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[03/07/14 - 11:19 PM]
Development Update: Friday, March 7
By The Futon Critic Staff (TFC) |
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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!
AGATHA (ABC/ABC Studios; W: Tom Donaghy; D: Jace Alexander) - Bojana Novakovic ("Rake") and Aaron Ashmore ("Warehouse 13") have both been cast in the drama pilot, about Agatha McAuliffe, a former convict turned big city criminologist who is brought in to help local police - including her estranged chief detective father - crack a case involving a perplexing disappearance. She'll play said woman in the hour, while Ashmore is set as her beloved kid brother Jimmy McAuliffe, "a handsome, good-humored and good-natured meat and potatoes guy who is a beat cop with the Philly PD and lives in the shadow of his father." Christian Keyes, Erik Palladino, Jee Young Han and Meta Golding also star. (Deadline.com, THR.com)
AMERICAN CRIME (ABC/ABC Studios; W/D: John Ridley) - Emmy-winner Felicity Huffman ("Desperate Housewives") has booked the female lead on the drama pilot, which centers on a racially charged murder and the subsequent trial in California's Central Valley as seen through the personal lives of the players involved. She'll play Barb Skokie, Chuck's (Timothy Hutton) and mother of the killed young man, Matt. "She raised her two sons alone in public housing while her husband was off gambling. She still resents living as the only single white woman in a racially charged environment and being treated accordingly by the other occupants. Determined to hold someone accountable for Matt's murder, Barb plans to stay close to the investigation and get answers." Benito Martinez, Caitlin Gerard, Elvis Nolasco, Johnny Ortiz, Penelope Ann Miller, Richard Cabral and W. Earl Brown also star. (Deadline.com)
BAMBI COTTAGES (ABC/Sony; W: Brian Gallivan; D: TBA) - Paul F. Tompkins and Tessa Albertsonin have both scored roles in the single-camera comedy pilot, about Teddy, an overworked father dreaming of being on vacation all year who decides to uproot his wife (Molly Shannon) and family from the city and move them to New Hampshire where they open a group of tourist cottages. He'll play the aforementioned Teddy with Albertson as their eldest daughter Veronica, who's prettier than she knows and old beyond her years. (Deadline.com)
CLUB, THE (ABC/ABC Studios/CTS; W: David O. Russell & Susannah Grant; D: TBA) - Chris Conroy has been cast in the drama pilot, an upstairs/downstairs soap set at a private country club. He'll play "rich and handsome Forty Holbrooke, who was doing OK until his mother killed herself, leaving him everything." Callie Hernandez also stars. (Deadline.com)
DEAD BOSS (FOX/Warner Bros.; W: Patricia Breen; D: TBA) - Amy Sedaris ("Alpha House") is the latest addition to the comedy pilot, about Helen Stephens (Jane Krakowski), an overachiever who is wrongfully convicted of murdering her boss and forced to rely on Laura (Justine Lupe), her train wreck of a sister to prove her innocence. She'll play Mary, "one of Helen's nosy, fault-finding co-workers and the gatekeeper to their boss who secretly loved the man and openly hated Helen." (Deadline.com)
ELLEN MORE OR LESS (NBC/Universal; W: J.J. Philbin; D: Peyton Reed) - Joshua Gomez ("Chuck") and Tate Ellington (Remember Me) are the latest additions to the comedy pilot, about Ellen (Stacey McGunnigle), an average-size woman who, after losing 100 pounds, begins reinventing herself in life and love. The former will play Craig, her too clueless to be mean co-worker; while the latter is set as the solid and sane Brian, the undisputed leader/mayor of the 12th floor. Chris Diamantopoulos also stars. (THR.com)
EMPIRE (FOX/20th; W: Danny Strong & Lee Daniels; D: Lee Daniels) - Malik Yoba ("Single Ladies") has scored a role on the pilot, a unique family drama set in the world of a hip-hop empire. He's set as Vernon Turner, "Lucious's (Terrence Howard) long-time friend from the streets and business associate who is now the chairman of the board of Empire Entertainment." Bryshere Y. Gray, Jussie Smollett and Taraji P. Henson also star. (Deadline.com)
FLASH, THE (The CW/Warner Bros.; W: Andrew Kreisberg, Geoff Johns & Greg Berlanti; D: David Nutter) - Patrick Sabongui ("The Tomorrow People") has scored a role on the drama pilot, a small screen take on the DC Comics hero Barry Allen (Grant Gustin), a Central City assistant police forensics investigator-turned-superhero. He'll recur as Captain David Singh on the project, which also features Candice Patton, Carlos Valdes, Danielle Panabaker, Jesse L. Martin, John Wesley Shipp, Michelle Harrison, Rick Cosnett and Tom Cavanagh. (Deadline.com)
IZOMBIE (The CW/Warner Bros.; W: Diane Ruggiero & Rob Thomas; D: TBA) - Robert Buckley ("One Tree Hill") has landed a role on the drama pilot, about Olivia "Liv" Moore, a med student-turned-zombie who takes a job in the coroner's office to gain access to the brains she must reluctantly eat to maintain her humanity, but with each brain she consumes, she inherits the corpse's memories. He's set as Major Lilywhite, Liv's former fiancée who is trying to make the transition from lover to friend despite still being in love with her. Malcolm Goodwin, Alexandra Krosney and David Anders also star. (Deadline.com)
JANE THE VIRGIN (The CW/CTS; W: Jennie Snyder Urman; D: Brad Silberling) - Mexican actor/singer Jaime Camil has snagged a role on the drama pilot, about Jane Gloriana Garcia (Gina Rodriguez), a hardworking religious girl who, due to a series of outrageous events, is accidentally artificially inseminated. He'll play Rubio, "who happens to be a world-famous telenovela star with a surprising connection to Jane." (Deadline.com)
KEEP IT TOGETHER (ABC/20th; W: Kevin Hart, Garrett Donovan & Neil Goldman; D: TBA) - Comedian Jeff Ross and actor Jayson Blair ("The New Normal") have both snagged roles on the comedy pilot, a candid look at the post-divorce life of a couple, Derek (Romany Malco) and Lorraine (Bresha Webb), trying to forge a friendship for the sake of their kids, despite differences. Ross will play Stu, "Derek's dorky and annoying but genuinely insightful and observant best friend"; while Blair is set as Charles "Chip" Sahoy, Lorraine's new boyfriend. Amber Stevens and Kevin Hart also star. (Deadline.com)
LIFESAVER (NBC/Universal; W: Wil Calhoun; D: TBA) - Harriet Sansom Harris ("Desperate Housewives") has snagged a role on the comedy pilot, about two polar opposites - the uptight, neurotic Graham Parmenter (Christian Borle) and the energetic, large personality Leon Barrow (Jonathan Ryland) - who become inextricably linked after the latter saves the former's life by giving him a kidney. She'll play Liz, Graham's youthful, attractive and stylish mother. Chris Butler and Lindsay Price also star. (Deadline.com)
NAVY ST. (DirecTV/Endemol; W: Byron Balasco; D: TBA) - Joanna Going ("House of Cards") has been tapped for a role on the upcoming series, a gritty family drama set against the backdrop of a mixed martial arts (MMA) gym in Venice, California. She'll play Christina Hyatt, Alvey's (Frank Grillo) ex wife and mother to Jay (Jonathan Tucker) and Nate (Nick Jonas). Also starring are Kiele Sanchez and Matt Lauria. (Deadline.com)
PRO, THE (NBC/ABC Studios/Universal; W: Alex Gregory & Pete Huyck; D: Todd Holland) - Rebecca Romijn ("King & Maxwell") has joined the cast of the comedy pilot, about Ben Bertrahm (Rob Lowe), a former doubles champion who is reunited with his ex-partner Bobby Welch (Rob Riggle) after a public feud that left them both floundering in life. She'll play the driven, insecure Margot Slocum who "is a board member at the prestigious L.A. Tennis & Golf Club, taking lessons from Ben." Andrea Savage, Colton Dunn and Rosa Salazar also star. (THR.com)
RED BAND SOCIETY (FOX/ABC Studios; W: Margaret Nagle; D: TBA) - Dave Annable ("666 Park Avenue") is the latest to board the drama pilot, about a group of teenagers who meet as patients in the children's wing of a hospital and become unlikely allies and friends. He's set as Dr. William McAndrew, a rock star pediatric oncologist and surgeon who tries not to get too attached even though it's impossible. Charlie Rowe, Ciara Bravo, Griffin Gluck, Nolan Sotillociara, Octavia Spencer, Rebecca Rittenhouse and Zoe Levin also star. (Deadline.com)
RED ZONE (CBS/CTS/Universal; W: Nikki Toscano; D: James Foley) - Sepideh Moafi ("Black Box") is the latest to land a role on the drama pilot, about Holden Weller (yet to be cast), a retired CIA operative who, when a terrorist event rocks Washington, D.C., is pulled back into action, forced to investigate closer to home where the next generation of terrorists are being bred. She'll play Frida Moussaf, "a Westernized Algerian woman who's keeping a lot of secrets." Aimee Garcia and Shanley Caswell also star. (Deadline.com)
SEX&DRUGS&ROCK&ROLL (FX/FXP; W: Denis Leary; D: TBA) - John Corbett ("Parenthood") has been cast in the comedy pilot, about Johnny Rock (Denis Leary), "a middle-aged rock 'n roller who desperately wanted to be rich and famous but so far, he's 0 for 2." He'll play his best friend Flash, a famed guitar player for Rock's legendary early-'90s band The Heathens. 25 years later, Flash is "a respected session player and occasional guitarist for Lady Gaga" only Johnny is trying to get the band back together. (Deadline.com)
TWO TO GO (NBC/Universal; W: Bryan Shukoff & Kevin Chesley; D: Craig Zisk) - Angelique Cabral, Dana DeLorenzo and Kim Shaw have all landed roles in the comedy pilot, about longtime best friends Kurt (Michael Stahl-David) and Laura (Christine Woods), who grapple with the challenges of modern-day dating while their group of friends try and prove that they are destined to be together. Cabral, who's casting is in second position to "Enlisted," will play Anne, a sporty pilates instructor married to disheveled stay-at-home dad Nick (Echo Kellum). DeLorenzo and Shaw then are set as Rachel and Darcy, a two girl, seemingly perfect couple. (Deadline.com)
UNTITLED RICHARD LAGRAVENESE PROJECT (ABC/ABC Studios; W: Richard LaGravenese; D: Taylor Hackford) - Katie Holmes and Daphne Rubin-Vega are the latest to be cast in the drama pilot, about the love and rivalry between two equally matched, powerful socialites who play out their obsessive attraction and seduction of each other through their manipulation of others. Holmes will play Ann Walker, "a woman of education and breeding who, with her husband, runs a philanthropic foundation that helps bring clean water to African villages." Rubin-Vega then is set as Rosa Cansino, Philip's (Rufus Sewell) head of housekeeping. (Deadline.com)
WINKLERS (ABC/20th; W: Max Winkler, Phil Rosenthal & Rob Reinis; D: Phil Rosenthal) - Josh Sussman ("Glee") has scored a role on the comedy pilot, about Jack Conner (Domenick Lombardozzi), an emotionally reserved construction worker who learns about love, life and hugs while unexpectedly living with his in-laws Henry (Henry Winkler) and Tita (Stacey Winkler). He'll play the latter's son Jonah, who "frequently stops by his parents' home to take baths, hang out and receive praise from his parents or anyone else willing to hand out a compliment." Eva Amurri Martino also stars. (Deadline.com)
AND IN OTHER NEWS... - NBC has tabled its comedy pilot "Fifth Wheel" over difficulties with casting (Deadline.com); "Silicon Valley" showrunner Alec Berg has inked an overall deal with HBO (Deadline.com); Tara Buck's Ginger has been upped to series regular for "True Blood's" swan song (Deadline.com); and Peter Scanavino has been cast as the older brother of Tom Keen (Ryan Eggold) on "The Blacklist" (TVGuide.com).
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