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[09/12/25 - 11:48 PM]
Development Update: Week of September 8-12
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!


ALL'S FINE (ABC, New!) - Caroline Fox has sold a new comedy to the Alphabet: "Set at a food truck park in Austin, Texas, All Day is a workplace comedy about a group of hardscrabble chefs just trying to survive the lunch rush, and a pair of very different sisters with the same ambition: to get their own restaurant, or at least a truck with A/C." David E. Kelley, Chrissy Teigen, and Matt Tinker will also executive produce for David E. Kelley Productions, Huntley Productions, and 20th Television. Co-executive producers include Shelby Leshine and Tracy Stevens. (Deadline.com, 9/10)
BAD MONKEY (Apple TV+) - John Ortiz's Rogelio, "a police detective and Yancy's best friend," will return as a regular on the series' second season. (Deadline.com, 9/10)
BIG LITTLE LIES (HBO) - Francesca Sloane has been tapped to spearhead a proposed third season of the series as part of an exclusive two-year overall deal with the network. A new installment had already been in the works as part of "a bake-off among a half dozen established writers/writing teams." Sloane, who "not believed to have been part of that process," will executive produce alongside creator David. E. Kelley, and stars Reese Witherspoon and Nicole Kidman should it move forward. (Deadline.com, 9/11)
BISHOP (Amazon, New!) - Joel Kinnaman will topline a new series at the streamer from Little Marvin and Tony Salzman: "In Bishop, homicide detective Bishop Graves (Kinnaman) - brilliant, battle-scarred - will put all of his skills to the test in the hunt for an elusive killer targeting San Francisco's moneyed class. As this increasingly audacious killer develops a devoted following among the city's powerless, Bishop becomes convinced these murders connect back to SF's most powerful man, his own father, Lincoln Graves." Vertigo's Roy Lee and Miri Yoon will also executive produce for Amazon MGM Studios. (Deadline.com, 9/11)
CALL MY AGENT THE MOVIE (Netflix, New!) - The streamer has landed the proposed follow-up to the series which "picks up proceedings five years after the agency has closed." Camille Cottin reprises her role as Andréa, "the force-of-nature agent from the series who in the film is an aspiring director. Things, however, are not running smoothly. When she loses her lead actor days before cameras are set to roll, she must get the old team back together, rekindling all of the old friendships and rivalries." Also set to return are Laure Calamy, Thibault de Montalembert, Grégory Montel, Nicolas Maury, Fanny Sidney, Liliane Rovère, Ophélia Kolb, and Anne Marivin. Guest stars include Monica Bellucci, Charlotte Gainsbourg, Béatrice Dalle, Jean Reno, Laetitia Casta, and Vincent Macaigne. Émilie Noblet is directing from a script by Fanny Herrero and Lison Daniel. Mon Voisin Productions and Mother Production are producing. (Deadline.com, 9/12)
CHESTNUT SPRINGS (Netflix, New!) - Hannah Schneider is developing a potential drama at the streamer based on Elsie Silver's series of novels: "A series set against the breathtaking backdrop of small-town Canada, following siblings as they navigate their family-owned ranch and embark upon turbulent, emotional, and at times spicy, journeys toward finding love." Shawn Levy of 21 Laps Entertainment is also on board to executive produce. (Variety.com, 9/11)
CHOIR, THE (Apple TV+, New!) - "Gavin & Stacey" co-creators James Corden and Ruth Jones are set to re-team for a new "eight-part comedy drama" at the streamer about "brother and sister Ben and Lisa, who haven't seen each other for several years. Ben has been living abroad, while Lisa has carried on in their small English town where nothing ever happens. But when events take a sorry turn, Ben is forced to return to a life he never wanted, a town he never liked and a family from which he's estranged." They'll star, write and executive produce the project for Fulwell Entertainment as well as potentially Steve Coogan's Baby Cow Productions. (Deadline.com, 9/8)
CONJURING UNIVERSE DRAMA SERIES, THE (HBO Max) - Nancy Won has signed on to serve as showrunner of the franchise's TV take. She'll executive produce alongside Peter Safran and James Wan for Atomic Monster and Warner Bros. Television. (Variety.com, 9/9)
DEAR DEBBIE (Amazon, New!) - Freida McFadden's novel is being developed for TV by Amazon MGM Studios: "Debbie is a brilliant wife, mother, and advice columnist who takes matters into her own hands when a series of injustices forces her down the path of revenge." Gina Girolamo's Strega Stories banner is behind the project. No other auspices were given. (Deadline.com, 9/11)
DON'T GET HIGH (Hulu) - Megan Ganz's comedy pilot has cast the following actors: Tony Hale as Officer Popkey, "a school cop, who takes his job way too seriously"; Ashley Brooke as Penny, "an alpha dweeb on a mission to take down the cool kids"; Olivia Gill as Lennon, "the most popular girl in school and Penny's arch-nemesis"; Oscar Williams as Dylan, "a brooding bad boy"; Erin Morton as Lane, "Penny's eccentric and loyal best friend"; Daniel Rosales as Trevor, "Penny's other BFF, a misanthrope who'd rather fade into the background"; Michelle Buteau as Principal Fishbach, "a put-upon high school principal"; Casey Wilson as Marie, "Penny's loving mother"; Dan Thompson as Hook, "Varsity QB and Lennon's himbo boyfriend"; Macoy Stewart as Ben, "effortlessly confident and ultra chic co-captain of the cheerleading team"; and Chloe Hakola as Vicki, "Ben's co-captain and infamous party girl." Adam Fishbach and Mara Herron also executive produce for 20th Television. (Deadline.com, 9/12)
EERIE PREP (Disney+, New!) - Disney Branded Television has ordered a pilot for a new series based on the "Eerie Elementary" children's books by Jack Chabert (the pen name of Max Brallier) starring Madalen Mills: "In Eerie Prep (aka Eerie Academy), when her sister vanishes from the prestigious Eerie Prep, Sam Graves (Mills) assembles a team of uniquely skilled students to uncover the truth behind a series of strange, supernatural occurrences - and to confront whoever, or whatever, is behind the disappearance." Also starring are Niko Ceci as Antonio; Charlie Ellis as Lucy; Madison Rojas as Paxton; Michaela Russell as Krla; and Alex Bar as Devon; with Hanna Huffman as Quinn and Felicia as Dr. Brewster. Eric Dean Seaton is directing from a script by David H. Steinberg and Keetgi Kogan. Other executive producers include M. Raven Metzner, Hillary Turner, Lindsay MacAdam, and Brallier for Thunderbird Entertainment. (Deadline.com, 9/9)
GOLF (Netflix) - The Will Ferrell-led comedy series has added Chris Parnell as Anton, "a PGA Tour board member and all-around jerk"; Katelyn Tarver as Natalie, "a social media influencer and Lance's extremely supportive fiancée"; and David Hornsby as Radford, "a rich southern man who is dating Stacy." (Deadline.com, 9/12)
HAPPY'S PLACE (NBC) - Christopher Lloyd, Carol Kane, and Cheri Oteri are among the guest stars bound for the show's second season. Lloyd will play Clive, "a gentleman who has lost his phone at Happy's Place and comes back to retrieve it"; with Kane as Theresa, "a free-spirited woman in pursuit of justice, excitement, and her husband, Clive"; and Oteri as Monica, "a no-nonsense health inspector newly appointed to Happy's Place." (Deadline.com, 9/8)
JOSEPH OF EGYPT (Amazon) - Navid Negahban will recur on the biblical drama as Khasekhemre, "the Pharaoh, an industrious and cautious ruler of Egypt, who served as Pharaoh under the name Neferhotep I. His bad dreams have plagued him as of late. Frustrated by his advisers' dismissive attitudes toward his concerns, he seeks out the advice of a prisoner who has been reported to interpret dreams with great accuracy. To the surprise of his court, the Pharaoh takes Joseph's interpretations to heart and brings him on as an adviser." (Deadline.com, 9/9)
LAW & ORDER (NBC) - Joshua Malina will visit the veteran drama as "the managing partner of a prominent law firm." (GiveMeMyRemote.com, 9/11)
MAYOR OF KINGSTOWN (Paramount+) - Niko Nicotera will recur on the upcoming season in an unspecified role. (Deadline.com, 9/10)
MR. & MRS. SMITH (Amazon) - The previously commissioned second season "has been pushed, with its future uncertain," due to cast issues. Deals with the previously reported Mark Eydelshteyn and Sophie Thatcher to topline the new installment have not closed. The sophomore run "initially eying a fall production start, is now on indefinite hold." Showrunner Francesca Sloane has since moved onto an overall deal with HBO (see above under "Big Little Lies"). (Deadline.com, 9/11)
NIGHT AGENT, THE (Netflix) - Luciane Buchanan's Rose Larkin won't return for the show's third season. The character however may return in a future season. (Deadline.com, 9/12)
PITT, THE (HBO Max) - Victor Rivas Rivers will drop by the new season as Trent Norris, "PTMC's Chief Executive Officer." (Deadline.com, 9/12)
PRESUMED INNOCENT (Apple TV+) - Matthew Rhys will star opposite Rachel Brosnahan and Jack Reynor in the upcoming second season of the series. He'll play the husband of Brosnahan's character, "an ambitious defense attorney (Brosnahan) who takes on a high-profile case." Reynor plays her client, the defendant. (Deadline.com, 9/11)
SATURDAY NIGHT LIVE (NBC) - Ego Nwodim is the latest cast member to announce her departure prior to the upcoming 51st season. (Deadline.com, 9/12)
SEX ACT (Netflix, New!) - Raffi Donatich is developing a new series at the streamer described as "following an intimacy coordinator who's never been kissed." Sarah Paulson is reportedly attached to star in the project with Jeremy O. Harris, Josh Godfrey, Michael P. Cohen, and director Lena Dunham also among the auspices for bb² and Good Thing Going Productions. (Deadline.com, 9/8)
SHIFTING GEARS (ABC) - Gabriel "Fluffy" Iglesias and Lori Greiner will appear as themselves on an upcoming episode of the comedy. Others slated to stop by this season include Patricia Richardson, Debbe Dunning Richard Karn, Lilly Singh, Mookie Betts, Nancy Travis, and Jenna Elfman. (Variety.com, 9/9)
STERLING POINT (Amazon) - The YA series has tapped the following actors to recur: Missi Pyle as Denise Ballantine; Nikko Angelo Hinayo as Sully; Mabel Strachan as Maple; and Elle-Máijá Tailfeathers as Kate. No other character details were given. (Deadline.com, 9/8)
SWAT: EXILES (TBA) - Lucy Barrett, Adain Bradley, Zyra Gorecki, Freddy Miyares, and Ronen Rubinstein will star opposite Shemar Moore in the spin-off series. No details however were given about their characters. Additionally, "SWAT" alums Jay Harrington and Patrick St. Esprit will reprise their roles for the show's debut installment, to be directed by Kevin Tancharoen. (Variety.com, 9/9)
VARNELL HILL (BET+) - Newcomer Nick Cafero has been cast in the "Martin" spin-off series as Jonah Michaelson, "the newly self-appointed interim CEO of Mammoth Group. The ultimate nepo baby, Jonah is desperate to prove he belongs." (Deadline.com, 9/9)
WALKING DEAD, THE: DEAD CITY (AMC) - Aimee Garcia has joined the cast of the show's third season in the series regular role of Renata, "a disarmingly charming leader with a natural ability to win people over with her optimism and convivial personality." (Deadline.com, 9/10)
WESTIES, THE (MGM+) - The period crime drama has cast Aidan Wojtak-Hissong as Danny Keenan, "a restless, sharp-eyed Hell's Kitchen teenager and Officer Keenan's son, an errand boy for the Westies despite his father's disapproval"; Jeremy Walmsley as Pat, "a wiry, volatile young Westie with a chip on his shoulder, quick to throw punches and eager to prove himself"; and Dylan Taylor as Connor, "a jokester and tough young Westie soldier who sticks close to Roarke to survive in Hell's Kitchen." (Deadline.com, 9/9)





  [september 2025]  
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· BAD MONKEY (APPLE TV PLUS)
· BIG LITTLE LIES (HBO)
· CALL MY AGENT! (FRANCE) (NETFLIX)
· CONJURING UNIVERSE DRAMA SERIES, THE (MAX)
· DEVELOPMENT UPDATE (TFC)
· DON'T GET HIGH (HULU)
· GOLF (NETFLIX)
· HAPPY'S PLACE (NBC)
· JOSEPH OF EGYPT (AMAZON)
· LAW & ORDER (NBC)
· MAYOR OF KINGSTOWN (PARAMOUNT PLUS)
· MR. & MRS. SMITH (AMAZON)
· NIGHT AGENT, THE (NETFLIX)
· PITT, THE (HBO MAX)
· PRESUMED INNOCENT (APPLE TV PLUS)
· SATURDAY NIGHT LIVE (NBC)
· SHIFTING GEARS (ABC)
· STERLING POINT (AMAZON)
· SWAT (CBS)
· VARNELL HILL (BET PLUS)
· WALKING DEAD, THE: DEAD CITY (AMC)
· WESTIES, THE (MGM PLUS)





[09/12/25 - 11:48 PM]
Development Update: Week of September 8-12
Updates include: second two of "Mr. & Mrs. Smith" on indefinite hold; Ego Nwodim announces "SNL" exit; and Hulu sets cast of "Don't Get High" comedy pilot.

[09/12/25 - 02:43 PM]
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[09/12/25 - 02:07 PM]
FOX Sports Premieres "Big Noon Saturday" Creative Campaign Starring Emmy-Winning Actor, Writer & Director John Turturro
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[09/12/25 - 01:33 PM]
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[09/12/25 - 09:18 AM]
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[09/12/25 - 09:01 AM]
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[09/12/25 - 08:31 AM]
Netflix Renews "The Hunting Wives" for Season 2 Globally
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[09/12/25 - 08:08 AM]
ESPN Re-Signs Michael Eaves to New Multi-Year Contract
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[09/12/25 - 07:35 AM]
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[09/12/25 - 06:04 AM]
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[09/12/25 - 06:01 AM]
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[09/12/25 - 05:31 AM]
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[09/12/25 - 12:01 AM]
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[09/11/25 - 08:01 PM]
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[09/11/25 - 05:01 PM]
New International Crime Series "Road" (wt) Explores Twisted Murders Across Borders
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