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[12/17/19 - 11:47 PM]
Development Update: Tuesday, December 17
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!
AMERICANAH (HBO Max) - Uzo Aduba and Zackary Momoh are the latest additions to the Lupita Nyong'o-led adaptation of Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie's novel. Aduba will play Aunty Uju, "Ifemelu's young aunt and confidant. A highly intelligent doctor, Uju left Nigeria under tumultuous circumstances and has resettled in America to build a better life for herself and her son Dike." Momoh then is Obinze, a classmate of Ifemelu (Nyong'o) whom she falls in love with as a teenager. (Variety.com)
COLD SHOULDER (CBS, New!) - Pam Veasey is looking to bring Lynda La Plante's novel to the small screen at the Eye. In the CBS Television Studios-based project, "after a police officer is unable to prevent the death of her partner in the line of duty, she seeks help from a fellow detective as she attempts to pick up the pieces of her broken life at home and on the force." The Jackal Group's Gail Berman and PatMa Productions' Nina Tassler and Denise Di Novi will also executive produce. The news marks the Eye's second attempt at an adaptation: Kelly McGillis toplined a 2000 effort that didn't move forward to series. (Deadline.com)
CREW, THE (Netflix) - The Kevin James-led NASCAR comedy series has cast Gary Anthony Williams as Chuck; Dan Ahdoot as Amir; Freddie Stroma as Jake; Sarah Stiles as Beth; and Jillian Mueller as Catherine. The multi-camera project has a 10-episode order. (Deadline.com)
FIREFLY LANE (Netflix) - Patrick Sabongui and Brendan Taylor have scored recurring roles on the upcoming drama. Sabongui plays Chad Wiley, "a former journalist, now a college professor, who falls into a forbidden relationship with Tully Hart (Katherine Heigl), a promising young journalism student in the 1980s." Taylor portrays Mutt, a 1980s TV news cameraman who pines for his coworker Kate Mularkey (Sarah Chalke). Mutt is a funny, sweet, geeky underdog, with a great heart and hidden depths." (Deadline.com)
FROM SCRATCH (FYI, New!) - David Moscow is set to host a new 10-episode series for the cable channel which "follows the actor, producer and adventurer on a worldwide expedition making meals literally from scratch." UnLTD Productions is behind the project, due on Sunday, February 16 at 6:00/5:00c, with David Moscow, Karen Moscow, Graeme Swanepoel, Jordan Harman, Christian Murphy, Jason Dreyer, Graeme Swanepoel and Damien Brown executive producing. (Deadline.com)
GAME, THE (The CW, New!) - Mara Brock Akil is developing a one-hour sequel series to the 2006-2015 half-hour comedy alongside Devon Greggory, this time set in Baltimore, where "our out-of-touch old-timers are determined to help a bunch of knuckle-head new-schoolers navigate the ruthless game of football on and off the field." Salim Akil and Grammnet NH Productions' Kelsey Grammer and Tom Russo will also executive produce for CBS Television Studios. (Deadline.com)
HOMECOMING (Amazon) - Joan Cusack and Mary Holland have both scored roles on the show's second season. Cusack will portray Francine Bunda, "an Army officer with an unconventional approach to the job"; while Holland will play Wendy, "an ambitious executive in Geist's R&D department." (Deadline.com)
INFAMOUS (The CW, New!) - George Northy and Darren Stein are set to team for a new drama at the netlet in which "celebrities who've experienced a devastating fall from grace are recruited by a top-secret arm of the CIA, with the promise to rehab their careers in exchange for using their global access (and eccentric reputations) to perform high-risk missions across the globe." Mike Tollin and Maia Glikman of Tollin Productions will also executive produce. No studio was indicated. (Deadline.com)
IRON SHARPENS IRON (Quibi, New!) - The streaming service has commissioned eight episodes of a new docu-series which "will pair star athletes with another professional athlete from a completely different sport." Cam Newton, Trae Young, Amanda Nunes and Carli Lloyd are among the initial participants. Iconic Saga Productions, Liquid Light and Endeavor Content's Film 45 are behind the project with Newton and David Ricks executive producing. (Variety.com)
LODGE 49 (AMC) - Creator Jim Gavin confirmed on social media today the series wasn't able to find a new home following AMC's cancellation. (@jimatdeltaco)
LORD OF THE RINGS, THE (Amazon) - Morfydd Clark has reportedly been cast as young Galadriel in the TV series. The character was famously portrayed by Cate Blanchett in Peter Jackson's various film incarnations. (Variety.com)
NO STONE UNTURNED (NBC, New!) - Steve Jackson's book, subtitled "The Story of NecroSearch International," is being developed as a drama at the Peacock network. Jonathan Collier is behind the project, which will follow "a group of the nation's top scientists, specialists and behaviorists who use the latest technology and the most advanced techniques to solve unsolvable crimes." Hazy Mills Productions' Todd Milliner and Sean Hayes will also executive produce for Universal Television. (Deadline.com)
RUSSIAN DOLL (Netflix) - Co-creator Leslye Headland has signed a multi-year overall deal with Fox 21 Television Studios. There she'll develop new series projects for the company. (Deadline.com)
SAVED BY THE BELL (Peacock) - John Michael Higgins has been cast as Bayside High's newest principal in the revival series. Principal Toddman "is constantly being pranked by his privileged students and yelled at by their entitled parents. But all this changes when Bayside gets an influx of new, low-income students and Toddman gets a second chance to really make a difference." (TVLine.com)
SEAL TEAM (CBS) - Luis Jose Lopez has booked a multi-episode arc on the series as Carlos Ramos, "a CIA agent operating under a NOC (Non-Official Cover) who has been discovered/captured by the Venezuelan government. He's being held captive and risks being moved from South America to Middle East. " (Deadline.com)
SISTAS (BET) - Keena Ferguson will recur on the Tyler Perry-produced drama as Leslie Davenport, "a no-nonsense, tough private investigator who is hired to investigate a love triangle involving Andi, played by KJ Smith." (Deadline.com)
TRAITORS (Netflix) - MGM Television has closed a first-look deal with British management and production company 42, producer of said drama. (Deadline.com)
TRILL LEAGUE (Quibi, New!) - Anthony Piper's graphic novel is being developed as an animated series at the streaming service. The project, billed as "anime-inflected, hip-hop-informed vision of a black superhero universe," will be written by Piper and Jameel Saleem with G-Unit Film & Television's Curtis "50 Cent" Jackson and 3 Arts Entertainment's Jermaine Johnson also executive producing for Lionsgate Television. (Deadline.com)
UNTITLED NADER & SHLESINGER PROJECT (CBS, New!) - Comedian Iliza Shlesinger has been tapped to star in a multi-camera comedy at the Eye about Iliza (Shlesinger), "who returns home to Austin, Texas, to help her mom and sister run their family business." She'll co-write the half-hour alongside Michelle Nader with Danielle Stokdyk, Kara Baker, David Martin, Richard Allen-Turner and Jon Thoday also executive producing for Avalon Television, CBS Television Studios and Warner Bros. Television. (Deadline.com)
VAN HELSING (Syfy) - The cable channel has renewed the series for a fifth and final season of 13 episodes, due in 2020. (THR.com)
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[12/11/25 - 03:15 PM]
ABC News' "Nightline" Ranks No. 1 in All Key Target Demos
The series also saw gains on the same week last year in Adults 25-54 and Adults 18-49.
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[12/11/25 - 11:58 AM]
Lifetime to Kick Off 2026 with Three New "Ripped from the Headlines" Movies
Kate Beckinsale, Scott Eastwood, Katie Cassidy, Luke Humphrey, Chloe Lanier, Dillon Casey, and Maddy Hillis are among the featured talent.
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[12/11/25 - 11:22 AM]
A&E's New Series "Crime in Progress" Follows the Evolution of Investigations Told Exclusively Through Raw Footage Premieres January 1 at 10pm ET/PT
The story of each crime is woven together through raw, unfiltered video from the point of view of officer body cam and surveillance footage for a first-hand look at justice in action.
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[12/11/25 - 11:01 AM]
New Netflix Doc Series About Jonestown Dives Into One of the Deadliest Mass Murders in American History
From Emmy-nominated director J.M. Harper comes a three-part documentary series about the events and ideas leading up to the Jonestown massacre.
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[12/11/25 - 10:32 AM]
Lola Petticrew Will Join the World of "Assassin's Creed" Alongside Toby Wallace in the New Live-Action Series Adaptation of Ubisoft's Best-Selling Video Game Franchise
Netflix confirmed the news on social media this morning.
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[12/11/25 - 10:31 AM]
Video: "Breakdown: 1975" - Official Trailer - Netflix
This documentary explores how a turbulent era gave rise to iconic movies like "Taxi Driver," "One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest" and "Network."
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[12/11/25 - 10:01 AM]
Michelle Buteau's Final Season of "Survival of the thickest" Casts New Guest Stars Wanda Sykes, D.L. Hughley, Ashley Graham, Ronny Chieng, Wyatt Cenac, Jenna Lyons, Ice-T, and More
Buteau and co-creator Danielle Sanchez-Witzel will also make their directorial debuts.
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[12/11/25 - 09:16 AM]
Paramount+ Greenlights Animated Adaptations of Acclaimed Children's Books by Mo Willems
The series orders mark the first collaborations between Paramount+ and Hidden Pigeon Company.
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[12/11/25 - 09:02 AM]
"MonsterQuest" Returns January 2 to Investigate the World's Most Chilling Monster Encounters on The History Channel
Bigfoot, UFOs, hauntings and killer beasts on land and sea -are these myths, legends, folklore or real monsters lurking in the world around us?
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[12/11/25 - 09:01 AM]
TLC's New Series "Suddenly Amish" Takes Six Individuals on a Dramatic and Life-Changing Journey Into Amish Culture
The series follows six non-Amish individuals on a rare journey as they leave behind their modern "English" lifestyle and step into a deeply traditional Amish community in Lancaster, Pennsylvania.
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[12/11/25 - 09:01 AM]
"Love During Lockup" Returns to We TV with a New Season Friday, January 16, Streaming Same Day on All Reality and AMC+
The new season features six all-new couples, including the return of fan-favorite cast member, Monique.
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[12/11/25 - 09:00 AM]
Video: Prime Video Releases "Beast Games" Season Two Trailer and Reveals Epic "Survivor" Crossover
Filmed on location in Fiji - the current home of Survivor - this "Beast Games x Survivor" crossover episode marks a first-of-its-kind relationship between two global competition phenomena.
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[12/11/25 - 08:32 AM]
New Season of Discovery Channel's "Expedition X" Kicks Off Wednesday, January 7 at 9PM ET/PT
In the season premiere, special guest and paranormal investigator Jack Osbourne teams up with Heather Amaro in Vulture City, AZ - a former old west gold mining village that brings new meaning to the term "ghost town."
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[12/11/25 - 08:31 AM]
Peacock Releases Premiere Date and First Look Images for Season 2 of "Ted"
All episodes of Seth MacFarlane's record-breaking live-action comedic prequel return March 5, 2026 only on Peacock.
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[12/11/25 - 08:27 AM]
"Love Under the Christmas Tree," Begins Production in Buffalo for Great American Christmas 2026, A Heartwarming Christmas Tale About Renewal and Second Chances, Starring Katie Leclerc and Jeremy Guilbaut
The film follows Abby (Leclerc) who inherits her Aunt Helen's cherished tree farm under the condition she spends 14 days working the farm to rediscover its true meaning.
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