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[02/17/11 - 10:41 PM]
Development Update: Thursday, February 17
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!
ARE YOU THERE VODKA? IT'S ME CHELSEA (NBC) - Angel Laketa Moore ("ER") has joined the cast of the comedy pilot, about Chelsea Hanson (Laura Prepon), "a fresh-faced single cocktail waitress highly opinionated and open about her love to drink and have sex." She's on board as Shoniqua, the "smart, curvy and unapologetic" assistant manager at the sports bar where Chelsea works. Gail Mancuso is directing from a script by Dottie Zicklin and Julie Ann Larson for Warner Bros. Television. Said half-hour is based on Chelsea Handler's memoir of the same name.
EXIT STRATEGY (FOX) - Megan Dodds ("Detroit 1-8-7") is the latest addition to the Ethan Hawke-led drama pilot, about a team of CIA agents who are sent in to fix operations gone bad. She'll play Hannah Burke, a doctor with a prodigy-level IQ who trusts no one. Antoine Fuqua is helming the 20th Century Fox Television-based hour off a script by David Guggenheim.
GRACE (ABC) - Eric Roberts ("Heroes") has snagged the lead role on the drama pilot, about Michael Grace (Roberts), a famous choreographer whose womanizing ways have produced three daughters - Sarah, a lawyer; Shay, a photographer; Eden, a teenager - all with different mothers. In addition, Flody Suarez has been tapped as an executive producer. Lesli Linka Glatter is directing from a script by Krista Vernoff for ABC Studios.
GRIMM (NBC) - David Giuntoli ("Privileged") has booked the lead role on the drama pilot, about a police detective who discovers fairy tale creatures live among us. He'll play the aforementioned man, Nick Burckhardt, who is tasked with defending humans from these mythical beasts. David Greenwalt and Jim Kouf are behind the Universal Media Studios-based hour, to be directed by Marc Buckland.
HART OF DIXIE (The CW) - Wilson Bethel ("Generation Kill") has scored a role on the Rachel Bilson-led drama pilot, about "a young New York City doctor who inherits a medical practice in a small Southern town inhabited by an eclectic and eccentric group of characters." He'll play Wade Kinsella, her "gorgeous bad-boy fisherman" neighbor in the Warner Bros. Television-based project, which Jason Ensler is directing from a script by Leila Gerstein.
PAN AM (ABC) - Michael Mosley ("Scrubs") has joined the cast of the drama pilot, about the pilots and flight attendants working at the iconic Pan Am airline in the 1960s. He'll play Ted, a pilot who's always sporting a buzz cut and an infectious smile. Margot Robbie also stars in the hour, which comes from Sony Pictures Television, director Thomas Schlamme and creator Jack Orman.
SECRET CIRCLE (The CW) - Britt Robertson ("Life Unexpected") has booked the lead role on the drama pilot, about a California teen who moves to her mom's hometown of New Salem, Maine and discovers that she comes from a family of witches. She'll play the young woman in question, Cassie Blake, who is "the key that will unlock a centuries-old battle of good versus evil." Liz Friedlander is helming the hour from a script by Andrew Miller. CBS Television Studios and Warner Bros. Television are co-producing.
SPARTACUS: BLOOD & SAND (Starz) - Lesley-Ann Brandt is reportedly departing the series to pursue broadcast pilots, which are currently casting. It's understood her role of Naevia, slave to Lucretia (Lucy Lawless) and lover of Crixus (Manu Bennett), will be recast. Last month, Liam McIntyre was tapped to replace Andy Whitfield, who was forced to leave the show in order to deal with health issues.
TOUCH (FOX) - Kiefer Sutherland ("24") is reportedly mulling a role on the drama pilot, from "Heroes" creator Tim Kring. He'd star as Martin Bohm, an unassuming baggage handler at JFK who discovers that his autistic, mute son can predict events before they happen. The actor however is currently committed to Jason Miller's revival of "That Championship Season" on Broadway, which opened last week - meaning production would have to be pushed. Separately, Charles McDougall ("The Chicago Code") is in talks to direct. 20th Century Fox Television is producing.
UNTITLED JOE PORT/JOE WISEMAN PROJECT (FOX) - Rachael Harris ("Notes From the Underbelly") has been tapped as the female lead on the comedy pilot, about a headstrong patriarch (Mike O'Malley) who, determined to get some quality family time, embarks on a vacation with his extended family. She'll play his wife Marni, a stay at home mom with a bit of a wild side. Rob Huebel also stars in the 20th Century Fox Television-based project, to be helmed by Shawn Levy.
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