 |
 |
[12/10/09 - 06:13 PM]
Development Update: Thursday, December 10
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!
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
|
|
|
 [december 2009]  |
S |
M |
T |
W |
T |
F |
S |
| | |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
 |
 |
|
[08/06/26 - 09:01 AM]
Video: Paramount+ Debuts Trailer for the Explosive and Witty Second Season of "Average Joe," Premiering Globally August 19
After the explosive events of season one, Joe Washington is trying to move forward when a mysterious threat targeting his family sends him and the gang to Cape Town, South Africa.
|
[08/06/26 - 09:01 AM]
Video: "Lovesick" - Official Trailer - Netflix
During the Mexican Revolution, Emilia Sauri pursues her dream of becoming a doctor, defying convention in search of love, purpose and independence.
|
[08/06/26 - 09:01 AM]
Video: Trailer & Key Art - Hulu's "Travis Barker: Louder Than Fear" Documentary
The documentary film premieres August 13 on Hulu and Hulu on Disney+ in the U.S. and Disney+ internationally.
|
[08/06/26 - 08:01 AM]
Video: Alert! Paramount+ Reveals "Clash of the Thundermans" Trailer and First-Look Images, Premiering Thursday, September 3 on Paramount+ and Nickelodeon
Based on the hit Nickelodeon live-action superhero comedy series, "Clash of the Thundermans" follows youngest sibling Chloe as she develops a new and unpredictable superpower, causing the Hero League to demand they send her away to a superhero boarding school to learn to control it.
|
[08/06/26 - 08:01 AM]
HBO and Sky Original Drama Series "War" Debuts October 1
Created by George Kay, and starring Dominic West and Sienna Miller, the series is co-produced by New Pictures and Observatory Pictures with new episodes of the eight-episode season debuting weekly on Thursdays.
|
[08/06/26 - 08:01 AM]
Uncover Another Clue: Stephen Merchant Joins "Ludwig" Season Two as Guest Star, BritBox Reveals First Look
Merchant plays Danny Sloane, a cocky snooker champion who is at odds with John in the season's fourth episode.
|
[08/06/26 - 08:01 AM]
Video: "Madden" - Date Announce - Prime Video
Coach. Broadcaster. Innovator. Legend. Nicolas Cage is John Madden. Watch "Madden" on November 18.
|
[08/06/26 - 08:00 AM]
"Tip Toe," Starring Alan Cumming and David Morrissey to Premiere Friday, October 2 on Starz
Leo (Alan Cumming) and Clive (David Morrissey) are neighbors in Manchester. But when Leo gives Clive his spare key, an ordinary suburban world becomes a minefield of lies and violence, with terrifying results.
|
[08/06/26 - 07:13 AM]
"Monarch of the Glen": Cast Announced for the "Masterpiece" PBS Series
Julia Brown, Chris Fulton, Ewan Miller, Rishi Nair, Phyllis Logan, John Gordon Sinclair, and Gordon Kennedy will star in the new series.
|
[08/06/26 - 07:07 AM]
A+E Global Media Honors the 25th Anniversary of 9/11 with Two New Projects Executive Produced by Robin Roberts
The new 102-minute special, "102 Minutes Inside the Towers," premieres Friday, September 11 at 8/7c with limited-commercial interruptions and is sponsored by the non-profit Tunnel to Towers Foundation, whose mission is to honor the sacrifice of our nation's first responders and military service members.
|
[08/06/26 - 07:05 AM]
Video: Coming Soon - "Dirty Money" - Fox Nation
The 90-minute documentary examines the economic challenges facing American farmers and the agricultural industry, narrated and executive produced by country music star Brantley Gilbert.
|
[08/06/26 - 07:01 AM]
Video: National Geographic Reveals Trailer for "Lion" - An Epic Four-Part Event Series That Follows a Cub's Extraordinary Journey to Become a King
The four-part event series debuts on National Geographic August 19, beginning at 9/8c with all episodes streaming the next day on Disney+ and Hulu.
|
[08/06/26 - 07:00 AM]
Surprise! There's a New SuperKitty Joining the Crew in Disney Jr.'s Hit Series "SuperKitties"
The special will be available to stream on Disney+ starting tomorrow, Friday, August 7.
|
[08/06/26 - 06:17 AM]
ESPN App to Stream 2026 Patriot Games, Showcasing Nation's Top High School Athletes
Coverage will culminate with an hour-long ESPN on ABC primetime special on Thursday, August 13, at 9 p.m. ET.
|
[08/06/26 - 06:01 AM]
Video: "Fito Peez: The World Within a Song" - Official Trailer - Netflix
With unprecedented access, this intimate documentary shows Argentinian rock star Fito Páez at his most candid as he reflects on life, love and music.
|
|
|
|
