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[01/29/20 - 11:05 PM]
Development Update: Wednesday, January 29
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!


AMERICANAH (HBO Max) - Newcomer Tireni Oyenusi will round out the cast of the upcoming drama as Dike, "Aunty Uju's (Uzo Aduba) son, who immigrated to America as an infant. An old soul who is incredibly dear to Ifemelu (Lupita Nyong'o), Dike is on a path to self-discovery, starting with the mystery shrouding the identity of his father." (Deadline.com)
BARKITECTURE (Quibi, New!) - Tyler Cameron and Delia Kenza are set to host a new series for the mobile streaming service which "will put the spotlight on dog-loving, dog-obsessed people who are gifting their beloved canines with the most ridiculously extravagant dog houses imaginable. In each episode, the hosts work with doggie parents to build a fully customized dog house that redefines sitting in the lap of luxury." The project comes from Turn Card Content and Bravo Media with Courtney Smith, Audra Smith and Jake Haelen serving as executive producers. (Deadline.com)
FAIRFAX (Amazon) - Matt Hausfater, Aaron Buchsbaum and Teddy Riley's animated comedy has scored a two-season, 16-episode order. The project "follows four middle school best friends on their never-ending quest for clout on Fairfax Avenue - LA's pulsing heart of hypebeast culture." Due in 2021, the series will be co-produced by Serious Business, Titmouse and Amazon Studios with Peter A. Knight, Jon Zimelis, Jason U. Nadler, Chris Prynoski, Shannon Prynoski and Ben Kalina executive producing alongside the trio. Somehoodlum and Pizzaslime are consulting producers. (Deadline.com)
HOSPITAL, THE (Amazon, New!) - Cirocco Dunlap is developing a darkly comic animated series at the streaming service about Sleech and Klak, "two brilliant female alien doctors who specialize in rare sci-fi illnesses. When Sleech defies protocol, she contracts a disease from another dimension and our heroes must find a cure before the universe is destroyed." Natasha Lyonne, Maya Rudolph and Danielle Renfrew Behrens will also executive produce via their Animal Pictures-banner, which has a first-look deal with Amazon Studios. (Deadline.com)
LA ULTRA (Freeform, New!) - Dennis Saldua has sold a new drama to the cable channel which "centers on the mysterious disappearance of an actress and the unlikely Angelenos who have the best chance of finding her... her stand-in and the set cop. The outrageous and increasingly chaotic investigation takes the duo deep into the surreal and seedy LA, as they begin to uncover a dark conspiracy that reaches the highest levels of power." Liz Heldens will also executive produce via her 20th Century Fox Television-based Selfish Mermaid banner with Quinn Haberman as a co-executive producer. (Deadline.com)
LANGDON (NBC) - The network's small screen take on Dan Brown's literary hero Robert Langdon has received a pilot order. The project "follows the early adventures of famed Harvard symbologist Robert Langdon, who must solve a series of deadly puzzles to save his kidnapped mentor and thwart a chilling global conspiracy." Imagine Television, CBS Television Studios and Universal Television are behind the project, which was penned by Dan Dworkin and Jay Beattie. They succeeded Daniel Cerone, who was previously attached. Brown, Brian Grazer, Ron Howard, Samie Falvey and Anna Culp will executive produce alongside the duo. (Deadline.com)
MEL ROBBINS SHOW, THE (Syndication) - Sony Pictures Television has pulled the plug on the inspiration-focused talk show after one season. New episodes will continue to air through September. "Mel has had a positive impact on millions of daytime viewers and we still strongly believe in her message and the work she is doing," the studio said in a statement. "We are proud of the show and the talented team and thank our partners and launch group at Nexstar, and our advertisers and sponsors, for their exceptional support." (Deadline.com)
MEMORY (Showtime, New!) - Michael Saltzman is developing a domestic take on the Korean format in which "diagnosed with early onset Alzheimer's, a high-profile attorney is forced to confront his past mistakes and perilous future, all while racing against time to uncover a Big Pharma conspiracy that may lead him to a cure that could save his life, his career, and his family." Kapital Entertainment's Aaron Kaplan and Dana Honor; Studio Dragon International's Hyun Park; CJ Entertainment's Miky Lee; and Ji-woo Kim will also executive produce. (Deadline.com)
PANIC (Amazon) - Kerri Medders will recur on the YA drama series as Ruby Anne McDonough, "Sarah's friend and also a junior. She lives with her older sister Riley and her husband Truck in the same trailer park as Heather." (Deadline.com)
PHYSICAL (Apple TV+, New!) - Rose Byrne is attached to star in a new dramedy for the company "set in a 1980s Southern California beach community. It follows a woman (Byrne) struggling in her life as a quietly tortured housewife who finds an unconventional path to power through an unlikely source: the world of aerobics." Annie Weisman is penning the hour, which is on track for a series order, with Tomorrow Studios' Marty Adelstein and Becky Clements and Fabrication's Alexandra Cunningham, Sera Gamble and John McNamara likewise executive producing. (Deadline.com)
SINNER, THE (USA) - Jessica Biel and Michelle Purple's Iron Ocean Productions has inked a two-year first-look deal with Paramount Television Studios. The pact gives the company first crack at their scripted TV output. (Deadline.com)
UNTITLED AIDA RODRIGUEZ PROJECT (HBO Max, New!) - Comedian Aida Rodriguez ("Tiffany Haddish Presents: They Ready") is set to star in a single-camera comedy at the streaming service which "examines the struggle of an Afro-Latina comedian (Rodriguez) who is trying to kick start a career while raising two very different teenagers on her own over multiple time zones." Rodriguez, Chris Case and Nastaran Dibai are penning the pilot script with She Ready Productions' Tiffany Haddish and Management 360's Evan Silverberg and Daniel Rappaport also on board to executive produce. (Deadline.com)





  [january 2020]  
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· AMERICANAH (HBO MAX)
· BARKITECTURE (QUIBI)
· DAN BROWN'S THE LOST SYMBOL (PEACOCK)
· DEVELOPMENT UPDATE (TFC)
· FAIRFAX (AMAZON)
· LA ULTRA (FREEFORM)
· MEL ROBBINS SHOW, THE (SYNDICATION)
· MEMORY (SHOWTIME)
· PANIC (AMAZON)
· PHYSICAL (APPLE TV PLUS)
· SECOND BEST HOSPITAL IN THE GALAXY, THE (AMAZON)
· SINNER, THE (USA)
· UNTITLED AIDA RODRIGUEZ PROJECT (HBO MAX)





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