5 Takeaways From Fox Press Day: Fox Plans Cookie-Centric ‘Empire’ Spinoff, ‘Prison Break’ Reboot

Fox wrapped up its sessions at the Television Critics Association summer press tour Thursday, ushering in a plethora of “Empire” news, the first footage from the “X-Files” reboot and the birth of a bromance between “The Grinder” star Rob Lowe and “Grandfathered’s” John Stamos.

The network also showed off new fall series “Rosewood,” “Minority Report” and “Scream Queens,” and offered up new network bosses Gary Newman and Dana Walden to field questions from the press.

TheWrap looks at the best that Fox had to offer.

Also Read: TheWrap's TV Stars and Showrunners Exclusive Portraits (Updating Photos)

1. More Cookie Lyon is on the way
“Empire” has been such a massive hit for Fox that discussions about possible spinoffs are inevitable. It turns out, creator Lee Daniels has had more than a passing thought on the matter. He’s thinking up a prequel series featuring Taraji P. Henson’s fan-favorite character, Cookie Lyon.

Also Read: 'Empire' Creator Lee Daniels' 'Star' Will Focus on White Woman 'Thrust Into a World of Blackness'

2. “Scream Queens” is more real than one might think
Ryan Murphy’s fantastical horror comedy “Scream Queens” is a satire full of exaggerated characters and larger-than-life situations, but Murphy and his cast revealed just how grounded in reality the show can be. Emma Roberts’ character is inspired by a real person, and the show’s feminist undertones reflect the current environment young women are growing up in, according to the panelists.

Also Read: 'Empire' Creator Lee Daniels Shuts Down Real-Life Cookie Lyon Lawsuit: 'Bye Felicia'

3. Wentworth Miller and Dominic Purcell return to “Prison Break”
Wentworth Miller’s character may have died in a TV movie wrapping up Fox’s original “Prison Break” series, but that won’t stop him from returning to the sequel series, which ignores that coda and picks up from the end of the show’s fourth season, Fox execs revealed.

Also Read: Lorraine Toussaint Says She's 'Happier' to Be on 'Rosewood' Than 'Forever'

4. Fox Bosses Talk Past, Present, Future
TheWrap spoke with Fox TV and 20th Century studio bosses Dana Walden and Gary Newman about their first year on the network side, how they plan to pull themselves out of a fourth-place ratings rut, and what the big plans are for their struggling reality slate. They have one massive returning hit in “Empire” that they can count on for Wednesday nights. Unfortunately, broadcast TV’s biggest hit wasn’t honored with a Best Drama Emmy nomination, which Newman called “a little bit of an odd result.”

Also Read: 'Minority Report' Star Meagan Good on 'Incredible Year' for Diversity

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5. John Stamos Heckles Rob Lowe
Rob Lowe was simply minding his own beautiful business on stage promoting new Fox sitcom “The Grinder” when he was heckled by an unlikely audience member: “Grandfathered” star John Stamos.

Here’s how it went down: Lowe was asked about being super good-looking, much like his new Tuesday night counterpart Stamos, and whether the two middle-aged studs knew each other well and joked about their similarities.

“As a founding member of Jimmy Kimmel’s Handsome Men’s Club, Stamos has been up for membership,” Lowe gamely quipped. “So far the board hasn’t voted him in. Sting is really lobbying hard for him. David Beckham has blackballed him every time he’s gotten close.”

As Lowe continued, Stamos – whose own TCA panel was up next – shouted from the back of the room, “Rob tell the truth! We’ve dated for years!” drawing laughs from the press.