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[05/19/11 - 11:06 PM]
Development Update: May 16-19
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!


AMC ORIGINAL SERIES - None of the six potential dramas being developed by the cable channel will move forward to pilot. Said projects included "The Man With the Golden Ears," from Scott Rosenberg; "The Voyage," from John Shiban; "The 4th Estate," from Gideon Yago; "The Wreck," from John Lee Hancock; "American Made," from Bob Cooper; and an untitled racing project from Billy Gerber. Gerber and Shiban's hours however reportedly are being redeveloped. (May 17)


FRINGE (FOX) - David Fury ("24") has joined the veteran drama as a consulting producer. There he'll work alongside current showrunners Jeff Pinkner and J.H. Wyman as well as fellow executive producers J.J. Abrams and Bryan Burk. Fury previously supervised the pilot to the upcoming drama "Terra Nova" before departing over creative differences. (May 19)


HAWAII FIVE-0 (CBS) - Masi Oka reportedly will be upped to series regular for the show's second season. He'll continue on as Max Bergman, the socially awkward coroner on the series. (May 16)


HOUSE (FOX) - Co-star Lisa Edelstein is departing the series after seven seasons. "After much consideration, I am moving onward with a combination of disappointment at leaving behind a character I have loved playing for seven years and excitement of the new opportunities in acting and producing that lie ahead," the actress said in a statement to the press. It's not clear how her character will be written out. Edelstein was widely presumed to return for the show's eighth season following the signings of Robert Sean Leonard and Omar Epps, whose contracts were likewise up this season. (May 17)


PRIME SUSPECT (NBC) - Producers reportedly plan to recast the role of Matt Webb, the live-in boyfriend of Mario Bello's character, on the recently ordered series. Toby Stephens played said role in the original pilot. No reason was given for the change. (May 14)


SMASH (NBC) - David Marshall Grant ("Brothers & Sisters") has joined the upcoming drama as an executive producer. There he'll work alongside Theresa Rebeck and fellow executive producers Craig Zadan, Darryl Frank, Justin Falvey, Marc Shaiman, Neil Meron, Scott Wittman and Steven Spielberg. The newcomer will roll out on Monday nights at 10:00/9:00c come January. (May 16)


SPRING/FALL (HBO) - Matt Letscher, Sigourney Weaver, Jason Antoon, Marin Hinkle and Jessica Hecht are the latest additions to the comedy pilot, about "the dysfunctional partnership between Margo (Tea Leoni) and Eden (Hope Davis), two women with different approaches to career, family and friendship" set in the world of fashion. Letscher will play Margo's ex-husband while Weaver will guest star as "a meticulously dressed, authoritative fashion editor." Rounding out the group are Antoon as Eden's current best friend, Hinkle as Eden's sister and Hecht as Margo's best friend, a successful management consultant. Jake Kasdan is directing the half-hour from a script by Kate Robin. (May 17).


SHOWTIME AT THE APOLLO (BET, New!) - Jamie Foxx is reportedly looking to revive the former syndication mainstay, which features live performances from both professional and up-and-coming artists. Foxx, Marcus King and original executive producer/director Don Weiner are spearheading the new incarnation with a deal for a new pilot said to be pending. No other specifics were given. (May 16)


UNTITLED ANNIE MUMOLO PROJECT (ABC, New!) - Annie Mumolo, co-writer/co-producer of the feature "Bridesmaids" has inked a blind script deal with the Alphabet. The project will be set up at ABC Studios and Tagline Television with Mumolo executive producing. No other details were given. (May 18)


UNTITLED CHRIS COLUMBUS PROJECT (CBS, New!) - Feature helmer Chris Columbus ("Percy Jackson & the Olympians") has inked a three-for-one development deal with the Eye and sibling CBS Television Studios. The pact calls for Columbus to develop a trio of projects for the companies via his 1492 Pictures banner, with one ultimately landing a pilot commitment which he'll likely direct. (May 19).






  [may 2011]  
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· 24 (FOX)
· AMERICAN MADE (AMC)
· BROTHERS & SISTERS (ABC)
· DEVELOPMENT UPDATE (TFC)
· FOURTH ESTATE (AMC)
· FRINGE (FOX)
· HAWAII FIVE-0 (CBS)
· HOUSE (FOX)
· MAN WITH THE GOLDEN EARS, THE (AMC)
· PRIME SUSPECT (NBC)
· SHOWTIME AT THE APOLLO (SYNDICATION)
· SMASH (NBC)
· SPRING FALL (HBO)
· TERRA NOVA (FOX)
· UNTITLED ANNIE MUMOLO PROJECT (ABC)
· UNTITLED BILLY GERBER PROJECT (AMC)
· UNTITLED CHRIS COLUMBUS PROJECT (CBS)
· VOYAGE (AMC)
· WRECK, THE (AMC)





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