[05/06/09 - 06:16 PM] Development Update: Wednesday, May 6 By The Futon Critic Staff (TFC)
LOS ANGELES (thefutoncritic.com) -- The latest development news, culled from recent wire reports:
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GAME OF THRONES (HBO) - Peter Dinklage ("The Station Agent") has been cast in the drama pilot, a small screen take on George R.R. Martin's best-selling "A Song of Ice and Fire" fantasy novels about "an epic struggle for power set in a vast and violent fantasy kingdom." He'll play Tyrion, "the Queen's brother who is treated as an outsider because of his size." Production is scheduled to begin this fall in Belfast, Northern Ireland with Carolyn Strauss, Guymon Casady, Vince Gerardis, Ralph Vicinanza and Martin himself executive producing alongside co-writers David Benioff and D.B. Weiss. Mark Huffam and Frank Doelger are also on board as producers.
TREME (HBO) - The pay channel has ordered David Simon and Eric Overmyer's post-Hurricane Katrina opus to series. While the exact number of episodes is still being worked out, production is set to begin this fall. HBO had already commissioned nine additional scripts beyond the pilot. "The Wire" alums Clarke Peters and Wendell Pierce co-star in the hour, whose ensemble also includes Khandi Alexander, Kim Dickens, Melissa Leo, Rob Brown and Steve Zahn. "Treme," pronounced "Trah-May," revolves around the residents of the famed New Orleans district, including musicians and a restaurateur. Simon and Overmyer co-wrote the pilot and are executive producing alongside Nina Noble, David Mills and former HBO Entertainment topper Carolyn Strauss. Agnieszka Holland helmed the pilot.
UNTITLED MINDY KALING PROJECT (NBC, New!) - Mindy Kaling ("The Office") has inked a two-year, seven-figure overall deal with NBC and Universal Media Studios. The pact calls for her to develop a new series project for the duo which she's write and star. That's in addition to her current duties - in front of and behind the camera - on the network's Thursday tentpole. Prior to "The Office," Kaling and then writing partner Brenda Withers where best known for their WB pilot "Mindy and Brenda," about two female best friends straight out of college.
