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!
ALERT: MISSING PERSONS UNIT (FOX) - Alisha-Marie Ahamed and Gil Bellows are both bound for the series' sophomore run. Ahamed joins the cast as Wayne Pascal: "In spite of her name, Wayne is very much female, and a master hacker serving her house arrest sentence in a dingy motel. A spitfire techie, Wayne has a heart of gold beneath an edgy exterior." And Bellows will recur as Hollis Braun: "An iron hand under a pleasant demeanor, Inspector Braun is Nikki and Jason's new boss, and as the head of the division, has every intention of keeping their antics in line." (Deadline.com, 1/12)
BEFORE (Apple TV+) - Rosie Perez will join Billy Crystal and Judith Light in the limited series as Denise, "a caring and strong-willed foster mother to Noah, one of Eli's [Crystal] patients." (Deadline.com, 1/9)
BONNIE (CBS, New!) - Sierra Teller Ornelas and Jana Schmieding are set to re-team for a potential multi-camera comedy series at the Eye "about a former backup singer who left the grind of touring fifteen years ago to live on the rez, help raise her brother's kids and live her dream of being "Cool Auntie."" Morgan Sackett, Jonathan Berry and Katie Newman will also executive produce for Universal Television. (Deadline.com, 1/11)
CLONE HIGH (REBOOT SERIES) (Max) - The revival's sophomore run will feature the following in guest roles: Jermaine Fowler as Toussaint Louverture, Paul F. Tompkins as Professor Hirsute, Stephen Root as Schneider Snorkelle, Jackee Harry as Jackee the Ripper, Hannah Simone as Lady Godiva, D'Arcy Carden as Mary, Randall Park as Frida's Adopted Dad, Jameela Jamil as Mrs. C, Renee Elise Goldsberry as Sandra Sandria and Richard Kind as Nostradamus. (Deadline.com, 1/10)
COVERS (Netflix, New!) - Lena Dunham is set to write, direct and executive produce a new drama at the streamer: "Inspired by real events, Covers poses the question, what if university life - the hard-partying, test-cramming, hookup-regretting reality of a college student - was actually a ruse for a more complex identity, one that no one would suspect - as intelligence officers working covertly for MI6? Or, to put it bluntly, spies. The heroes of Covers are clandestine officials relying on their day jobs as the 21-year-old elites of Oxford University. Taking us into the hardest to infiltrate boardrooms and bedrooms, our spies will search not only for answers, but for identity and affirmation in a job where identity switches as quickly as an outfit change from class to club." Drew Comins will also executive produce for Creative Engine Entertainment, Good Thing Going and Fifth Season. (Deadline.com, 1/10)
DEADLY WATERS (Oxygen, New!) - "Below Deck's" Captain Lee Rosbach is set to host a new true-crime series on the cable channel "which follows murders that take place in the open waters and oceans." Critical Content's Jenny Daly and Renowned Films' Max Welch, Tim Withers and Duane Jones are among the executive producers. (Deadline.com, 1/10)
DREW BARRYMORE SHOW, THE (Syndication) - The talk show is set to return for a fifth season on the CBS Stations group. (Deadline.com, 1/11)
ELFQUEST (FOX, New!) - Susan Hurwitz Arneson is spearheading a one-hour animated adaptation of Wendy and Richard Pini's famed comic series at the network, "a fantasy story about a community of elves and other fictional species who struggle to survive and coexist on a primitive Earth-like planet with two moons." Rodney Rothman and Adam Rosenberg will also executive produce alongside said trio for Modern Magic and Bento Box Entertainment. (Deadline.com, 1/11)
GOOD DOCTOR, THE (ABC) - Chuku Modu's Jared Kalu will return full time as a series regular for the show's upcoming season. (Deadline.com, 1/9)
JENNIFER HUDSON SHOW, THE (Syndication) - The talk show is a go for a third season by the Fox Television Stations and Hearst Television. "Jennifer is a rare talent, both in front of and behind the camera," added Warner Bros. Television Group Chairman and CEO Channing Dungey. "Her enthusiasm and endearing demeanor radiates from the stage and onto television screens everywhere. It's no wonder her audience continues to skyrocket. We are so proud of the entire Jennifer Hudson Show team for their amazing success, and we look forward to another year full of exciting moments, engaging conversations, and stellar guests." (Deadline.com, 1/12)
JULIA (Max) - The streamer has passed on a third season for the period drama series. "We are so honored to have partnered with Chris Keyser, Daniel Goldfarb and their masterful creative team and dynamic cast, led by Sarah Lancashire, as they cooked up Julia," the network said in a statement. "Thanks to their beautiful work over two seasons of this heartful, sensual, and inspiring show, we can forever celebrate the incredible legacy of Julia Child." (Deadline.com, 1/10)
LAW & ORDER: SVU (NBC) - David Krumholtz will guest on the upcoming season of the veteran drama series. No other details were given. (TVLine.com, 1/9)
LIZZO'S WATCH OUT FOR THE BIG GRRRLS (Amazon) - Amazon MGM Studios has signed an exclusive first-look TV and film deal with its Emmy-winning director Nneka Onuorah. (Variety.com, 1/9)
MAYOR OF KINGSTOWN (Paramount+) - Jeremy Renner took to social media with the news production has begun on the third season of the series. (@jeremyrenner, 1/10)
MIRACULOUS: TALES OF LADYBUG & CAT NOIR (Disney Channel) - Disney Branded Television has acquired seasons six and seven (of 26 half-hour episodes each) from ZAG studio and Method Animation as well as three original animated specials. (Variety.com, 1/11)
NIGHT AGENT, THE (Netflix) - Berto Colon, Louis Herthum, Arienne Mandi, Brittany Snow and Teddy Sears are all bound for the new season on the streaming service. Colon plays Solomon, "a former Marine turned right-hand man/fixer for a powerful businessman"; with Herthum as Jacob Monroe, "an international businessman with powerful global connections that he uses to obtain valuable information"; and Mandi as Noor, "a low-level aide in the Iranian mission to the United Nations in New York who is looking to leverage her access to top secret information into a better life for her and her family." Snow then will recur as Alice, "Peter's (Gabriel Basso) partner and mentor in his first assignment in Night Action"; with Sears as Warren, "a high-level intelligence officer who becomes the subject of a Night Action investigation." (Deadline.com, 1/11)
OUR FLAG MEANS DEATH (Max) - Executive producer David Jenkins took to social media with the news the streamer has canceled the comedy series after two seasons. "While Max will not be moving forward with a third season of Our Flag Means Death, we are so proud of the joyous, hilarious, and heartfelt stories that creator David Jenkins, Taika Waititi, Rhys Darby, Garrett Basch, Dan Halsted, Adam Stein, Antoine Douaihy and the entire superb cast and crew brought to life," the network said in a statement. "We also thank the dedicated fans who embraced these stories and built a gorgeous, inclusive community surrounding the show." (Deadline.com, 1/9)
SNOWFLAKES (FX, New!) - Ben Kronengold and Rebecca Shaw have scored a pilot order from the cable channel for "a twenty-something ensemble comedy following a group of codependent housemates trying to be good people, despite being neither "good" nor "people" yet." Nick Kroll, Alicia Van Couvering, Karey Dornetto and Jonathan Krisel are also among the executive producers, for FX Productions and Good at Business. (Deadline.com, 1/11)
TEN YEAR OLD TOM (Max) - Steve Dildarian took to social media to confirm the show's cancellation: "I'm sad to say that Ten-Year-Old Tom has put down his bassoon for the final time and will not be coming back for a season 3. I loved writing this show, trying to see the world through the eyes of a young kid desperately searching for good role models. And I loved making the show. The sessions with this cast were so much fun, and our crew put so much effort and passion into bringing this world to life. It would have been nice to do more, but I feel grateful that we got to do it at all. Thank you to everyone who watched and supported us along the way." (@stevedildarian, 1/12)
UNTITLED AMANDA KNOX PROJECT (Hulu, New!) - K.J. Steinberg is spearheading a limited series at the streamer "based on the true story of how [Amanda] Knox was wrongfully convicted for the murder of her roommate Meredith Kercher and her 16-year odyssey to set herself free." Knox herself will executive produce the series alongside Steinberg, Chris Robinson, Warren Littlefield, Ann Johnson, Graham Littlefield, Lisa Harrison and Monica Lewinsky for The Littlefield Company and 20th Television. (Deadline.com, 1/9)
YOUNG SHELDON (CBS) - Montana Jordan's Georgie Cooper and Emily Osment's Mandy McAllister are on track to topline a multi-camera spin-off series of the comedy, which wraps its run this season. The project, from Steve Holland, Steven Molaro and Chuck Lorre, would go straight-to-series with a 13-episode order for the 2024-25 season. No plot specifics however were given, other than speculation based on said characters' standing in wider "The Big Bang Theory" mythology. Warner Bros. Television is producing. (Deadline.com, 1/12)
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