 |
 |
[03/11/08 - 05:37 PM]
Development Update: March 10-11
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!
DRIVING AROUND WITH JONI (HBO, New!) - Jhoni Marchinko ("Men in Trees") has scored a pilot commitment from the pay channel for a new comedy about an eccentric, successful 40-year-old widow who spends her days driving around Los Angeles with her French bulldog, looking for meaning in her life after the sudden death of her husband. The project was originally set up at Warner Bros. Television where Marchinko had an overall deal prior to its termination during the WGA strike. Marchinko then will pen and executive produce "Joni" while Warner Bros. will still retain a piece of the show but not be creatively involved.
ELEVENTH HOUR (CBS) - Marley Shelton ("Grindhouse") has been tapped as the female lead in the Jerry Bruckheimer-produced drama pilot, about Jacob Hood (Rufus Sewell), a special science adviser to the government who - with his feisty female bodyguard Rachel Young (Shelton) in tow - saves people from the worst abuses of science. Ashley Jensen originated Shelton's role in the U.K. version. Danny Cannon is directing the hour from a script by Mick Davis with the pair executive producing alongside Bruckheimer and Jonathan Littman for Granada International and Warner Bros. Television.
HARPER'S ISLAND (CBS, New!) - Feature writer Ari Schlossberg ("Hide and Seek") has booked a pilot presentation order from the Eye and CBS Paramount Network Television for a new horror-themed drama that unfolds during the course of a season as a group of friends meet on an island off the Seattle coast for a destination wedding. "Jericho's" Jon Turteltaub is on board to direct and executive produce alongside his Junction Entertainment partners Karim Zreik and Dan Shotz. The latter pair then will serve as co-executive producers, as will Schlossberg.
MY BEST FRIEND'S GIRL (CBS) - Josh Cooke ("Big Day") is set to star opposite Tim Peper in the multi-camera comedy pilot, about two best friends who own a bike shop and whose relationship becomes complicated when one (Peper) starts dating the ex-wife of the other (Cooke). Mike Sikowitz is behind the half-hour, which is set up at Sony Pictures Television.
THE SAINT (New!) - Barry Levinson, Tom Fontana, Jorge Zamacona, Bill Macdonald, Roger Moore and Geoffrey Moore are set to team to produce an independently financed two-hour TV movie/backdoor pilot based on Leslie Charteris's famed novels about debonair international thief Simon Templar. Zamacona and Macdonald previously set up the project at TNT last season (read the story) but it didn't move forward. The rights subsequently reverted back to them, after which Fontana and Levinson came aboard. Nehst Studios is behind the project while James Purefoy ("Rome") in talks to topline. Production then is set to begin next month with filming in Budapest, Hungary, New York and Puerto Rico. Since the 1997 feature starring Val Kilmer, both UPN (director John McTiernan and producer ATG in 2000) and ABC (writer Stephen Nathan and producer FremantleMedia North America in 2004) have taken stabs at developing a new small screen take.
UNTITLED NICK LACHEY PROJECT (MTV, New!) - Nick Lachey is developing a "Fame"-esque reality series set at his alma mater, the School for Creative and Performing Arts in Cincinnati. The untitled project then would track its students, blending their performances with a narrative about what takes place in the school. Marc Platt and Russell Heldt are executive producing alongside Lachey.
WORST WEEK (CBS) - Erinn Hayes ("The Winner") has landed the female lead in the comedy pilot, about a guy named Sam (Kyle Bornheimer) and his rocky relationship with the parents of his fiancee (Hayes) during a family holiday. Her character, Melanie "Mel" Cook, is further detailed in the casting notice as follows: "30. Sam's fiancee. She's a beautiful, warm woman who is unaffectedly striking, even when she's not wearing any make-up. Currently in her first trimester of pregnancy, Mel is throwing up on a regular basis and just trying to soldier on until she's feeling better. Very attached to Sam, she's hoping that his visit for Dick's birthday will sweeten up her parents and set the stage for their announcement of Mel's pregnancy and engagement. However, Sam's surreal string of blunders, gaffes and boneheaded misfortunes make it very hard for Mel to convince her folks that Sam is indeed Mr. Right." Jay Malone also stars in the half-hour, which comes from Universal Media Studios and executive producers Jimmy Mulville, Marc Buckland and Matt Tarses.
Sources: Variety, The Hollywood Reporter, Reuters
|
|
|
 [march 2008]  |
S |
M |
T |
W |
T |
F |
S |
| | | | | | |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
 |
 |
|
[09/01/26 - 04:00 PM]
2026 Little League Baseball World Series Delivered Largest Audience Since 2015
The Championship Game between Curaçao and Henderson, Nevada, averaged 2.9M viewers on ABC, up 21% year over year.
|
[09/01/26 - 03:16 PM]
FOX IndyCar Continues Viewership Momentum
950,000 viewers watched Arrow McLaren driver Pato O'Ward deliver the first of two victories from the Milwaukee Mile Sunday on FOX.
|
[09/01/26 - 03:01 PM]
FOX Saturday Baseball Is No. 1 Among All Networks
3,161,000 viewers tuned-in for a two-game slate highlighted by the Yankees' 9-2 win over the Red Sox in most of the country.
|
[09/01/26 - 02:55 PM]
Video: "Arena Access with Mariah Rose" - Official Trailer - Tubi Presents
Sports creator Mariah Rose takes viewers inside the arenas of major sporting events, exploring the culture, food, and community that define each city.
|
[09/01/26 - 02:54 PM]
ESPN Delivers Top Games in College Football's Week 0
4.9 million viewers tuned into the North Carolina Tar Heels defeat the TCU Horned Frogs in Dublin, Ireland.
|
[09/01/26 - 02:28 PM]
Players Era Volleyball Showcase Serves Second Most-Watched Volleyball Telecast Ever on FOX
1,040,000 viewers watched Nebraska beat Texas Sunday afternoon on FOX.
|
[09/01/26 - 01:31 PM]
A Fang-Tastic Halloween Treat Awaits: "Vampirina: Teenage Vampire" Returns for a Second Season, Premiering Oct. 6 on Disney Channel and Next Day on Disney+
Jodie Sweetin and Ava Jean join as recurring guest stars for the sophomore season, with Hollywood Records artist Hudson Stone set to guest star, alongside Kim Coles returning as Dean Merriweather.
|
[09/01/26 - 12:01 PM]
Tubi Announces New Original Short-Form Horror Anthology Series "Bite Size Terror" Coming This Fall
From executive producer Peter Rice and GJMD Studio, the series brings a fresh take on the short-form horror format to Tubi previously explored in Hulu's "Bite Size Halloween."
|
[09/01/26 - 12:00 PM]
CBS Announces "CBS Fall First Look" Special and Unveils Premiere Episode Storylines for the New Television Season
The special gives viewers an early taste of the stories, characters and moments that bring audiences together and is available Thursday, September 10.
|
[09/01/26 - 11:01 AM]
Paramount+ and Pluto TV Celebrate the 50th Anniversary of "Rocky" with Entire Collection of Films Now Streaming
The film franchise has been nominated for 12 Academy Awards, with the eponymous original movie winning three for Best Picture, Best Director and Best Film Editing, in addition to grossing almost $2 billion dollars at box offices worldwide.
|
[09/01/26 - 10:18 AM]
Food Network Picks Up a Third Season of "Harry Potter: Wizards of Baking"
In its sophomore season, the series notched year over year Prime ratings gains of 4% for Adults 25-54 and 15% for Adults 25-34 and reached more than 10 million total cross-platform viewers across linear, HBO Max and discovery+.
|
[09/01/26 - 10:10 AM]
Video: Meet the 100 Champions Competing on Season 6 of "The Floor" Hosted by Rob Lowe
Don't miss the special advance season premiere airing Sunday, September 13 immediately following the FOX NFL Doubleheader and "The OT" and its time period premiere airing Wednesday, September 23 on FOX and next day Hulu.
|
[09/01/26 - 10:01 AM]
Video: "NCIS" Season 24 - Official Full Length Trailer
The series returns Tuesday, October 6 on CBS.
|
[09/01/26 - 10:00 AM]
Stallone Reigns Supreme - "Tulsa King" Season Four Premieres October 16 on Paramount+
In season four, Dwight (Sylvester Stallone) fights to legitimize his empire and protect his crew as corrupt politicians, dangerous new enemies, and a crushing personal loss hit from every direction.
|
[09/01/26 - 09:02 AM]
Listen Up: Netflix Renews Initial Podcast Lineup; Announces Originals from Katt Williams, Harlan Coben and More
Netflix has more than 60 podcasts now available, with its catalog continuing to grow.
|
|
|
|
