 |
 |
[12/21/07 - 06:31 PM]
Development Update: Week of December 17-21
By The Futon Critic Staff (TFC) |
|
|
LOS ANGELES (thefutoncritic.com) -- The latest development news, culled from recent wire reports:
Looking to keep track of all the various projects in development? Click here to visit our signature "Devwatch" section. There visitors can view our listings by network, genre, studio and even development stage (ordered to pilot, cast-contingent, script, etc.). It's updated every day!
AMC ORIGINAL SERIES (AMC, New!) - The cable channel has added four new projects to its development slate. Said efforts will eventually result in one of two pilots the network plans to order next year. The other pilot will be based off its previously announced projects. As for the newcomers, they are: "Fort Smith," from "24's" Robert Cochran, about Isaiah Parker, who polices the Five Points - comprised of five different Indian tribes - with his posse in the lawless post-Civil War West; an untitled hour from Alison Anders and Terry Graham, about Comanche leader Quanah Parker, who fights the U.S. Army for the rights to his tribe's land; "Greenfields," from playwright Nicky Silver ("Raised in Captivity"), about a psychiatrist who breaks his patient out of jail; and "Uninvited Guest," from "Less Than Zero" screenwriter Harley Peyton and Mandalay's Peter Guber and Elizabeth Stephens, about a character who suffers from multiple personality disorder.
THE AMERICAN MALL (MTV, New!) - MTV is teaming with "High School Musical" producers Bill Borden and Barry Rosenbush for a romantic comedy/musical set at a mall in the vein of the Disney Channel sensation. Nina Dobrev and Rob Mayes will topline the project, about Ally, a high school grad/singer-songwriter (Dobrev), who battles to save her mother's music store and to keep the boy she loves (Mayes), a musically gifted young janitor who fronts a garage band. Autumn Reeser also stars as Ally's mean-girl adversary Madison, the spoiled and ruthless heiress to the owners of the mall, while Wade Allain-Marcus, Bianca Collins, Rodney To, Neil Haskell, Brooke Lyons, David Baum, Blythe Auffarth, Yassmin Alers, Bresha Webb, Neil Haskell and Al Sapienza round out the cast. Production is set to begin next month at a mall in Provo, Utah with Shawn Ku ("Pretty Dead Girl") directing. Borden is producing "Mall," which was originally set up as a feature at Columbia Pictures prior to "Musical's" release, with Rosenbush and Arata Matsushima serving as executive producers. "Mall" then will premiere this summer with a DVD release a couple of days later.
BACKYARDS & BULLETS (NBC) - The Peacock has opted not to move forward with the drama pilot, about a suburban Neighborhood Watch group gone awry. The news comes as a result of the network letting its options on the cast expire. The show's ensemble included Abigail Spencer, Billy Burke, Casey LaBow, Enuka Okuma, Jessalyn Gilsig, Kristen Lehman, Lou Diamond Phillips, Mathew St. Patrick and Richard Ruccolo. Charles McDougall directed the Sony Pictures Television/Pariah-based hour from a script by Ed Decter and John J. Strauss. Pariah's Gavin Polone and Jamie Tarses also served as executive producers.
COCO CHANEL (Lifetime, New!) - The cable channel is developing a biopic/mini-series about the famed fashion icon featuring Barbora Bobulova and Shirley MacLaine as the designer in the early and later periods of her life, respectively. Christian Duguay ("Human Trafficking") is on board to direct the Alchemy Television Group-based project, which is currently filming. Enrico Medioli ("Once Upon a Time in America") penned the script while Lux Vide SpA, Pampa Productions, Rai and France 2 are co-producing alongside Alchemy. The two-part effort, which is being done in cooperation with Chanel's estate, tracks her upbringing in an orphanage outside Paris through her move to reinvent herself in her 70s, after spending years in exile.
KAYA (MTV) - MTV development chief Tony DiSanto confirmed to The Hollywood Reporter this week the series, the network's first scripted effort in more than five years, won't be returning for a second season. "Kaya" opened its 10-episode run on Monday nights following "The Hills" before being banished to Saturday nights after failing to capitalize on said lead-in. DiSanto however was quick to note the network still plans to push forward in the scripted genre as several projects are in the works, including an untitled effort from Adam Ripp and Steven Wolfson as well as "Darius," from "Law & Order" veteran Michael S. Chernuchin.
SAINT OF CIRCUMSTANCE (FOX, New!) - "The Office" alum David Denman is set to topline a new single-camera comedy pilot for FOX about a man going through a midlife crisis who quits his dead-end office job to be a paramedic on the night shift. "Scrubs" star Zack Braff is in talks to direct the ABC Studios-based half-hour, which was created by Braff's brother, Adam ("Andrew Henry's Meadow"). Denman then will play the lead role of Wayne with the Braffs executive producing alongside Emile Levisetti. Production on the pilot is expected to begin after the WGA strikes concludes.
UNTITLED CEDRIC THE ENTERTAINER PROJECT (ABC) - ABC Studios has extended the options on the entire cast of the multi-camera comedy pilot, about a family man (Cedric the Entertainer) who always has been the proud breadwinner but has difficulty adjusting when his wife's (Regina Hall) hobby turns into a multimillion-dollar enterprise. Production on the project, which also stars Charles Malik Whitfield, Jasmine McNeal, Melissa Peterman, Peter Mackenzie and Steven Wash, Jr., was completed in October. Ken Whittingham directed from a script by co-creators Cedric the Entertainer, Michael Soccio and Rock Reuben.
WIFE SWAP (ABC) - Lifetime's purchase of the show's off-network rights from Disney-ABC Domestic Television on Tuesday (read the story) is said to be valued at $250,000 per episode. The four-year pact, which begins in October, gives the cable channel the right to play reruns of the series twice a day.
Sources: Variety, The Hollywood Reporter, Reuters
|
|
|
 [december 2007]  |
S |
M |
T |
W |
T |
F |
S |
| | | | | | |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
 |
 |
|
[02/26/25 - 09:31 AM]
Video: First Look Images and Official Teaser for Season 5 of "Law & Order: Organized Crime"
The new season will premiere April 17 on Peacock with two episodes at launch and new episodes weekly.
|
[02/26/25 - 09:30 AM]
FOX Renews Hit Medical Series "Doc" for Second Season with 22-Episode Pick-Up
The freshman series' premiere scrubbed in at over 16 million viewers, making it FOX's most watched debut in over five years.
|
[02/26/25 - 09:07 AM]
Netflix: What We Watched the Second Half of 2024
The bi-annual Engagement Report covers approximately 99% of all video watch time on Netflix.
|
[02/26/25 - 09:01 AM]
Video: Official Trailer Released for "Douglas Is Cancelled" Starring Hugh Bonneville and Karen Gillan
The series will premiere on Thursday, March 6 followed by episodes airing twice weekly.
|
[02/26/25 - 08:31 AM]
Video: "Welcome to the Family" - Official Trailer - Netflix
A struggling single mom rallies her quirky family to outsmart a mafia boss after her estranged, wealthy father dies, leaving them with his debt.
|
[02/26/25 - 08:27 AM]
ESPN Re-Signs Laura Rutledge to Multi-Year Contract; Extends Popular Host and Reporter's Tenure into Second Decade
Rutledge's presence during her new agreement will continue to include hosting the Emmy-nominated "NFL Live" year-round and see her remain on the broadcast team for marquee NFL and college football games as well as signature events, such as the NFL Draft, the Masters, SEC Kickoff and more.
|
[02/26/25 - 08:01 AM]
Video: "Havoc" - Official Teaser - Netflix
After a drug deal gone wrong, a bruised detective must fight his way through a criminal underworld to rescue a politician's estranged son, while unravelling a deep web of corruption and conspiracy that ensnares his entire city.
|
[02/26/25 - 07:00 AM]
Video: "Another Simple Favor" - Official Teaser Trailer - Prime Video
Stephanie Smothers (Anna Kendrick) and Emily Nelson (Blake Lively) reunite on the beautiful island of Capri, Italy, for Emily's extravagant wedding to a rich Italian businessman.
|
[02/26/25 - 06:31 AM]
Max to Keep Live Sports and News Within Standard and Premium Subscription Tiers at No Additional Cost to Consumers
It was originally announced that a B/R Sports Add-On would become available to Max subscribers at an additional cost.
|
[02/26/25 - 06:31 AM]
Netflix - "Gold & Greed: The Hunt for Fenn's Treasure" - Official Date, First Look, and Key Art Debut
In 2010, 80 year-old Forrest Fenn hid a fantastical treasure in the mountains north of Santa Fe.
|
[02/26/25 - 06:07 AM]
Apple Original Films Announces New Documentary Event "Bono: Stories of Surrender"
Based on his celebrated memoir, "Surrender: 40 Songs, One Story," and the accompanying book/theatre tour, the film hails from RadicalMedia and Plan B Entertainment, with award-winning filmmaker Andrew Dominik directing.
|
[02/26/25 - 06:01 AM]
"Doctor Who" Season Two Premieres April 12 Across Disney+ and the BBC
Plus: Emmy Award winner Alan Cumming will guest star in the second episode as Mr Ring-a-Ding, a happy, funny, singalong cartoon, who lives in Sunny Town with his friend Sunshine Sally.
|
[02/26/25 - 05:01 AM]
Video: "Temptation Island" - Official Trailer - Netflix
In this spicy update to the hit reality series, four couples test their relationships by shacking up with eligible singles on a tropical island.
|
[02/25/25 - 05:22 PM]
Neon Lights Up on Production: "Lucky" - A New Limited Series Coming to Apple TV+
Anya Taylor-Joy confronts a dark criminal past in an adaptation of the New York Times best-seller.
|
[02/25/25 - 02:02 PM]
Julianne Hough and Jesse Palmer Set to Host "The 97th Oscars Red Carpet Show"
This marks Jesse Palmer's inaugural year and Hough's second consecutive year hosting the official pre-show.
|
|
|
|
