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[09/15/21 - 11:52 PM]
Development Update: Wednesday, September 15
By The Futon Critic Staff (TFC)

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!


ACTIVIST, THE (CBS) - The network is reconfiguring the series into a one-time documentary special instead of a five-episode competition series. "'The Activist' was designed to show a wide audience the passion, long hours, and ingenuity that activists put into changing the world, hopefully inspiring others to do the same," CBS and producing partners Global Citizen and Live Nation said in a statement. "However, it has become apparent the format of the show as announced distracts from the vital work these incredible activists do in their communities every day. The push for global change is not a competition and requires a global effort. As a result, we are changing the format to remove the competitive element and reimagining the concept into a primetime documentary special (air date to be announced). It will showcase the tireless work of six activists and the impact they have advocating for causes they deeply believe in. Each activist will be awarded a cash grant for the organization of their choice, as was planned for the original show." (Variety.com)
DROP DEAD DAVE (CBS, New!) - Josh Berman is developing a reboot of his former Lifetime staple "Drop Dead Diva" at the Eye in which "when shallow, entitled, Gen Z lawyer Dave dies in a freak accident, his soul is transferred into the body of Rita, a successful but complicated Gen X attorney, forcing Dave to live as a woman and navigate an entirely new perspective on life, love and identity." The project comes from his Sony Pictures Television-based Osprey Productions with Jennifer Robinson and director Jamie Babbit also on board to executive produce. (Deadline.com)
LOVE AND DEATH (HBO Max) - Krysten Ritter has boarded the limited series as Sherry Cleckler. The project also stars Elizabeth Olsen, Jesse Plemons, Patrick Fugit and Lily Rabe. (Deadline.com)
MONARCH (FOX) - Inigo Pascual has been cast in the upcoming musical drama as Ace Grayson, "a talented and sensitive 18 year-old, who was adopted from an orphanage by Nicky (Anna Friel) and her husband, Clive. He's a phenomenal singer with real swagger on stage, and dreams of being a country star like his Grandpa Albie, but in spite of being part of a golden family, his path to success has some challenges." (Deadline.com)
RESIDENT, THE (FOX) - Miles Fowler has joined the cast of the series' fifth season as Trevor, "the estranged son of Billie (Jessica Lucas). Trevor is a medicinal chemistry major who has edge and thinks the system is screwed up. He's hotheaded and passionate. He's also a genius... for now, perhaps, just a misguided one." (Deadline.com)
SUPER PUMPED (Showtime) - Richard Schiff, Jessica Hecht, and John Michael Higgins have all scored roles on the anthology series. Schiff will play Randall Pearson, "a San Francisco MTA power-broker who goes head-to-head with Travis"; with Hecht as Amy Gurley, "the wife of Bill Gurley"; and Higgins as Mike Ovitz, "the business titan whose dealings with a young Travis color the rest of the future founder's career." (Variety.com)
TOKYO VICE (HBO Max) - Japanese actors Hideaki Ito, Show Kasamatsu and Tomohisa Yamashita are set to star opposite Ansel Elgort, Ken Watanabe, Rachel Keller, Ella Rumpf and Rinko Kikuchi in Michael Mann's upcoming 10-episode drama series. No specifics about their roles were given. (THR.com)
TWISTED METAL (New!) - Anthony Mackie is attached to star and executive produce Sony Pictures Television's proposed TV take on the PlayStation video game series. He will play the lead role of John Doe in the half-hour live-action series, which is expected to go out to buyers soon. Doe is "a smart-ass milkman who talks as fast as he drives. With no memory of his past, he gets a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to make his wish of finding community come true, but only if he can survive an onslaught of savage vehicular combat." (Deadline.com)
WE OWN THIS CITY (HBO) - Thaddeus Street, Tray Chaney, Chris Clanton, Jermaine Crawford and Nathan E. Corbett are the latest bound for the limited series. Street will play James Otis, "a Baltimore resident and HVAC repairman, Otis was scraping by to support a large family until he was robbed and locked up by GTTF Detective Daniel Hersl." Chaney then is Gordon Hawk, "a recent addition to the Harford County Narcotics Task Force who was working alongside Cpl. David McDougall on the early drug-overdose casework that set the GTTF probe in motion"; with Clanton as Brian Hairston, "a Baltimore cop who isn't afraid to speak up when he sees police misconduct or unsound strategies"; Crawford as Jaquan Dixon, "a young BPD patrolman who's still trying to do the job well, even as the police department standards begin to fail"; and Corbett as Tariq Touré, "a West Baltimore author and community activist who helps Nicole Steele better understand the issues facing Baltimoreans under BPD policies as she works to finalize the Consent Decree." (Deadline.com)
WENDY WILLIAMS SHOW, THE (Syndication) - The show's season 13 launch has been delayed after host Williams tested positive for a breakthrough case of COVID-19. (@wendyshow)
WHEEL OF TIME, THE (Amazon) - Sanaa Hamri has signed on to executive produce and direct half of the episodes for next season. (Deadline.com)





  [september 2021]  
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· ACTIVIST, THE (CBS)
· DEVELOPMENT UPDATE (TFC)
· DROP DEAD DAVE (CBS)
· DROP DEAD DIVA (LIFETIME)
· LOVE & DEATH (MAX)
· MONARCH (FOX)
· RESIDENT, THE (FOX)
· SUPER PUMPED (SHOWTIME)
· TOKYO VICE (MAX)
· WE OWN THIS CITY (HBO)
· WENDY WILLIAMS SHOW, THE (SYNDICATION)
· WHEEL OF TIME, THE (AMAZON)





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