or


[06/25/03 - 12:00 AM]
Development Update: June 25
By The Futon Critic Staff (TFC)

CHICAGO (thefutoncritic.com) -- The latest development news, culled from recent wire reports:

ALIAS/UNTITLED J.J. ABRAMS PROJECT (ABC) - Creator J.J. Abrams is developing a new ensemble drama for the Alphabet network set in the world of bounty hunters. "Alias" co-star Greg Grunberg is attached to star as the male lead in the series, which is being developed by Touchstone Television for ABC's fall 2004 schedule. As for "Alias," Grunberg has been upped to series regular for the upcoming third season of the drama.

ENTERTAINMENT TONIGHT (Syndication) - Paramount Domestic Television has signed a multiyear overall development deal with fashion maven Steven Cojocaru. As part of the pact, Cojocaru will become a fashion correspondent for "Entertainment Tonight" beginning in August. In addition, he'll shop around a new series developed around his feisty persona as well as continue to contribute to "People Magazine" and NBC's "Today."

EVE (A.K.A. OPPOSITE SEX) (UPN) - The netlet has changed the title of its Warner Bros. TV/Greenblatt-Janollari comedy to reflect the name of its lead, rapper Eve.

HOLLYWOOD WIVES: THE NEXT GENERATION (CBS) - Robin Givens ("Head of State") has joined the cast of the Eye's upcoming telefilm, based on the Jackie Collins novel of the same name, which already includes Farrah Fawcett and Melissa Gilbert. Production is scheduled to begin next month on the project with Joyce Chopra directing. Collins, Tom Patricia and Renee Valente are the executive producers.

HOPE & FAITH (ABC) - Ted McGinley ("Charlie Lawrence") has signed on to the Faith Ford/Kelly Ripa-led comedy. He'll replace Josh Stamberg as Charley, the embattered husband to Ford's character, Hope. Distributor Touchstone will reshoot parts of the "Hope & Faith" pilot to incorporate McGinley. No reason was given for Stamberg's exit from the series.

IDATE (Syndication) - Media company iVillage is developing a new syndicated dating series with a classier, more upscale take on the genre. Veteran TV producer Marty Berman and former King World executive Bob Jacobs are the behind the series, which is being eyed for a September 2004 start date. iVillage executives are touting the show's more family-friendly take on the dating genre in its pitch to potential distributors, which would allow the show to air in earlier dayparts. Executives are also touting the iVillage web site, which is currently visted by 15 million unique visitors each month as a means to help promote the series.

N.C.I.S. (A.K.A. NAVY/NAVAL C.I.S.) - After bouncing between several titles, the Eye has settled on "N.C.I.S." as the name of its upcoming "J.A.G." spin-off. "N.C.I.S." was the show's original title, but CBS executives feared viewers would confuse the show with its current series "C.S.I." In its upfront presentation, CBS changed the titled to "Navy C.I.S." but quickly learned that the real-life Naval Criminal Investigative Service doesn't handle just Navy cases. So shortly thereafter the title was changed to "Naval C.I.S." That title however was unpopular with both CBS and distributor Paramount Network Television as it was believed it brought up odd images of bellybuttons or oranges. (And no we're not making that up.) Both parties have since settled on reverting back to its original title.

NATIONAL LAMPOON�S THANKSGIVING FAMILY REUNION (TBS) - Bryan Cranston ("Malcolm in the Middle"), Judge Reinhold ("The O'Keefes") and Penelope Ann Miller ("Carlito�s Way") has signed on to the cable channel's telefilm, which is scheduled to air this November. Neal Israel ("Bachelor Party") is directing the project from a script by Dennis Rinsler and Marc Warren ("Full House") with Gary Hoffman ("Bastard Out of Carolina") and James Shavick ("Romantic Comedy 101") producing. The telefilm stars Reinhold as an anesthesiologist to the stars, who travels with his family to spend Thanksgiving with a long lost cousin (Cranston) in Idaho. But in true National Lampoon tradition, chaos ensues after they arrive, as the conservative Snider family butts heads with the hippie cousin and his wife (Miller).

STRIP SEARCH (HBO) - Glenn Close, Maggie Gyllenhaal and Daniel Sauli have signed on to star in the pay channel's latest telefilm, to be directed by Sidney Lumet and executive produced by Barry Levinson and Tom Fontana. Fontana wrote the project, which follows three intertwined stories (Close as a federal agent, Gyllenhaal as an American student in China, and Sauli as an artist), each exploring crime and punishment in the wake of the September 11 attacks. Production is set to begin late next month in New York for a 2004 air date.

Sources: Variety, The Hollywood Reporter, Reuters





  [june 2003]  
S
M
T
W
T
F
S


· ALIAS (ABC)
· CATCH, THE (ABC)
· CHARLIE LAWRENCE (CBS)
· CSI: CRIME SCENE INVESTIGATION (CBS)
· ENTERTAINMENT TONIGHT (SYNDICATION)
· EVE (UPN)
· HOPE & FAITH (ABC)
· IDATE (SYNDICATION)
· JACKIE COLLINS' HOLLYWOOD WIVES: THE NEXT GENERATION (CBS)
· JAG (CBS)
· MALCOLM IN THE MIDDLE (FOX)
· NATIONAL LAMPOON'S THANKSGIVING FAMILY REUNION (TBS)
· NCIS (CBS)
· O'KEEFES, THE (WB)
· STRIP SEARCH (HBO)
· UNTITLED STEVEN COJOCARU PROJECT (SYNDICATION)





[11/04/24 - 04:01 PM]
Video: "Zombieverse 2: New Blood" - Official Trailer - Netflix
The groundbreaking K-zombie series returns bolder than ever, with enhanced zombies, new members and wilder quests full of non-stop thrills and laughter.

[11/04/24 - 02:01 PM]
"Outer Banks" Renewed for Fifth and Final Season Following Fan Celebrations at Poguelandia and Multi-Country Pogue Tour
The news comes two days after the second Poguelandia: An Outer Banks Experience, held November 2 at The Barker Hangar in Santa Monica, California.

[11/04/24 - 01:31 PM]
Acorn TV's Hit Detective Crime Drama "Dalgliesh" Returns with All-New Episodes Monday, December 2
Season 3 is made up of three distinct mysteries, each two episodes long.

[11/04/24 - 12:01 PM]
NBC Unveils Lineup of New and Returning Beloved Holiday Programming
New programming for 2024 includes "Jimmy Fallon's Holiday Seasoning Spectacular" and "A Motown Christmas," hosted by Smokey Robinson and Halle Bailey.

[11/04/24 - 11:01 AM]
The Final Bell: Production Begins for the Third and Final Season of "Heartbreak High"
In Season 3, it's time for Hartley High's graduating class to say 'goodbye' to school, and 'hello' to adulthood!

[11/04/24 - 11:01 AM]
NBC's "The Voice" Taps Music Icon Sting and Multi-Hyphenate Jennifer Hudson as Season 26 Mega Mentors
Hudson joins Michael Bublé and Reba McEntire while Sting joins coaches Snoop Dogg and Gwen Stefani to mentor the remaining artists as each team prepares for the Knockouts, beginning Monday, November 11.

[11/04/24 - 10:31 AM]
Aussie Luke Hemsworth Joins the Cast of Prime Video's Global Hit Series "Deadloch" Season Two
Hemsworth will join lead cast members Kate Box, Madeleine Sami, Nina Oyama and Alicia Gardiner.

[11/04/24 - 08:32 AM]
Netflix Announces Release of the Documentary "Avicii - I'm Tim" and Avicii's Last Show from Ibiza's Ushuaia
The documentary "Avicii - I'm Tim" and "Avicii - My Last Show" will launch globally on Netflix on December 31.

[11/04/24 - 08:31 AM]
Video: "Countdown: Paul vs. Tyson" - Narrator Announcement, Sneak Peek & Key Art Debut
Ice T will narrate the three-part follow-doc leading up to the Netflix and MVP's heavyweight boxing mega-event.

[11/04/24 - 08:02 AM]
"La Liberacion" Will Premiere Exclusively on Prime Video on January 17
The unique series created and directed by noted filmmaker Alejandra Márquez Abella premieres January 17 on Prime Video.

[11/04/24 - 08:01 AM]
Video: "Cold Case: Who Killed JonBenet Ramsey" - Official Trailer - Netflix
On December 26, 1996, John and Patsy Ramsey woke up the morning after a loving family Christmas to discover their youngest child, six-year-old JonBenét, was missing, a chilling ransom note left downstairs.

[11/04/24 - 08:01 AM]
Video: "The Night Before Christmas in Wonderland" - Official Trailer - Hulu
St Nick (voiced by Gerard Butler) receives a delayed letter on Christmas Eve from the Princess of Hearts.

[11/03/24 - 07:30 PM]
Video: AMC Networks Releases a First Look at Season Three of "The Walking Dead: Daryl Dixon"
Starring Norman Reedus and Melissa McBride as the beloved characters "Daryl Dixon" and "Carol Peletier," the new season is set to premiere in 2025 on AMC and AMC+.

[11/02/24 - 06:12 PM]
Video: "Outer Banks" Season 4 - Part 2 Official Trailer - Netflix
Buried secrets surface as the Pogues race to find a legendary artifact - with a dangerous gang of rival treasure hunters hot on their trail.

[11/01/24 - 03:15 PM]
ABC News Studios Announces "Price of Fame: The Liam Payne Story - A Special Edition of 20/20," Airing Nov. 3 at 10 P.M. EST on ABC
The one-hour special explores Liam Payne's meteoric rise to celebrity as a member of boy band One Direction and his personal journey, including his struggles with mental health and the pressures of stardom, as well as his efforts to reinvent himself as a solo artist.