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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!
AMERICANA (ABC) - Ken Olin ("Brothers & Sisters") has joined the cast of the drama pilot, about Robert Soulter (Anthony LaPaglia), creator of the most iconic fashion brand in the world - Americana - which is celebrating its 30th anniversary. He's on board as Martin Garano, "the owner of a garment manufacturing company whose daughter designs clothes for the company." Natalie Mendoza also stars as Robert's ex-wife. Phillip Noyce is helming the ABC Studios-based hour from a script by Michael Seitzman. (THR.com)
ARROW (The CW) - Colin Donnell ("Pan Am") has been cast in the drama pilot, a modern retelling of the story of DC Comics character Oliver Queen (Stephen Amell), better known as Green Arrow. He'll play Tommy Merlyn ("28, tall, dark, Devil-smooth"), Oliver's playboy best friend in the Warner Bros. Television-based hour, which also stars David Ramsey, Katie Cassidy, Susanna Thompson and Willa Holland. David Nutter is directing from a script by Andrew Kreisberg, Greg Berlanti and Marc Guggenheim. (Deadline.com)
BEAUTY AND THE BEAST (ABC) - Chris Egan ("Kings") is the first to be cast in the pilot, a drama set in a mythical city where its princess, Grace, is tasked with quelling a rebellion. The actor, who has a talent holding deal with the network, will play Garrick, said princess's fiancé and Emperor Dorian's - her father - most favored soldier. Jonathan E. Steinberg is behind the ABC Studios-based hour, to be helmed by Yves Simoneau. (Deadline.com)
CHICAGO FIRE (NBC) - Monica Raymund ("The Good Wife") is the latest addition to the drama pilot, about the men and women of the Chicago Fire Department. She'll play Gabriela Dawson ("a beautiful Latina, 30"), a fast-thinking and fearless paramedic. Director Jeffrey Nachmanoff and writers Michael Brandt and Derek Haas are behind the hour, which also stars Eamonn Walker and Taylor Kinney. The Universal Television-based Wolf Films is producing. (Deadline.com)
L.A. NOIR (TNT) - Milo Ventimiglia ("Heroes") is set to star in the pilot, a period drama which chronicles the epic battle between Los Angeles Police Chief William Parker and mobster Mickey Cohen. He'll play Ned Stax, "a former marine who served with Joe Teague (Jon Bernthal) during WWII, now a budding lawyer groomed to be a master 'fixer' for the mob." Frank Darabont is behind the project, which is based on John Buntin's book of the same name, subtitled "The Struggle for the Soul of America's Most Seductive City." (Deadline.com)
LAST RESORT (ABC) - Dichen Lachman ("Dollhouse") is the latest to score a role on the drama pilot, about the crew of a nuclear submarine, who, after disobeying a suspicious order become fugitives, take over the NATO Listening Post in Sainte Marina and declare themselves an independent nuclear nation. She's on board as Tani Tumrenjack, "a native of Soubourg; a mixture of intelligence and naivete; inherited a local bar, but has ambitions beyond the shores of Sainte Marina; daughter of elder tribesman." The ensemble cast also includes Andre Braugher, Autumn Reeser, Camille de Pazzis, Daisy Betts, Daniel Lissing, Sahr Ngaujah and Scott Speedman. Martin Campbell is directing from a script by Karl Gajdusek and Shawn Ryan for Sony Pictures Television. (TVLine.com)
MY IDIOTIC TWENTIES (CBS) - Brie Larson ("United States of Tara") has booked the female lead in the single-camera comedy pilot, about Jake (Michael Angarano), a guy who gets his heart broken by his girlfriend and now has to work one cubicle away from her. She'll play said girl, Laura ("25, cute, whip smart, funny and guilty at all times about everything") in the project, which comes from writer/director Nicholas Stoller. 20th Century Fox Television is producing while Adam Campbell, Amanda Lund, Chris Smith and Randall Park also star. (Deadline.com)
MIDNIGHT SUN (NBC) - Veteran character-actor Titus Welliver has boarded the drama pilot, about the FBI's investigation into disappearance of a remote cult in Alaska which taps into a grander political conspiracy. He's set as Bennett Maxwell, the charismatic leader of said cult, Midnight Sun. Lisa Zwerling penned the Universal Television-based hour, which Brad Anderson is directing. (Deadline.com)
TAKE ME OUT (FOX, New!) - The network is reportedly casting a domestic take on the U.K. series in which a single man tries to impress a recurring panel of 30 single women who each control a lighted podium. If said fellow manages to garner any interest, those women then compete to go out on a date, which is shown the subsequent week and their spots are filled with new members. FremantleMedia North America is behind the format, which is being eyed for a summer run. (EW.com)
UNTITLED LOUIS CK/SPIKE FERESTEN PROJECT (CBS) - Ashley Tisdale ("Hellcats") has scored a role on the multi-camera comedy pilot, about a group of young people working to achieve their creative dreams amid tough financial times. She'll play Petra, the beautiful and sarcastic assistant to Anna (yet to be cast), a vintage clothing seller. Louis C.K. and Spike Feresten are behind the half-hour, which is set up at CBS Television Studios and the Universal Television-based BermanBraun. (Deadline.com)
UNTITLED RALPH LAMB PROJECT (CBS) - Dennis Quaid and Michael Chiklis are both in talks to star in the pilot, a period drama about Ralph Lamb, the cowboy-turned-Las Vegas sheriff in the 1960s. Quaid would play said role, "a 4th generation Nevada cattle rancher; Korean war veteran, former M.P; a keen observer; strong-willed, independent; a good friend; a bad enemy," with Chiklis as Johnny Savino, an "up and coming Mob player, fresh from Chicago; came to Vegas to make his mark; a ruthless killer with a polished edge." James Mangold is set to helm the CBS Television Studios-based hour from a script by Greg Walker and Nicholas Pileggi. (Deadline.com)
WORKING CLASS HERO (FOX, New!) - Patton Oswalt and Mike Barker have landed a presentation order for a new animated comedy at the network "set in a world where superheroing is just another low-paid government job and centers on a dad (Oswalt) whose powers are no match for his misfit superhero co-workers and his demanding family." Barker penned the 20th Century Fox Television-based project alongside Brent Woods and Jordan Blum. Barker then will executive produce with Woods and Blum serving as co-executive producers and Oswalt receiving a producing credit. (Deadline.com)
AND IN OTHER NEWS... - The CW has renewed "America's Next Top Model" for a 19th cycle with a college-edition version of the series set for the fall (Variety.com); Robert Englund and Juliet Landau will both guest on an upcoming Matthew Gray Gubler-directed installment of "Criminal Minds" (EW.com); Jeanne Tripplehorn is set to recur on "New Girl" as the ex-wife of Jess's (Zooey Deschanel) new beau, played by the previously cast Dermot Mulroney (EW.com); Matt Prokop will guest on "Modern Family" as a love interest for co-star Sarah Hyland, his off-screen girlfriend (EW.com); Tim Guinee is bound for "Castle" as "an activist who is critical of an anti-Wall Street movement and witnesses a bombing of a protest rally in a New York City Plaza" (TVLine.com); and Bethenny Frankel revealed on "Watch What Happens Live" last night her daytime talk show will premiere Monday, June 11 (BravoTV.com).
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