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[12/10/09 - 06:13 PM]
Development Update: Thursday, December 10
By The Futon Critic Staff (TFC) |
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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!
AMERICA: THE STORY OF US (History) - Meryl Streep, Michael Douglas, Colin Powell, Brian Williams, Buzz Aldrin, Tommy Franks, Donald Trump, John Lasseter and Stevie Wonder have all been tapped to participate in the upcoming 12-part event, which will "focus on the elements that distinguish American democracy, the conflicts that shaped it and the myriad social and industrial innovations that have fueled the country's prosperity." Said talent will serve as on-camera commentators with Jane Root executive producing via her Nutopia production banner. "America" is due sometime in 2010.
DELTA BLUES (TNT) - Alfre Woodard ("Three Rivers") has joined the cast of the drama pilot, about Dwight Hendricks (Jason Lee), "a Memphis police officer who lives with his mother (Celia Weston) and moonlights as a tribute artist." She'll play "the formidable new lieutenant who tries to exercise her power over Dwight," a role presumably in second position to the hiatused "Rivers." Warner Horizon Television and Smokehouse Productions are behind the hour, which also stars Abraham Benrubi, DJ Qualls, Leonard Howz, Robyn Lively and Sam Hennings. Clark Johnson is directing from a script by Joshua Harto and Liz Garcia.
FLIGHT OF THE CONCHORDS (HBO) - Bret McKenzie and Jemaine Clement have announced via their web site their pay channel series won't be returning for a third season. "We've noticed the less we say about the future of the show, the more people want to talk about it, so in an effort to reverse this trend we are today announcing that we won't be returning for a 3rd season," said the statement. "We're very proud of the two seasons we made and we like the way the show ended. We'd like to thank everyone who helped make the show and also everyone who watched it. While the characters Bret and Jemaine will no longer be around, the real Bret and Jemaine will continue to exist." The show wrapped its second season back in March.
GLEE (FOX) - Tony-winning actress Idina Menzel ("Wicked") is reportedly in talks to recur on the back half of the show's freshman season. She would play the coach to glee club "Vocal Adrenaline," the McKinley High glee club's main competition. Menzel had already been the focus of a fan campaign to cast her as Rachel Berry's (Lea Michele) biological mother. Also signing on for a five to six episode arc is Jonathan Groff. He'll play the lead male vocalist of "Vocal Adrenaline" and a potential love interest for Rachel Berry. Groff co-starred opposite Michele in the Broadway production of "Spring Awakening."
KEEP HOPE ALIVE (FOX) - Kate Micucci ("Scrubs") has landed a role on the comedy pilot, about Jimmy (Lucas Neff), "a 25-year-old single parent raising an infant with the help of his quirky family after the mother of the baby -- with whom he had a one-night stand -- ends up on death row." She'll play Mike, "an unkempt, fairly oblivious cousin of Jimmy living in a tent in the laundry room of their great-grandmother's house." Said role was originally envisioned a male. Garrett Dillahunt, Kate Micucci, Martha Plimpton and Olesya Rulin also star in the 20th Century Fox Television-based half-hour, which Michael Fresco is directing from a script by Greg Garcia.
THE SIX (ABC, New!) - Merv Griffin Entertainment has landed a presentation order from the Alphabet for a new game show based on the Russian format "What? Where? When?" Said project, which has been running for 35 years in its home country, is being redubbed "The Six," after the number of contestants on the show. The late Vladimir Voroshilov created (and hosted) the series, which pits a panel of six knowledgeable persons against the viewing audience. Said experts are tasked with answering audience-submitted questions listed on a spinning horizontal wheel divided into segments. If the experts answer correctly in the allotted 60 seconds they receive a point, if they don't the audience receives a point with question's author also earning a prize. (Sample question: "They first appeared in 1908 in Mexico. There were two of them. Over time, they came closer and closer together, like wings of a black raven. Name them." Answer: "Frida Kahlo's eyebrows.") Exact format details however are still being worked out. Merv Griffin's Roy Bank is executive producing the project alongside Ukranian-born actor Alex Reznik, Jonathan Barry and Ron Ward. Dwight Smith and Michael Agbabian are the showrunners with Brian Veskosky serving as a co-executive producer.
Sources: Variety, The Hollywood Reporter, Reuters
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[08/18/26 - 12:01 PM]
Netflix Top 10: Week of August 10 - "My Life with the Walter Boys" Lassos No. 1 in This Week's Top 10
"Conversations with a Killer: The Charles Manson Tapes" launched in the No. 2 spot on the English TV list, gathering 4.9 million views.
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[08/18/26 - 12:01 PM]
Next on Disney+, Hulu, and ESPN - September 2026
Newly announced premieres include "City of Blood," "Minimum Security," and "Unexpected Loves."
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[08/18/26 - 11:56 AM]
Lifetime Adds Two New Movies Inspired by Actual Events to Its "Strength of a Lifetime" September Slate
"Sole Survivor of Flight 119" and "The Ocean Between Them" join the previously announced "Angel in the Rubble: The Genelle Guzman Story."
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[08/18/26 - 10:05 AM]
FOX Sports Unveils Landmark Production Plans and Broadcast Schedule for Freedom 250 Grand Prix of Washington, D.C.
The unprecedented event, a centerpiece of the nation's 250th birthday celebration, will showcase the most ambitious live motorsports production in FOX Sports history while offering viewers unparalleled coverage of a revolutionary event in American motorsports.
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[08/18/26 - 10:00 AM]
Darren Criss, Sherry Cola and James Monroe Iglehart Join the Cast of "Hidden Heroes: A Descendants Story"
Hugo Ateo, Sean Yves Lessard and Dan Bakkedahl are also bound for the project.
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[08/18/26 - 09:31 AM]
Netflix's New Unscripted Dating Format "Weight to Date" Explores Love After Extreme Weight Loss
The series is a dating format that follows singles during and after extreme weight loss as they navigate dating, identity, and the search for lasting love.
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[08/18/26 - 09:26 AM]
Horror Has No Off-Season: Terror on Tubi Becomes a Year-Round Destination for Fans
With more than 13,000 hours of horror content, Tubi gives fans the depth and freedom to follow their obsessions wherever they lead.
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[08/18/26 - 09:16 AM]
Video: "El Juicio" - Official Trailer - Prime Video
The new series, inspired by true stories, premieres on September 11, only on Prime Video.
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[08/18/26 - 08:03 AM]
Olivia Colman Joins Season 6 of "Only Murders in the Building"
Hulu confirmed the news on social media this morning.
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[08/18/26 - 08:02 AM]
Video: "The Creep Tapes" Season 3 - Official Trailer - Shudder
Peachfuzz isn't finished with you yet.
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[08/18/26 - 08:01 AM]
Kim Kardashian and the Producers of "Love Island USA" Bring "Team Moms: Baseball" to Paramount+ September 24
The series follows a group of parents whose sons attend Legendary Prep Academy: a premier baseball training school in Scottsdale, Arizona, dedicated to molding the next generation of star athletes.
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[08/18/26 - 08:01 AM]
First Look at "East of Eden" Coming to Netflix October 1, 2026
Starring Florence Pugh, Christopher Abbott, and Mike Faist, the multigenerational saga follows the Trask family through generations shaped by ambition, betrayal, and the haunting, indelible antihero Cathy Ames.
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[08/18/26 - 08:01 AM]
One of America's Most Frightening Homes Gets an Overhaul in New HGTV Competition Series "A Very Haunted Renovation"
In the six-episode season, hosted by actress Anna Camp, six daring designers, SK Stokes Kennedy, Patrick Peel, John Ryan, Bershan Shaw, Logan Wright and Diana Vogel, will live inside the uncanny abode for 31 days while completing a top-to-bottom transformation - all in pursuit of a $50,000 dollar cash prize.
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[08/18/26 - 08:01 AM]
Two Seasons of Circa Sports' Hit "Circa Survivor" Docuseries Premieres on AXS TV Sunday, August 23, 30 & September 6, Featuring "The Quest for $14.2 Million" and "The Quest for $18.7 Million"
Expertly crafted, "Circa Survivor" offers a rare and unfiltered look into the ever-growing field of sports betting - showcasing all of the unprecedented highs and devastating lows, packed with unforgettable moments, larger-than-life personalities, and the ultimate in high-stakes competition.
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[08/18/26 - 07:31 AM]
Elizabeth Chambers Returns to Investigation Discovery to Explore the Dark and Dangerous Side of Love with New Season of "Toxic"
The new season will premiere Tuesday, September 15 at 10PM ET/PT on ID, with new episodes airing weekly.
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