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[05/24/24 - 11:17 PM]
Development Update: Week of May 20-24
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!
1313 (New!) - Universal Content Productions is developing "a horror series that plays on the Universal Monsterverse, aka a reimagining of the classic 1964-66 CBS sitcom The Munsters." Lindsey Anderson Beer of LAB Brew is behind the project with James Wan, Michael Clear and Rob Hackett of Atomic Monster also executive producing and Ingrid Bisu co-executive producing. The title is a reference to their fictional residence at "1313 Mockingbird Lane address in the city of Mockingbird Heights, a fictional suburb in California." (Deadline.com, 5/22)
BAD FRIENDS (Hulu, New!) - Andrew Santino and Bobby Lee's podcast is being developed into an animated series at the streamer and 20th Television, which "follows the relationship between Andrew, a fiery lightning bug, and Bobby, a shy rolly polly, as they navigate the treacherous waters of being adolescent misfit bugs in high school." Santino and Nick Kreiss are penning the project, which was created by Lee, Kreiss, Santino and Andres Salaff. Trevor Engelson of Underground Films and Doug Banker of Five All in the Fifth Entertainment will executive produce alongside Lee, Santino and Kreiss with Salaff as a co-executive producer. (Deadline.com, 5/22)
BLACK RABBIT (Netflix) - Laura Linney will direct episodes 3 and 4 of the series; with Ben Semanoff on episodes 5 and 6; and Justin Kurzel on the final two episodes. As previously announced, star Jason Bateman will direct the first two episodes. (Deadline.com, 5/23)
CAR WASH (NBC, New!) - Opey Olagbaju is looking to bring the 1976 film to the small screen at the network: "Set at a modern-day DC car wash, the TV series focuses on an immigrant family's generational and cultural clashes between father and son and their eclectic group of employees." Malcolm D. Lee and Dominique Telson will also executive produce for Universal Television with Michael Allen as a co-executive producer. (Deadline.com, 5/22)
CHICAGO MED (NBC) - Allen MacDonald has been named showrunner of the medical drama, taking over from Diane Frolov and Andy Schneider. (Deadline.com, 5/22)
CRIMINAL (Amazon) - Richard Jenkins is the first to the cast in the comic book-turned-TV series as Ivan, "Leo's dad's best friend, who has always been an uncle figure to him. He used to be a robber and criminal, but is now currently suffering from dementia. Leo is trying to care for him but realizes he's more work than he can handle." (Deadline.com, 5/22)
DEATH BY LIGHTNING (Netflix) - The period drama has cast Bradley Whitford as Secretary of State James Blaine; Shea Whigham as Senator Roscoe Conkling; Stephen McKinley Henderson as Senator Blanche Bruce; Paula Malcomson as Franny Scoville, sister of Charles Guiteau; and Tuppence Middleton as Kate Chase Sprague. (Deadline.com, 5/24)
DIDDY DO IT (Netflix, New!) - The streamer has reportedly landed a proposed docuseries from Curtis "50 Cent" Jackson about Sean Combs, who "is facing numerous lawsuits, including sexual assault allegations." No other details were given other than Jackson's G-Unit Film and Television is producing. (Deadline.com, 5/22)
EL GATO (Amazon) - Lorenza Izzo will star opposite Diego Boneta in the series as Rosa, "an outsider to the world of wealth she has married into, and the first to recognize the sharks circling her family." (Deadline.com, 5/23)
EVIL (Paramount+) - Anna Chlumsky, Nate Corddry and Christian Borle have all landed roles on the show's final season. Chlumsky will play Ellie, "a guest at the Bouchards' house for a wake, where she befriends a grieving Kristen"; with Corddry as Paul Jr., "a happily married real estate agent with no complaints about life [yet] he feels with certainty that he's been consumed by his doppelgänger, a vlogger who recently died by suicide"; and Borle as Neil, "a brilliant grad student who gave up his life to become a nurse/private secretary for Johan Taupin, a brilliant physicist who attracts the attention of the Vatican." (TVLine.com, 5/22)
EXCEPT YOU (FOX, New!) - Julianna Baggott and son Finneas Scott's short story is being developed as a drama series by FOX Entertainment Studios: "Except You follows Erica, who can't help but fall in love with everyone she meets. When her ambitious ex, an FBI agent who used Erica's infatuations to get closer to criminals, goes rogue, she'll have to help the Feds track down her ex, one mortifying crush at a time." Maximum Effort's Kevin Hill and Molly Milstein will executive produce alongside said duo's Mildred's Moving Picture Show. (Deadline.com, 5/20)
FBI (CBS) - Mike Weiss has been tapped as the new showrunner of the veteran drama, succeeding Rick Eid. (Deadline.com, 5/22)
GIRLS ON THE BUS, THE (Max) - The streamer has nixed the series after one season. "While Max will not be moving forward with a second season of The Girls on the Bus, we are grateful to have partnered with immensely talented Amy Chozick, Julie Plec, Rina Mimoun, as well as the teams at Berlanti Productions and Warner Bros. Television," Max said in a statement. "We are so proud of this powerful story of found family and the celebration of journalism, in all its forms. We thank them and our unrivaled cast for all their incredible work and collaboration." (Deadline.com, 5/24)
HANDMAID'S TALE, THE (Hulu) - Ever Carradine's Naomi Putnam will return as a regular for the series' final season. (Deadline.com, 5/23)
HIGH SCHOOL (Freevee) - The streamer has pulled the plug on Tegan and Sara Quin's series after one season. The report adds: "Sources say Amazon-owned Freevee wanted to renew High School for a second season, with executives in late 2022 expressing enough optimism for showrunner Clea DuVall to open a mini-room to craft a sophomore run. Ultimately, sources say the completion rate for High School left Freevee and Amazon execs little choice but to cancel the series despite the fact that scripts for an entire second season had already been completed." (THR.com, 5/23)
I MAY DESTROY YOU (HBO) - Michaela Coel is no longer developing a new series set in the "I May Destroy You" universe. Executive producer Phil Clarke told the publication "Coel had toyed with various ideas for what was loosely termed "I May Destroy You 2," before deciding against going further. Coel has previously ruled out a second series of I May Destroy You in the traditional sense." (Deadline.com, 5/21)
LAID (Peacock) - The upcoming comedy series has tapped the following actors to guest star: Andre Hyland, Olivia Holt, David Denman, Finneas O'Connell, Chloe Fineman, Indya Moore, Ettore "Big E" Ewen and John Early. No details about their roles were given. (Deadline.com, 5/22)
MARVEL'S HIT-MONKEY (Hulu) - Cristin Milioti will lend her voice to the show's sophomore run as Iris: "Iris has grown up vowing never to be like the father, Bryce, who abandoned her, but when fate brings them back together, she realizes that she and her old man are cut from the same cloth as they hurtle towards a final reconciliation." (Variety.com, 5/23)
NURSE JACKIE (REBOOT SERIES) (Amazon) - The Edie Falco-led sequel series is now in development at Amazon after previously being set up at its original network Showtime: "10 years after we left Jackie Peyton (Falco) clinging to life in the series finale, we find her back on her feet in spite of having lost her nursing license. The continuation of her story will find her facing new dilemmas in trying to be good in a world where being bad is often not only easier, but a lot more fun." Liz Flahive and Abe Sylvia remain attached to write and executive produce with the latter directing. Falco and Bob Greenblatt will likewise executive produce for Lionsgate Television. (Variety.com, 5/22)
OBSESSION (Amazon) - Dove Cameron and Avan Jogia have scored the lead roles on the thriller series, which follows Oliver (Jogia) and Ciara (Cameron), who, after meeting randomly in a supermarket, fall for each other fast, and dangerously hard. Fifty-six days later, homicide investigators arrive at Oliver's apartment to find an unidentified body - brutally murdered and intentionally decomposed. Did he kill her? Did she kill him? Intercutting between an intense single day in the present investigation and the twisted trajectory of the young lovers' affair in the past, the series is both a unique crime story and a riveting, erotic, psychological thriller. (Deadline.com, 5/23)
PRIMO (Freevee) - The freshman comedy series has been canceled by the streaming service. The report adds: "The decision to pass on a second season came after lengthy deliberations. While the show's fate was being decided, the options on the cast were extended twice with the second extension ending this month. As explained by a source close to production, the executives looked for ways to confirm a second season but were unable to do so." (Deadline.com, 5/21)
P-VALLEY (Starz) - The show's third season has tapped the follow actors to recur: Nicholas G. Sims as Calvin, "a passionate member of the Chief-Fi-Chiefs, Chucalissa's oldest gang"; De'Adre Aziza as Red, "the first lady of the Hurt Village Hustlas"; Brandon J. Dirden as Sykes, "a dogged officer investigating the recent uptick in crime in Chucalissa"; Moritz J. Williams as Chance, "the new Sweeper who's got the Pynk in a tizzy"; Chaz Hodges as Sage, "a quirky employee of Roulette (Gail Bean) who marches to the beat of her own drummer"; Bella Blaq as Elaine, "a brash and bold employee of Roulette"; and Jay Jones as the returning Prince, "the hot-headed leader of the Hurt Village Hustlas, the younger and rowdier of Chucalissa's two preeminent gangs." (Deadline.com, 5/20)
REACHER (Amazon) - Olivier "The Dutch Giant" Richters has been cast as Zachary Beck's (fellow guest Anthony Michael Hall) bodyguard, Paulie, in the upcoming season. (TVLine.com, 5/24)
SHIFTING GEARS (ABC) - Maxwell Simkins and Barrett Margolis have both been cast in the Tim Allen/Kat Dennings-led comedy pilot. They'll play play Carter and Georgia, "the respective son and daughter of Riley and Matt's grandchildren." (Deadline.com, 5/21)
SPECIAL OPS: LIONESS (Paramount+) - Genesis Rodriguez has joined the cast of the new season as Captain Josephina Carrillo, "a dedicated soldier and skilled helicopter pilot with a fierce personality." (Deadline.com, 5/20)
SPENCER SISTERS, THE (The CW) - The series has been canceled by its original Canadian broadcaster CTV after one season. (Deadline.com, 5/21)
STILL UP (Apple TV+) - The comedy series has been canceled after one season. (Deadline.com, 5/24)
UNPRISONED (Hulu) - Brandee Evans, Oliver Hudson and Jamie Chung will all drop by the show's upcoming season. Evans will play Ava, "Mal's (Marque Richardson) new girlfriend. She just finished law school and is smart, and confident, but often underestimated." Hudson is Johnny, "Finn's biological dad. He's a musician who is funny, pretty chill and lives in Los Angeles with his wife. Although he hasn't been a traditional father, he cares about Finn." And Chung will play Kiki, "Paige's best friend from college. Twenty years later, Kiki is married, polyamorous, and still the life of the party." (Deadline.com, 5/21)
VIRGIN ISLAND (Hulu, New!) - The streamer has commissioned a 10-episode dating series in which a "stunningly attractive and confident" group of singles search for "the one" on a tropical aisle. ITV America and Plimsoll Productions are behind the project with David George, Adam Sher, Grant Mansfield, Karen Plumb, Alan Eyres and Peter Geist executive producing. (Deadline.com, 5/22)
VISION QUEST (Disney+) - Terry Matalas has been tapped to serve as showrunner of the Paul Bettany-led series from Marvel Studios, targeted for 2026. "WandaVision" creator Jac Schaeffer was previously reported as spearheading the project but since turned to a separate "WandaVision" spinoff, "Agatha All Along." (Variety.com, 5/22)
WALKER (The CW) - The network has canceled the series after four seasons. "We want to thank the entire cast, crew, writers, directors and producers of Walker for their hard work and dedication over four incredible seasons," The CW said in a statement. "We also want to give a special thanks to star and executive producer Jared Padalecki, who has been a member of The CW family for over 20 years and was integral to some of the biggest hits on the network." (Deadline.com, 5/21)
WE WERE LIARS (Amazon) - David Morse and Arsher Ali are the latest additions to the series. The former is set as Harris Sinclair: "The proud patriarch of the Sinclair family who built his fortune with a respected media empire. He abides by an endless set of life mottos: Be a credit to the family. Never discuss your problems in restaurants. All ailments can be cured by outdoor exercise. He is charming and warm - and always down to play a game of tennis with his daughters or his grandchildren, though he's never once let them win. His private island off Martha's Vineyard is his kingdom, and he reigns benevolently... or so it seems." And the latter will play Ed, "who is described as magnetic, wryly funny and patient to a fault. Ed owns an art gallery in Brooklyn but spends every summer with his long-term partner Carrie (Mamie Gummer) and at her family's sprawling summer compound. For nearly a decade, Ed has done his best to impress Carrie's father, enduring not-so-subtle condescension, but this year, it becomes increasingly difficult for him to hold his tongue." (Deadline.com, 5/21; Variety.com, 5/22)
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