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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!
BEDROOMS & BOARDROOMS (ABC) - Michael Vartan ("Alias") is the first to be cast in the drama pilot, about four high-powered CEOs or CEOs-to-be who are all friends. He'll play the new CEO of a large corporation who is described as the moral center of the show.
Commitment: Ordered to pilot
Cast: Michael Vartan
Writer: Jon Harmon Feldman
Director: Charles McDougall
Executive Producers: Jon Harmon Feldman
Studio: Warner Bros. Television
C.S.I.: CRIME SCENE INVESTIGATION (CBS) - Ann Donahue and Carol Mendelsohn, executive producers on all three installments of the "C.S.I." franchise, have signed separate four-year, eight-figure overall deals with producer CBS Paramount Network Television. Said pacts cover their respective showrunning duties on "C.S.I.: Miami" and "C.S.I.: Crime Scene Investigation" as well as any future development for the studio. Fellow executive producer Anthony Zuiker, the creator of the original "C.S.I.," currently serves as the showrunner of "C.S.I.: New York."
CASHMERE MAFIA (ABC) - Feature helmer Peyton Reed ("The Break-Up") has been tapped to direct the drama pilot, about four successful female executives, friends since college, who rely on each other as they juggle the demands of career, family, hard choices and high ambitions in New York City. He'll work from a script by creator Kevin Wade.
Commitment: Ordered to pilot
Cast: TBA
Writer: Kevin Wade
Director: Peyton Reed
Executive Producers: Darren Star (Darren Star Productions), Gail Katz, Kevin Wade
Co-Executive Producer: Susie Fitzgerald (Darren Star Productions)
Studio: Sony Pictures Television
FOOTBALL WIVES (ABC) - "Night Stalker" alum Gabrielle Union has joined the cast of the drama pilot, a U.S. version of the popular British soap about three ordinary women's lives as they are transformed by the celebrity and fortune that come with marriage to sports superstars. She'll play Chardonnay Lane, a rich Park Avenue model-turned-recording artist who is engaged to a star wide receiver. Union's casting stems from a talent holding deal the actress signed with ABC and producer Touchstone Television earlier this year.
Commitment: Ordered to pilot
Cast: Gabrielle Union (Chardonnay Lane)
Writer: Marco Pennette
Director: Bryan Singer
Executive Producers: Ann McManus (Shed Productions), Bert Salke (Brancato-Salke Productions), Bryan Singer (Bad Hat Harry Productions), Chris Brancato (Brancato-Salke Productions), Eileen Gallagher (Shed Productions), Marco Pennette, Maureen Chadwicke (Shed Productions)
Studio: Touchstone Television
FUGLY (CBS) - Emmy-winner Todd Holland ("Malcolm in the Middle") has signed on to direct Greg Garcia's comedy pilot, about three homely siblings who pool their money together to give one of the trio a dramatic makeover and then move to Hollywood to take advantage of the pretty one's new looks.
Commitment: Ordered to pilot (previously put pilot)
Cast: TBA
Writer: Greg Garcia
Director: Todd Holland
Executive Producers: Greg Garcia (Amigos de Garcia)
Studio: 20th Century Fox Television
JOURNEYMAN (NBC) - Alex Graves ("The Nine") has come aboard to direct and executive produce the drama pilot, about a man who travels back in time to alter and fix the lives of people in trouble, but by recalibrating the past, he sometimes affects the future. He'll work from a script by creator Kevin Falls.
Commitment: Cast-contingent
Cast: TBA
Writer: Kevin Falls
Director: Alex Graves
Executive Producers: Alex Graves, Kevin Falls
Studio: 20th Century Fox Television
LAW DOGS (CBS) - Adam Bernstein ("30 Rock") has been booked to direct Barry Schindel's drama pilot presentation, about the lives, relationships, cases and careers of a team of public defenders.
Commitment: Ordered to pilot (14-20 minute presentation)
Cast: Janeane Garofalo, Rachael Carpani
Writer: Barry Schindel
Director: Adam Bernstein
Executive Producers: Barry Schindel (The Barry Schindel Company), David W. Zucker (Scott Free Productions), Ridley Scott (Scott Free Productions), Tony Scott (Scott Free Productions)
Studio: CBS Paramount Network Television
LIFE (NBC) - Melissa Sagemiller ("Sleeper Cell") is the latest addition to the drama pilot, about a falsely imprisoned cop (Damian Lewis) who rejoins the force as a changed man. She'll play the lawyer who got him out of prison that - despite the fact that she is married - has a spark with him.
Commitment: Ordered to pilot
Cast: Damien Lewis (Billy), Melissa Sagemiller, Sarah Shahi (Dani Reese)
Writer: Rand Ravich
Director: David Semel
Executive Producers: David Semel, Far Shariat, Rand Ravich
Studio: NBC Universal Television Studio
LIPSTICK JUNGLE (NBC) - Gary Winick ("Charlotte's Web") has signed on to direct the hour, based on Candace Bushnell's novel about a trio of power-hungry New York women. He'll take over for Nigel Cole, who was tapped to direct the pilot's original incarnation.
Commitment: Ordered to pilot
Cast: TBA
Writers: DeAnn Heline, Eileen Heisler
Director: Gary Winick
Executive Producers: Candace Bushnell, DeAnn Heline, Eileen Heisler, Gary Winick
Studio: NBC Universal Television Studio
M.O.N.Y. (NBC) - Spike Lee, who helmed the pilot to CBS's "Shark" during the last development season, has come aboard to direct the drama, about an unlikely everyman who becomes the mayor of New York. Tom Fontana and Barry Levinson are behind the hour, which is based at NBC Universal Television.
Commitment: Cast-contingent
Cast: TBA
Writers: Barry Levinson, Tom Fontana
Director: Spike Lee
Executive Producers: Barry Levinson (The Levinson-Fontana Company), Tom Fontana (The Levinson-Fontana Company)
Studio: NBC Universal Television Studio
N.S.A. INNOCENT (FOX) - Emmy-winner Jon Cassar is set to reteam with his "24" partners Bob Cochran, Howard Gordon and Joel Surnow on the drama pilot, about an everyman who finds himself caught up against his will in the world of espionage. He'll direct the hour from a script by co-creators Cochran and David Ehrman.
Commitment: Ordered to pilot
Cast: TBA
Writers: Bob Cochran, David Ehrman
Director: Jon Cassar
Executive Producers: Bob Cochran (Real Time Productions), David Ehrman, Howard Gordon (Real Time Productions), Joel Surnow (Real Time Productions)
Studio: 20th Century Fox Television
NEW AMSTERDAM (FOX) - Danish actor Nikolaj Coster-Waldau ("Wimbledon") has been cast in the lead role of the drama pilot, about John Amsterdam (Coster-Waldau), a man cursed with immortality who works as a homicide detective in New York. In addition, David Mason ("Saved") has come aboard as the project's showrunner, where he'll executive produce (via his Sarabande Productions) alongside creators Allan Loeb and Christian Taylor as well as Steven Pearl, Leslie Holleran and Lasse Hallstrom (who is directing).
Commitment: Ordered to pilot
Cast: Nikolaj Coster-Waldau (John Amsterdam)
Writers: Allan Loeb, Christian Taylor
Director: Lasse Hallstrom
Executive Producers: Allan Loeb (Scarlet Fire Productions), Christian Taylor, David Mason (Sarabande Productions), Lasse Hallstrom (Laha Films), Leslie Holleran (Laha Films), Steven Pearl (Scarlet Fire Productions)
Studio: Regency Television
PHILADELPHIA GENERAL (A.K.A. NURSES) (FOX) - The drama pilot, about the lives and loves of a team of nurses, is set to be directed by P.J. Hogan ("Peter Pan"). He'll also executive produce the hour alongside Ann McManus, Barry Josephson and Eileen Gallagher. Andy Stern and Samantha Goodman created the project and serve as co-executive producers.
Commitment: Ordered to pilot
Cast: TBA
Writers: Andy Stern, Samantha Goodman
Director: P.J. Hogan
Executive Producers: Ann McManus (Shed Productions), Barry Josephson (Josephson Entertainment), Eileen Gallagher (Shed Productions), P.J. Hogan
Co-Executive Producers: Andy Stern, Samantha Goodman
Studio: 20th Century Fox Television
PUSHING DAISIES (ABC) - Barry Sonnenfeld, who helmed the pilot to ABC's upcoming "Notes from the Underbelly," has signed on to direct the pilot, a romance-themed drama about a man who can touch dead people and bring them back to life. He'll work from a script by creator Bryan Fuller.
Commitment: Ordered to pilot
Cast: TBA
Writer: Bryan Fuller
Director: Barry Sonnenfeld
Executive Producers: Bruce Cohen (The Jinks-Cohen Company), Bryan Fuller, Dan Jinks (The Jinks-Cohen Company)
Studio: Warner Bros. Television
SUPREME COURTSHIPS (FOX) - Gary Tieche's drama pilot, about the personal and professional lives of six Supreme Court clerks and their supervisors, has found a director: Ian Toynton, late of "The O.C."
Commitment: Ordered to pilot
Cast: TBA
Writer: Gary Tieche
Director: Ion Toynton
Executive Producers: Gary Tieche, Marty Adelstein (Adelstein Productions), Michael Thorn (Adelstein Productions)
Studio: 20th Century Fox Television
UNTITLED KESSLERS/ZELMAN PROJECT (FX) - Noah Bean ("Ed") has joined the cast of the drama pilot, about a young attorney (Rose Byrne) who goes to work for New York's most feared and respected high-stakes litigator (Glenn Close). He'll play the fiancee of Byrne's character.
Commitment: Ordered to pilot
Cast: Glenn Close (Patty Hughes), Noah Bean, Rose Byrne (Ellen Parsons), Tate Donovan (Tom Kent), Zeljko Ivanek (Ray Fiske)
Writers: Daniel Zelman, Glenn Kessler, Todd A. Kessler
Director: Allen Coulter
Executive Producers: Daniel Zelman, Glenn Kessler, Todd A. Kessler
Studio: Sony Pictures Television
VIVA LAUGHNLIN! (CBS) - Feature director Gabriele Muccino ("The Pursuit of Happyness") has signed on to helm the drama pilot, a U.S. version of the popular U.K. series "Viva Blackpool!" He'll also executive produce the hour alongside Bob Lowry, Hugh Jackman, John Palermo, Paul Telegdy and Peter Bowker.
Commitment: Ordered to pilot
Cast: Hugh Jackman (Guest Star)
Writers: Bob Lowry, Peter Bowker
Director: Gabriele Muccino
Executive Producers: Bob Lowry, Gabriele Muccino, Hugh Jackman (Seed Productions), John Palermo (Seed Productions), Paul Telegdy (BBC Worldwide Productions), Peter Bowker (BBC Worldwide Productions)
Studios: CBS Paramount Network Television, Sony Pictures Television
Sources: Variety, The Hollywood Reporter, Reuters
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