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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!
LIFE AS A SONG (CBS, New!) - Scout Productions ("Queer Eye") and Storyline Entertainment ("Hairspray") have booked a pilot order for a new reality series in which people who have major announcements to make or questions to ask are given the opportunity to do so via an elaborate song and dance number. The half-hour project then will chronicle the backstory behind the person doing the singing, as well as show that person learning how to sing and dance. Scout's David Metzler and David Collins and Storyline's Craig Zadan and Neil Meron are the executive producers with Evan Weinstein serving as an co-executive producer. "Footloose" writer Dean Pitchford is also expected to serve in an unspecified role.
Commitment: Ordered to pilot
Cast: TBA
Writer: TBA
Director: TBA
Executive Producers: Craig Zadan (Storyline Entertainment), David Collins (Scout Productions), David Metzler (Scout Productions), Neil Meron (Storyline Entertainment)
Co-Executive Producer: Evan Weinstein
Consultant: Dean Pitchford
Studio: TBA
OFF THE CHARTS (FOX, New!) - FOX has added a new game show pilot to its 2007-08 season roster in which contestants are challenged to recite lines from pop songs from memory. The "Name That Tune"-esque series will feature a house band that performs various songs leaving the contestant to take over once they stop playing. RDF Media is behind the project, which was created by Jeff Apploff and will be executive produced by Apploff, Greg Goldman and RDF's Chris Coelen.
Commitment: Ordered to pilot
Cast: TBA
Writer: TBA
Director: TBA
Executive Producers: Chris Coelen, Greg Goldman, Jeff Apploff
Studio: RDF Media
POWER OF 10 (CBS) - Drew Carey ("Whose Line Is It Anyway?") has signed on to host the game show pilot, which features contestants as they try to guess the results of nationwide surveys with the finalist moving on to a bonus round in which their winnings multiply by 10 for each of its five questions - up to $10 million. No other details were given.
Commitment: Ordered to pilot
Cast: Drew Carey (Host)
Writer: TBA
Director: TBA
Executive Producers: Michael Davies (Embassy Row Productions)
Studio: Sony Pictures Television
THE SURREAL LIFE (VH1) - TV Guide's purchase of the show's off-cable run on Monday (read the story) is reportedly valued at $6.7 million. Said number translates to about $50,000 an episode for each of the 135 episodes from the franchise. As for specifics, TV Guide can only air episodes once they have completed their two-year exclusive run on VH1. In other words, only "Strange Love" and seasons 1-4 of "The Surreal Life" will be available when TV Guide begins its run in July. The three-year deal also isn't exclusive as Debmar/Mercury still plans to offer the show to local stations starting this fall. VH1 however will not able to repeat any of the episodes once they begin their syndication cycle.
UNTITLED VICTOR FRESCO PROJECT (FOX) - Jana Marie Hupp ("Ed") has joined the cast of the comedy pilot, about a 10-year-old boy who tries to navigate life in his high-achieving, overstressed family with the help of his eccentric grandfather. She'll play Susan Atlin, the boy's mother, a role originated by Andrea Parker. It's understood Parker had to exit her duties due to complications with laryngitis.
Commitment: Ordered to pilot
Cast: Jana Marie Hupp (Susan Atlin), Larry Joe Campbell (Don Atlin), Macey Cruthird (Alison Atlin), Nathan Gamble (Brian Atlin), Tom Conti (Nate)
Writer: Victor Fresco
Director: Marc Buckland
Executive Producers: Victor Fresco (Garfield Grove Productions)
Studio: 20th Century Fox Television
UP ALL NIGHT (CBS) - Sarah Wright ("The Loop") is the latest addition to the comedy pilot, about a group of people who hang out at an all-night diner from midnight-6 a.m. She'll play Kris, who's detailed in the casting notice as follows: "Early 20s, any ethnicities, attractive, she is a waitress at the all-night diner. Kris was raised by a blue collar family in the college town. A young single mom, Kris works the night shift so she can spend the days with her young son. She is an unaffected, good-natured young woman, clearly happy to see Ben back in town."
Commitment: Ordered to pilot
Cast: J.D. Walsh (Matthew), John Cho (Andy), Josh Meyers (Farrelly), Leslie Grossman (Erika), Phillip C. Vaden (Ben), Sarah Wright (Kris)
Writer: Scott Silveri
Director: Andy Ackerman
Executive Producers: Scott Silveri
Studio: Warner Bros. Television
THE WIZARD (CBS, New!) - "Late Late Show" host Craig Ferguson is eyeing a return to primetime as he's set to host a potential new game show at the Eye that will use elements of improv and sketch comedy. Ferguson (and his Green Mountain West partner Tracey Pakosta) is also executive producing the half-hour alongside Renegade 83's David Garfinkle and Jay Renfroe and David Letterman's Worldwide Pants. As for specifics, the producers are keeping details about the project purposely vague. Production then is set to begin in the next few weeks.
Commitment: Ordered to pilot
Cast: Craig Ferguson (Host)
Writer: TBA
Director: TBA
Executive Producers: Craig Ferguson (Green Mountain West), David Garfinkle (Renegade 83), David Letterman (Worldwide Pants), Jay Renfroe (Renegade 83), Tracey Pakosta (Green Mountain West)
Studio: TBA
Sources: Variety, The Hollywood Reporter, Reuters
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