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[02/29/16 - 11:51 PM]
Development Update: Monday, February 29
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) - Ward Horton (Annabelle) is bound for 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. He's been cast as Dr. Scott Strauss, "an intense neurologist with an Ivy League pedigree and the son of a world-class physician." (Deadline.com)
CHARITY CASE (FOX/ABCS/20th; W: Robert Padnick; D: James Griffiths) - Kyle Bornheimer ("Angel from Hell") is the latest to be cast in the Courteney Cox-led comedy pilot, about Hailey (Cox) who inherits her late billionaire husband's charity and quickly finds that changing the world is far less glamorous than she had imagined. He's set as Adam, "Hailey's stepson, now Chairman of the Board of the Waller Foundation since his father's passing. Self-important, he has nothing but disdain for Hailey whom he refers to as Philanthropist Barbie." (Deadline.com)
CONVICTION (ABC/ABCS; W: Liz Friedlander & Liz Friedman; D: Liz Friedlander) - Merrin Dungey ("Chasing Life") is the latest to be cast in the drama pilot, about Carter Morrison (Hayley Atwell), the brilliant but rebellious daughter of a Clinton-like political family who is forced into taking a job as the head of Los Angeles' newly created Conviction Integrity Unit. She'll play Maxine Barton, "the lead investigator for the Conviction Integrity Unit. Maxine is a former NYPD detective from a cop family. She is tough and no-nonsense, but will find her previously unfailing loyalty to the badge tested as she delves into her former colleagues' cases." (Deadline.com)
DREW (CBS/CTS; W: Joan Rater & Tony Phelan; D: James Strong) - Sarah Shahi and Steve Kazee are set to star in 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. Shahi will play the title character with Kazee as Ned Nickerson, "an investigative reporter for the New York Times and Nancy's former boyfriend." (Deadline.com)
EXORCIST, THE (FOX/20th; W: Jeremy Slater; D: Rupert Wyatt) - Hannah Kasulka is the latest addition to the drama pilot, a propulsive, serialized psychological thriller following two very different men tackling one family's case of horrifying demonic possession, and confronting the face of true evil. She's set as Casey Rance, "the wallflower of the family. Casey is worried about her sister Charlotte (Brianne Howey), who has been holed up in her room ever since her serious accident." (Deadline.com)
FLUFFY SHOP, THE (ABC/ABCS; W: Gabriel Iglesias, Jay Lavender & Tim Doyle; D: TBA) - Gloria Garayua is the latest addition to the Gabriel Iglesias-led multi-camera comedy pilot, which is inspired by the comedian's life experience including the challenges of managing a home life during the few days he spends off the road each week. She'll play Carmen, "Gabe's girlfriend, the strict mother of 13-year-old Frankie." (Deadline.com)
HAIL MARY (ABC/ABCS/Sony; W: Brian Gallivan; D: Julie Anne Robinson) - Casey Wilson ("Marry Me") has been tapped for the lead role in the single-camera comedy pilot, about a young small-town mayor who has dysfunctional siblings, a dying father, disgruntled citizens, a nearly bankrupt town and the mafia breathing down her neck. She'll play said character, Mary Wolf. (Deadline.com)
KICKER, THE (CBS/Universal; W: Jack Burditt; D: TBA) - Joanna Garcia Swisher ("The Astronaut Wives Club") has booked a role on the multi-camera comedy pilot, about Daryl Thorkelsonan (Geoff Stults), an oddball athlete who drives family, friends and strangers bonkers after he unexpectedly finds himself retired. She'll play Bambi, "Daryl's intelligent and patient wife and a physical therapist to pro athletes." (Deadline.com)
MICK, THE (FOX/20th; W: Dave Chernin & John Chernin; D: Randall Einhorn) - Sofia Black D'Elia (Project Almanac) is the first to be cast in the single-camera comedy pilot, about Mickey, a hard-living, foul mouthed woman who moves to affluent Greenwich, CT to raise the spoiled kids of her wealthy sister who has fled the country to avoid a federal indictment. She quickly learns what the rest of us already know - other people's children are awful. She's on board as Sabrina, "the oldest of the three kids Mickey has to care for." (Deadline.com)
NOTORIOUS (ABC/ABCS/Sony; W: Allie Hagan & Josh Berman; D: Michael Engler) - Kate Jennings Grant and J. August Richards have both been tapped for roles on the drama pilot, which follows the professional and personal relationship between a charismatic attorney (Daniel Sunjata) and a powerhouse television producer as they attempt to control the media, the justice system, and ultimately - each other. Grant will play Louise, "the host of a news program at the center of the series"; while Richards is Bradley, "brother of Jake (Sunjata), who once had the potential to be the shining star of the law office but is now overshadowed by Jake." (Deadline.com)
PITCH (FOX/20th; W: Dan Fogelman & Rick Singer; D: Paris Barclay) - Dan Lauria has signed on for a role in the drama pilot, about Ginny Baker (Kylie Bunbury), a young female pitcher who defies the odds when she becomes the first woman to play in the major leagues as part of the San Diego Padres. He'll play Al Sciutto, "the baseball team's grizzled but steady manager." (Deadline.com)
SQUARE ROOTS (ABC/ABCS; W: Vijal Patel; D: Michael Fresco) - Actors Adhir Kalyan, Noureen DeWulf, Bernard White and Nina Wadia as well as director Michael Fresco have signed onto the single-camera comedy pilot, about a young married couple perpetually tormented by the husband's opinionated family of engineers who think they have a solution for every problem in life. Kalyan will play Daneesh "Dan" Desai, "a high IQ guy who is always thinking (and always venting), and he believes that everything is capable of being improved and adjusted with a little bit of engineering." DeWulf then is set as Leena Desai, "Dan's wry and just a bit misanthropic sister"; with White as Mukesh, "a patriarchal uber-nerd and electrical engineer who believes adamantly in the old-fashioned virtues of hard work, self-determination and self-reliance"; and Wadia as Seema Desai, "the mother of Dan and Leena, and grandmother of Owen and Paige, is in some ways a traditional Indian woman but is also a chemical engineer with a high IQ." (Deadline.com)
TIME (NBC/Sony; W: Eric Kripke & Shawn Ryan; D: Neil Marshall) - Matt Lanter ("Star-Crossed") has booked a lead role on the drama pilot, about an unlikely trio traveling through time to battle unknown criminals in order to protect history as we know it. He'll presumably play Master Sergeant Wyatt Logan, one of said group. (Deadline.com)
TRAIL, THE (NBC/WBT; W: Jeff Astrof & Matt Miller; D: Jeffrey Blitz) - Krysta Rodriguez ("Chasing Life") has been cast in the single-camera comedy pilot, a spoof of crime documentaries, about Josh Simon (Nick D'Agosto), a young big-city lawyer and his oddball defense team during a high-profile murder trial in a small southern town. She's set as Summer Henderson, "Larry's (John Lithgow) free-spirited adopted daughter, who comes back to town to help her father." (Deadline.com)
UNTITLED CHRIS CASE PROJECT (FOX/20th; W: Chris Case; D: Malcolm D. Lee) - Becki Newton ("Weird Loners") is the first to board the single-camera comedy pilot, about Jay "Havoc" Hammond, an African American, ex-NFL lineman who recently moved in with his white wife and her two oddball sons, as he struggles to win the most challenging game of his life: fatherhood. She'll play said wife, Christy. "Gorgeous, smart, and strong with a soulful depth, Christy is a psychologist who works with athletes to help overcome anything from an addiction to drugs to an addiction to food." (Deadline.com)
UPPER MIDDLE BOGAN (CBS/ABCS/CTS; W: Dan O'Shannon, Robyn Butler & Wayne Hope; D: Todd Holland) - Brooke Elliott ("Drop Dead Diva") 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 (John Carroll Lynch, Katey Sagal) are a flamboyant but loving family of drag-racers. She'll play Amber, "one of the three (legitimate) children of Wayne (Lynch) and Julie (Sagal). She's the tough-minded, responsible, business-like, level-headed one in the family - and she lets everyone know it." (THR.com)
AND IN OTHER NEWS... - Shawn Ryan took to Twitter on Sunday with the news that Amazon's "Mad Dogs" will not return for a second season (@ShawnRyanTV); Disney Channel has quietly renewed "Bunk'd" and "Best Friends Whenever" for second seasons (Deadline.com); and Loni Anderson will guest on "Baby Daddy" as Bonnie's (Melissa Peterman) mother (TVLine.com).
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[02/05/26 - 02:03 PM]
Great American Media Signs Exclusive Multi-Picture Deal with Fan-Favorite Actress, Merritt Patterson
The company also announces the first film of the new deal is "Meet Me in the Margins," adapted from bestselling author Melissa Ferguson's novel of the same name.
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[02/05/26 - 12:42 PM]
"20/20" Ranks No. 1 in the Two-Hour Time Period Across the Board
Hitting new season highs on January 30, "20/20" grew from the previous week in Total Viewers and Adults 18-49.
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[02/05/26 - 11:31 AM]
Apple Original Films Lands Global Rights to Sundance Film Festival Selection "The Last First: Winter K2"
Director Amir Bar-Lev tells a complex, harrowing and moving story that unpacks the industry of extreme mountain climbing and its changing culture.
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[02/05/26 - 11:01 AM]
HBO Original "Murder in Glitterball City," A Two-Part Documentary, Debuts February 19
Inspired by the non-fiction book "A Dark Room in Glitter Ball City" by David Dominé, the film chronicles a 2010 murder case that starts with a 911 phone call that leads police to the gruesome discovery of a body buried in the basement of a Victorian mansion.
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[02/05/26 - 11:01 AM]
Video: ALLBLK Releases Trailer and Key Art for New Original Feature Film, "Deb Is Boss" Premiering Thursday, March 5
Before becoming a powerhouse music executive who launched Gucci Mane, Nicki Minaj, and French Montana, Deb Antney (Lil Mama) was a street-smart survivor navigating the dangerous underworlds of Queens, NY and Boston, MA.
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[02/05/26 - 10:31 AM]
Nicolette van Dam and Bas Smit Present the Dutch Version of "Love Is Blind"
"Love Is Blind: Netherlands" arrives on Netflix in 2026.
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[02/05/26 - 10:12 AM]
"Martha Graham Dance Company: We Are Our Time" Premieres March 27, 2026 on PBS
As the Graham Company nears its landmark 100th anniversary, "We Are Our Time" offers a rare behind-the-scenes portrait of the company, exploring Graham's legacy through the dancers who embody her work today.
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[02/05/26 - 10:03 AM]
ABC's Juggernaut Tuesday Scores More Wins
"High Potential's" January 20 episode jumped to 12.98 million Total Viewers and a 2.17 rating among Adults 18-49 after seven days of viewing on ABC, Hulu, Hulu on Disney+ and digital platforms, scoring a series high among Total Viewers.
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[02/05/26 - 10:01 AM]
HBO Original Comedy Series "Rooster," Starring Steve Carell, From Bill Lawrence and Matt Tarses, Debuts March 8
A comedy set on a college campus centering on an author's (Carell) complicated relationship with his daughter (Charly Clive).
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[02/05/26 - 10:01 AM]
Small State, Big Drama. Secrets Rise with the Tide on "The Real Housewives of Rhode Island," Premiering on Thursday, April 2 at 9 P.M. ET/PT
The series will move to its regular timeslot on Sundays at 9:00/8:00c on April 5.
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[02/05/26 - 09:31 AM]
CNN Original Series Releases First Look and Introduces "Craig Ferguson: American on Purpose"
"Any chance I get to remind my fellow Americans that we are still the best idea for a country anyone has ever had I'm going to take it. My eagle is still bald and my banner is still spangled with stars," said Ferguson.
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[02/05/26 - 09:01 AM]
Video: "Predator: Badlands" - Trailer - Hulu
Directed by Dan Trachtenberg, the film streams on Hulu and with Hulu on Disney+ February 12.
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[02/05/26 - 09:00 AM]
Date Announcement: Will Forte & D'Arcy Carden's "Sunny Nights" Comes to Hulu
After a critical acclaimed Australian debut, the darkly comedic crime drama starring Will Forte and D'Arcy Carden makes its U.S. debut on March 11 on Hulu.
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[02/05/26 - 08:31 AM]
Video: Peacock Releases Teaser and Premiere Date for Upcoming Original Series "The Miniature Wife"
All episodes of the series starring Elizabeth Banks and Matthew Macfadyen will premiere on April 9, 2026 only on Peacock.
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[02/05/26 - 08:29 AM]
Video: "The Forsytes" Official Trailer
Don't miss the U.S. premiere of this highly anticipated drama Sunday, March 22 on PBS.
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