 |
 |
[08/05/08 - 06:52 PM]
Development Update: Tuesday, August 5
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!
ARE YOU SMARTER THAN A 5TH GRADER? (FOX) - Twentieth Television and Mark Burnett Productions are reportedly close to moving forward with a syndicated version of the successful FOX game show in the fall of 2009. The project, like NBC's "Deal or No Deal," would feature a condensed half-hour version of the parent hourlong show. Jeff Foxworthy is expected to host both the FOX and the syndicated incarnations.
CONFESSIONS OF A CONTRACTOR (CBS, New!) - Richard Murphy's upcoming book, about Henry Sullivan, a blue-collar Los Angeles contractor who oversees high-end renovations for wealthy clients, is heading to the small screen. Shawn Ryan ("The Shield") is on board to shepherd the project, which has a put pilot commitment from the network and 20th Century Fox Television. Murphy will pen and co-executive produce the pilot with Ryan supervising and serving as its executive producer via his MiddKid Productions banner. Said hour is loosely on Murphy's own experience remodeling homes in L.A. off and on for 12 years. As for specifics, the book has Henry falling for two of his female clients, who happen to be former best friends. Anonymous's Jeff Okin, Murphy's manager, and Paul Green will also receive executive producing credits.
GARY UNMARRIED (CBS) - Ed Begley Jr. ("Recount") has joined the cast of the freshman comedy, which stars Jay Mohr as a newly divorced dad. He'll take over for Larry Miller as Dr. Krandall. His character is detailed in the casting notice as follows: "50-60, Male, intelligent, educated but a bit of a pompous blowhard. Dr. Krandall is the family therapist, who has been counseling Gary and Allison during their divorce. He is now engaged to be married to Allison, and comes to Gary's house to offer his services as a therapist to help Gary process his feelings about this awkward situation. Basically a decent guy who wants to help, Dr. Krandall mediates as Gary, Vanessa and Allison vent a few grievances." Producers are also recasting Louise, the daughter of Mohr's character. Laura Marano played the role in the original pilot. No reason for the changes were given.
HARPER'S ISLAND (CBS) - "Supernatural" alum Katie Cassidy has joined the cast of the midseason drama, about a group of friends who meet on an island off the Seattle coast for a destination wedding - to terrifying results. She'll play Trish Wellington, whom the casting notice describes as: "Mid 20s, Caucasian female. The bride. Radiant, dignified, intelligent, and perfectly put-together, with her charm and lovely personality she almost seems too good to be true. The heiress to the Wellington family fortune, she has fallen in love with Henry Dunn, a local boy who used to work on her daddy's boats during the summer. Intent on having the perfect wedding, she has invited dozens of friends to spend a perfect weekend on Harper's Island. But Trish has at least two surprises in store for her." Samantha Noble originated the role in the project's initial pilot presentation. Christopher Gorham and Elaine Cassidy also star.
HYPER-CHONDRIAC (NBC, New!) - Brian Frazer's memoir, subtitled "One Man's Quest to Hurry Up and Calm Down," is being developed as a potential single-camera comedy at the network. Jason Dean Hall ("Grand Theft Auto") is on board to pen the 20th Century Fox Television-based project, with the ever-busy Ryan Murphy executive producing. Frazer's tome details his journey to resolve the stress that was causing all of his unusual ailments. The adaptation then will center on Brian, a pharmaceutical salesman who's forced to sell his wares at hospitals and, as a result, consistently thinks he's suffering from a wide range of maladies. Murphy then is on board to direct from a script by Hall, who will serve as a co-executive producer.
RISE OF THE GARGOYLE (Sci Fi, New!) - Eric Balfour ("24") is set to topline a new original movie for the cable channel about an ancient gargoyle monster whose terror is unleashed in modern-day Paris. He'll play Jack Richmond, a struggling author whose outlandish theories on pagan architecture make him the laughingstock of the academic world. Caroline Neron, Jason Salinger, Nick Mancuso and Tanya Clarke also star in the project, which is currently in production at Romania's Mediapro Studios. Muse Entertainment's Michael Prupas and RHI Entertainment's Robert Halmi Sr. are executive producing with Bill Corcoran as director, Pierre Jodoin as the director of photography and Francois Sylvestre and Andreea Stanculeanu producing.
TRIVIAL PURSUIT: AMERICA PLAYS (Syndication) - Actor/reality staple Christopher Knight has been tapped to host the upcoming game show, based on the iconic Hasbro board game. Production on the series begins this week for a September 22 launch on stations across the country, including FOX affiliates in New York, Los Angeles, Chicago, Washington, D.C. and Baltimore. Wheeler-Sussman Productions is producing the half-hour with Debmar-Mercury distributing.
UNTITLED POLITICAL THRILLER (AMC) - Jason Horwitch and Joshua Maurer's drama for the cable channel has been given the green light to produce a pilot. The untitled hour revolves around a secret society that pulls the strings on the world political stage and an analyst at a national think tank who discovers that his employers are not who they seem to be. Horwitch penned the pilot and is executive producing alongside Maurer. Production is set to begin in October.
Sources: Variety, The Hollywood Reporter, Reuters
|
|
|
 [august 2008]  |
S |
M |
T |
W |
T |
F |
S |
| | | | | |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
 |
 |
|
[12/11/25 - 10:01 AM]
Michelle Buteau's Final Season of "Survival of the thickest" Casts New Guest Stars Wanda Sykes, D.L. Hughley, Ashley Graham, Ronny Chieng, Wyatt Cenac, Jenna Lyons, Ice-T, and More
Buteau and co-creator Danielle Sanchez-Witzel will also make their directorial debuts.
|
[12/11/25 - 09:16 AM]
Paramount+ Greenlights Animated Adaptations of Acclaimed Children's Books by Mo Willems
The series orders mark the first collaborations between Paramount+ and Hidden Pigeon Company.
|
[12/11/25 - 09:02 AM]
"MonsterQuest" Returns January 2 to Investigate the World's Most Chilling Monster Encounters on The History Channel
Bigfoot, UFOs, hauntings and killer beasts on land and sea -are these myths, legends, folklore or real monsters lurking in the world around us?
|
[12/11/25 - 09:01 AM]
TLC's New Series "Suddenly Amish" Takes Six Individuals on a Dramatic and Life-Changing Journey Into Amish Culture
The series follows six non-Amish individuals on a rare journey as they leave behind their modern "English" lifestyle and step into a deeply traditional Amish community in Lancaster, Pennsylvania.
|
[12/11/25 - 09:01 AM]
"Love During Lockup" Returns to We TV with a New Season Friday, January 16, Streaming Same Day on All Reality and AMC+
The new season features six all-new couples, including the return of fan-favorite cast member, Monique.
|
[12/11/25 - 09:00 AM]
Video: Prime Video Releases "Beast Games" Season Two Trailer and Reveals Epic "Survivor" Crossover
Filmed on location in Fiji - the current home of Survivor - this "Beast Games x Survivor" crossover episode marks a first-of-its-kind relationship between two global competition phenomena.
|
[12/11/25 - 08:32 AM]
New Season of Discovery Channel's "Expedition X" Kicks Off Wednesday, January 7 at 9PM ET/PT
In the season premiere, special guest and paranormal investigator Jack Osbourne teams up with Heather Amaro in Vulture City, AZ - a former old west gold mining village that brings new meaning to the term "ghost town."
|
[12/11/25 - 08:31 AM]
Peacock Releases Premiere Date and First Look Images for Season 2 of "Ted"
All episodes of Seth MacFarlane's record-breaking live-action comedic prequel return March 5, 2026 only on Peacock.
|
[12/11/25 - 08:01 AM]
Video: Prime Video Releases Official Trailer and Key Art for Season Two of "The Night Manager"
The first three episodes will debut on Sunday, January, 11, 2026, on Prime Video, with one new episode releasing every Sunday, until the season finale on Sunday, February 1.
|
[12/11/25 - 07:01 AM]
Video: "His & Hers" - Official Trailer - Netflix
Two estranged spouses - one a cop, the other a news reporter - compete to solve a murder case in which each believes the other is a prime suspect.
|
[12/11/25 - 06:31 AM]
Video: "NFL Christmas Gameday 2025" - Kelly Clarkson - Announcement - Netflix
Unwrap an NFL doubleheader with Cowboys vs. Commanders, then Lions vs. Vikings - along with special live performances and lots of holiday cheer.
|
[12/11/25 - 06:15 AM]
Journey Through the Planet's Most Extreme Environments in National Geographic's New Series "Pole to Pole with Will Smith"
The seven-part docuseries premieres January 13 on National Geographic worldwide and streams next day on Disney+ globally and Hulu in the U.S.
|
[12/11/25 - 06:02 AM]
"Tyler Perry's Beauty in Black" Renewed for Third and Final Season Ahead of Season 2 Part 2 Debut
Season 2 Part 2 will premiere on March 19, 2026.
|
[12/11/25 - 06:01 AM]
The Second Part of "One Hundred Years of Solitude" Will Arrive in August 2026
After the armistice and signing of the treaty of Neerlandia, peace still does not reach Macondo.
|
[12/11/25 - 06:01 AM]
The Walt Disney Company and OpenAI Reach Landmark Agreement to Bring Beloved Characters from Across Disney's Brands to Sora
As part of this new, three-year licensing agreement, Sora will be able to generate short, user-prompted social videos that can be viewed and shared by fans, drawing from a set of more than 200 animated, masked and creature characters from Disney, Marvel, Pixar and Star Wars.
|
|
|
|
