[06/13/12 - 11:09 PM] Development Update: Wednesday, June 13 By The Futon Critic Staff (TFC)
LOS ANGELES (thefutoncritic.com) -- The latest development news, culled from recent wire reports:
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FOOD CHAIN (Syndication, New!) - Paula Deen is set to host a potential syndicated game show in which families compete in a cooking contest to win escalating cash prizes. Zodiak USA is behind the half-hour project, which is based on an Italian format. The company's Natalka Znak and Deen herself, who are making the pitch rounds this week, are expected to executive produce. (Variety.com)THE MISSIONARY (A.K.A. UNTITLED GLADWELL & RANDOLPH PROJECT) (HBO) - Emmy-winner Aaron Paul ("Breaking Bad") is in talks to topline the drama pilot, about "a young American missionary (Paul) who becomes involved with the CIA" in 1960s Berlin. Charles Randolph ("The Interpreter") and best-selling author Malcolm Gladwell ("Blink: The Power of Thinking Without Thinking") penned the hour - which has been in the works since October of 2010 - and will executive produce alongside Stephen Levinson of Leverage Entertainment and Mark Wahlberg of Closest to the Hole Productions. (Deadline.com)RECTIFY (Sundance) - Luke Kirby has joined the cast of the network's original drama, about the life of Daniel Holden (Aden Young) upon his release from prison after 19 years on Georgia's Death Row. He'll play Holden's lawyer Jon Stern in an ensemble which includes Abigail Spencer, Adelaide Clements, Clayne Crawford, J. Smith Cameron and Jonah Lotan. Ray McKinnon is behind the six-episode project, production of which began this week in Atlanta. Keith Gordon is directing the pilot and serving as a producer. (Variety.com)THE SECRET LIVES OF HUSBANDS AND WIVES (NBC) - The Peacock has given a pilot order to Sascha Penn's drama, which "centers on a murder and the secrets and lies within a tightly woven group of three couples and their families exposed in its aftermath." Said hour, from the Warner Bros. Television-based Jerry Bruckheimer Television and based on Josie Brown's 2010 novel of the same name, was set up at ABC during the last development cycle. Penn, Bruckheimer and Jonathan Littman will all serve as executive producers with KristieAnne Reed co-executive producing. Casting is underway for a fall production start. (Deadline.com)AND IN OTHER NEWS... - "Bones" executive producer Carla Kettner has inked a two-year overall deal with Sony Pictures Television where she'll join the studio's "The Mob Doctor," also as an executive producer (Deadline.com); Rob Lowe, Dan Aykroyd and Debbie Reynolds are on track to join Matt Damon and Michael Douglas in Steven Soderbergh's Liberace biopic "Behind the Candelabra" at HBO (Deadline.com); "Homeland" co-creator Alex Gansa has signed a two-year overall deal with 20th Century Fox Television, the parent company of producer Fox 21 (Deadline.com); "Anger Management" producer Lionsgate has given the writing staff the go-ahead to begin work on the show's back-90 episode order in anticipation of a pickup (THR.com); and Michael Rooker will reprise his role of Merle Dixon during the third season of "The Walking Dead"(EW.com).
