 |
 |
[12/10/09 - 06:13 PM]
Development Update: Thursday, December 10
By The Futon Critic Staff (TFC) |
|
|
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!
AMERICA: THE STORY OF US (History) - Meryl Streep, Michael Douglas, Colin Powell, Brian Williams, Buzz Aldrin, Tommy Franks, Donald Trump, John Lasseter and Stevie Wonder have all been tapped to participate in the upcoming 12-part event, which will "focus on the elements that distinguish American democracy, the conflicts that shaped it and the myriad social and industrial innovations that have fueled the country's prosperity." Said talent will serve as on-camera commentators with Jane Root executive producing via her Nutopia production banner. "America" is due sometime in 2010.
DELTA BLUES (TNT) - Alfre Woodard ("Three Rivers") has joined the cast of the drama pilot, about Dwight Hendricks (Jason Lee), "a Memphis police officer who lives with his mother (Celia Weston) and moonlights as a tribute artist." She'll play "the formidable new lieutenant who tries to exercise her power over Dwight," a role presumably in second position to the hiatused "Rivers." Warner Horizon Television and Smokehouse Productions are behind the hour, which also stars Abraham Benrubi, DJ Qualls, Leonard Howz, Robyn Lively and Sam Hennings. Clark Johnson is directing from a script by Joshua Harto and Liz Garcia.
FLIGHT OF THE CONCHORDS (HBO) - Bret McKenzie and Jemaine Clement have announced via their web site their pay channel series won't be returning for a third season. "We've noticed the less we say about the future of the show, the more people want to talk about it, so in an effort to reverse this trend we are today announcing that we won't be returning for a 3rd season," said the statement. "We're very proud of the two seasons we made and we like the way the show ended. We'd like to thank everyone who helped make the show and also everyone who watched it. While the characters Bret and Jemaine will no longer be around, the real Bret and Jemaine will continue to exist." The show wrapped its second season back in March.
GLEE (FOX) - Tony-winning actress Idina Menzel ("Wicked") is reportedly in talks to recur on the back half of the show's freshman season. She would play the coach to glee club "Vocal Adrenaline," the McKinley High glee club's main competition. Menzel had already been the focus of a fan campaign to cast her as Rachel Berry's (Lea Michele) biological mother. Also signing on for a five to six episode arc is Jonathan Groff. He'll play the lead male vocalist of "Vocal Adrenaline" and a potential love interest for Rachel Berry. Groff co-starred opposite Michele in the Broadway production of "Spring Awakening."
KEEP HOPE ALIVE (FOX) - Kate Micucci ("Scrubs") has landed a role on the comedy pilot, about Jimmy (Lucas Neff), "a 25-year-old single parent raising an infant with the help of his quirky family after the mother of the baby -- with whom he had a one-night stand -- ends up on death row." She'll play Mike, "an unkempt, fairly oblivious cousin of Jimmy living in a tent in the laundry room of their great-grandmother's house." Said role was originally envisioned a male. Garrett Dillahunt, Kate Micucci, Martha Plimpton and Olesya Rulin also star in the 20th Century Fox Television-based half-hour, which Michael Fresco is directing from a script by Greg Garcia.
THE SIX (ABC, New!) - Merv Griffin Entertainment has landed a presentation order from the Alphabet for a new game show based on the Russian format "What? Where? When?" Said project, which has been running for 35 years in its home country, is being redubbed "The Six," after the number of contestants on the show. The late Vladimir Voroshilov created (and hosted) the series, which pits a panel of six knowledgeable persons against the viewing audience. Said experts are tasked with answering audience-submitted questions listed on a spinning horizontal wheel divided into segments. If the experts answer correctly in the allotted 60 seconds they receive a point, if they don't the audience receives a point with question's author also earning a prize. (Sample question: "They first appeared in 1908 in Mexico. There were two of them. Over time, they came closer and closer together, like wings of a black raven. Name them." Answer: "Frida Kahlo's eyebrows.") Exact format details however are still being worked out. Merv Griffin's Roy Bank is executive producing the project alongside Ukranian-born actor Alex Reznik, Jonathan Barry and Ron Ward. Dwight Smith and Michael Agbabian are the showrunners with Brian Veskosky serving as a co-executive producer.
Sources: Variety, The Hollywood Reporter, Reuters
|
|
|
 [december 2009]  |
S |
M |
T |
W |
T |
F |
S |
| | |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
 |
 |
|
[02/03/25 - 11:01 AM]
97th Oscars Production Team Announced
Rob Paine returns as co-executive producer, and Taryn Hurd and Sarah Levine Hall return as producers.
|
[02/03/25 - 10:02 AM]
"America's Got Talent" Celebrates Milestone 20th Season Beginning Tuesday, May 27 on NBC
Also returning this summer to NBC is Season 17 of "American Ninja Warrior," premiering Monday, June 2 (8-10 P.M. ET/PT).
|
[02/03/25 - 09:33 AM]
ESPN's Excellent Start to 2025: January Marks Highest Monthly Viewership in a Decade
Combining all of ESPN's programming with sports programming on ABC, more minutes were watched by fans than any month since January of 2017 (96 months).
|
[02/03/25 - 09:32 AM]
Prime Video Launches New Starz-BET+ Streaming Bundle in the U.S.
Customers can access the offering on Prime Video for $15.99/month, an approximate 30 percent savings.
|
[02/03/25 - 09:01 AM]
Video: "Grosse Pointe Garden Society" - Official Trailer - NBC
When four members of a garden club get entangled in a scandalous murder, they're forced to bury the body - in their own well-manicured flower beds.
|
[02/03/25 - 09:00 AM]
NFL Legend Rob Gronkowski Guest Stars on An-All New "Animal Control" Thursday, Feb. 13 (9:00-9:30 PM ET/PT) on FOX
After Frank (Joel McHale) and Animal Control help Rob Gronkowski wrangle the real-life versions of every NFL mascot, his prank war with Templeton (Gerry Dee) reaches new heights and they are forced to work together against a common foe.
|
[02/03/25 - 07:31 AM]
Grand Slam Track, Founded by Four-Time Olympic Champion Michael Johnson, Announces Media Rights Partnerships with The CW Network and NBC Sports to Present Its Inaugural Season
Grand Slam Track features a roster of 48 racers, comprising of the top track athletes from around the world, competing against 48 Challengers in four Slams in Kingston, Jamaica; Miami; Philadelphia; and Los Angeles.
|
[02/03/25 - 07:19 AM]
Blockbusters, Originals and Iconic Returns - You're Not Ready for What's Next on Netflix India in 2025
Tentpole projects like Aryan Khan's grand Bollywood-themed series, "The Ba***ds of Bollywood" ("The Bads of Bollywood"), and Siddharth Anand's high-stakes drama, "Jewel Thief: The Heist Begins," bring scale and excitement to our slate.
|
[02/03/25 - 07:17 AM]
Video: Apple TV+ Debuts Trailer for Season Two of the Highly Anticipated Psychological Thriller "Surface"
Starring and executive produced by Gugu Mbatha-Raw and created by Veronica West, the acclaimed psychological thriller returns for its eight-episode second season on Friday, February 21, followed by new episodes every Friday through April 11.
|
[02/03/25 - 07:15 AM]
Investigation Discovery to Premiere "A Body in the Snow: The Trial of Karen Read," Offering Unprecented Access to Read and Her Legal Team
The series is slated to premiere on ID over three nights on Monday, March 17 and Tuesday, March 18 from 9-11p ET/PT with the one-hour finale airing on Wednesday, March 19 at 9pm ET/PT.
|
[02/03/25 - 07:01 AM]
Video: "Cobra Kai" Season 6 Part 3 - Final Trailer - Netflix
Granted one final chance to finish the Sekai Taikai, Daniel, Johnny and the team lay it all on the line in the ultimate championship showdown.
|
[02/03/25 - 07:00 AM]
WWE and Tubi Announce the Launch of "WWE Evolve"
The series is slated to premiere March 5 at 8pm ET / 5pm PT, exclusively on Tubi, with a new episode dropping each week on Wednesdays.
|
[02/03/25 - 07:00 AM]
Max Original Series "When No One Sees Us" Debuts March 7
The eight-episode series explores a series of crimes in the political and cultural frontier of so-called "deep Spain," and one of the largest U.S. military bases abroad, during the celebration of Holy Week in Morón de la Frontera (Seville).
|
[02/03/25 - 06:01 AM]
Netflix Releases Additional First Look Images for "Tyler Perry's Beauty in Black" Season 1 Part 2
While Kimmie (Taylor Polidore Williams) is struggling to make a living after her mother kicked her out, and Mallory (Crystle Stewart) is running a successful business, they find themselves entangled in each other's lives.
|
[02/03/25 - 05:30 AM]
Roku, Hello Sunshine, and Rich Eisen Productions Team Up for "Women's Sports Now", a Weekly Round Up and Breakdown All About Women's Sports
Former WNBA star and current co-owner of the Atlanta Dream Renee Montgomery and comedian and sports superfan Sarah Tiana will co-host the series.
|
|
|
|
