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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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[04/21/26 - 02:35 PM]
FOX Saturday Baseball Scores Double-Digit Year-Over-Year Growth
2,094,000 viewers tuned-in to FOX Saturday for a two-game slate highlighted by Atlanta's 3-1 victory over Philadelphia in most of the country.
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[04/21/26 - 11:00 AM]
New Series "Food Network's Top 10" Delivers a Craveable Weekly Countdown from Restaurants Across America
Award-winning chefs break down the bites that are truly worth the hype, the splurge, and even a road trip.
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[04/21/26 - 10:51 AM]
A New High! NHL on ESPN Networks Score Most-Viewed Regular Season of the Current Rights Deal
Individually, the NHL on ESPN averaged 602K viewers (38 games) and the NHL on ABC averaged 1.1 million viewers (16 games), both new highs in ESPN's current rights era.
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[04/21/26 - 10:04 AM]
Investigation Discovery Sets Premiere Date for "The Many Lives of Benjaman Kyle," A Shocking Documentary Event Exploring the Dark and Dangerous Mystery Behind One Man's Hidden Identity
The shocking two night documentary event premieres on Monday, May 25 and Tuesday, May 26 from 9-11pm ET on Investigation Discovery, with episodes available to stream on HBO Max.
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[04/21/26 - 09:31 AM]
Video: "Worst Ex Ever" Season 2 - Official Trailer - Netflix
From chilling betrayals to murder plots, this true-crime documentary series dissects the dark side of love through eyewitness testimonies.
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[04/21/26 - 09:27 AM]
Award-winning Nordic Noir "Black Sands" Returns in Addictive Final Season on the Viaplay Streaming Service Beginning Thursday, May 14
During the bleak Arctic winter, Season 2 picks up fourteen months after the Black Sands tragedy, where the survivors are still haunted by the revelation that a beloved resident was a serial killer.
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[04/21/26 - 09:01 AM]
CNN to Air "America Laughs with Matt Friend" - A CNN Political Comedy Special
The special will be filmed from the nation's capital and will celebrate the longstanding tradition of combining comedy and politics to bring people together from across the political spectrum during the weekend of the annual White House Correspondents' Association Dinner.
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[04/21/26 - 08:01 AM]
Video: "Destination World Cup 2026" - Official Trailer - Tubi Original
Three football stars. One global stage. Marc Cucurella, Harry Wilson, and Weston McKennie chase their spot in the 2026 World Cup.
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[04/21/26 - 08:01 AM]
Your Favorite Amateur Sleuths Are on Their Way - "The Marlow Murder Club" and "Marble Hall Murders" Will Both Premiere on Sunday, September 6th
Both series are coming to "Masterpiece" on PBS this fall.
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[04/21/26 - 08:01 AM]
Video: "Devil May Cry" Season 2 - Official Trailer - Netflix
A war between worlds ignites as Dante confronts his own devils and must battle the only force that mirrors his own: his estranged twin brother, Vergil.
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[04/21/26 - 08:00 AM]
Prime Video Reveals Premiere Date and Official Trailer for "Citadel" Season Two
All seven episodes will be released on Wednesday, May 6, 2026, exclusively on Prime Video in more than 240 countries and territories worldwide.
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[04/21/26 - 07:31 AM]
Acclaimed Comedian Stavros Halkias Returns to Netflix for His Next Stand-Up Special, "Uncle Stav"
His latest stand-up special, "Fat Rascal," is streaming on Netflix, following his debut special "Live at the Lodge Room," which hit one million views in its first four days and has since surpassed seven million.
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[04/21/26 - 07:30 AM]
Psychological Thriller Drama, "Summerwater," Premieres Monday, May 25 Exclusively on Acorn TV in the U.S. and Canada
Written and created for television by BAFTA Award-nominated John Donnelly, the suspenseful series stars Shirley Henderson, Dougray Scott, and Valene Kane.
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[04/21/26 - 07:01 AM]
Apple's Globally Acclaimed Drama "Silo" Returns for Season Three on July 3
The 10-episode third season will premiere on Apple TV with the first episode on July 3, followed by one new episode every Friday through September 4, 2026.
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[04/21/26 - 07:00 AM]
Disney Signs Music and Development Deal with Lenny Pearce for Disney+
As part of the deal, Pearce will develop new original animated content inspired by the "Toddler Techno" remix versions of its hit shows for Disney+ which will join Disney+'s leading preschool lineup.
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