 |
 |
[04/04/13 - 11:26 PM]
Development Update: Thursday, April 4
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!
DO IT YOURSELF (TBS; W: Rob Long & Walt Becker; D: James Widdoes) - Cheech Marin and Efren Ramirez are the latest additions to the comedy pilot, about Nick (Ben Rappaport), a 20-something laid-off math teacher who finds himself thrust into the blue collar world when he gets a job at that most American of retail institutions: the big box home supply store. They'll play his fellow employees Perez and Javier alongside the previously cast Bill Engvall, Melora Hardin, Nicky Whelan, Parvesh Cheena and Ryan McPartlin. (ETOnline.com)
GORBACHEV (HBO, New!) - Actors/producers Leonardo DiCaprio and Tom Hanks are developing a biopic of former Soviet Union president Mikhail Gorbachev, who "ushered democracy into the Soviet block by introducing glasnost and perestroika and helped end the Cold War." John Shiban is penning the project, with DiCaprio's Appian Way and Hanks's Playtone co-producing. DiCaprio, Hanks, Jennifer Killoran, Gary Goetzman and Industry Entertainment's Keith Addis are the executive producers with Pavel Palazhchenko, David E. Hoffman, Dejan Karaklajic and Gorbachev himself serving as consultants. (Deadline.com)
HOLE TO HOLE (Adult Swim, New!) - Arden Myrin ("MadTV") is set to star in a potential live-action series at the network about "the fabulous exploits of Ashleigh and Amelia Dangerhole, America's sexiest billionaire detectives." Pam Brady co-wrote the quarter-hour pilot, which is billed as a parody of 1980s detective shows. No other details were given. (Deadline.com)
MURDER IN THE FIRST (TNT; W: Eric Lodal & Steven Bochco; D: TBA) - Steven Weber and Mimi Kirkland have both landed roles on the pilot, a crime drama that will intimately dissect a single murder case over an entire season, from the commitment of the crime through the investigation, arrest and trial. He'll play Bill Wilkerson, "Applicon CEO's all-American personal pilot who is very protective of his boss." Kirkland then is set as the daughter of one of the detectives, played by Kathleen Robertson. Bess Rous and Taye Diggs also star. (Deadline.com)
ONCE UPON A TIME (ABC) - Paul Reubens will lend his voice to the Alphabet's proposed "Alice's Adventures in Wonderland" spin-off while Ralph Hemecker has been tapped to direct. Reubens will play the White Rabbit, a CGI character, alongside the previously cast Sophie Lowe as Alice, Peter Gadiot as Cyrus, Michael Socha as the Knave of Hearts and Emma Rigby as the Red Queen. Hemecker then will work from a script by "Once" creators Edward Kitsis and Adam Horowitz. (Deadline.com)
WESTSIDE (ABC/Warner Bros.; W: Byron Balasco; D: McG) - Jessica Lu ("Awkward") has snagged a role on the drama pilot, about "Romeo & Juliet"-esque lovers Chris (Luke Bracey) and Sophie (Odette Annable) from rival families in the surfing community of Venice, California. She'll guest star as Eva, "Sophie's employee and confidant at her Venice boutique who urges her pursuit of Chris." Brooklyn Sudano, Bruce Greenwood, Dean Winters, Jennifer Beals, Lexi Ainsworth, Lincoln Lewis and Michael Graziadei also star. (THR.com)
AND IN OTHER NEWS... - Christopher Abbott's Charlie won't return for the third season of "Girls" (EW.com); Katey Sagal has been cast as Artie's (Kevin McHale) mom on "Glee" (@MrRPMurphy); Ryan Murphy and Lauren Gussis are currently shopping "Open," a new drama described as "a modern, provocative exploration of human sexuality and relationships" to the cable networks (Deadline.com); former Comedy Central executive-turned-producer Lou Wallach has inked an overall deal with Universal Television (Deadline.com); Kamar de los Reyes is bound for two episodes of "Blue Bloods" as "a deadly Latino gang leader who rules over the inner-city projects with his drug and vice trade" (TVLine.com); and David Andrews, Jonathan Keltz and Johanna Braddy are among the faces set to appear on the new season of "Necessary Roughness" (TVGuide.com).
|
|
|
 [april 2013]  |
S |
M |
T |
W |
T |
F |
S |
| |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
 |
 |
|
[03/27/26 - 10:01 AM]
Netflix Rounds Out Cast of "Kennedy" with Production Underway in London
The new drama series based on Fredrik Logevall's book, "JFK: Coming of Age in the American Century, 1917-1956," will explore the triumphs and tragedies of the Kennedy family from Chernin Entertainment.
|
[03/27/26 - 09:48 AM]
FOX Sports Assembles Top-Tier Roster for 2026 Major League Baseball Regular Season Coverage
Entering their fifth season together, first-ballot Hall of Famer John Smoltz and Emmy Award-winning play-by-play announcer Joe Davis call FOX Sports' top regular season and playoff games.
|
[03/27/26 - 09:46 AM]
ABC News Is #1 in Total Viewers in Late-Night, Friday Night and Sunday Morning
"20/20" scored its best Adults 25-54 performance in 11 months.
|
[03/27/26 - 09:21 AM]
"The Morning Show" News Incoming - Sean Hayes Joins the Cast of Season 5
Apple TV confirmed the news on social media this morning.
|
[03/27/26 - 08:01 AM]
HBO Original Documentary Series "The Dark Wizard" Debuts April 14
The four-part documentary series is an up-close and unflinching portrait of Dean Potter, one of the world's most influential and controversial climbers, BASE jumpers, and highline walkers.
|
[03/27/26 - 07:01 AM]
ESPN Original "Why Not Us: UMES Volleyball" to Premiere March 30
Presented by Andscape and produced by Sport & Story, the latest installment follows the inspiring journey of the newly formed men's volleyball team at the University of Maryland Eastern Shore - the first men's volleyball program at a Division I HBCU.
|
[03/26/26 - 02:05 PM]
"The Madison" Marks Taylor Sheridan's Biggest Debut Season Launch with 8 Million Views Globally for Paramount+
The debut of the six-part series also marks the biggest freshman season launch for the prolific creator among women 35+.
|
[03/26/26 - 12:49 PM]
Apple Original Films Lands New Sci-Fi Thriller "Liminal"
Starring Vanessa Kirby and Yahya Abdul-Mateen II, the feature will be directed by Louis Leterrier.
|
[03/26/26 - 12:01 PM]
"After the Flood" Returns to BritBox: Tensions Rise in High-Stakes Season Two Premiere
Other April highlights include "A Taste For Murder," "Silent Witness," and "Death in Paradise."
|
[03/26/26 - 12:00 PM]
ESPN NBA Schedule Update: Atlanta Hawks vs. Cleveland Cavaliers Added on April 8
The game replaces the previously scheduled Milwaukee Bucks vs. Detroit Pistons matchup.
|
[03/26/26 - 11:30 AM]
BET and Paramount+ Announce the Sixth Season Renewal of Multi-Emmy-Nominated Comedy "The Ms. Pat Show"
The upcoming season will be among the first BET originals to stream on Paramount+, which becomes the new streaming home for BET content beginning in June, bringing the beloved series to a global platform with nearly 80 million subscribers.
|
[03/26/26 - 11:01 AM]
"Saturday Night Live" Springs Into April with Back-to-Back Episodes
Jack Black and Colman Domingo will host on April 4 and April 11, respectively.
|
[03/26/26 - 10:03 AM]
Sony Pictures Television Advertiser Sales Heads Into 2026 Upfront Bringing Advertisers Branded Content Opportunities Within High Volume of Originals and a Safe Harbor of Entertainment Programming
The studio continues to elevate its media investment opportunities for advertisers through Game Show Network, a top 10 cable network and a top five general entertainment network.
|
[03/26/26 - 09:30 AM]
New Docuseries "Building Back America's Trades" Premieres April 11 on Magnolia Network
The series chronicles the stories of students, mentors, and teachers as they remake the trades industry and themselves.
|
[03/26/26 - 09:01 AM]
Damson Idris Requests the Pleasure of Your Company for "The Lords' Day," A New Political Thriller Series Coming to Netflix
Adapted from the Michael Dobbs novel, Damson plays a British spy who finds himself inside the Parliament amidst an escalating siege.
|
|
|
|
