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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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[06/17/26 - 12:14 PM]
Top 10 Most-Watched Prime Original Films & Series for the Week of June 8
"Off Campus," "Every Year After," "Spider-Noir," "Clarkson's Farm," and "The Boys" led all original series worldwide.
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[06/17/26 - 12:00 PM]
Disney+ Announces Season Four of "The Proud Family: Louder and Prouder" and New Holiday Special "A Proud Family Wizmas"
The fourth and final season will premiere on Wednesday, July 29, ahead of the beloved series' 25th anniversary.
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[06/17/26 - 11:22 AM]
Lifetime Announces Five New Movies for July and August
"He Couldn't Let Go," "Crowning at the Prom," "Girl in the Coffin," "Killer Clown," and "She Stole My Son's Heart" will premiere on successive Saturdays beginning July 11.
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[06/17/26 - 10:29 AM]
"BET Awards" 2026 Reveals First Wave of Performers
As Culture's Biggest Night approaches, BET will continue to unveil additional performers, presenters, special guests, and surprise moments leading up to the live broadcast, hosted by Druski, airing Sunday, June 28 at 8 PM ET/PT on BET from the Peacock Theater in Los Angeles.
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[06/17/26 - 10:14 AM]
Video: "The Welcome Table" - Official Trailer - HBO
From Oscar-nominated director Josh Fox, the film tells the story of climate migrants across six continents, centering the voices and experiences of survivors on the front lines of the climate crisis.
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[06/17/26 - 10:07 AM]
"Solo Traveling with Tracee Ellis Ross" Season 2 - Streaming on The Roku Channel July 20th
She's back, packing her bags and inviting audiences to join her solo trips to Australia, Thailand, and Switzerland to experience the joy of solo travel.
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[06/17/26 - 10:03 AM]
Starz Picks Up Timely and Riveting Queer Drama "Tip Toe," Starring Alan Cumming and David Morrissey to Air in 2026
Starring Alan Cumming and David Morrissey as warring neighbors, the five-part series will premiere exclusively on Starz later this year.
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[06/17/26 - 10:01 AM]
New Series "Homestead Rescue: Intervention" Pushes Wilderness Expert Raney Family Into Their Most Emotional and High-Stakes Rescues of Off-Gridders Living Beyond the Edge of Survival
The series premieres Tuesday, July 14 at 8:00PM ET/PT on Discovery Channel.
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[06/17/26 - 09:20 AM]
NBC's "Macy's 4th of July Fireworks" Celebrates 50th Anniversary with Star-Studded Lineup of Musical Artists
The star-studded event will feature performances by Noah Kahan, Post Malone, Salt-N-Pepa, Bebe Rexha, Shaboozey and Blake Shelton.
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[06/17/26 - 09:05 AM]
New City. New Experts. Bold New Era of Love. Season 20 of Peacock's "Married at First Sight" Returns Sunday, July 12
Featuring more couples than ever before, a brand-new panel of experts, fresh dynamics and deeper emotional stakes, Season 20 reimagines the groundbreaking social experiment that has captivated audiences for two decades.
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[06/17/26 - 09:01 AM]
BET Returns to Its Stand-Up Comedy Roots with "ComicView: Rooftop Series," Hosted by Chris "CP" Powell, Premiering June 30
Each episode spotlights three of the funniest comics delivering sharp, unfiltered takes on culture, family, and real life - from a Hollywood rooftop.
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[06/17/26 - 09:00 AM]
Prime Video Greenlights Season Two of "One Night in Idaho: The College Murders"
The series returns for a new season with unprecedented first-time, exclusive access to the police and lead investigators who bore the weight of a nation's obsession and - until now - were unable to tell their story due to a gag order on the case.
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[06/17/26 - 08:01 AM]
Video: "Susana and Elvira: No Plan B" - Official Trailer - Netflix
After a fallout abroad, two former best friends reluctantly reunite to plan a high-profile wedding for the hottest artists in town - with no backup plan.
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[06/17/26 - 07:44 AM]
CNN FlashDoc "Chasing Soccer Glory: America's Long Game" Now Streaming on the CNN App
More than three decades after the World Cup last came to the United States, "Chasing Soccer Glory" examines how soccer evolved from a niche sport into a cultural force, and why the promise of the U.S. Men's National Team remains unfulfilled.
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[06/17/26 - 07:41 AM]
Video: MGM+ Debuts Official Trailer, Key Art and New Photos for Gritty Drama Series "The Westies" Starring Academy Award-Winner J.K. Simmons
The eight-episode series will premiere with two episodes on Sunday, July 12, followed by a weekly release on MGM+ in the U.S., the UK, Germany, Italy, Spain, Netherlands, Belgium, Argentina, Brazil, Mexico, Chile, and Colombia.
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