 |
 |
[03/21/11 - 10:59 PM]
Development Update: Monday, March 21
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!
ANGLER (HBO, New!) - Barton Gellman's book of the same name - about former Vice President Dick Cheney - is being developed as a potential mini-series at the pay channel. Rick Cleveland ("Six Feet Under") is penning the adaptation, which will track Cheney's life from "his early days as Donald Rumsfeld's protege in the Nixon administration, to the nation's youngest Chief of Staff under President Ford, to serving as Secretary of Defense under George H.W. Bush, through two controversial terms as Vice President under President George W. Bush." Spring Creek Productions and Fair Catch Productions are co-producing with Paula Weinstein, Jeffrey Levine, David Kennedy and "Frontline's" David Fanning and Michael Kirk executive producing.
DESPERATE HOUSEWIVES (ABC) - Jonathan Cake ("Six Degrees") is set to join the cast of the long-running soap. He'll play Aaron, "a handsome, sexy, college-educated police detective with strong family values who becomes involved with Bree (Marcia Cross) when he comes to Wisteria Lane to investigate a case," in an upcoming four-episode arc before returning as a regular next season.
EATING WITH THE ENEMY (HBO, New!) - James Gandolfini ("The Sopranos") is set to star in and executive produce a potential docudrama at the pay channel about the true story of Bobby Egan, the owner of a Hackensack, New Jersey rib joint who became involved in back channel negotiations with North Korea to stop producing nuclear weapons. Said project is based on Egan and Kurt Pitzer's book of the same name, subtitled "How I Waged Peace With North Korea from My BBQ Shack in Hackensack." Egan improbably made inroads with the North Korean government after showing up at the doorstep of their consulate near the U.N. and offering his friendship. He subsequently made several trips to North Korea itself, where he was approached by the State Department to be their conduit in backdoor nuke talks. As for the film, Mark Armstrong, Nancy Sanders, Jane Rosenthal, Brandon Brito and Megan Lyvers will executive produce for Tribeca Productions and Gandolfini's Atta Boy Productions with Pitzer and Kimberly Levin co-producing. No other auspices were given.
FREE AGENTS (NBC) - Kathryn Hahn ("Hung") is set to star opposite Hank Azaria in the comedy pilot, about "the attraction between two quirky PR executives working together - Alex (Azaria) and Helen (Hahn) - who both are on the rebound, Alex from a divorce and Helen from the loss of a fiance." Todd Holland is directing the Universal Media Studios-based half-hour, from creator John Enbom. Mo Mandel also stars.
LOSING IT WITH JILLIAN (NBC) - Network sources have confirmed the Jillian Michaels-led series, in which "The Biggest Loser" trainer travels across the country to transform one family at a time, won't be returning for a second. Said effort was absent from the Peacock's summer lineup, which was revealed earlier today.
MORE AS THE STORY DEVELOPS (A.K.A. UNTITLED AARON SORKIN PROJECT) (HBO) - Jeff Daniels is reportedly in talks to topline the Aaron Sorkin-penned drama pilot, set behind the scenes of a nightly cable news show. He'd play Will McCallister, "a famous cable newsman of the Anderson Cooper/Brian Williams mold who is smart and talented guy but just a pain in the ass to work with and for." Sorkin and Scott Rudin are the executive producers.
PRIVATE PRACTICE (ABC) - Benjamin Bratt ("The Cleaner") is on track to join the cast of the veteran drama. Details about his role are being kept under wraps, however it's understood he'll be introduced in the season finale. Said casting is designed to fill the void left by Audra McDonald, who's departing the series at the end of the season.
R.E.M. (NBC) - Cherry Jones ("24") and Michaela McManus ("The Vampire Diaries") have both joined the cast of the drama pilot, about Mark Britten (Jason Isaacs), a police detective living in two different realities following a horrible car accident: one in which his son Rex (Dylan Minnette) lives, another in which his wife Hannah lives - each with their own partner and psychiatrist. In addition, co-star Laura Allen has been recast as Hannah ("stunning, warm"). The actress was previously attached as Tara ("long, slender, like someone who not only plays a sport for a living, but does it well"), Rex's tennis coach and trusted confidante. Said role will now go to McManus. Jones then is set as Stephanie Evans, Mark's psychiatrist in the reality where Rex lives. The previously cast B.D. Wong conversely is Mark's psychiatrist in the reality where Hannah lives, while Steve Harris and Wilmer Valderrama play Mark's respective partners. David Slade is directing the Kyle Killen-penned hour, from 20th Century Fox Television.
SECRET CIRCLE (The CW) - Natasha Henstridge ("Eli Stone") and Australian actor Louis Hunter have both landed roles on the drama pilot, about Cassie Blake (Britt Robertson), a California teen who moves to her mom's hometown of New Salem, Maine and discovers that she comes from a family of witches. She'll play Dawn Chamberlain ("a strikingly beautiful woman in her late 30's"), the vice principal at Cassie's school and an old friend of her mother's; while Hunter is on board as Nick Armstrong ("good physique, and he knows it"), Cassie's new neighbor, another member of the circle, a coven of young witches. Jessica Parker Kennedy, Phoebe Tonkin, Shelley Hennig and Thomas Dekker also star in the hour, which Liz Friedlander is directing from a script by Andrew Miller.
TITANIC (ABC, New!) - Simon Vaughn's long-in-the-works mini-series has found a U.S. broadcast home at the Alphabet. Said effort will chronicle the famous ship's maiden and final voyage through multiple points of view, using both fictional and historical characters. Production is set to begin in Hungary shortly for a premiere in April 2012 - the 100th anniversary of the boat's sinking. Oscar-winner Julian Fellowes ("Gosford Park") penned the project with ITV Studios, Lookout Point, Deep Indigo Productions, Sienna Films and Mid Atlantic Films co-producing.
VINCE UNCENSORED (CBS) - Elizabeth Perkins ("Weeds") has booked the female lead on the comedy pilot, about Vince Donohue (Michael Chiklis), "a man who decides to take a more honest approach to life after a life-altering experience." She'll play his Wife, Janet, a middle school teacher and mother to their three daughters. Kelsey Grammer is directing the Warner Bros. Television-based half-hour, from creator Phoef Sutton.
|
|
|
 [march 2011]  |
S |
M |
T |
W |
T |
F |
S |
| | |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
 |
 |
|
[08/15/26 - 09:01 AM]
Video: "Upload" - Official Trailer - Hulu
The show's first three seasons are now streaming on Hulu and Hulu on Disney+.
|
[08/14/26 - 11:31 PM]
Disney Sets the Stage for What's Next in Entertainment at D23: The Ultimate Disney Fan Event
Other TV highlights include "Oswald," an all-new live-action animated hybrid series based on the classic character Oswald the Lucky Rabbit.
|
[08/14/26 - 11:09 PM]
Development Update: Week of August 10-14
Updates include: Starz's "SWAT: Exiles" land early renewal; Hulu cancels "Deli Boys" after two seasons; and Disney+, HBO Max pass on projects.
|
[08/14/26 - 09:23 PM]
Season 2 of the Emmy Award-Winning Series "Ahsoka" Premieres Exclusively on Disney+ January 20
The new season, which once again stars Rosario Dawson in the titular role, is a story set after the fall of the Empire and the rise of the New Republic, which has Ahsoka confronting what it means to be a Jedi, while the galaxy faces a formidable opponent in Grand Admiral Thrawn.
|
[08/14/26 - 09:02 PM]
Video: First Look at Marvel Television's "VisionQuest" on Disney+
Marvel Television's "VisionQuest," an all-new original series coming exclusively to Disney+ October 14, concludes the epic trilogy that began with 2021's groundbreaking, award-winning "WandaVision" and 2024's acclaimed "Agatha All Along."
|
[08/14/26 - 08:30 PM]
Video: "Percy Jackson and the Olympians" Drops Electrifying Season Three Teaser Trailer at D23: The Ultimate Fan Event
Season 3 of "Percy Jackson and the Olympians" marks the first time that the third book - "The Titan's Curse" - comes to screen and is the third installment of Disney Hyperion's bestselling book series by acclaimed author Rick Riordan.
|
[08/14/26 - 07:58 PM]
Global Video Game Phenomenon "Kingdom Hearts" Greenlit for First-Ever Original Television Series on Disney Channel and Disney+
The series reimagines the iconic adventure with a brand-new story that will expand on the universe of Kingdom Hearts while celebrating the characters that have captured the hearts of millions of fans around the world.
|
[08/14/26 - 01:45 PM]
ABC News Is No. 1 on Sunday Morning and Friday Night
"20/20" saw year-to-year increases in all key target demos: Total Viewers, Adults 25-54 and Adults 18-49.
|
[08/14/26 - 12:01 PM]
HBO Max Renews Original Comedy Series "Stuart Fails to Save the Universe" for a Second Season
New episodes are being released weekly on HBO Max, with the season finale scheduled for release on Thursday, September 24.
|
[08/14/26 - 10:01 AM]
Netflix Expands Young Adult Slate with New Series "Sid & Zoey," "Sunshine Girls" and More
Plus: "Finding Her Edge" to begin production on Season 2; and Randall Park joins the cast of "Minimum Wage."
|
[08/14/26 - 09:01 AM]
Stream "Star Wars: The Mandalorian and Grogu" on Disney+ September 2
The galaxy's favorite duo is bringing the adventure home.
|
[08/14/26 - 08:47 AM]
FOX One to Live Stream IROC Presented by Chevrolet as Part of FOX Sports' Coverage of Historic Freedom 250 Weekend in Washington, D.C.
The races bring together legendary names from NASCAR and INDYCAR, including Jeff Gordon, Kurt Busch, Rusty Wallace, Bobby Labonte, Bill Elliott, Helio Castroneves, Tony Kanaan and Dario Franchitti, all piloting authentic historic IROC Pontiac Firebirds.
|
[08/14/26 - 03:22 AM]
Video: New Season Update - "Adarsh Baal Vidyalaya" - Prime Video
Seasons two and three are now in development.
|
[08/13/26 - 05:01 PM]
Video: "Mousetrap" - Official Trailer - Netflix
A reclusive writer wakes to find his identity stolen - and must ally with a ruthless loan shark to reclaim his life from a man known as "The Rat."
|
[08/13/26 - 03:39 PM]
ESPN Delivers Its Second Most-Watched WNBA Regular Season Game in 30 Years of Coverage!
The New York Liberty-Indiana Fever matchup averaged 2 million viewers on Tuesday, August 11.
|
|
|
|
