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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!
ABOUT A BOY (NBC) - David Walton ("Bent") is once again back in business with the Peacock, landing the lead role on the comedy pilot, about the relationship between Will (Walton), a bachelor man-child, and Marcus, the young boy who moves in next door with his kooky single mother. Writer Jason Katims and director Jon Favreau are behind the Universal Television-based half-hour, which is based on Nick Hornby's book-turned-film of the same name. (Deadline.com)
CRAZY ONES, THE (CBS) - James Wolk ("Political Animals") has scored a role on the single-camera comedy pilot, which stars Robin Williams as Simon Roberts, "the brilliant head of the agency who is working alongside his daughter." He's set as Zach Cropper, "a confident and charming copywriter at the ad agency." 20th Century Fox Television is behind the half-hour, from writer David E. Kelley and director Jason Winer. (Deadline.com)
DELIRIUM (FOX) - Emma Roberts ("The Art of Getting By") has been tapped for the lead role on the pilot, a drama based on Lauren Oliver's novels about a world where love is deemed illegal and can be eradicated with a special procedure. She'll play Lena Holoway, "a quintessential good girl, with trusting eyes and good grades," who does the unthinkable: she falls in love just prior to her 18th birthday when said procedure is mandated by the government. Karyn Usher is behind the 20th Century Fox Television-based hour, with Peter Chernin, Katherine Pope and Paula Mazur also among the executive producers. (Deadline.com)
JACKED UP (CBS, New!) - Patrick Warburton ("Rules of Engagement") is set to star in a new comedy for the network about "a beloved, recently retired baseball player who finds that adjusting to retirement isn't as easy as he thought it'd be." The multi-camera project, which has a pilot order, comes from creator Greg Malins ("Better with You") and fellow executive producer Doug Robinson. The latter's Sony Pictures Television-based Happy Madison banner is behind the half-hour with Warburton, who's in second position to "Rules," receiving a producing credit. (Deadline.com)
MCCARTHYS, THE (CBS) - Oscar-nominee Jacki Weaver ("Silver Linings Playbook") is the latest to be cast in the comedy pilot, about an Irish-Catholic, sports-crazed Boston clan and the gay son whose greatest sin is not his sexuality but his desire to spend less time with his family. She'll play the clan's "loving, exhausted, no filter" mother, Marjorie. Writer Brian Gallivan and director Fred Savage are behind the single-camera project, which is set up at Sony Pictures Television. Jack McGee also stars. (Deadline.com)
MOTHER'S DAY (CBS) - Julie Rottenberg and Elisa Zuritsky's import of the Israeli format - about "40-year-old Ella who, in order to successfully navigate through the demanding life of being a mother of three, a lover, a friend and a career woman, constantly lies her way out of and into situations" - have been ordered to pilot by the network. CBS Television Studios is behind the single-camera project, with original creators Daniela London-Dekel and Dana Eden as well as Keshet Broadcasting's Avi Nir and Ran Telem executive producing alongside the aforementioned duo. (Deadline.com)
RAKE (FOX) - Miranda Otto ("Cashmere Mafia") and Necar Zadegan ("Emily Owens, M.D.") have both been cast in the drama pilot, about the chaotic and comedic life of criminal defense lawyer Keegan Joye (Greg Kinnear). She'll play his "very attractive and nurturing" ex-wife, Maddy, in the project, while Zadegan is set as Scarlet Meagher, an assistant District Attorney for the city of Los Angeles and an old friend of Keegan's. Peter Duncan is behind the hour, which is based on his Australian series of the same name. Sony Pictures Television-based Fedora Entertainment and Essential Media are co-producing. (Deadline.com)
UNTITLED GOOR & SCHUR PROJECT (FOX) - Stephanie Beatriz ("Modern Family") is the latest to be cast in the comedy pilot, about a diverse group of detectives in New York's 191st Precinct. She'll play Meghan, one of said group, who's "somehow simultaneously sexy and incredibly scary." Andy Samberg, Melissa Fumero and Terry Crews also star in the Universal Television-based project, from directors Chris Miller and Phil Lord and writers Dan Goor and Michael Schur. (THR.com)
UNTITLED TAD QUILL PROJECT (CBS) - Tad Quill's multi-camera comedy - about Jack, a recently widowed father, who raises his 12-year-old son, Sebastian, while jumping back into the dating pool - has found a second life at the Eye. Originally ordered to pilot in January of 2010, said effort was shelved due to difficulties in casting the leads. CBS has subsequently revived the CBS Television Studios-based half-hour, giving it a new green light. (Deadline.com)
ZOMBIELAND (Amazon) - Newcomers Tyler Ross and Izabela Vidovic have booked two of the principal roles on the comedy pilot, a small screen continuation of screenwriters Rhett Reese and Paul Wernick's 2009 movie about four humans who band together to survive the zombie apocalypse. They'll play Columbus and Little Rock, originally played by Jesse Eisenberg and Abigail Breslin. Sony Pictures Television and Amazon Studios are behind the single-camera project with Gavin Polone also among the executive producers. (Deadline.com)
AND IN OTHER NEWS... - BBC Three has announced the current fifth season of "Being Human" will be its last (BBC.com); Pamela Fryman will helm the pilots to multi-camera comedies "Mom" at CBS and "Divorce: A Love Story" at ABC while Larry Charles will direct ABC's "Mixology" with Alex Hardcastle on ABC's "Spy," Michael Fresco on CBS's "Super Clyde" and Ben Taylor on ABC's "Bad Management" (Deadline.com); Cedric the Entertainer has closed a three-year deal to replace Meredith Vieira as host the syndicated game show "Who Wants to Be a Millionaire" (Deadline.com);
Frances Conroy is the latest "American Horror Story" alum set to return for the show's third season (@MrRPMurphy); CBS has concluded contract negotiations with "The Good Wife's" Josh Charles, who's now locked in through season five, while John Noble will drop by as "a client from Alicia's (Julianna Marguiles) past" (TVLine.com, TheLoop.ca); and "Breaking Bad" creator Vince Gilligan will write and direct the show's final episode (THR.com).
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