 |
 |
[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 |
| | | | | | |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
 |
 |
|
[03/02/15 - 01:05 PM]
Move Over Sharks and Make Room for the First-Ever Puppy Week on Nickelodeon with "Nick Jr.'s Puppy Preschool" Kicking Off Monday, March 2
The celebration culminates with the world premiere of the live-action preschool special, "Mutt & Stuff," created by legendary children's TV producers, Sid and Marty Krofft.
|
[03/02/15 - 01:04 PM]
Video: WGN America Releases the First Haunting Trailer for Highly-Anticipated Second Season of "Salem" Returning April 5th at 10 PM ET/9C
The haunting trailer features a first look at new recurring guest stars Lucy Lawless and Stuart Townsend who have joined the series for season two.
|
[03/02/15 - 01:00 PM]
E!'s New Series "Good Work" Celebrates the Good, The Bad and the Just Plain Wrong of Hollywood's Plastic Surgery and Beauty Craze
The new one-hour, six episode pop culture roundtable series features hosts RuPaul, Dr. Terry Dubrow and Sandra Vergara as they celebrate the "good work" and the "not so good work" of Hollywood celebs.
|
[03/02/15 - 12:47 PM]
Destination America Heads to Orlando, Florida for Brand New Episode Tapings of "Impact Wrestling"
Professional wrestlers will be competing in the ring amongst some of the best known in America including Kurt Angle, Bobby Lashley, and Chris Melendez.
|
[03/02/15 - 12:13 PM]
Viewers Spellbound by "Good Witch," Hallmark Channel's Newest Primetime Original Series
The Hallmark Channel spins the numbers for Saturday, February 28.
|
[03/02/15 - 12:06 PM]
ESPN to Present Record Number of Women's Championship Week Games
The networks will combine to exclusively offer game action of 112 women's games, and will crown the champion from 21 Division I conferences.
|
[03/02/15 - 12:01 PM]
Netflix Announces Dates for Upcoming Slate
Look for a new season of "Orange Is the New Black" on June 12 as well as the premieres of "Between," "Sense8" and "Wet Hot American Summer: First Day of Camp" in the coming months.
|
[03/02/15 - 11:43 AM]
Smithsonian Channel(TM) Honors Passing of Leonard Nimoy This Week with Encore Presentations of "The Real Story: Star Trek"
The program charts Gene Roddenberry's meteoric rise to fame and extreme tactics to keep his series on the air.
|
[03/02/15 - 11:37 AM]
Robert Rodriguez to Direct Premiere Installment of El Rey Network/Miramax's "From Dusk Till Dawn: The Series"
The second season kicks off in late summer 2015 on the cable channel.
|
[03/02/15 - 11:27 AM]
Discovery Channel's Hit Series "Fast N' Loud" Makes Some Noise with All-New Episodes Monday, March 23 at 9PM ET/PT
Car fanatics Richard Rawlings, Aaron Kaufman and the entire Gas Monkey Garage crew return with new builds and new episodes.
|
[03/02/15 - 11:08 AM]
Judge Judy Sheindlin, Host of Syndication's #1 Rated Show "Judge Judy," Signs Multiyear Deal Through 2020
The new deal includes a first-look production deal with Sheindlin's company Queen Bee Productions Inc.
|
[03/02/15 - 11:08 AM]
"Cornell: Confidential" Is Live an ABC.com and the WATCH ABC App
"Cornell: Confidential" is a weekly digital series that picks up where the "Secrets and Lies" episodes leave off.
|
[03/02/15 - 11:01 AM]
Parting Is Such Sweet Sorrow... "Mob Wives" Season 5 Finale Set to Air on VH1 Wednesday, March 4 at 8:00 PM
Plus: Vivica A. Fox to host the season's two-part reunion special beginning Wednesday, March 11 at 8:00/7:00c.
|
[03/02/15 - 10:59 AM]
"Scandal" Stars Joe Morton, Kate Burton and Brian Letscher to Appear in Special Season Finale of GSN's "The Chase" Tuesday, March 10 at 8:00 P.M. ET/PT
The season four premiere on January 27 saw its highest rating ever for a premiere.
|
[03/02/15 - 10:24 AM]
Video: "The Red Road" Season 2 Official Trailer
The Jason Momoa-led drama returns Thursday, April 2 at 10:00/9:00c on SundanceTV.
|
|
|
|
