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[02/25/16 - 11:35 PM]
Development Update: Thursday, February 25
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!
BUNKER HILL (CBS/Universal; W: Jason Katims; D: David Semel) - Reshma Shetty ("Royal Pains") has been tapped for the role on the drama pilot, about James Bell (Augustus Prew), a young Silicon Valley tech titan, who enlists Walter Wallace (Dermot Mulroney), a veteran surgeon with a controversial past, in starting a hospital with a cutting-edge, new school approach to medicine. She'll play Dr. Talaikha Channarayapatra, "described as insanely dedicated, quietly fearless, and maddeningly literal." (Deadline.com)
CHUNK & BEAN (ABC/ABCS; W: Brian Donovan & Ed Herro; D: Chris Koch) - Hassie Harrison ("Hart of Dixie") has booked a role on the single-camera comedy pilot, about the unlikely friendship of two misfits, Chunk and Bean, who benefit from having two very different sets of parents living next door to each other. She'll play Denise Dawson, "the Dawsons' oldest child, a beautiful teenage storm cloud with an attitude you can cut with a knife. She's popular at school, quite smart and knows her power." (Deadline.com)
CITIZEN (Hulu/Paramount; W: Alfonso Gomez-Rejon, Josh Pate & Nicholas Schutt; D: Alfonso Gomez-Rejon) - Forrest Goodluck (The Revenant) has signed onto the drama pilot, billed as a fresh take on the hero origin story blending elements of magical realism and gritty vigilantism set against the backdrop of a vibrant, supernaturalized Los Angeles. He'll play Guero, "a wiry graduate of the streets who serves as the charismatic and bipolar leader of a group called Baby Narcos." (THR.com)
DREW (CBS/CTS; W: Joan Rater & Tony Phelan; D: James Strong) - Felix Solis ("Colony") has scored a role on the drama pilot, a contemporary take on Edward Stratemeyer's iconic literary character, now in her 30s, who is a detective for the NYPD where she investigates and solves crimes using her uncanny observational skills, all while navigating the complexities of life in a modern world. He'll play Lieutenant Edward Ford, "who moved to NY after his wife died under suspicious circumstances. He was a person of interest but never charged. He left all that behind and tries to forget his past by burying himself in work." (Deadline.com)
FOUR STARS (CBS/CTS; W: Becky Mode; D: R.J. Cutler) - Ana Cruz Kayne is the latest addition to the drama pilot, about two powerful rival families in the military community of Tampa, Florida who make decisions at the highest levels in the interest of national security. She's set as Syd, "the daughter of four-star General Rodriguez (not yet cast), who is a foreign policy wunderkind and hardcore policy wonk." (Deadline.com)
GOOD PLACE (NBC/Universal; W: Michael Schur; D: Drew Goddard) - Jameela Jamil will round out the cast of the upcoming comedy, about Eleanor (Kristen Bell), a woman from New Jersey who comes to realize that she hasn't been a very good person. She decides to turn over a new leaf by learning what it actually means to be "good" or "bad," and then trying to make up for her past behavior. Ted Danson plays Michael, who, through an unlikely set of circumstances, comes to be Eleanor's guide through her self-designed self-improvement course. She'll play "the wealthy and glamorous Tessa, well educated in England, effortlessly conversant in almost anything and loving to host parties and be the center of attention." (Deadline.com)
INTERESTINGS, THE (Amazon/TriStar; W: Lyn Greene & Richard Levine; D: Mike Newell) - David Krumholtz, Ed Squires, Jance Enslin, Katie Balen and Sarah Mezzanotte are the latest to score roles on the drama pilot, based on Meg Wolitzer's bestselling book about a group of friends who meet at an arts camp when they're 15 in 1974 and their relationships throughout the next three decades. Krumholtz will play Ethan; with Squires as the younger version of Krumholtz's character; Enslin as the young Jonah Dey (Corey Cott); Balen as the young Jules (Lauren Ambrose); and Mezzanotte as the young version of Ash (Jessica Paré). (Deadline.com)
MARVEL'S IRON FIST (Netflix/ABCS; W: Scott Buck; D: TBA) - Finn Jones ("Game of Thrones") has booked the title role on the upcoming drama. Returning to New York City after being missing for years, Daniel Rand fights against the criminal element corrupting New York City with his incredible kung-fu mastery and ability to summon the awesome power of the fiery Iron Fist. (Deadline.com)
OZARK (Netflix, New!) - Writer Bill Dubuque (The Judge) and director Jason Bateman (Bad Words) are set to team for a new drama at the streaming service, "which take place in the dark and dangerous world of drug-money laundering." Chris Mundy will serve as showrunner on the drama as well as executive produce alongside Mark Williams and said duo for Media Rights Capital and Aggregate Films. (Deadline.com)
UNTITLED LAURA STEINEL PROJECT (FOX/20th; W: Laura Steinel; D: Jeff Schaffer) - Judy Greer ("Married") has scored the lead role on the single-camera comedy pilot, about Jane, who is caught between trying to manage her charmingly incompetent human resources department and a new eccentric CEO who dreams of bringing the New Jersey plastics plant into the future. She'll also serve as a producer on the project. (Deadline.com)
UPPER MIDDLE BOGAN (CBS/ABCS/CTS; W: Dan O'Shannon, Robyn Butler & Wayne Hope; D: Todd Holland) - Katey Sagal ("The Bastard Executioner") has signed onto the single-camera comedy pilot, a domestic take on the Australian comedy about a wife and mother who learns she was adopted and that her birth parents are a flamboyant but loving family of drag-racers. She's on board as Julie, "the wife of Wayne (John Carroll Lynch) and the matriarch of the family. After Wayne lost an eye, Julie stepped in as the lead driver of Team Wheeler." (Deadline.com)
ZOOBIQUITY (FOX/20th; W: Jonathan Collier & Stephen Nathan; D: TBA) - Marsha Thomason and Antonia Bernath are the first to be cast in the drama pilot, which follows the unlikely pairing of a successful, driven cardiologist as she risks career suicide by teaming with a socially-challenged veterinarian who relates better to animals than people. Thomason will play the former, Kara Martins, "an instinct for healing, and is an innovator whose sometimes-unorthodox methods save lives." Bernath then is se as Susan Gibbs, "a shy but brilliant young imaging specialist who is more at home with her machines than with people." (Deadline.com)
AND IN OTHER NEWS... - Ryan Coogler, Destin Daniel Cretton and Chinaka Hodge are developing "Minors," a potential TV series which "will show how that system shapes young people over a one-year period" (Deadline.com); Tom McCarthy has signed on to direct and executive produce the first two episodes Netflix's "13 Reasons Why" (Deadline.com); Alvin "Xzibit" Joiner will recur on "Empire" as Leslie "Shyne" Johnson, "who is 100% wolf and 100% gangster" (Deadline.com); Josh Helman is the latest face bound for "Wayward Pines" as Xander, "a confident and charming guy working to undermine Wayward Pines from within" (THR.com);
Vincent Kartheiser has signed on for an arc on Hulu's "Casual" as "the head of a venture-capital firm who comes in to work with Alex (Tommy Dewey)" (THR.com); Madison McLaughlin has been tapped for a top secret role on "Arrow" (@amellywood); Madeleine Stowe will guest on the season finale of "12 Monkeys" after appearing in the feature film incarnation (EW.com); and Stephen Rider has been cast as William Johnson, the first African-American Harley-Davidson dealer, in Discovery's "Harley and the Davidsons" (Variety.com).
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[02/27/26 - 01:28 PM]
Paramount to Acquire Warner Bros. Discovery to Form Next-Generation Global Media and Entertainment Company
The transaction has been unanimously approved by the Boards of Directors of both companies and is expected to close in Q3 2026, subject to customary closing conditions, including regulatory clearances and approval by WBD shareholders, with a vote expected in the early spring of 2026.
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[02/27/26 - 12:30 PM]
The Jaw-Dropping Fifth and Final Season of Starz's Hit Drama Series, "Power Book III: Raising Kanan" Set to Premiere June 12
To date, the series has accumulated over 21 billion minutes viewed across all episodes and remains one of Starz's top-performing series.
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[02/27/26 - 09:12 AM]
Team USA Hockey Olympic Gold Medalists Hilary Knight, Jack Hughes and Quinn Hughes to Appear Together on "The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon" on Monday, March 2
The episode will also feature guests Nicole Kidman, Luke Thompson and a cooking demo by Chef Mario Carbone.
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[02/27/26 - 08:12 AM]
Paul Wesley Joins Season Three of Hit Apple TV Series "The Buccaneers"
Wesley will play the role as Frank, a mysterious but charming stranger who arrives into Nan and Mrs. St. George's world, turning it upside down.
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[02/27/26 - 07:31 AM]
Peacock to Exclusively Stream Focus Features' "Hamnet" Beginning March 6
Directed by two-time Academy Award-winning director Chloé Zhao, the film tells the untold story behind one of Shakespeare's most memorable works and celebrates the power of imagination and the creative spirit.
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[02/27/26 - 07:01 AM]
Prime Video Debuts First-Look Image of Ryan Hurst as Kratos and Callum Vinson as Atreus On Set of New Series "God of War"
The series is co-produced by Sony Pictures Television and Amazon MGM Studios in association with PlayStation Productions and Tall Ship Productions, and has received a two-season order.
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[02/27/26 - 06:01 AM]
Video: Netflix and Apple TV Join Forces to Stream Formula 1 Thrills
The entire new season of "Formula 1: Drive to Survive" is now on Netflix globally and Apple TV in the U.S.
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[02/26/26 - 08:46 PM]
"Dandelion": Netflix Adapts "Gintama" Creator Hideaki Sorachi's Debut Work into New Anime Series
Set within the Send-Off Department of the Japanese Angel Federation, Dandelion follows "Angels" Tetsuo Tanba and Misaki Kurogane as they scramble to track down Earthbound spirits - souls unable to move on and find peace - and gently guide them to pass on.
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[02/26/26 - 06:01 PM]
Video: "Still Shining" - Official Trailer - Netflix
After falling in love as teens, two young adults drift apart - only to reunite 10 years later and confront their heartbreak, growth and new challenges.
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[02/26/26 - 02:46 PM]
Netflix Declines to Raise Offer for Warner Bros.
"The transaction we negotiated would have created shareholder value with a clear path to regulatory approval. However, we've always been disciplined, and at the price required to match Paramount Skydance's latest offer, the deal is no longer financially attractive, so we are declining to match the Paramount Skydance bid," said co-CEOs Ted Sarandos and Greg Peters.
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[02/26/26 - 02:19 PM]
"Live with Kelly and Mark" Soars to Season High with Best Audience in Over a Year
"Live" has now ranked as the No. 1 talk show in syndication for 157 consecutive weeks across all key measures.
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[02/26/26 - 02:08 PM]
Britbox Unveils Spring Slate with "The Lady" Starring Mia McKenna-Bruce; Premieres March 18
Other highlights include the return of "Hope Street" and the debut of "Mudtown."
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[02/26/26 - 01:36 PM]
Paramount Comments on Warner Bros. Discovery Board's Determination of Paramount's Proposal as Superior
David Ellison, Chairman and CEO of Paramount, said: "We are pleased WBD's Board has unanimously affirmed the superior value of our offer, which delivers to WBD shareholders superior value, certainty and speed to closing."
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[02/26/26 - 01:16 PM]
Warner Bros. Discovery Board of Directors Determines Revised Proposal from Paramount Skydance Constitutes a "Company Superior Proposal"
Under the terms of the Netflix merger agreement, this notice triggers a four business day period during which Netflix has the right to propose revisions to the Netflix merger agreement so that the PSKY proposal would cease to constitute a "Company Superior Proposal."
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[02/26/26 - 01:00 PM]
FOX Television Network Renews Hit Joel McHale Series "Animal Control" for Season Five
In addition, the first three seasons of the series are currently streaming on Netflix, and the show has been sold in territories around the world.
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