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[05/12/10 - 05:15 PM] Development Update: Wednesday, May 12 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!
THE BORGIAS (Showtime) - Derek Jacobi ("Gladiator") has joined the cast of the upcoming period drama, about the infamous Italian Renaissance family. He'll play Cardinal Orsini, a nemesis to Pope Alexander (Jeremy Irons). Colm Feore and Francois Arnaud also star in the hour, which comes from executive producers James Flynn, John Weber, Michael Hirst, Neil Jordan and Sheila Hockin.
CINEMA VERITE (HBO) - Tim Robbins and James Gandolfini have joined the cast of the original movie, a behind-the-scenes look at the making of the groundbreaking 1973 PBS documentary series "An American Family." Robbins will play Bill Loud whose family was the subject of the series with Gandolfini as the documentary's producer, Craig Gilbert. The pair joins the previously cast Diane Lane as Bill's wife Pat. David Selzer penned the project, which is being helmed by Shari Springer Berman and Robert Pulcini. Production is set to begin this summer in Los Angeles.
EPISODES (Showtime) - Richard Griffiths ("Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows") has landed a role on the upcoming comedy, about a British couple (Stephen Mangan, Tamsin Greig) whose hit UK show is turned into a dumbed-down American sitcom starring Matt LeBlanc (as himself). He'll likewise play a himself - a brilliant British actor - who's deemed "too sophisticated" by the American TV executives and is replaced by LeBlanc. Kathleen Rose Perkins and Mircea Monroe also star in the project, which comes from co-creators David Crane and Jeffrey Klarik.
FRIDAY NIGHT LIGHTS (DirecTV) - David Hudgins has inked a two-year, seven-figure overall deal with Universal Media Studios. The pact calls for the writer/producer to return as an executive producer on the show's fifth and final season as well as develop new series projects for the studio. Hudgins, who spent the past season on the short-lived "Past Life" at FOX, will serve as co-showrunner alongside Jason Katims. Following said run he'll join Katims's other studio-based series "Parenthood." Production is underway on "Lights's" fifth season with "Parenthood" set to resume this summer.
THE IMMORTAL LIFE OF HENRIETTA LACKS (HBO, New!) - Oprah Winfrey and Alan Ball are developing a small screen take on the life of Henrietta Lacks, a poor black woman who died of cervical cancer in 1951 and "without her consent, pieces of the tumor that killed her were removed and used for medical exploration and to build a billion-dollar research industry." Rebecca Skloot penned the novel upon which the project is based with Winfrey and Ball executive producing alongside Harpo Films's Kate Forte and Your Face Goes Here Entertainment's Peter Macdissi.
NO ORDINARY FAMILY (ABC) - The Greg Berlanti/Jon Harmon Feldman-penned drama has landed the Alphabet's first series commitment for the 2010-11 season. Said hour revolves around a typical American family whose members - mom Stephanie (Julie Benz), dad Jim (Michael Chiklis), daughter Daphne (Kay Panabaker), son JJ (Jimmy Bennett) - discover they have special abilities. Tate Donovan, Autumn Reeser, Christina Chang and Romany Malco also star in the ABC Studios-based project, which was directed by David Semel.
UNTITLED LEAH RACHEL/EMILY MONTAGUE PROJECT (HBO, New!) - Newcomers Leah Rachel and Emily Montague has booked a new comedy at the pay channel about "a group of female friends working and finding romance in Los Angeles." The untitled project, which is reportedly close to a script commitment, comes from "Entourage" executive producers Mark Wahlberg and Stephen Levinson and their Closest to the Hole Productions and Leverage banners, respectively. No other specifics were given.
WILDE KINGDOM (FOX) - The Will Arnett-led comedy has received a series commitment from the network. The single-camera comedy revolves around a rich Beverly Hills jackass (Arnett) who falls in love with a charitable tree-hugging woman (Keri Russell) who can't stand his lifestyle or values. Arnett, Jim Vallely and Mitch Hurwitz are behind the Lionsgate Television-based half-hour, which also stars Jayne Houdyshell, Joe Nunez and Stefania Owen. Hurwitz is also executive producing with his Tantamount partners Eric Tannenbaum and Kim Tannenbaum as well as Principato-Young Entertainment's Paul Young and Peter Principato. "Wilde" joins "Traffic Light," "Keep Hope Alive," "Ride-Along" and "Lone Star," all of which were ordered earlier today.
WILFRED (FX) - David Zuckerman's import of the Austrailian series has received a pilot order from the cable channel. The single-camera comedy tracks a couple named Sarah and Adam and her dog, Wilfred. The twist of the show then is while Sarah sees Wilfred as a scruffy dog, Adam sees him as a real person dressed in a dog costume with whom he quickly develops a grudge. Jason Gann, the format's creator, will reprise the title role from the Aussie version and serve as a co-executive producer. Prospect Park's Rich Frank, Paul Frank and Jeff Kwatinetz will also serve as executive producers, as will Renegade's Joe Connor and Ken Connor.
Sources: Variety, The Hollywood Reporter, Reuters
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[03/29/25 - 05:00 PM] Video: "Bad Thoughts" - Tom Segura Comedy Series - Date Announcement - Netflix In this six-episode series of dark and twisted comedy, Tom Segura brings his unfiltered musings to life within a cinematic world where nothing is as it seems.
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[03/28/25 - 02:26 PM] Universal Pictures' Global Cinematic Event "Wicked" Debuts as Streaming's #1 Film Per preliminary Nielsen data, "Wicked" is the #1 film across all of streaming with 882 million minutes viewed for the week of March 17-23.
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[03/28/25 - 02:22 PM] ESPN's Exclusive Coverage of Milwaukee Brewers vs. New York Yankees Game on March 27 Generated Largest National Opening Day Audience in Seven Years The Brewers vs. Yankees game averaged 1.93 million viewers, peaking with 2.23 million viewers.
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[03/28/25 - 02:03 PM] Video: "RoboForce: The Animated Series" - Official Trailer - Tubi Original In 2089 Detroit, RoboForce is obsolete and has no hope of becoming heroes. That is until a mysterious code virus infects the UA101 bots, and no one besides RoboForce can stop them.
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[03/28/25 - 10:06 AM] Mary Steenburgen Joins Netflix's "A Man on the Inside" for Season 2 Steenburgen will play Mona Margadoff, a former musician who factors heavily in the case Charles is trying to solve.
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[03/28/25 - 09:05 AM] ESPN, Disney+ and Skydance Sports Announce New ESPN Original Series on the Kansas City Chiefs The six-episode docuseries is expected to premiere later this year on ESPN and Disney+.
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[03/28/25 - 07:07 AM] Discovery Channel April Programming Highlights This April, all-new series "Red Bull Soapbox Race," premieres alongside new seasons of "Expedition Files," "Ghost Adventures," "Mysteries of the Abandoned: Hidden America," and "Street Outlaws: Locals Only."
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[03/28/25 - 06:01 AM] Video: "Stranger Things: The First Shadow" - Documentary Announcement - Netflix Before it hits Broadway this spring, experience the making of the West End phenomenon.
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[03/28/25 - 06:01 AM] Adult Swim Renews Acclaimed Series "Common Side Effects" for Second Season The finale episode of the debut season of "Common Side Effects" will air this Sunday at 11:30/10:30c. on Adult Swim.
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[03/27/25 - 11:04 AM] Part Two of FOX Nation's "Martin Scorsese Presents: The Saints" to Roll Out Through the Holy Season FOX Nation will roll out part two of its hit docudrama series beginning on Friday, April 4 and through the Easter season.
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[03/27/25 - 11:00 AM] "Survivor" Hits Broadcast and Live Streaming Season Highs The telecast averaged 4.50 million broadcast viewers up +7% from its season-to-date average, and up +13% from its season-to-date average live streaming on Paramount+.
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[03/27/25 - 10:06 AM] All-New Series "Red Bull Soapbox Race" Premieres Tuesday, April 29 at 9PM on Discovery Channel Hosted by NASCAR Hall of Famer Dale Earnhardt Jr. and motorsports announcer Mike Bagley, the series features amateur teams as they design and build one-of-a-kind, gravity-powered soapbox racers that compete - and crash - on intricate, downhill courses.
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[03/27/25 - 10:01 AM] Viral Dating Series "Pop the Balloon" Is Coming Live to Netflix Yvonne Orji will host the live edition of the series, streaming every Thursday at 8 p.m. ET beginning April 10, only on Netflix.
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[03/27/25 - 10:00 AM] "Jeopardy! Masters" Returns Wednesday, April 30, on ABC, Following New Episodes of Pat Sajak's "Final Spin" as Host on "Celebrity Wheel of Fortune" Hosted by "Jeopardy!" G.O.A.T. Ken Jennings, the third annual "Jeopardy! Masters" 2025 tournament will feature an expanded lineup of the top-ranked current "Jeopardy!" contestants, each competing in two action-packed games per hourlong episode for the grand prize of $500,000.
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[03/27/25 - 09:34 AM] Lifetime Announces "The 13th Wife: Escaping Polygamy" A Two Part Movie Event Starring Felicity Huffman, Olga Petsa and Eric Johnson Premiering May 31 and June 1 The film is based on the extraordinary true story of Rena Chynoweth (played by Huffman as present day Rena and Petsa as young Rena), a brave survivor and former wife of a manipulative polygamist group leader, who escaped a life of oppression and dedicated herself to freeing others.
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