 |
 |
[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 |
| | |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
 |
 |
|
[04/16/26 - 01:11 PM]
"Law & Order: Special Victims Unit" Renewed for Season 28 by NBC
The network confirmed the news on social media this afternoon.
|
[04/16/26 - 12:01 PM]
NBC Sports Adds to Game and Studio Teams for WNBA Coverage Beginning May
Zora Stephenson, Noah Eagle, and Michael Grady will call games as the play-by-play voices, with LaChina Robinson as both studio host and game analyst, and Sarah Kustok as a game analyst.
|
[04/16/26 - 10:36 AM]
"American Idol" Rocks to a 5-Week High
Among Adults 18-49, "American Idol" grew over the prior week, delivering its best performance in 7 weeks.
|
[04/16/26 - 10:01 AM]
"Couples Therapy" Season Five Premieres Friday, May 15, Exclusively on Paramount+
On linear (Paramount+ with Showtime), the first three episodes will debut back-to-back on Sunday, May 17, starting at 10 p.m. ET/PT.
|
[04/16/26 - 10:01 AM]
Video: "Man on Fire" - Official Trailer - Netflix
Haunted by his past and hunted by his enemies, a Special Forces veteran fights to keep a teenage girl alive on the deadly streets of Rio de Janeiro.
|
[04/16/26 - 09:31 AM]
"Calabasas Confidential" Premieres Only on Netflix May 29
After graduating college, a group of lifelong friends, foes, and exes return to Calabasas for a summer they'll never forget.
|
[04/16/26 - 09:30 AM]
Video: Starz Releases Emotionally-Charged First Look at New Season of "Outlander: Blood of My Blood," Ahead of Next Month's "Outlander" Series Finale
The epic prequel series returns for season two this fall, only on Starz.
|
[04/16/26 - 09:01 AM]
Neil Patrick Harris, Tituss Burgess and Ellie Kemper to Star in Forthcoming Mo Willems Children's Book Adaptions for Paramount+
Burgess and Kemper will reunite in "The Elephant & Piggie Show!," while four-time Emmy-winner Neil Patrick Harris is slated to voice "The Pigeon Show! Starring The Pigeon."
|
[04/16/26 - 09:01 AM]
HBO Originals "Euphoria" and "DTF St. Louis" Viewership Performance
"Euphoria" made its much-anticipated season 3 return to amass 8.5 million U.S. viewers in its first three days of availability.
|
[04/16/26 - 09:00 AM]
First Look: Hulu Original Film "Never Change!"
Directed by Marty Schousboe, the film will have its world premiere screening at Tribeca Film Festival on June 9 ahead of a summer debut on Hulu, and Hulu on Disney+ for bundle subscribers, in the U.S. and Disney+ internationally.
|
[04/16/26 - 09:00 AM]
The CW Sets Premiere Date for Eighth and Final Season of Groundbreaking Drama Series "All American"
The highly anticipated eighth and final season of the award-winning drama will air a special two-hour premiere on Monday, July 13.
|
[04/16/26 - 08:30 AM]
"SkyMed" Season 4 Takes Flight May 21 on Paramount+
Not your typical medical drama, the eight-episode fourth season features daring rescues across dense wilderness, raging rapids, and isolated terrain where help is hard-to-reach.
|
[04/16/26 - 08:12 AM]
"Maigret" Starring Benjamin Wainwright Renewed for Season 2 on "Masterpiece"
Filming started this month in Budapest.
|
[04/16/26 - 08:01 AM]
Video: "Mating Season" - Official Trailer - Netflix
In the search for love, we're all animals.
|
[04/16/26 - 07:31 AM]
Video: "Ladies First" - Official Trailer - Netflix
An arrogant but charismatic ladies' man finds his life of money, power and casual flings upended when he wakes up in a parallel world dominated by women.
|
|
|
|
