[06/27/08 - 05:58 PM] Development Update: Friday, June 27 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!
DESPERATE HOUSEWIVES (ABC) - Neal McDonough ("Traveler") has joined the cast of the show's upcoming season. He'll play a new white-collar resident who may cross romantic paths with Nicolette Sheridan's character. McDonough joins fellow newcomer Gale Harold, who will recur as Ken, the mysterious man kissing Susan Meyer (Teri Hatcher) in the finale's "flash forward" reveal.
LOST (ABC) - Supervising producer Elizabeth Sarnoff has inked a two-year overall deal with producer ABC Studios. The pact covers her duties on the series until its conclusion in 2010. In addition, she'll also develop new series projects for the studio.
HILARY JONES (Showtime, New!) - Rod Lurie ("Commander-in-Chief") has set up a new drama at the pay channel about a woman who works as a vice cop in Los Angeles during the week and as a legal prostitute in Nevada during the weekend. Lurie is penning the pilot script and is attached to direct should it move forward. He'll also executive produce alongside Marc Frydman via their Battle Plan Productions banner.
PROJECT RUNWAY (Bravo) - Reality house Bunim-Murray is in talks to produce the show's first season for Lifetime, it's sixth overall. They would take over for original producers Dan Cutforth and Jane Lipsitz of Magical Elves, who inked an exclusive deal with NBC Universal last month (read the story). As previously announced, Heidi Klum, Tim Gunn, Michael Kors and Nina Garcia are all on board for the show's new incarnation on Lifetime. Bob Weinstein, Desiree Gruber, Harvey Weinstein, Heidi Klum, Jane Cha and Rich Bye also serve as executive producers.
UNTITLED KATT WILLIAMS PROJECT (Comedy Central, New!) - Katt Williams is reportedly close to inking a deal with the cable channel to produce a new stand-up special as well as a pilot for a potential sketch comedy series. The comedian is about to wrap his "It's Pimpin' Pimpin'" tour, which has generated $17 million in ticket sales. Said special then would be culled from the Washington, D.C. leg of the tour. Williams's previous special for HBO, "Pimp Chronicles Part 1," drew 3.6 million viewers back in 2006. As for the pilot, Williams will star and executive produce alongside Jeff Golenberg and Michael Green. Specifics about the show however are still being worked out.
