[01/30/12 - 11:10 PM] Development Update: Monday, January 30 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!
ARROW (The CW) - David Nutter has closed his deal to direct and executive produce the drama pilot, a new take on the DC Comics hero Green Arrow, an archer who dresses like Robin Hood and invents trick arrows with various special functions. Andrew Kreisberg, Greg Berlanti and Marc Guggenheim are all behind the hour, which is set up at the Warner Bros. Television-based Berlanti Television. (Deadline.com)CULT (The CW) - Jason Ensler ("Hart of Dixie") is set to direct the drama pilot, about "an inquisitive, young female production assistant on a wildly popular television show called Cult who, after a rash of disappearances and a likely murder, joins a journalist blogger in investigating the rabid fans of the series who might be re-creating crimes seen on the program in real life." He'll work from a script by Rockne S. O'Bannon. Josh Schwartz, Len Goldstein and Stephanie Savage also serve as the executive producers. Yves Simoneau was previously attached to helm the project's original Matt Bomer-led incarnation at The WB. (Deadline.com)EL JEFE (FOX) - Moses Port and David Guarascio's single-camera comedy, about "a guy from a wealthy family who has never made his own way who is ejected from the family home and winds up having to live with his family's housekeeper," has been ordered to pilot. Sony Pictures Television is the studio attached. (Variety.com)THE GILDED LILYS (ABC) - Brian Kirk ("Game of Thrones") has signed on to direct the period drama pilot, billed as "an epic love story that follows the opening of the first luxury hotel in the city and the intermingling of love, treachery and disdain between the classes" in 1895 New York City. ABC Studios is behind the hour, which comes from Betsy Beers, Shonda Rhimes and creator K.J. Steinberg. (Deadline.com)LITTLE BROTHER (FOX) - John Stamos is in talks to star in the single-comedy, about "a man (Stamos) who finds out that he has a half-brother (T.J. Miller) he never knew about who also happens to be an ex-con." Shawn Levy is likewise expected to direct the project, which will go through another rewrite by Mike Royce. 20th Century Fox Television is behind the half-hour, which Becky Clements, Jimmy Mulville, Marty Adelstein and Michael Thorn will executive produce alongside Levy and Royce. (Deadline.com)SCRUPLES (ABC) - Bob Brush and Mel Harris's revival of Judith Krantz's bestselling book-turned-mini-series has been ordered to pilot by the Alphabet. Said hour, from Warner Bros. Television, centers on "a rich and powerful clothing designer in a world of sex, revenge and scandal." Flame Ventures' Tony Krantz will executive produce alongside the duo as well as actress Natalie Portman and her producing partner Annette Savitch. (Variety.com)UNTITLED LOUIS C.K./SPIKE FERESTEN PROJECT (CBS, New!) - Louis C.K. and Spike Feresten are set to reteam for a new multi-camera comedy at the Eye about "a group of young people working to achieve their creative dreams amid tough financial times." Said half-hour, which has a pilot commitment and is set up at CBS Television Studios and the Universal Television-based BermanBraun, is an updated take on "Boomtown," a planned C.K.-vehicle originally conceived 13 years ago by the duo. Gene Stein, Gail Berman and Lloyd Braun are on board to executive produce alongside C.K. and Feresten. (Deadline.com)UNTITLED MINDY KALING PROJECT (FOX, New!) - Mindy Kaling ("The Office") is set to star and executive produce a new comedy pilot at the network about "a young "Bridget Jones"-type doctor trying to navigate both her personal and professional lives." Universal Television is behind the single-camera comedy, which was originally set up at NBC. Howard Klein will executive produce alongside Kaling, who penned the script. (Variety.com)UNTITLED JOSH BERMAN/ROB WRIGHT PROJECT (FOX) - The network has ordered a pilot for the drama, about a female doctor working for the mob in Chicago. Josh Berman, Rob Wright and Michael Dinner are behind the Sony Pictures Television-based hour, which Dinner will direct from a script by Berman and Wright. (Deadline.com)THE WIDOW DETECTIVE (CBS) - Davis Guggenheim ("The Defenders") has been tapped to direct the drama pilot, about "a decorated police detective who, after losing three partners in the line of duty, becomes surrogate husband, lover and father to their families." He'll work from a script by David Hubbard, who's executive producing alongside Carol Mendelsohn and Julie Weitz for CBS Television Studios. (Deadline.com)AND IN OTHER NEWS... - Steve Jones and Nicole Scherzinger won't return for season two of "The X Factor" while Paula Abdul likewise is expected to exit (Twitter.com,Deadline.com); Tyler Blackburn has been upped to series regular on "Pretty Little Liars"(THR.com); Susan Sarandon will recur on "The Big C" as "a cancer survivor who is using her unique experience to inspire and motivate others" (THR.com); WikiLeaks founder Julian Assange has recorded a guest role for the 500th episode of "The Simpsons," airing February 19 (EW.com); Joe Port, Joe Wiseman and Steve Levitan are currently shopping the single-camera comedy spec "Rebounding," about "a man recovering from the death of his fiance with the help of the idiots on his pick-up basketball team" (Deadline.com).
