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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!
1600 PENN (NBC) - Josh Gad and Jon Lovett's comedy, about "a dysfunctional First Family where the out-of-control oldest son returns home and becomes not only it's biggest liability but also the glue holding everyone together," is on track for a pilot commitment. Gad is also on board to star in the half-hour as the aforementioned son. Jason Winer will direct the single-camera project, which is set up at 20th Century Fox Television, as well as executive produce alongside the duo. (Deadline.com)
ANGER MANAGEMENT (FX) - Selma Blair has been tapped to star in the Charlie Sheen-led comedy, about a former baseball player with anger issues who winds up as an unconventional anger management therapist. She'll play his therapist, who's envisioned as a love interest for him. She joins Shawnee Smith, who was cast last week as Charlie's ex-wife. Production on the Lionsgate Television-based series begins in March. (Deadline.com)
BEAUTY AND THE BEAST (The CW) - Gary Fleder ("Life Unexpected") is set to direct and executive produce the drama pilot, about Catherine Chandler, a police detective who teams with Vincent Koslow, a genetically altered Afghanistan war veteran, to solve crimes in New York City. Jennifer Levin and Sherri Cooper are behind the hour, which is set up at CBS Television Studios. Fleder is also executive producing - but not directing - ABC's own take on "Beauty and the Beast," which is set in the mythical city of Kendan and concerns itself with a princess tasked with quelling a rebellion. Jonathan E. Steinberg penned said take, which comes from ABC Studios. (Deadline.com)
COLUMBINE (Lifetime, New!) - Dave Cullen's 2009 book about the tragic events surrounding the deadly 1999 school shootings in Columbine is being developed as a mini-series by the cable channel. Said tome is detailed as "a portrait of hatred, which delves into the shooting's effects on the survivors, victims' families and the community." Tommy O'Haver ("An American Crime") is on track to write and direct the project with Michael DeLuca ("Moneyball"), Christine Vachon and Pam Koffler ("Mildred Pierce") in talks to produce should it move forward. (THR.com)
FRIDAY NIGHT DINNER (NBC) - Ken Kwapis has closed his deal to direct the comedy pilot, about a quirky family that has dinner together every Friday night. He'll work from a script by Greg Daniels who's executive producing alongside Howard Klein for Big Talk Productions and Universal Television. David Koechner is in talks to star as part of his talent deal with the studio. (Deadline.com)
LAST RESORT (ABC) - Andre Braugher ("Men of a Certain Age") has booked a lead role on the drama pilot, about "the crew of the U.S.S. Nevada, a nuclear submarine, who, after disobeying a suspicious order, become fugitives, ultimately taking over the NATO Listening Station and declare themselves an independent nuclear nation." He'll play the sub's commander, Captain Marcus Chaplin, who's detailed as "a veteran of real combat, a leader by nature; nerves of steel; a patriot, but will not follow any man blindly." Daniel Lissing also stars in the Sony Pictures Television-based hour, which Martin Campbell is directing from a script by Karl Gajdusek and Shawn Ryan. (Deadline.com)
LET IT GO (A.K.A. UNTITLED DJ NASH PROJECT) (FOX) - D.J. Nash has landed a pilot order for his single-camera comedy, about "a married couple, his best friend, and her sister as they try to navigate, negotiate, and sometimes manipulate society's unspoken rules." Said half-hour is set up at the Sony Pictures Television-based Fedora Entertainment with the company's Peter Tolan and Michael Wimer executive producing alongside Nash. (Deadline.com)
MUST HIRE (A.K.A. UNTITLED AGNEW & JORNE PROJECT) (FOX) - Reed Agnew and Eli Jorne's comedy, about "an uptight, young executive who hires his dad for an entry level position and is shocked to discover that his new hire is a disruptive office clown," has snagged a pilot commitment from the network. Sony Pictures Television is behind the half-hour with FanFare's Jamie Tarses and Julia Franz executive producing alongside the duo. (Deadline.com)
MY IDIOTIC TWENTIES (CBS) - Michael Angarano ("Will & Grace") has booked the lead role on the comedy pilot, about "a commitment phobic ad agency exec who, after breaking up with his girlfriend, realizes he has to continue working with her one cubicle away." He'll play said fellow, Jake, who's detailed as "good-looking in a nerdy way, supplements any confidence issues with humor, think John Krasinski, just a bit more confused." Nick Stoller is writing and directing the single-camera half-hour for the 20th Century Fox Television-based Chernin Entertainment. (Deadline.com)
OH F---, IT'S YOU (CBS) - JoAnna Garcia Swisher ("Better With You") is set to star in the comedy pilot, about a guy who has a health scare and realizes that his best friend and business partner of 15 years is "the one" and now must figure out how to break it to her. She'll play the gal in question, Wendy Cooke ("an adorable bundle of energy"), in the Warner Bros. Television-based project, which comes from executive producers Greg Malins and Greg Berlanti. The actress was previously attached to an untitled effort from Shana Goldberg-Meehan at ABC that didn't move forward. (Deadline.com)
REBOUNDING (FOX) - Joe Port and Joe Wiseman's single-camera spec, described as "an uplifting comedy about a man recovering from the death of his fiance with help from friends on his pick-up basketball team," has landed a pilot order at the network. Steve Levitan is also on board to executive produce the half-hour with Jason Winer directing for 20th Century Fox Television. (Variety.com)
THE SMART ONE (A.K.A. UNTITLED PORTIA DE ROSSI PROJECT) (ABC) - The Portia de Rossi-led comedy has found a new home at ABC, where it has a pilot commitment as a single-camera project. The Don Todd-penned half-hour revolves around "a brilliant and successful woman who has to go to work for her less brainy but more popular sister - a former beauty queen, weather girl and now big city Mayor." Said effort was originally set up at NBC in September with a put pilot commitment however the Peacock ultimately passed. Todd, Ellen DeGeneres and Lauren Corrao then are executive producing via DeGeneres's Warner Bros. Television-based A Very Good Production. (Deadline.com)
UNTITLED DAVID AYER PROJECT (HBO, New!) - "Training Day" writer David Ayer and producer John Lesher are set to team for a potential drama at the pay channel about "U.S. Special Forces soldiers who take on new lives undercover inside the LA underworld, blurring the line between the war on terror and the war on drugs." Ayer will write, direct and executive produce with Lesher likewise serving as an executive producer. (Deadline.com)
AND IN OTHER NEWS... - FX has picked up a sixth season of "Sons of Anarchy" as part of Kurt Sutter's recently inked overall deal with 20th Century Fox Television and FX Productions (THR.com); Bobby Cannavale has joined the cast of "Boardwalk Empire," where he'll play Gyp Rosetti, "a charming but ruthless gangster who challenges Nucky (Steve Buscemi)" (Deadline.com); Gabourey Sidibe has been upped to series regular for the third season of "The Big C" (TVLine.com); Terry O'Quinn will guest on two episodes of "Falling Skies" as "a former history professor and mentor to Tom Mason (Noah Wyle)" (EW.com); and Robert Forster and Mike Rowe will play the father and brother, respectively, of Tim Allen's Mike Baxter on "Last Man Standing," with Frankie Muniz also turning up in the same February 21 installment (EW.com).
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