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[04/06/07 - 04:38 PM]
Development Update: Friday, April 6
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!


ATLANTA (CBS) - Leslie Bibb ("Crossing Jordan") is set to star opposite Freddie Prinze, Jr. in the comedy pilot, about a man and a woman who meet at a funeral and can't seem to stay away from each other. She'll play said woman in the project.

Commitment: Ordered to pilot
Cast: Freddie Prinze, Jr. (Eric), Leslie Bibb
Writer: Paul Reiser
Director: Harold Ramis
Executive Producers: Craig Knizek (Nuance Productions), Paul Reiser (Nuance Productions)
Studio: CBS Paramount Network Television


BEDROOMS & BOARDROOMS (ABC) - Wendy Moniz ("The Guardian") has landed a role on the drama pilot, about four dysfunctional CEOs who will do anything to stay on top. She'll play Stacey, the wife of Michael Vartan's character.

Commitment: Ordered to pilot
Cast: Amy Sloan (Wendy), Christopher Titus (Brody), Dylan McDermott (Duncan), Jessica Collins (Marla), Joshua Malina (Karl), Michael Vartan (James), Nia Long (Katie), Paige Turco (Lisbeth), Peyton List (Cameron), Wendy Moniz (Stacey)
Writer: Jon Harmon Feldman
Director: Charles McDougall
Executive Producers: Jon Harmon Feldman
Studio: Warner Bros. Television


COMPANY MAN (FOX) - Michael Goorjian ("Party of Five") is set to appear on the drama pilot, about a brilliant engineer (Jason Behr) who's thrust into a world of espionage. He'll play Jeff Greenwald, a potentially recurring role.

Commitment: Ordered to pilot
Cast: Annie Wersching (Kate Fisher), Billy Brown (Tom Wicks), Jason Behr (Paul Fisher), Michael Goorjian (Jeff Greenwald), Sarah Brown (Laura Brooks), Stana Katic (Sara Baker)
Writers: David Ehrman, Robert Cochran
Director: Jon Cassar
Executive Producers: David Ehrman, Howard Gordon (Real Time Productions), Joel Surnow (Real Time Productions), Jon Cassar, Robert Cochran (Real Time Productions)
Studio: 20th Century Fox Television


EIGHT DAYS A WEEK (The CW) - Christina Milian ("Pulse") has landed one of the lead roles in the comedy pilot, about four friends who work for the elite in New York City. She's set as Olivia, a law school grad currently assisting the owner of a Manhattan art gallery. In addition, Arlene Sanford ("My Boys") has signed on to direct the half-hour.

Commitment: Ordered to pilot
Cast: Anna Chlumsky (Riley), Christina Milian (Olivia), Rosa Blasi (Randi)
Writers: Marcie Ulin, Meredith Lavender
Director: Arlene Sanford
Executive Producers: Marcie Ulin, Meredith Lavender, Sean Hayes (Hazy Mills Productions), Todd Milliner (Hazy Mills Productions)
Studio: CBS Paramount Network Television


GOSSIP GIRL (The CW) - Matthew Settle ("Brothers & Sisters") and Ed Westwick ("Children of Men") have both been confirmed as cast members on the drama pilot, about the world of privileged teenagers attending elite private schools in New York City as told through the eyes of an anonymous blogger. They'll play Rufus and Chuck, respectively, two unspecified roles.

Commitment: Ordered to pilot
Cast: Blake Lively (Serena), Chace Crawford (Nate), Ed Westwick (Chuck), Florencia Lozano (Eleanor), Kelly Rutherford (Lily), Leighton Meester (Blair), Matthew Settle (Rufus), Penn Badgley (Dan), Taylor Momsen (Jenny)
Writers: Josh Schwartz, Stephanie Savage
Director: Mark Piznarski
Executive Producers: Bob Levy (Alloy Entertainment), Josh Schwartz, Leslie Morgenstein (Alloy Entertainment), Stephanie Savage
Studio: Warner Bros. Television


HELL ON EARTH (The CW) - Brian Palermo ("Significant Others") has joined the cast of the comedy pilot, about a not-so-nice girl who gets hit by a bus and gets a second chance in life as a normal girl from the wrong side of the tracks. He'll play Luc, an unspecified role.

Commitment: Ordered to pilot
Cast: Brian Palermo (Luc), Dawnn Lewish (Amber/Jessie), Kim Coles (Sera), Lamont Thompson (David/Dino)
Writers: Jack Amiel, Michael Begler
Director: Dennie Gordon
Executive Producers: Jack Amiel, Michael Begler
Studio: CBS Paramount Network Television


THE MASTERSONS OF MANHATTAN (NBC) - Jasika Nicole ("Take the Lead") has been cast in the comedy pilot, about a dysfunctional pair of New York City socialites (Molly Shannon, Natasha Richardson). She's playing Penny, an unspecified character.

Commitment: Ordered to pilot
Cast: Amanda Walsh (Laura), Brian Benben (Joseph), Jasika Nicole (Penny), Jonathan Cake (Roger/Marshall), Molly Shannon (Amanda Masterson), Natasha Richardson (Victoria Masterson)
Writer: Gary Janetti
Director: James Burrows
Executive Producers: Gary Janetti
Studio: NBC Universal Television Studio


M.O.N.Y. (NBC) - Arian Moayed ("Arranged") and Amy Ryan ("The Wire") have both been cast in the drama pilot, about a public advocate (Bobby Cannavale) who becomes mayor of New York after the current one slips into a coma. Moayed is set as Ates Kiliclioglu while Ryan is playing Marcie Futterman. The latter role is further detailed in the casting notice as follows: "30s, attractive, funny with a biting wit, a real New Yorker. She is the Mayor's private secretary, a civil servant who's "been around since the Giuliani administration. She knows everything that's happening in the building." Highly professional, but very warm once the icy veneer is cracked, Marcie had a brief fling with Joe Capanelli about six months back. She claims to be over any feelings she had for him, but now that he's back in her midst, things start heating up a bit."

Commitment: Ordered to pilot
Cast: Amy Ryan (Marcie Futterman), Arian Moayed (Ates Kiliclioglu), Bobby Cannavale (Joe Capanelli), Carmen Ejogo (Francine Tyson)
Writers: Barry Levinson, Tom Fontana
Director: Spike Lee
Executive Producers: Barry Levinson (The Levinson-Fontana Company), James Finnerty, Tom Fontana (The Levinson-Fontana Company)
Studio: NBC Universal Television Studio


THE WORLD ACCORDING TO BARNES (The CW) - Ravi Patel ("Scrubs") is the latest addition to the drama pilot, about two geeky Princeton University students who use their inventive skills to help solve crimes. He'll play Nasser, an unspecified role.

Commitment: Ordered to pilot (14-20 minute presentation)
Cast: Autumn Reeser (Sheri), David Walton (Tyler), Hank Harris (Ronald), Ravi Patel (Nasser), Ryan Devlin (Bobby Barnes), Tim Matheson
Writer: Tom Wheeler
Director: Jason Ensler
Executive Producers: Andrew Plotkin (Class IV Productions), Steve Pearlman (Class IV Productions), Tom Wheeler
Studio: Warner Bros. Television


Sources: Variety, The Hollywood Reporter, Reuters





  [april 2007]  
S
M
T
W
T
F
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· ATLANTA (CBS)
· BIG SHOTS (ABC)
· BROTHERS & SISTERS (ABC)
· COMPANY MAN (FOX)
· CROSSING JORDAN (NBC)
· DEVELOPMENT UPDATE (TFC)
· EIGHT DAYS A WEEK (CW)
· GOSSIP GIRL (CW)
· GUARDIAN, THE (CBS)
· HELL ON EARTH (CW)
· MASTERSONS OF MANHATTAN, THE (NBC)
· MONY (NBC)
· MY BOYS (TBS)
· PARTY OF FIVE (FOX)
· SCRUBS (ABC)
· SIGNIFICANT OTHERS (BRAVO)
· WIRE, THE (HBO)
· WORLD ACCORDING TO BARNES, THE (CW)





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