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[02/13/15 - 11:55 PM]
Development Update: Friday, February 13
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!
CASUAL (Hulu/Lionsgate; W: Zander Lehmann; D: Jason Reitman) - Tommy Dewey ("The Mindy Project") is set to star in the upcoming original, which follows the story of a dysfunctional family with a bachelor brother and his newly divorced sister (Michaela Watkins). Together, they coach each other through the crazy world of dating (on-line and off), while living under one roof again and raising a teenager (Tara Lynne Barr). He'll play said brother, Alex Cole. (Deadline.com)
CHEV & BEV (ABC/ABCS; W: Brad Copeland; D: Ben Taylor) - Ed Oxenbould (Alexander and the Terrible, Horrible, No Good, Very Bad Day) has joined the cast of the single-camera comedy pilot, about two baby boomers (Chevy Chase, Beverly D'Angelo) who are fun, relevant and living a selfish retirement when their world is turned upside down and they are suddenly left to raise their grandchildren. He'll play Taylor, "the oldest of the three grandchildren, a nerdy handsome amateur magician." (Deadline.com)
CHICAGO FIRE (NBC) - S. Epatha Merkerson ("Law & Order") is returning to the Peacock for the show's latest spin-off, "Chicago Med," this time set at the county hospital. She'll play Sharon Goodwin, "the head of the hospital where the show is set. Although she doesn't love the politics that go into running a hospital and doesn't suffer fools, she is damn good at keeping the doors open." Nick Gehlfuss and Yaya DaCosta also star in the project, which will be set up via backdoor pilot in episode 19 of the parent series this season. (Deadline.com)
DIVORCE (HBO; W: Sharon Horgan; D: Jesse Peretz) - Jemaine Clement ("Flight of the Conchords") has booked a role on the Sarah Jessica Parker-led comedy pilot, about Frances, a woman who suddenly begins to reassess her life and her marriage, and finds that making a clean break and a fresh start is harder than she thought. He'll play Julian, "Frances' close friend, a literature professor who lives in Manhattan." Thomas Haden Church, Molly Shannon and Talia Balsam also star. (Deadline.com)
FAMILY FORTUNE (ABC/Universal; W: Fortune Feimster & Matt Hubbard; D: TBA) - Annie Potts and John Carroll Lynch have both been cast in the Fortune Feimster-led multi-camera comedy pilot, "set in North Carolina and centers on popular gym teacher Fortune (Feimster) who comes out of the closet to her close-knit group of family and friends." They'll play her parents: "fun-loving, needy and sometimes egoistical" Ginger and "taciturn and tough" Mike, respectively. (Deadline.com)
FLESH & BLOOD (ABC/ABCS; W: Jenna Bans; D: TBA) - Zach Gilford ("The Mob Doctor") has scored a role on the drama pilot, about the return of a politician's young son, Adam Warren, who was presumed dead after disappearing over a decade earlier, sending shockwaves throughout their tight knit community. He'll play "Adam's self-destructive older brother." (Deadline.com)
LOVE IS A FOUR LETTER WORD (NBC/20th; W: Diana Son; D: TBA) - Nadine Velazquez ("Major Crimes") and Cynthia McWilliams ("Real Husbands of Hollywood") have both scored roles on the drama pilot, in which race, sexuality and gender roles collide when three diverse couples put modern marriage to the test. The former play Rebecca, "a Cuban American who is deeply in love with Julie and very happy with their marriage, but doesn't realize her wife is actively considering getting back together with her ex, Nick"; while the latter is set as Tandi, "one half of a happy couple with a young son who is experiencing difficulties fulfilling her dream of having another child." Brian Tee co-stars. (Deadline.com)
MINORITY REPORT (FOX/20th; W: Max Borenstein; D: Mark Mylod) - Daniel London and Li Jun Li are the first to board the small screen follow up to the 2002 film, in which Dash (yet to be cast), one of the three Precogs - still haunted by visions the future - meets Lara Vega (also yet to be cast), a detective haunted by her past who just may help him find a purpose to his gift. London will reprise his role as Wally the Caretaker, "the gawky caretaker at the Precrime Temple where the children were observed"; with Li as Akeela, "a Crime Scene Investigation technician who works closely with Vega." (Deadline.com)
UNTITLED DANA KLEIN PROJECT (FOX/20th; W: Dana Klein; D: Pamela Fryman) - Matt Letscher ("Boardwalk Empire") has been tapped for a role on the Jenna Elfman-led multi-camera comedy pilot, about Ellen, a working mom who is in constant competition with her perfect, stay-at-home sister-in-law. He'll play Ellen's husband Matt, "an intelligent, responsible Professor of Ethics with a very strong sense of right and wrong who plans ahead and over-thinks everything." (Deadline.com)
UNTITLED DARBY KEALEY PROJECT (AMC, New!) - Newcomer Darby Kealey has sold a new drama to the cable channel about "an award-winning actress who is kidnapped by the dictator of a foreign country and becomes the centerpiece of a covert power struggle." MGM Television is behind the hour with Whalerock Industries' Lloyd Braun executive producing alongside showrunner Thomas Kelly with Kealey and Andrew Mittman serving as co-executive producers. (Deadline.com)
UNTITLED SUZANNE MARTIN PROJECT (NBC/Universal; W: Suzanne Martin; D: James Burrows) - Miranda Cosgrove ("iCarly") is the first to be cast in the multi-camera comedy pilot, which chronicles how things backfire for recent empty-nesters when their children and their parents move back home. She's set as the younger daughter, Shea, "who has a doctorate in astrophysics and wants to be an astronaut, yet she is slightly socially awkward." (THR.com)
VALENTINA (ABC Family, New!) - Kapital Entertainment's Aaron Kaplan ("Chasing Life") and RCTV International's Jorge Granier ("Jane the Virgin") are looking to import Carolina Espada's telenovela "Mi Gorda Bella Valentina," about "a young girl whose incredibly wealthy mother is killed in an accident. After the mother's extended family takes over her company, Valentina realizes that her mother may in fact have been murdered by her family for control of her business. Valentina, the sole heir to the empire, fears that she may be next so she disappears and returns 10 years later, looking totally different and set out for revenge against her family to take back what is rightfully hers." The search is presumably underway for a writer. (Deadline.com)
WARRIOR (NBC/Universal; W: David DiGilio; D: Phillip Noyce) - Natalie Martinez, Lance Gross and Andy Allo have all been cast in the drama pilot, about a damaged heroine who works undercover with physical and spiritual guidance from a mysterious martial arts master to bring down an international crime lord. She'll play said woman, Kai Forrester, with Gross as Agent Golden, "an Interpol agent and former Navy SEAL who gives Kai the news that she is their best shot at getting an agent inside the triad"; and Allo as "the daughter of organized crime syndicate YOMI's New York boss." Will Yun Lee also stars. (Deadline.com)
AND IN OTHER NEWS... - Warren Christie will recur on "Chicago Fire" as "a new firefighter on the squad who is a childhood friend of Lt Kelly Severide (Taylor Kinney)," a role which has the option to become a series regular (Deadline.com); Elizabeth Kruger and Craig Shapiro have been tapped as the new showunners of "Extant" at CBS, succeeding Greg Walker (Deadline.com); Dan Dworkin and Jay Beattie are likewise set as showrunners of ABC's drama pilot "Kingmakers" as part of a new two-year overall deal with ABC Studios (Deadline.com);
20th Century Fox Television, New Regency Television and Prime Universe Films are developing an event series based on the comic book "Enormous" from publisher 215 Ink (Deadline.com); Charlie McDowell is set to helm the Sarah Silverman-led comedy pilot at HBO while Jeremy Garelick will do the same for FOX's comedy pilot "DeTour" (Deadline.com); Linda Park will guest on "Castle" as Kate Beckett's new partner (TVLine.com); and Christina Aguilera will recur on "Nashville" as "a pop superstar who's been going pretty much nonstop since she broke out a decade ago" (People.com).
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[02/27/26 - 03:00 PM]
"Survivor 50" Premiere Wins the Night Posting CBS' Most-Watched Wednesday Since 2022
Said premiere averaged 5.06 million viewers, peaking with 6.18 million.
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[02/27/26 - 01:28 PM]
Paramount to Acquire Warner Bros. Discovery to Form Next-Generation Global Media and Entertainment Company
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[02/27/26 - 12:30 PM]
The Jaw-Dropping Fifth and Final Season of Starz's Hit Drama Series, "Power Book III: Raising Kanan" Set to Premiere June 12
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[02/27/26 - 09:12 AM]
Team USA Hockey Olympic Gold Medalists Hilary Knight, Jack Hughes and Quinn Hughes to Appear Together on "The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon" on Monday, March 2
The episode will also feature guests Nicole Kidman, Luke Thompson and a cooking demo by Chef Mario Carbone.
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[02/27/26 - 08:12 AM]
Paul Wesley Joins Season Three of Hit Apple TV Series "The Buccaneers"
Wesley will play the role as Frank, a mysterious but charming stranger who arrives into Nan and Mrs. St. George's world, turning it upside down.
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[02/27/26 - 07:31 AM]
Peacock to Exclusively Stream Focus Features' "Hamnet" Beginning March 6
Directed by two-time Academy Award-winning director Chloé Zhao, the film tells the untold story behind one of Shakespeare's most memorable works and celebrates the power of imagination and the creative spirit.
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[02/27/26 - 07:01 AM]
Prime Video Debuts First-Look Image of Ryan Hurst as Kratos and Callum Vinson as Atreus On Set of New Series "God of War"
The series is co-produced by Sony Pictures Television and Amazon MGM Studios in association with PlayStation Productions and Tall Ship Productions, and has received a two-season order.
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[02/27/26 - 06:01 AM]
Video: Netflix and Apple TV Join Forces to Stream Formula 1 Thrills
The entire new season of "Formula 1: Drive to Survive" is now on Netflix globally and Apple TV in the U.S.
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[02/26/26 - 08:46 PM]
"Dandelion": Netflix Adapts "Gintama" Creator Hideaki Sorachi's Debut Work into New Anime Series
Set within the Send-Off Department of the Japanese Angel Federation, Dandelion follows "Angels" Tetsuo Tanba and Misaki Kurogane as they scramble to track down Earthbound spirits - souls unable to move on and find peace - and gently guide them to pass on.
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[02/26/26 - 06:01 PM]
Video: "Still Shining" - Official Trailer - Netflix
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[02/26/26 - 02:46 PM]
Netflix Declines to Raise Offer for Warner Bros.
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[02/26/26 - 02:19 PM]
"Live with Kelly and Mark" Soars to Season High with Best Audience in Over a Year
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[02/26/26 - 02:08 PM]
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Other highlights include the return of "Hope Street" and the debut of "Mudtown."
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[02/26/26 - 01:36 PM]
Paramount Comments on Warner Bros. Discovery Board's Determination of Paramount's Proposal as Superior
David Ellison, Chairman and CEO of Paramount, said: "We are pleased WBD's Board has unanimously affirmed the superior value of our offer, which delivers to WBD shareholders superior value, certainty and speed to closing."
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[02/26/26 - 01:16 PM]
Warner Bros. Discovery Board of Directors Determines Revised Proposal from Paramount Skydance Constitutes a "Company Superior Proposal"
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