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[04/22/08 - 05:10 PM]
Development Update: Tuesday, April 22
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!
THE GLASS SEAGULL (Hallmark, New!) - Lesley Ann Warren and Meredith Baxter are set to topline a new original movie for the cable channel about two lifelong friends struggling with the news that one has cancer. Said event forces one friend (Baxter) to make a decision over whether to tell her daughter she is really the daughter of the other (Warren), a Broadway star. David Cass Sr. is directing the project from a script by Darrell V. Orme Mann. Production is underway for a spring 2009 premiere with Larry Levinson, Randy Pope, Dan Gross and Michael Moran serving as executive producers and Lincoln Lageson and Traceigh Scottell producing.
MY NAME IS EARL (NBC) - Danielle Sanchez-Witzel, a supervising producer on the series, has inked a two-year, seven-figure overall deal with Universal Media Studios. During the first year of the pact, Sanchez-Witzel will be loaned out to the 20th Century Fox Television-produced "Earl," where she'll be upped to co-executive producer next season. Additionally, she'll develop new series projects for the studio.
THE PHILANTHROPIST (NBC) - Executive producer Tom Fontana has departed the upcoming drama, which received a blind series commitment back in September. Fontana's exit is reportedly due to creative differences with the network over the show's direction. The Universal Media Studios-based project centers on a renegade billionaire who uses his wealth, connections and power to help people in need no matter what the risks or costs. Fontana penned the pilot script based on an idea by Original Media's Charlie Corwin. It's understood Fontana wanted to focus on social issues as immigration, drug addiction and the use of children soldiers in parts of world, while the network was looking for a more escapist and fantastical approach. In any case, the search is underway for a new showrunner. Fontana's producing partner Barry Levinson is also departing, leaving Corwin as the sole executive producer for the time being. It's not clear if the network plans to thrown out any of the show's six completed scripts.
THE WENDY WILLIAMS SHOW (Syndication) - Debmar-Mercury is set to launch a test run of the talk show in four markets beginning July 14. The participating stations - WNYW New York, KTTV Los Angeles, KDFW Dallas and WJBK Detroit, all Fox owned-and-operated - will carry a six-week, 30-episode run of the show with an eye toward a nationwide rollout in the fall of 2009. In addition, Rob Dauber ("Martha") has been tapped to co-executive produce the New York-based series - which will feature Williams's commentary on celebrity gossip and news events, as well as interviews, fashion and advice segments - alongside Williams and her husband/manager Kevin Hunter. Said stations will pay an unspecified cash license fee as well as hand over four minutes of ad time for national ad sales by Debmar-Mercury.
Sources: Variety, The Hollywood Reporter, Reuters
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[03/16/26 - 10:31 AM]
"Free Bert" Renewed for Season 2 on Netflix
Bert Kreischer will appear at Netflix is a Joke Festival 2026, performing the "Bert and Shaq's Crowd Work Show" at The Comedy Store on May 8 and hosting "2 Bears 5K" with Tom Segura and Jelly Roll at The Rose Bowl on May 9.
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[03/16/26 - 10:31 AM]
Things Are About to Get Wild When "Primate" Streams on Paramount+ March 25
The film follows a group of friends' fight for survival after their pet chimpanzee, Ben, goes on a violent rampage, turning a tropical homecoming into a primal tale of horror and survival.
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[03/16/26 - 10:01 AM]
CBS Presents "The Neighborhood: A Farewell Special," An Entertainment Tonight Production, Monday, April 6 on CBS
The special celebrates the acclaimed CBS comedy's final season, honoring eight seasons, 156 episodes, and eight unforgettable years of laughter, heart and community, leading up to the series finale on May 11.
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[03/16/26 - 09:31 AM]
Haley Baylee to Host "Win the Mall" - A High-Stakes New Reality Competition Show Coming to Netflix Fall 2026
Part shopping spree, part social strategy, this high-gloss reality competition drops players into a living mall where they'll fight to outshop, outsmart, and outlast one another - and only one will walk away with the keys to the ultimate prize.
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[03/16/26 - 09:01 AM]
Nate Diaz Vs. Mike Perry Join Most Valuable Promotions' Massive Triple-Headliner Professional MMA Event on Saturday, May 16, 2026, at Intuit Dome in Los Angeles, California, Live Globally Only on Netflix
The bout joins the recently announced heavyweight clash between lineal heavyweight champion Francis Ngannou vs. Brazil's Philippe Lins and the historic women's main event between former UFC champion and Olympic medalist Ronda Rousey vs. combat sports trailblazer Gina Carano.
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[03/16/26 - 09:01 AM]
Video: "Star Wars: Maul - Shadow Lord" - Official Trailer - Streaming April 6 on Disney+
Let us have our revenge.
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[03/16/26 - 06:00 AM]
ESPN Announces Commentator Pairings for Exclusive Coverage of NCAA March Madness Women's Basketball
For the first time ever, all four ABC sites in the first and second rounds will feature a reporter, with Holly Rowe, Alyssa Lang, Molly McGrath and Jess Sims joining the calls.
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[03/16/26 - 05:31 AM]
Netflix's "Assassin's Creed" Casts New Recurring Roles
Noomi Rapace, Ramzy Bedia, Sean Harris, and Corrado Invernizzi are among the latest additions.
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[03/16/26 - 05:01 AM]
Great American Media Announces "One More Christmas," Starring Candace Cameron Bure and Jonathan Scarfe, New Original Film for Great American Christmas 2026
Bure will headline two original films for Great American Christmas 2026 and will also serve as executive producer on an additional holiday feature to be announced soon.
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[03/15/26 - 07:15 PM]
Playing for Phoenix: ESPN Is Once Again the Exclusive Home of NCAA March Madness Women's Basketball
March Madness women's basketball on ESPN networks will have matchups available across ABC, ESPN, ESPN2, ESPNU and ESPNEWS. All games stream live in the ESPN App with an applicable subscription.
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[03/15/26 - 09:25 AM]
Nathan Fillion Makes Surprise Announcement of New Animated "Firefly" Series in Advanced Development at Awesome Con
Fillion made the announcement alongside his former "Firefly" co-star and podcast co-host Alan Tudyk, joined by fellow original cast members Gina Torres, Jewel Staite, Morena Baccarin, Sean Maher, and Summer Glau that amplified speculation already building online.
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[03/13/26 - 03:05 PM]
Italy's Victory Over Mexico Delivers 2 Million Viewers Across FS1 and FOX Deportes
Said coverage marked the most-watched non-USA WBC Pool Play telecast ever.
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[03/13/26 - 02:41 PM]
HBO Original Series "Life, Larry, and the Pursuit of Unhappiness" Debuts June 26
President and Mrs. Obama wanted to honor America's 250th anniversary and celebrate the unique history of our nation on this special occasion. ...But then Larry David called.
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[03/13/26 - 01:45 PM]
ABC News Is #1 in Total Viewers in Late Night, Friday Night and Sunday Morning
"20/20" saw week-to-week gains in Adults 25-54 and Adults 18-49.
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[03/13/26 - 11:00 AM]
Production Begins on the Final Season of "Mayor of Kingstown" for Paramount+
David Morse will join season five as a series regular playing Russell Hardy, a seasoned FBI agent sent to Kingstown.
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