise.
“Beebo Saves Christmas” stars Ben Diskin as the titular “fuzzy toy turned furry god.” When Sprinkles, an efficiency-obsessed elf, decides Christmas would run better without Santa Claus, Beebo and his friends travel to the North Pole to help discover what truly makes Christmas meaningful.
The special also stars Kimiko Glenn as the voice of Tweebo, Yvette Nicole Brown as the voice of Turbo, Keith Ferguson as the voice of Fleabo, Chris Kattan as the voice of Sprinkles, Ernie Hudson as the voice of Santa and Victor Garber as the narrator.
Matt Maala and Kevin Shinick are writers on the project, with Sam Register, Greg Berlanti, Sarah Schechter, David Madden, Phil Klemmer, Grainne Godfree, Marc Guggenheim and Keto Shimizu executive producing.