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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!
187 DETROIT (ABC) - D.J. Cotrona ("Windfall") is the latest addition to the drama pilot, about a top homicide division as seen through the lens of a fictional documentary crew. He'll play "John Smith," an undercover detective, in the ABC Studios-based hour, which also stars Aisha Hinds, John Michael Hill and Natalie Martinez. Jeff Nachmanoff is helming the project from a script by Jason Richman.
BREAKOUT KINGS (FOX) - Malcolm Goodwin ("Leatherheads") has scored a role on the drama pilot, about "a U.S. Marshal (Laz Alonso) who has hand-picked three criminals to help catch dangerous fugitives on the run." He'll play one of them, Sean "Shea" Daniels, a former gang-banger. Matt Olmstead and Nick Santora are behind the hour, which is set up at 20th Century Fox Television. Gavin Hood is directing.
DEFENDERS (CBS) - Jim Belushi ("According to Jim") is set to topline the drama pilot, about "two charismatic and fiery Las Vegas defense attorneys who go to the mat for their clients." He'll play Nick Mancini, one half of the duo, "who has marital troubles and loves to drink his sorrows away." Davis Guggenheim has also signed on to helm the hour from a script by Kevin Kennedy and Niels Mueller. CBS Television Studios is producing.
THE EVENT (NBC) - Zeljko Ivanek ("Damages") and Ian Anthony Dale ("Day Break") have both joined the cast of the drama pilot, about Sean (Jason Ritter), "a regular man fighting his way through the mysterious circumstances of a conspiracy to assassinate the U.S. president." Ivanek is set as Blake Sterling, the "fervid and brash" director of the CIA, with Dale as Simon Lee, a "government operative assisting Sean in thwarting the assassination attempt who might have ulterior motives." Nick Wauters is behind the hour, which is set up at Universal Media Studios.
FRESHMEN (ABC) - Taran Killam ("Scrubs") has landed a role on the comedy pilot, about "three freshmen members of Congress who live together in D.C." He'll play Adam Harris, the assistant to one of them (Sarah Chalke). Pamela Fryman is helming the 20th Century Fox Television-based half-hour from a script by Greg Malins.
GENERATION Y (ABC) - Julian Morris ("24"), Daniella Alonso ("Friday Night Lights") and Kelli Garner ("Lars and the Real Girl") are all the latest additions to the drama pilot, which "follows a group of young adults during a 10-year span in Austin." Morris will play Anders Holt, a "good-looking, preppy" rich kid; with Alonso as Brenda Serrano, "a pretty, intense, Mexican-American girl"; and Garner as Dawn Barbuso, a punk who's "voluptuous, precocious, with dyed hair." Keir O'Donnell and Michael Stahl-David also star in the ABC Studios-based hour, to be directed by Craig Gillespie from a script by Noah Hawley.
IT TAKES A VILLAGE (ABC) - Leah Remini ("The King of Queens") has booked the female lead in the comedy pilot, about "exes and their new significant others, who join forces to raise their 15-year-old boy." She'll play Karen Keener, one half of the former couple, in the half-hour, which comes from co-creators Casey Johnson and David Windsor. Remini's involvement stems from a talent holding deal the actress signed with the network back in September. ABC Studios and The Mark Gordon Company are co-producing.
MOST LIKELY TO SUCCEED (FOX) - Kaitlin Doubleday ("Cavemen") has scored a role on the comedy pilot, about "a group of friends who once were superstars in high school but now face the reality of adulthood." She's on board as Becca, a Reese Witherspoon-esque "girl-next-door beauty" who was "once voted 'most popular' but recently divorced from her cheating ex-husband." Kathryn Hahn also stars in the 20th Century Fox Television-based half-hour, which comes from creator David Walpert.
NO ORDINARY FAMILY (ABC) - Romany Malco ("Weeds") is the latest addition to the drama pilot, about an average American family that develops special abilities. He's set as George St. Cloud, the father's (Michael Chiklis) best friend and old college roommate. Autumn Reeser also stars in the hour, which was penned by co-creators Greg Berlanti and Jon Harmon Feldman. David Semel is directing for ABC Studios.
PERFECT COUPLES (NBC) - Olivia Munn ("Attack of the Show") is the first to be cast in the comedy pilot, about three couples at various stages of their relationships. She's set as Leigh, who's detailed in the script as follows: "24, very put-together. The youngest of the group, but easily the most mature. Asian-American, but the biggest Burberry-wearing, Pasadena WASP you ever met. Considers it her responsibility to mold the other couples in the successful image of Rex and herself." Jon Pollack and Scott Silveri are behind the Universal Media Studios-based half-hour, to be helmed by Andy Ackerman.
SCOUNDRELS (ABC) - Leven Rambin ("Terminator: The Sarah Connor Chronicles") is the latest to score a role on the upcoming drama, about "the matriarch (Virginia Madsen) of a family of crooks who attempts to lead her brood on an honest, hardworking path after her hubby (Neal McDonough) is sent to prison." She's set as Vanessa, "their dumb-as-nails, aspiring model daughter." Stephanie Lemelin originated a similar role in its previous incarnation, "Good Behavior." Patrick Flueger also stars in the ABC Studios-based hour, which comes from co-creators Lyn Greene and Richard Levine.
THIS LITTLE PIGGY (NBC) - Ben Koldyke ("How I Met Your Mother") is set to topline the comedy pilot, about "a family man forced to take in his two adult siblings, who have fallen on hard times." He'll play Henry Graham, said man, in the ABC Studios-based half-hour, which comes from co-creators Brian Bradley and Steven Cragg. Kevin Rahm originated the role in its previous incarnation at ABC.
UNTITLED LARRY CHARLES/ANT HINES PROJECT (CBS) - Sitcom veteran Wayne Knight has joined the cast of the pilot presentation, about "a British lowlife moving to Los Angeles to reconnect with his daughter, a teen superstar." He'll play the man's (Paul Kaye) manager/security guard. Nicollette Sheridan also stars in the Sony Pictures Television-based project, which Larry Charles is helming off a treatment by Ant Hines.
WEEDS (Showtime) - Creator Jenji Kohan has inked a two-year overall deal with the producer Lionsgate Television. The pact covers her showrunning duties on the veteran Showtime series as well as her services on the studio's Epix pilot "Tough Trade." In addition, she'll develop new series projects for the company, including an untitled musical comedy for Showtime with "Weeds" writer Stephen Falk.
WHO GETS THE PARENTS? (ABC) - Jane Kaczmarek ("Raising the Bar") and Adam Arkin ("Sons of Anarchy") are set to topline the comedy pilot, about "a couple, who, after 30 years of marriage, are getting a divorce and take on more active roles in the lives of their three adult children." They'll play Phyllis and Gene Fiddleman, said parents. He's billed as "gruff, acerbic, dreams of just being left alone" while she's detailed as "outgoing, boundaryless, the biggest critic and biggest defender of her kids." Also signing on are Andrew West ("Greek") and Derek Richardson ("Men in Tress"). They'll play two of their kids, Mitch ("super smart but lost and unmotivated") and Neil ("sensitive middle child, always caught between his wife and mother"), respectively. Joe Port and Joe Wiseman are behind the project, which is set up at ABC Studios.
Sources: Variety, The Hollywood Reporter, Reuters
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