[07/14/08 - 07:15 PM] Development Update: Monday, July 14 By The Futon Critic Staff (TFC)
LOS ANGELES (thefutoncritic.com) -- The latest development news, culled from recent wire reports:
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BROTHERS & SISTERS/DIRTY SEXY MONEY/ELI STONE (ABC) - Drama magnate Greg Berlanti has inked a hefty five-year, eight-figure overall deal with ABC Studios. The pact covers his duties on the aforementioned studio-based dramas - all of which also air on ABC. He'll also develop new series projects for the studio.
GARY UNMARRIED (CBS) - Producers are reportedly recasting two roles on the freshman comedy - Louise Barnes and Dr. Krandall. Laura Marano and Larry Miller originated said roles in the original pilot. No reason for the changes were given. The news marks the second time Marano has been recast in a series - her role on "Back to You" was subsequently taken over by Lily Jackson in the latter part of its run. In any case, James Burrows will helm the revamped pilot while Ira Ungerleider has been recruited as a co-executive producer.
MISTRESSES (Lifetime) - Camille Sullivan and Sarah Glendening are set to round out the cast of the drama pilot, about four thirtysomething college friends (Sullivan, Holly Maria Combs, Brooke Burns and Rochelle Aytes) and the younger sister of one of them (Glendening). Melissa Carter is behind the import, which is based at Fox 21.
PRISON BREAK (FOX) - Executive producer Matt Olmstead and co-executive producer Zack Estrin confirmed at the TCA on Monday that "Cherry Hill," a proposed spin-off of the serialized drama, is still in the works. The project however won't follow the previously indicated format - introduce a female character in the regular series and then spin her off into a separate show set in a women's prison. Instead, it will be an entirely new series under the "Prison Break" franchise. "This is more like a "CSI: NY" -- more of a brand spinoff than a character spinoff," Estrin told reporters.
