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[04/03/07 - 05:41 PM]
Development Update: Tuesday, April 3
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!
3 KINGS (MTV, New!) - RDF USA ("Wife Swap") and Ashton Kutcher's Katalyst Films ("Punk'd") are developing a U.S. version of the British reality format of the same name. Said project, which will be shot in front of an audience, revolves around a set of masked contestants - possibly Kutcher himself or other celebrities - competing in a series of offbeat challenges focused on three separate areas: speed, skill and pain. Among the possibilities: tossing items at a bull until the bull chases them out of a ring. The winner then assumes the role of "king" while the losers are unmasked. MTV has given a pilot order to the project, which will be executive produced by Chris Coelen, Greg Goldman, Jason Goldberg and Kutcher via their respective companies.
Commitment: Ordered to pilot
Cast: TBA
Writer: TBA
Director: TBA
Executive Producers: Ashton Kutcher, Chris Coelen, Greg Goldman, Jason Goldberg
Studios: Katalyst Films, RDF USA
DAMAGES (A.K.A. UNTITLED KESSLERS & ZELMAN PROJECT) (FX) - The cable channel has given a series order of 13 episodes to the project, a legal drama toplined by Glenn Close. Production is set to begin next month in New York for a late summer premiere. Noah Bean, Rose Byrne, Tate Donovan, Ted Danson and Zeljko Ivanek also star in the Sony Pictures Television-based hour, which comes from co-creators Daniel Zelman, Glenn Kessler and Todd A. Kessler. Allen Coulter directed the pilot.
Commitment: Ordered to series (13 episodes)
Cast: Glenn Close (Patty Hewes), Noah Bean (David), Rose Byrne (Ellen Parsons), Tate Donovan (Tom Kent), Ted Danson (Arthur Frobisher), 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
THE GREAT AMERICAN SINGING BEE (NBC, New!) - The Peacock and Britain's ITV are both developing a new game show format in which contestants "sing in the blanks" when presented with partial song lyrics. The Gurin Co.'s Phil Gurin ("Weakest Link") and Juma Entertainment's Bob Horowitz ("Battle of the Network Reality Stars") are behind both projects, the ITV version of which is expected to hit the airwaves first. As for specifics, each episode reportedly starts with 28 contestants onstage who are then eliminated by being asked to sing a word, phrase or entire verse of a song, depending on the round. The winner then will take home an unspecified prize. NBC is said to be close to ordering a pilot for the project with an eye towards fast-tracking its production.
Commitment: Ordered to pilot
Cast: TBA
Writer: TBA
Director: TBA
Executive Producers: Bob Horowitz, Phil Gurin
Studios: The Gurin Company, Juma Entertainment
Sources: Variety, The Hollywood Reporter, Reuters
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[04/22/26 - 01:00 PM]
ESPN Opens NBA Playoffs with Most-Watched Playoff Game of Opening Weekend
Saturday's Houston Rockets vs. Los Angeles Lakers matchup on ABC averaged 5.2 million viewers, peaking at 6.4 million viewers during the 11 p.m. ET quarter hour.
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[04/22/26 - 12:01 PM]
HBO Original Film "Miss You, Love You," Starring Allison Janney and Andrew Rannells, Debuts May 29
A blunt, grieving widow, Diane Patterson (Allison Janney) is forced to plan her husband's funeral with a total stranger: her estranged son's assistant, Jamie Simms (Andrew Rannells).
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[04/22/26 - 11:17 AM]
USA Sports Announces 2026 WNBA on USA Network Schedule, Highlighted by Wednesday Night Doubleheaders, Marquee Matchups and 2026 WNBA Finals Games
The WNBA on USA Network schedule tips off on Mother's Day, Sunday, May 10, as 2025 WNBA MVP A'ja Wilson and the defending champion Las Vegas Aces visit Cameron Brink, Kelsey Plum and the Los Angeles Sparks at 6 p.m. ET from Crypto.com Arena in Los Angeles.
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[04/22/26 - 11:11 AM]
NBC Sports Announces Its Complete 2026 WNBA Regular-Season Schedule Across NBC, Peacock, and NBCSN
NBC Sports' 2026 WNBA slate of 22 regular season games begins with the reigning WNBA Champion Las Vegas Aces visiting the Atlanta Dream on Sunday, May 17 at 1:30 p.m. ET on NBC and Peacock.
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[04/22/26 - 11:07 AM]
NBC Sports' Manchester City-Arsenal Is Most-Watched Premier League Match in U.S. History
Coverage averaged 2.6 million viewers across NBC, Peacock, Telemundo and NBC Sports Digital platforms this past Sunday.
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[04/22/26 - 11:06 AM]
ESPN, ABC Announce 2026 WNBA Regular Season Schedule
ESPN, which has televised the WNBA since the league's inaugural season in 1997, will tip off its 30th consecutive season on Saturday, May 9, with expanded coverage across ESPN, ABC, Disney+ and ESPN Deportes.
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[04/22/26 - 11:03 AM]
Video: "We'll Be Fine" - Trailer - Hulu
Some love stories don't just consume you... they undo you.
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[04/22/26 - 10:03 AM]
"In the Eye of the Storm: Chasers" - New Docu-Series Premieres Sunday, May 17 on Discovery Channel
The six-part series captures raw, harrowing encounters as storm chasers, outfitted with their own camera rigs and advanced weather tech, race into the American Midwest during one of the most active tornado seasons in decades.
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[04/22/26 - 09:32 AM]
Record Setter! ESPN Opens 2026 Stanley Cup Playoffs with Three Most-Watched First Round Games on Cable Ever, Excluding Game 7's
The Philadelphia Flyers-Pittsburgh Penguins matchup (Saturday, 8 p.m. ET) drew 2.1 million viewers, becoming the most-viewed First Round Playoff game ever on cable (excluding game 7's).
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[04/22/26 - 09:29 AM]
Stage Set in the Steel City: ESPN's "College GameDay Built by The Home Depot" to Air Live from the NFL Draft in Pittsburgh
The Draft marks ESPN's first major event of the 2026 football season, culminating with ESPN's first-ever Super Bowl on February 14, 2027.
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[04/22/26 - 09:11 AM]
Video: Jaw-Dropping Official Trailer for Highly Anticipated Drama "The Vampire Lestat" Released
The wild and captivating next chapter in Anne Rice's Immortal Universe follows Lestat as the world's first immortal rock star on an electric multi-city tour, while he's haunted by "muses" from his rebellious past.
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[04/22/26 - 09:01 AM]
Start Your Engines... "RuPaul's Drag Race All Stars" Season 11 Unveils Its Iconic Cast Ahead of Friday, May 8 Premiere on Paramount+
With the return of the high-stakes "Tournament of All Stars" format, the competition reaches new heights across 12-episodes packed with jaw-dropping runway looks, unforgettable performances, and the kind of drama only Drag Race can deliver.
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[04/22/26 - 09:01 AM]
Video: "Send Help" - Trailer - Hulu
Rachel McAdams and Dylan O'Brien star in the film, which streams on Hulu and Hulu on Disney+ May 7.
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[04/22/26 - 08:51 AM]
"High Potential" Shoots to Six-Week High with Season Two Finale
On linear over seven days, the show earned 8.71 million Total Viewers and a 0.61 rating among Adults 18-49, also marking a six-week high in both measures and standing as the No. 1 show of the night.
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[04/22/26 - 08:18 AM]
Cara Banks Named Lead Play-by-Play Voice for NBC Sports' Coverage of LPGA Tour
Banks debuts in her new role at this weekend's Chevron Championship - the first major championship of the 2026 LPGA Tour season.
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