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[03/27/09 - 06:24 PM]
Development Update: Friday, March 27
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!
BEN HUR (ABC, New!) - The Alphabet is set to team with Alchemy Television Group and Spain's Drimtim Entertainment for a new mini-series about the renegade hero in ancient Rome. William Wyler's 1959 film about the subject took home 11 Oscars, including Best Picture. Steve Shill ("Rome") will direct the $22.5 million production from a script by Alan Sharp ("Rob Roy"). Casting is underway on the project, which will begin filming in May in Spain, Morocco and Canada. David Wyler, William Wyler's son, is executive producing alongside Alchemy's Simon Vaughan and Drimtim's Roger Corbi. It's understood ABC plans to air the project as a limited series however no air date has been set.
EMPIRE STATE (ABC) - David Call is the latest addition to the drama pilot, "a contemporary Romeo-and-Juliet tale about the love between the blue-collar Sam (Mike Vogel) and the wealthy Annabelle (Beau Garrett) whose fathers are nemeses." He'll play the man's younger brother in the project, which comes from writer Michael Seitzman, director Jeremy Podeswa and ABC Studios.
MASTERWORK (FOX) - Aussie Matt Passmore and Brit Tom Ellis have both landed lead roles on the drama pilot, a thriller about a race against time to recover the world's most sought-after artifacts. They'll join the previously cast Natalie Dormer. Passmore will play an FBI agent specializing in the acquisition of stolen art who teams with Dormer's character, an MI-5 agent. Ellis then plays her fiance, a special agent at Scotland Yard. Paul T. Scheuring penned the 20th Century Fox Television-based hour, which Jeffrey Nachmanoff is directing.
NEW YORK GOES TO WORK (VH1, New!) - Tiffany "New York" Pollard is set to topline another series for the cable channel in which she undertakes various jobs suggested by text-messaging viewers. The series, from reality house 51 Minds Entertainment - home to previous Pollard efforts "I Love New York" and "Flavor of Love," will launch on Monday, May 4 at 10:00/9:00c. Here's the network's official description: "Each week America will choose from a list of three possible job opportunities and vote via their mobile phones by texting which job they would like to see Tiffany try. Will she be a Cal Trans sewer worker, a mortuary beautician, or a fast food employee? It will be up to you. And don�t think it will be easy for Tiffany. She�ll be worked, in all aspects of the job! Why again is she doing this? For the money of course. If she can impress her new employers, she�ll receive a $5,000 bonus each week. But, if she quits, fails, or gets fired, she�ll get absolutely nothing." Mark Cronin and Cris Abrego are the executive producers.
STATE OF ROMANCE (NBC) - Stephen Rannazzisi ("Big Day") has joined the cast of the comedy pilot, about the "Pride & Prejudice"-esque relationship between Mike (Steve Howey) and Emily (Lindsey Broad). He'll play Mike's roommate in the project, which comes from Universal Media Studios and co-creators Barbara Wallace and Tom Wolfe.
VICTORIA SILVSTEDT: MY PERFECT LIFE (E!, New!) - The cable channel has acquired the rights to the rights to the U.K.-produced reality series, which tracks the life of the former Playboy Playmate of the Year. Set to roll out Thursday, April 2 at 8:00/7:00c, the project bowed on E!'s counterpart in the U.K. back in November.
Sources: Variety, The Hollywood Reporter, Reuters
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[01/27/26 - 01:47 PM]
"America's Culinary Cup" Announces the Award-Winning Chefs Invited to Compete for the Biggest Prize in Culinary Television History
The ultimate culinary showdown premieres with a 90-minute episode following "Survivor 50" on Wednesday, March 4.
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[01/27/26 - 01:46 PM]
CBS Announces Landmark Crossover Event Between Hit Daytime Dramas "Beyond the Gates" and "The Young and the Restless"
The ambitious storyline will transport six iconic residents from Y&R's Genoa City into BTG's posh gated community, Fairmont Crest, and will air on "Beyond the Gates" in June.
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[01/27/26 - 01:45 PM]
CBS Announces the 10 Iconic "Survivor" Episodes Paving the "Road to 50"
Beginning Monday, February 9, the network will present 10 encore episodes from the Emmy-winning series' ground-breaking history showcasing players from the "Survivor 50" cast.
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[01/27/26 - 01:23 PM]
NBC Sports' Star-Studded Cast to Present Super Bowl LX Sunday, Feb. 8 on NBC and Peacock, Headlining Biggest Day in Sports on Opening Weekend of "Legendary February"
Super Bowl LX marks NBC's 21st Super Bowl broadcast, and the second on Peacock.
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[01/27/26 - 01:01 PM]
Apple TV Renews "Shrinking" for Season Four Ahead of Its Season Three Premiere
Bringing more heart and humor, the series will also see the return of cast members Christa Miller, Emmy Award nominee Jessica Williams, Luke Tennie, Emmy Award nominee Michael Urie, Lukita Maxwell and Ted McGinley.
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[01/27/26 - 12:01 PM]
Netflix Top 10: Week of January 19 - "The Rip" Is Right on the Money at No. 1 in This Week's Top 10
Audiences kept the suspense going as they streamed the murder-mystery thriller "His & Hers," putting the series at No. 1 on the English TV list with 17.2 million views.
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[01/27/26 - 11:59 AM]
Hulu Sets Premiere Date and Title for Upcoming Nikki Glaser Comedy Special
"Nikki Glaser: Good Girl" will stream Friday, April 24 on Hulu and Hulu on Disney+ for bundle subscribers and internationally.
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[01/27/26 - 11:30 AM]
Starz Acquires Critically-Acclaimed Drama Series "The Listeners" Starring Rebecca Hall
Based on the novel by Jordan Tannahill, who also wrote the adaptation, the provocative, haunting drama premiered on BBC One in the U.K. to broad critical acclaim and will premiere in the U.S. exclusively in 2026.
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[01/27/26 - 11:01 AM]
Richard Dormer Returns to BAFTA-Winning Drama "Blue Lights" for Season Four
Three years into their jobs as response officers, Constables Grace Ellis, Tommy Foster, and Annie Conlon are operating at their limit, facing a new threat on the streets that the police can barely control.
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[01/27/26 - 10:30 AM]
Caitlin Clark to Join NBC Sports as Special Contributor for "Basketball Night in America" Before "Sunday Night Basketball" Debuts February 1 at Madison Square Garden
"I'm really excited to be part of the Basketball Night in America crew this season," said Clark. "Carmelo, Vince, and Tracy are legends of the game and Maria is a true professional. It will be really fun to join them a few times this season."
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[01/27/26 - 10:10 AM]
FOX Sports and NASCAR Studios Announce New Original Documentary "We've Lost Dale Earnhardt: 25 Years Later" Premiering February 12 on FS1
The film is told through exclusive first-person accounts, rare home video, archival broadcast footage, and cinematic storytelling, revisiting the death of seven-time NASCAR champion Dale Earnhardt and examining the profound ripple effects that continue to shape the sport and its culture 25 years later.
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[01/27/26 - 10:01 AM]
Video: "Love Is Blind" Season 10 - Meet the Singles - Netflix
Come for the meet cutes, stay for the wedding bells. Hopeful romantics fall in love based solely on their inner beauty in this hit dating experiment.
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[01/27/26 - 09:48 AM]
Zorro Is Coming to MHz Choice
Broadly appealing with a light comedic touch, the eight-episode limited series is set to premiere on MHz Choice this summer, launching June 30.
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[01/27/26 - 09:24 AM]
CBS News Significantly Expands Its Roster with 19 New Contributors Covering the Worlds of Politics, National Security, Medicine, Health, Happiness, Food, Style and Much More
The new hires were announced today by Bari Weiss, editor-in-chief of CBS News, during an all-hands meeting.
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[01/27/26 - 09:01 AM]
"Something Very Bad Is Going to Happen" on March 26th - First Look & Date Announcement
Netflix's limited series comes from the executive producers of "Stranger Things" and the director of "Baby Reindeer."
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