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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!
BETWIXT (The CW) - Tessa Thompson ("Heroes"), Joshua Bowman ("Holby City") and Brandon Jay MacLaren ("Harper's Island") have all landed roles on the drama pilot, about three teens (Allison Miller, Jessy Schram and Josh Henderson) who discover they're actually "changelings," the children of mythological fairies. MacLaren will play Steiner, "a quirky technogeek" who helps the aforementioned trio research their newly discovered backgrounds. Bowman then is believed to be playing Luke McGill ("handsome, athletic"), the boyfriend of Miller's character who used to date Schram's, with Thompson as Jenny Morello, the pretty daughter of the Krakatoa Cafe's (everyone's regular hangout) owner. Blair Redford, Austin Butler and David Gallagher co-star in the project, which is set up at CBS Television Studios and Warner Bros. Television. Christian Duguay is directing from a script by Elizabeth Chandler.
THE CAPE (NBC) - Ryan Wynott ("FlashForward") has joined the cast of the drama pilot, about Vince Faraday (David Lyons), a former cop framed for a crime he didn't commit who becomes The Cape, a masked hero, to clear his name. He'll play Trip, Vince's eight-year-old son, whose love of the fictional black-masked-super-hero inspires Vince to become the real thing. Meanwhile, Vinnie Jones and Martin Klebba are set to guest star on the Universal Media Studios-based hour, which Simon West is directing from a script by Tom Wheeler. Jones is believed to be playing Dominic Raoul, better known as the villain "Gator," whose freakish skin condition gives him the appearance of green and gold scales. Klebba then is set as Rollo, the little person strongman in the Carnival of Crime. Dorian Missick, James Frain, Jennifer Ferrin, Keith David and Summer Glau also star.
GLORY DAZE (TBS) - Teri Polo ("The Wedding Bells") is the latest addition to the drama pilot, about the lives of four incoming freshman in the 1980s who pledge a fraternity at a Wisconsin college. She's on board as Professor Larson, a English professor whom Reno (Callard Harris) - a junior that indoctrinates the aforementioned quartet into the world of Omega Chi House - is enamored with. Drew Seeley, Hartley Sawyer, Josh Brener, Julianna Guill, Kelly Blatz, Matt Bush, Tim Jo and Tim Meadows also star in the ensemble, which comes from co-creators Michael LeSieur and Walt Becker, the latter of which is directing.
HELLCATS (The CW) - Matt Barr ("Harper's Island") is the latest to score a role on the presentation, a drama set in the world of competitive college cheerleading. He's believed to be playing Dan Patch ("a shambling charmer"), a womanizer who quietly pines for Marty (Aly Michalka). Ashley Tisdale and Gail O'Grady also star in the project, a co-production of CBS Television Studios and Warner Bros. Television. Kevin Murphy penned the script.
HMS (The CW) - Steven Strait and Ali Ahn have both been cast in the drama presentation, about a group of bright students at Harvard Medical School. They'll play two of them - she as Autumn Lee ("Asian, gentle, nerdy repressed and terminally literal") and he as Nate David ("a star jock, head of student council type"). Jai Rodriguez, Megan Boone, Sarah Jones and Tasso Feldman also star in the project, which was penned by Amy Holden Jones. CBS Television Studios and Warner Bros. Television are producing.
NOMADS (The CW) - Gabriella Wright ("The Tudors") has booked the final principal role on the drama presentation, about a group of nearly broke young backpackers abroad who agree to earn money by working secret missions for the CIA. She'll play one of them, Nadia, who's "Eastern European; young, beautiful, eyes wearing the dark humor of an old soul without hardening." Luke Ford, Michaela McManus, Scott Porter and Warren Kole also star in the CBS Television Studios/Warner Bros. Television-based project, which is written and directed by Ken Sanzel.
PERFECT COUPLES (NBC) - "FlashForward" co-star Christine Woods has booked the female lead on the comedy pilot, about three couples at various stages of their relationships. She'll play the "smart, sexy and cool" Julia, who's dating Dave (yet to be cast). Her character is further detailed as "easily riled, but quick to forgive; though comfortable speaking her mind, Julia prides herself on being low-maintenance in her relationship; think Tina Fey." Said casting is in second position to her duties on the ABC drama. David Walton, Hayes MacArthur, Mary Elizabeth Ellis and Olivia Munn co-star in the half-hour, which comes from Universal Media Studios. Andy Ackerman is directing from a script by co-creators Jon Pollack and Scott Silveri.
THE ROCKFORD FILES (NBC) - Alex Fernandez ("Human Target") has joined the cast of the drama pilot, about a roguish private eye (Dermot Mulroney) who tackles the dangerous, quirky and unpredictable cases that no other detective wants to handle. He's on board as Lt. Doug Champan ("bit of a hard ass, sees idiots every day, assumes we're all idiots"), Det. Becker's (Alan Tudyk) boss. James Luisi originated the role in the show's 1970s incarnation. Melissa Sagemiller also stars in the Universal Media Studios-based hour, which comes from David Shore.
SCOUNDRELS (ABC) - David James Elliott ("JAG") has joined the cast of the upcoming drama, about a family of small-time crooks who decide to go legit after their father lands in jail. He'll play the father in question, Wolfgang "Wolf" West, who's "toned, tough and tattooed." Elliott will take over for Neal McDonough, who's departed the project for unspecified reasons. Carlos Bernard, Leven Rambin, Patrick Flueger, Vanessa Marano and Virginia Madsen also star in the ABC Studios-based hour, which is set to premiere in June. Lyn Greene and Richard Levine created the series, which is based on the New Zealand drama "Outrageous Fortune."
UNTITLED JAMIE FOXX PROJECT (FOX, New!) - Oscar-winner Jamie Foxx is once again trying to mount a sketch comedy series, this time at FOX. "MadTV" creators Fax Bahr and Adam Small are shepherding the project, which is set up at Tantamount and Fox Television Studios. The network has ordered a pilot with "Wild 'N Out" alum Affion Crockett already attached as one of the stars. Crockett had previously been working with Tantamount on a separate project, which was subsequently merged with Foxx's. Foxx, Small, Bahr, Eric Tannenbaum and Kim Tannenbaum then are executive producing alongside Foxx King Entertainment's Marcus King and Jaime Rucker King with Carl Jones ("The Boondocks") serving as a co-executive producer and Crockett producing. Small, Bahr, Jones and Crockett are the writers. Foxx has previously set up sketch comedies at FX, MTV, The WB and TBS, none of which made it past the pilot stage.
WILDE KINGDOM (FOX) - Jayne Houdyshell, Joe Nunez and Stefania Owen have all been cast in the comedy pilot, about Steven Wilde (Will Arnett), "a Beverly Hills jackass who falls in love with Emmy Kadubic (Keri Russell), a charitable, tree-hugging woman who can't stand his lifestyle and values." Houdyshell will play Frau Stellvertreter, Steven's childhood nanny-turned-head of security, with Nunez as Migo Salazar, Steven's best friend ("Sancho Panza to Steve's Quixote"). Rounding out the bunch is Owen Trudy, Emmy's daughter, who serves as the pilot's narrator. Arnett co-created the half-hour alongside Jim Vallely and Mitch Hurwitz. Hurwitz is also directing for Lionsgate Television.
Sources: Variety, The Hollywood Reporter, Reuters
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