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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) - Ashley Greene ("Pan Am") and Tiffany Hines ("Nikita") have both been cast in 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. Greene will play Alice Garano ("27, funky and boho-chic"), an aspiring designer and the daughter of Robert's estranged brother Martin Garano (Ken Olin). Hines then is set as Alice's roommate, Shane Kelly, a beautiful medical student. Emilie de Ravin and Natalie Mendoza also star in the Michael Seitzman-penned hour, to be directed by Phillip Noyce. ABC Studios is producing. (Deadline.com)
ANTICHRIST (ABC) - Laila Robins ("Bored to Death") has joined the cast of the drama pilot, about Carter Henderson (Max Thieriot), an astrophysics grad student who learns that he is the chosen one to destroy the forces of evil. She'll play Angelica Teras - the elegant wife of John Daniel Teras (Linus Roache), a New York Senator who's the target of an assassination attempt. Harald Kloser and Roland Emmerich are behind the ABC Studios-based hour, which also stars Gabriella Wilde, Martin Landau and Yaya DaCosta. (THR.com)
COUNTER CULTURE (ABC) - Margo Martindale ("A Gifted Man") has signed onto the pilot, a multi-camera comedy about three aging sisters running their family diner together in West Texas. She'll play one of the them, Joyce Cox ("bossy eldest sister, a rock"). Said casting is in second position to the CBS drama. Doris Roberts also stars in the Stephnie Weir-penned half-hour, from ABC Studios and Sony Pictures Television. Ted Wass is directing. (Deadline.com)
DO NO HARM (NBC) - Emmy-nominee Phylicia Rashad ("The Cosby Show") has been cast in the drama pilot, a modern take on "Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde" about a brilliant neurosurgeon (Steven Pasquale) who wrestles with his dangerous alter-ego. She'll play Vanessa Harris ("made of ice and Chanel"), the Chief of Surgery at Boston Medical Center. Alana De La Garza, Michael Esper, Mousa Kraish and Ruta Gedmintas also star in the Universal Television-based hour, from writer David Schulner and Michael Mayer. (TVGuide.com)
THE FAMILY TRAP (ABC) - Majandra Delfino ("State of Georgia") has booked a role on the comedy pilot, about Annie (Mandy Moore) and Ben (yet to be cast), newlyweds who get the opportunity of a lifetime to run a hip, new restaurant in Annie's hometown bringing her closer to her needy and high maintenance family. She'll play Sarah - one of Annie's sisters who is divorced and living at home - alongside the previously cast Erinn Hayes as Kate, Annie's other sister. Shawn Levy, Bob Fisher and Stacy Traub are all behind the half-hour, which is set up at 20th Century Fox Television. (Deadline.com)
HOW TO LIVE WITH YOUR PARENTS FOR THE REST OF YOUR LIFE (ABC) - Elizabeth Perkins ("Weeds") has signed on to the comedy pilot, about Polly (Sarah Chalke), a recently divorced, single mom, who moves in with her eccentric parents, a couple who's full of life but knows no boundaries. She'll play Polly's mom Elaine ("very attractive, always optimistic and outspoken; can never say no to herself") alongside the previously cast Jon Dore as Polly's ex, Juilian. Claudia Lonow is behind the 20th Century Fox Television-based half-hour, to be directed by Julie Anne Robinson. (Deadline.com)
MISTRESSES (ABC) - Rina Mimoun ("Hart of Dixie") has signed on to executive produce the upcoming drama, which follows the lives of four female friends and their involvement in an array of illicit and complex relationships. Said addition is the result of a two-year, seven-figure overall deal the writer/producer has signed with ABC Studios. There she'll work alongside fellow executive producers K.J. Steinberg, Robert M. Sertner and Douglas Rae as well as develop her own projects for the studio. (Deadline.com)
MY IDIOTIC TWENTIES (CBS) - Liz Cackowski ("Forgetting Sarah Marshall") has landed a role on the comedy pilot, about Jake (Michael Angarano), an advertising executive who gets his heart broken by his girlfriend, Laura (Brie Larson), and now has to work one cubicle away from her. She'll play Ingrid ("late 30s, intense"), their account executive boss, in the 20th Century Fox Television-based half-hour, from writer/director Nicholas Stoller. Adam Campbell, Amanda Lund, Chris Smith and Randall Park also star. (Deadline.com)
NASHVILLE (ABC) - Hayden Panettiere ("Heroes") and Robert Wisdom ("Happy Town") have both been cast in the drama pilot, which centers around the Nashville music scene and its stars, both rising and fading. She'll play 19-year-old starlet Juliette Barnes ("a gorgeous, sequined, mini-skirted young country vixen") while he's set as Coleman Caldwell ("a tall distinguished African-American man"), who aims to be the next Mayor of Nashville. Clare Bowen, Jonathan Jackson, Powers Boothe and Sam Palladio co-star in the Callie Khouri-penned hour, from ABC Studios and Lionsgate Television. R.J. Cutler, who recently inked a first-look deal with the latter studio, is directing. (Deadline.com)
NEXT CALLER PLEASE (NBC) - Comedian Dane Cook has been tapped as the male lead on the pilot, a single-camera comedy about a mismatched duo - Cam and Stella (Collette Wolfe) - who host a relationship call-in show in New York City. He's on board as said fellow ("disheveled, unshaven, hung-over; a purposefully detached, magnetic grouch"), the result of a development deal Cook signed with the network back in September. Marc Buckland is directing the Lionsgate Television-based half-hour from a script by Stephen Falk. Joy Osmanski also stars. (Deadline.com)
ONLY FOOLS AND HORSES (ABC) - Christpher Lloyd and B.J. Bales have both joined the cast of the comedy pilot, about two streetwise brothers (John Leguizamo, Dustin Ybarra) and their aging grandfather as they concoct outrageous, morally questionable get-rich-quick schemes in their quest to become millionaires. Lloyd will play said grandfather, Jackie Trotter ("a once virile, but now melted former stunt man"), while Bales is set as Trigger Mills ("a ghetto-talking white man in a track suit"), the boys' perpetual enemy. Brian Bradley and Steven Cragg also star in the ABC Studios-based project, to be directed by Ted Wass. (Deadline.com)
PRAIRIE DOGS (ABC) - Cary Elwes ("The Princess Bride") has snagged a role on the comedy pilot, about Neil (Kal Penn), an uncool cubicle worker at one of the coolest companies in the world, who becomes the victim of identity theft and engages the charismatic conman, Guy (yet to be cast) to help him change his life. He's on board as Neil's co-worker Rams, "a tall German in his late forties wearing a black turtleneck and kilt." Charlotte Newhouse, Dan Fogler, Dayo Okeniyi and Michaela Watkins co-star in the ABC Studios-based half-hour, which Luke Greenfield is directing from a script by Jackie and Jeff Filgo. (EW.com)
THE SMART ONE (ABC) - David Arquette ("In Case of Emergency") has boarded the comedy pilot, about Jude (Portia de Rossi), a brilliant and successful woman who has to go to work for her less brainy but more popular sister, Candy (Malin Akerman) - a former beauty queen, weather girl and now big city mayor. He'll play Candy's husband Buddy ("a handsome, easy-going family man and people-person") alongside the previously cast Jean Smart as the girls' mom, Helen. Michael Fresco is set to direct the Warner Bros. Television-based project from a script by Don Todd. (TVLine.com)
UNTITLED KEVIN WILLIAMSON PROJECT (FOX) - Natalie Zea ("Justified") has boarded the drama pilot, about Joe Carroll (James Purefoy), a diabolical serial killer who uses technology to create a cult of serial killers, and Ryan Hardy (Kevin Bacon), the FBI agent who finds himself in the middle of it. She's set as Claire Matthews, Carroll's ex-wife who is horrified to learn he's escaped from prison. Jeananne Goossen, Nico Tortorella, Shawn Ashmore and Valorie Curry also star in the project, from Warner Bros. Television and director Marcos Siega. (Deadline.com)
UNTITLED MATT MAIELLARO/GRANT DEKERNION PROJECT (FX, New!) - "Aqua Teen Hunger Force" co-creator Matt Maiellaro is developing a new animated comedy at the cable channel about a man recently released from prison. Said half-hour is set up at Danny McBride's Rough House banner with Grant Dekernion set to co-write the script alongside Maiellaro. McBride is also attached to voice a character in the project as well as executive produce alongside Maiellaro, Dekernion, Matt Reilly, David Gordon Green and Jody Hill. (THR.com)
UNTITLED RALPH LAMB PROJECT (CBS) - Taylor Handley ("Hidden Palms") has joined the cast of the pilot, a period drama about Ralph Lamb (Dennis Quaid), the cowboy-turned-Las Vegas sheriff in the 1960s. He's set as Dixon ("the family playboy; reckless; trouble waiting to happen"), the youngest of the Lambs. Michael Chiklis also stars in the CBS Television Studios-based hour, from co-creators Nicholas Pileggi and Greg Walker. James Mangold is directing. (Variety.com)
AND IN OTHER NEWS... - ABC Family has ordered eight additional episodes of newcomer "Jane by Design" (Deadline.com); Molly Shannon is set to recur on "Enlightened" as the loyal executive assistant to the CEO of Abaddonn and a romantic interest for Mike White's Tyler (Deadline.com); Leonard Nimoy will make a voice cameo on the March 29 episode of "The Big Bang Theory" (TVLine.com); Brett Butler will recur on "Anger Management" as the bar/restaurant where Charlie Sheen's character hangs out (Deadline.com); Adam Arkin is bound for two episodes of "Justified" as Theo Tonin, head of the Detroit Mafia (EW.com); and Ed Helms, John Krasinski and Jenna Fischer are in talks to return for a ninth season of "The Office" (THR.com).
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