or


[04/19/05 - 12:00 AM]
Development Update: April 19
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 newly revamped "Series in Development" charts. Visitors can now filter our listings by network, genre and even development stage (ordered to pilot, cast-contingent, script, etc.). It's updated every day!

CRIMSON FORCE/HAMMERHEAD: SHARK FRENZY (Sci Fi, New!) - The cable channel has released details about its two Saturday night original movie offerings in June. "Crimson Force," which premieres June 4 at 9:00/8:00c, is described as follows: "With Earth's energy reserves rapidly dwindling, a manned mission is sent to Mars in hopes of unlocking a recently detected energy source. But the astronauts crash-land after plunging into the crossfire of a previously unknown Martian civilization's brutal civil war. Tony Amendola (Stargate SG-1) stars."

And on June 18 at 9:00/8:00c, look for the debut of "Hammerhead: Shark Frenzy": "An alienated scientist invites his former colleagues to a remote island, to test the results of his experimental new cancer research. But the guests soon find themselves the prey in a "most dangerous game" scenario that pits them against their spurned associate's bloodthirsty mutant hammerhead-shark creature. William Forsythe (SCI FI Pictures' Larva) and Jeffery Combs (SCI FI Pictures' Beyond Re-Animator) star."

KITCHEN CONFIDENTIAL (FOX) - Sam Pancake ("Will & Grace") has joined the cast of the single-camera comedy pilot, about a bad-boy, down-on-his-luck chef (Bradley Cooper) who takes over at a top New York restaurant and must fight off all the urges of his former lifestyle. According to the show's casting notice, it's believed his role is that of Cameron: "This gay "veteran" is a waiter at Bistro Pino. Snobby and efficient, he is admittedly attracted to Jack [Cooper] - especially after Jack gives a rousing pep talk to the staff. Later, he has no intention of having the chef write something sentimental on a personal cake, until he's told there's a tip in it for him." He'll join the previously cast Nicholas Brendon, John Francis Daley, Jaime King, Bonnie Somerville and Owain Yeoman in the project, which comes from executive producers Darren Star, David Hemingson, David Knoller and Jim Rosenthal and is set up at 20th Century Fox Television, New Line Television and Darren Star Productions.

QUEEN B (FOX) - Scott Holroyd ("As the World Turns") has joined the cast of comedy pilot, about a narcissistic woman (Alicia Silverstone) who used her manipulation skills to become the most popular girl in high school but now finds it harder to use those unlikable traits to her advantage in her late 20s. He'll reportedly play a love interest for Bea (Silverstone's character) in the 20th Century Fox Television/Imagine Television-based project, which is executive produced by Jennifer Crittenden, David Nevins and Brian Grazer with Silverstone and Carolyn Kessler serving as co-executive producers.

THE UNIT (CBS) - Max Martini ("Taken") has been confirmed as an additional cast member on the drama pilot, about an elite Special Forces unit and their families. Amy Acker, Scott Foley, Dennis Haysbert, Michael Blaine, Michael Irby, Regina King, Robert Patrick and Regina Taylor also star in the project, which comes from 20th Century Fox Television and creators David Mamet and Shawn Ryan.

VENUS & SERENA: FOR REAL (A.K.A. UNTITLED VENUS & SERENA WILLIANS PROJECT) (ABC Family) - The tennis stars' upcoming reality series is now running under the title "Venus & Serena: For Real." Here's how the cable channel's press materials describe the project: "This July ABC Family will take viewers off-court to see the everyday lives of Venus and Serena Williams. Find out what they do for fun and see them interacting with family and friends."

Sources: Variety, The Hollywood Reporter, Reuters





  [april 2005]  
S
M
T
W
T
F
S
     


· BEYOND REANIMATOR (SCI FI)
· CRIMSON FORCE (SCI FI)
· HAMMERHEAD: SHARK FRENZY (SCI FI)
· KITCHEN CONFIDENTIAL (FOX)
· LARVA (SCI FI)
· QUEEN B (FOX)
· STARGATE: SG-1 (SCI FI)
· STEVEN SPIELBERG PRESENTS: TAKEN (SCI FI)
· UNIT, THE (CBS)
· VENUS & SERENA: FOR REAL (ABC FAMILY)
· WILL & GRACE (NBC)





[04/24/26 - 12:00 PM]
What's New on HBO Max This May
Highlights include season two of "On The Roam," comedy special "Josh Johnson: Symphony," documentary series "U.S. Against The World: Four Years With The Men's National Soccer Team," new episode of "The Yogurt Shop Murders," and documentary "The A List: 15 Stories From Asia And Pacific Diasporas."

[04/24/26 - 11:16 AM]
"Wuthering Heights" Begins Streaming Exclusively on HBO Max May 1
The Emerald Fennell film stars Margot Robbie as Cathy and Jacob Elordi as Heathcliff, whose forbidden passion for one another turns from romantic to intoxicating in an epic tale of lust, love and madness.

[04/24/26 - 09:01 AM]
Zizians Documentary Series Set at HBO
The multi-part documentary series explores the Zizians, an enigmatic group of young technologists who garnered national attention in 2025 after law enforcement linked members of the group to a series of violent crimes across the country.

[04/24/26 - 08:59 AM]
NBA Playoffs Return to NBC Sports Delivers Big Viewership Gains Over First Three Nights
NBC Sports' first six NBA Playoff games averaged 4.9 million viewers, up 38% vs. comparable coverage last year and the most-watched for the first Sunday, Monday, and Tuesday nights of the playoffs since 1994.

[04/24/26 - 08:01 AM]
Video: New Featurette - Hulu Original Series "Rivals" Season 2
Ahead of the highly anticipated second season of the Emmy and BAFTA award-winning "Rivals," Hulu has released a new recap featurette.

[04/24/26 - 08:00 AM]
La La Anthony, Rutina Wesley, Taylor Polidore Williams, DeVaughn Nixon and Alexxis Lemire Join Season 4 of Hulu's Hit Legal Drama "Reasonable Doubt" as Recurring Guest Stars
Morris Chestnut, Joseph Sikora and Brandee Evans also return as recurring guest stars.

[04/24/26 - 07:01 AM]
"Scooby-Doo: Origins" Starts Production in Atlanta
A modern reimagining of the iconic mystery-solving group of teens and their very special dog.

[04/24/26 - 06:01 AM]
Video: "Gordon" - First Look - Netflix
Based on the novel by Marcelo Larraquy, "Gordon" arrives on Netflix in 2026.

[04/23/26 - 11:41 PM]
Prime Video Unleashes UK's Biggest Digital Stars in Highly Anticipated Comedy Reality Series, "Would You Rather: Decide to Survive"
The series will launch exclusively worldwide on Prime Video in more than 240 countries and territories in June 2026.

[04/23/26 - 09:00 PM]
The Vampire Lestat's Gritty Cover of Billy Idol's Legendary Song "Dancing with Myself" Is Now Available on All Digital Platforms
AMC Global Media and Lakeshore Records released the single on the Vampire Lestat artist profile pages at major digital music services, including Spotify, Apple Music and Amazon Music.

[04/23/26 - 03:13 PM]
"Euphoria" Season 3 Premiere Surpasses 20M Global Viewers, Up 68% vs. Season 2
Episode 2 matched the premiere with approximately 8.5 million U.S. viewers in its first three days.

[04/23/26 - 02:50 PM]
Goal! ESPN Airs Two Most-Viewed First Round Game 2's on Cable Ever, Continuing Successful Start to 2026 Stanley Cup Playoffs
Monday's Philadelphia Flyers-Pittsburgh Penguins matchup (Game 2, 7 p.m. ET) delivered 1.6 million viewers and Tuesday's Boston Bruins-Buffalo Sabres matchup (Game 2, 7:30 p.m.) delivered 1.2 million viewers, setting the new Game 2 record.

[04/23/26 - 02:02 PM]
"The Cult of Natureboy," A New Four-Part Docuseries That Offers a Raw and Unfiltered Look Inside a Modern Cult, Premieres April 28 on Hulu
In 2016, a rising social media star named Eligio Bishop, also known as "NatureBoy," used his platforms to recruit followers into a group he called Carbon Nation, encouraging them to abandon their families and join his vision of a self-proclaimed Black utopia.

[04/23/26 - 01:03 PM]
Apple TV Sets New Comedy Series, Elizabeth Banks to Star and Executive Produce
The series is set to begin production in Los Angeles this year.

[04/23/26 - 12:19 PM]
USA Sports Delivers Most-Watched Match in LOVB Volleyball History to Cap Inaugural Season of Record Viewership on USA Network
The first Finals match on Thursday, April 16, which Salt Lake won 3-2 in a closely-contested fifth set, averaged 163,000 viewers, ranking as the most-watched LOVB game of all-time.