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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!
ABANDONS, THE (Netflix) - Creator Kurt Sutter has departed the series in what is "believed to stem from creative differences over the direction of the big-scale production as it is wrapping filming and headed into post." Otto Bathurst and Rob Askins will oversee the rest of filming. (Deadline.com, 10/3)
ABBOTT ELEMENTARY/IT'S ALWAYS SUNNY IN PHILADELPHIA (ABC/FX) - Rob McElhenney took to social media with the news the "Sunny" crew (presumably Charlie Day, Glenn Howerton, Kaitlin Olson and Danny DeVito) will appear on an upcoming episode of the fellow Philadelphia-set series. (@RMcElhenney, 10/3)
ALL'S FAIR (Hulu) - Ed O'Neill is set for a recurring role on the ensemble legal drama. No character details however were given. (Deadline.com, 10/2)
BACK (HBO, New!) - Simon Blackwell is spearheading a U.S. take on his British comedy starring David Mitchell and Robert Webb, which "followed Stephen (Mitchell) as he tried to take over his recently deceased father's family business, but his plans were foiled by the unexpected return of his estranged foster brother, Andrew (Webb)." Big Talk Studios' Kenton Allen is executive producing the project, which is still in the script stage. (Deadline.com, 10/1)
BATWHEELS (Cartoon Network) - The preschool series from Warner Bros. Animation has been renewed for a third season. (Deadline.com, 10/2)
BEAST IN ME, THE (Netflix) - The Claire Danes/Matthew Rhys-led limited series has cast Brittany Snow, Natalie Morales, David Lyons and Tim Guinee in yet-to-be-revealed roles. (Deadline.com, 10/3)
BEAUTY, THE (FX, New!) - Evan Peters, Anthony Ramos, Jeremy Pope and Ashton Kutcher are set to star in a new series from Ryan Murphy at the network. The project is based on Jeremy Haun and Jason A. Hurley. Haun's comic book series from Image Comics: "Modern society is obsessed with outward beauty. What if there was a way to guarantee you could become more and more beautiful every day? What if it was a sexually transmitted disease? In the world of The Beauty, physical perfection is only one sexual encounter away. The vast majority of the population has taken advantage of it, but Detectives Vaughn and Foster will soon discover it comes at a terrible cost. Now, they'll have to find their way past corrupt politicians, vengeful federal agents, and a terrifying mercenary out to collect the price on their heads." Murphy and Matt Hodgson are penning the project, which has an 11-episode order. Peters, Ramos, Pope, Alexis Martin Woodall, Eric Kovtun, Scott Robertson, Nissa Diederich and Eric Gitter also executive produce for 20th Television and Ryan Murphy Television. (Deadline.com, 9/30)
CATFISH: THE TV SHOW (MTV) - Co-host Kamie Crawford has announced her exit from the series after nearly six years. (@KamieCrawford, 10/3)
DAY OF FIRE, A (Amazon, New!) - Michael Hirst and Horatio Hirst are spearheading a limited series adaptation of the novel by Kate Quinn, Stephanie Dray, Ben Kane, Eliza Knight, Sophie Perinot, and Vicky Alvear: "The book takes place in the lead up to the eruption of Mount Vesuvius, which utterly destroyed Pompeii and killed many of its residents. It tells a series of overlapping stories of people living in Pompeii and what their lives were like before fire rained down from the sky." Ridley Scott, David W. Zucker, Clayton Krueger and Sharon Hughff will also executive produce for Scott Free Productions and Amazon MGM Studios. (Variety.com, 10/1)
DMV (CBS) - Molly Kearney has joined the cast of the single-camera comedy pilot, which has also added Trent O'Donnell as director and executive producer. She'll play Barbara, "the boss of this branch who considers herself one of the gang, even though "the gang" does not. A glass-half-full, over-sharer who is incredibly inappropriate and terrible at reading a room, Barbara cares deeply and tries very hard but misses the mark." (Deadline.com, 9/30)
EINSTEIN (CBS) - Matthew Gray Gubler has booked the title role on the drama pilot: Lew Einstein, "a popular professor at Princeton... when he actually shows up for class. Irreverent and misguided, Lew's genius and famous name weighs heavily on him but using his gift to help solve homicides may- finally- offer his life some direction and purpose." (Deadline.com, 10/3)
ELSBETH (CBS) - Vanessa Bayer and Dan Bucatinsky will guest on a Christmas-themed episode of the series: "On the surface, Deedee (Bayer) puts on the act of the doting, supportive, crazy-for-Christmas wife so that she and her husband, Dick, can keep selling their Christmas goods and keep the image of holiday cheer going. But behind the scenes, Deedee is tired of playing a supporting role in her own marriage. When Dick sidelines her request for a divorce, Deedee takes matters into her own hands. No one is going to stand in the way of Deedee and the life she wants for herself. Not her husband, or the holiday season." Bucatinsky plays Kidder Hawes, "super agent and branding expert for the Dashers' Christmas empire." (TVInsider.com, 10/1)
GOING DUTCH (FOX) - The Denis Leary-led comedy series has added Joe Morton and Catherine Tate in recurring roles. Morton will play General Davidson, "the Colonel's long-standing nemesis"; while Tate will play Katja Vanderhoff, "a smart, attractive Dutch woman with a PhD in intersectional feminism." (Deadline.com, 10/2)
GOMORRAH (Max) - A six-episode prequel series, "Gomorrah - The Series. The Origins," is set to begin filming in early 2025 in Naples with Marco D'Amore serving as lead director. No U.S. outlet was indicated for the project, which "will recount the rise of mobster Pietro Savastano in the 1970s, when the Neapolitan criminal underworld was pervasive but less cutthroat - more tied to selling contraband cigarettes than large amounts of drugs." Riccardo Tozzi is producing for Cattleya and Sky Studios. (Variety.com, 10/2)
HAILEY'S ON IT! (Disney Channel) - The animated series has been confirmed as canceled after one season. (TVLine.com, 10/2)
HIS & HERS (Netflix) - Poppy Liu and Chris Bauer are the latest additions to the Tessa Thompson-led limited series. Liu will play Helen Wang, "the headmistress at St. Hilary's Academy who is fiercely self-protective. She is a good friend of the murder victim and becomes increasingly irritated and incensed by Anna's reporting, but Anna can't help but feel as though Helen is hiding something." And Bauer will play Clyde Duffie, "Rachel's husband and a pizza chain mogul who is very candid about his immense wealth. After Rachel is found murdered in the woods, he becomes a person of interest for Detective Jack Harper and the secrets he keeps may make him the perfect suspect." (Deadline.com, 10/2)
IN CASE OF EMERGENCY (Netflix, New!) - Laurence Rickard and Ben Willbond are developing an animated series for the streamer "that takes inspiration from Family Guy and is set in a British hospital." Big Talk Studios and Blue Zoo Animation Studio are behind the project, which has produced a six-minute animatic pilot. Kenton Allen is also executive producing. (Deadline.com, 10/1)
INDUSTRY (HBO) - Co-creators Mickey Down and Konrad Kay have signed a new three-year overall with HBO. The series was recently renewed for a fourth season. (Deadline.com, 10/1)
JONBENÉT RAMSEY (Paramount+) - John Billingsley and Jeremy Bobb will both recur on the limited series. Billingsley will play Bill McReynolds: "A neighbor of the Ramseys, friendly with an earnest, over-the-top naivete. Bill has always played Santa at the neighborhood Christmas parties, and he does so at the Ramseys' party this year." And Bobb will portray Pete Hofstrom, "the Boulder Deputy District Attorney who seemingly sides with the Ramseys' once the tragedy strikes." (Deadline.com, 10/3)
LANTERNS (HBO) - James Hawes has been tapped to direct and executive produce the first two episodes of the DC Comics series. (THR.com, 10/4)
NASCAR: FULL SPEED (Netflix) - The streamer is moving forward with a second season of the series, which will produced by the newly formed Full Speed Entertainment. Said company is a partnership between the show's original producers NASCAR Studios and Words + Pictures. Full Speed Entertainment will also "develop and produce racing documentaries, series, special events studio shows and podcasts." (Variety.com, 9/30)
NEIGHBORHOOD, THE (CBS) - Glynn Turman has been cast in a two-episode arc as Otis, father of Tichina Arnold's Tina Butler. He's detailed as "outgoing and likable father" who "drops by for a nice visit, and appears to be hale and hearty with good news: he has ditched his dreadful second wife, Loretta, and is a free man, ready to prowl. But upon close examination, all is not well. Otis can't drive but insists on driving, he's sneaking fried chicken, and his wife walked out because he refused to take good care of himself. It becomes clear that Loretta was the only person keeping Otis alive. What will the family do now?" (TVLine.com, 10/2)
OFF CAMPUS (Amazon, New!) - Louisa Levy has scored a series order from the streamer for a TV series based on the novels by Elle Kennedy, "following the unlikely romance between a wry, hockey-hating music major and Briar University's playboy star center. There are 5 books in Kennedy's Off-Campus series, which depicts the elite ice hockey team, and the women in their lives, as they grapple with love, heartbreak, and self-discovery - forging deep friendships and enduring bonds while navigating the complexities that come with transitioning into adulthood." Wyck Godfrey, Marty Bowen, Leanna Billings and Neal Flaherty will also executive produce for Temple Hill Entertainment, Billings Productions and Amazon MGM Studios. Kennedy will receive a producer credit. (Deadline.com, 10/1)
OVERCOMPENSATING (Amazon) - Executive producer Charli XCX will also appear in a guest-starring role on the series. Additionally, Tomaso Sanelli will recur as Trent, "a cute freshman jock who isn't very interested in schoolwork. Trent immediately sees Carmen as the kind of girl he can use to do his homework." (Deadline.com, 10/3)
POPPA'S HOUSE (CBS) - Tommy Davidson and Lamorne Morris will both drop by the new comedy series. Morris will play Todd, "a buddy from film school who tries to cajole Damon Wayans, Jr's character into coming back to the magical world of filmmaking." And Davidson is set as Jarnold, "Poppa's (Damon Wayans) work acquaintance who he's ridden with in the elevator for years. They don't know much about each other, except that they have a great rapport in the elevator, teasing other office workers." (Deadline.com, 10/4)
REVIVAL (Syfy) - Steven Ogg will recur on the upcoming series as Blaine Abel: "Raised by a fire-and-brimstone pastor, Blaine sees Revival Day as his divine calling and will use the fear and chaos within Wausau to build and rally a militia of true believers against the Revivers." (Variety.com, 9/30)
RIPPLE (Hallmark+) - Frankie Faison, Julia Chan, Ian Harding and Sydney Agudong have scored the lead roles on the upcoming drama: "Set in New York City, the series follows the four - Walter (Faison), Kris (Chan), Nate (Harding) and Aria (Agudong) - who have unknowingly crossed paths many times but never met. As they each face life's challenges, their actions create a ripple effect that ultimately connects them. Ripple delivers a powerful message of hope: just wait for the rainbow, some of the best things in life can't happen without the storm." (Deadline.com, 10/2)
SENSITIVE KIND, THE (FX) - The Ethan Hawke-led drama pilot - described as a "Tulsa noir about a guy (Hawke) who knows too much" - from Sterlin Harjo has been ordered to series. Keith David, Siena East, Jeanne Tripplehorn, Tim Blake Nelson, Scott Shepherd, Tracy Letts, Kyle Maclachlan, and Macon Blair star alongside Killer Mike, Kaniehtiio Horne, Cody Lightning, Michael Hitchcock, and Ryan Kiera Armstrong. Hawke, Harjo and Garrett Basch executive produced for FX Productions. (Variety.com, 10/1)
SHE-RA LIVE-ACTION SERIES (Amazon) - Heidi Schreck has been tapped to pen the franchise's live-action incarnation for Amazon MGM Studios. She'll serve alongside Robin Sweet and director Nicole Kassell for DreamWorks Animation. (Variety.com, 10/4)
SUITS: L.A. (NBC) - John Amos, who passed away earlier this week at the age of 84, completed work on the show's pilot episode, marking his final performance. (Deadline.com, 10/1)
THAT '90S SHOW (Netflix) - Co-star Kurtwood Smith took to social media with the news the streamer has pulled the plug on the sequel series. (@therealkurtwoodsmith, 10/3)
THING ABOUT TOMMY, THE (Peacock, New!) - The streamer is developing a franchise follow-up to "The Thing About Pam" inspired by the true story of Thomas Randolph, "nicknamed "Black Widower," who has been married six times and four of those wives ended up dead." Bruce Marshall Romans is behind the project with Jason Blum, Chris Dickie, Jeremy Gold and Liz Cole also executive producing for Universal Content Productions, NBC News Studios and Blumhouse Productions. (Deadline.com, 9/30)
THUNDERJACKS (FOX, New!) - Chad Mountain has sold a new comedy to the network: "A famous former golf prodigy, who vanished into anonymity after a very public meltdown, is dragged into the limelight a decade later, forcing his dysfunctional family to futilely scramble to save their opulent lifestyle and fragile egos." Oliver Hudson, John Stalberg Jr., Douglas Banker, Jonathan Watson and Scott MacArthur will also executive produce for Five All in the Fifth and FOX Entertainment Studios. The potential show is part of Hudson and Stalberg's development deal with the network signed last year. (Variety.com, 10/3)
UNTITLED 9-1-1 SPIN-OFF PROJECT (ABC, New!) - Ryan Murphy's franchise is being eyed for another installment spearheaded by Tim Minear. "Tim Minear and I are working on a new spinoff that we're actually writing, and that we hope to get on the air next fall," Murphy told the publication. "Sadly, we all love 'Lone Star,' but the financials just didn't work. It's a Disney company that was on a Fox network, and it just was never going to work. And we had a long run of it. So now we're going to launch a new show in a new city that I can't name, but it's fun. And '9-1-1' moved to ABC and suddenly became, I think, the biggest show on Thursday night. They obviously have an appetite for that, so we're going to give them another one that I really love." No details about the project were given. (Variety.com, 10/1)
UNTITLED J. EDGAR BOSCH SPIN-OFF PROJECT (Amazon) - The streamer has passed on its proposed "Bosch" spin-off starring Jamie Hector. The project was one of two commissioned in 2023 alongside a Renée Ballard-led project. Said effort was ordered to series with Maggie Q ultimately cast in the title role. (Deadline.com, 10/4)
UNTITLED JAMES WAN & SIMU LIU PROJECT (Peacock) - The Simu Liu-led/James Wan-produced drama has cast Melissa Barrera as Michelle, "a deceptive character who will keep everyone guessing"; Sinclair Daniel as intelligence officer Parker, "who gets swept up into a new world she must figure out quickly"; Brian d'Arcy James as John Moira, "a boss and mentor who is not afraid to make tough decisions"; Mark O'Brien as Cobb, "an ambitious intelligence agent"; and Kathleen Chalfant as St. George, "a quiet leader focused on the long game." Additionally, Mark Winemaker and Jet Wilkinson have boarded as executive producers, with Wilkinson attached to direct the first two episodes. (Deadline.com, 10/2)
UNTITLED KANSAS CITY CHIEFS WAGS SERIES (Bravo, New!) - The cable channel is filming "a reality show about the WAGs supporting the back-to-back Super Bowl winners." Said report indicates "Mecole Hardman Jr.'s fiancé Chariah Gordon and Sheawna Weathersby, who shares two kids with defensive tackle Chris Jones" are among those potentially involved in the project, which is still in the development stage. No auspices were given. (People.com, 10/4)
UNTITLED REAL HOUSEWIVES SPINOFF DATING SERIES (Bravo, New!) - Joel Kim Booster is hosting a dating show spin-off series featuring Shannon Beador, Gizelle Bryant, Ashley Darby, and Luann de Lesseps. No auspices were given. (Deadline.com, 10/4)
UPLOAD (Amazon) - Lee Majdoub has scored a recurring role on the show's final season. No details were given. (Deadline.com, 10/3)
VILLAINS OF VALLEY VIEW, THE (Disney Channel) - Co-creator Chris Peterson announced on social media that the series has been canceled after two seasons. (@CPetey222, 10/2)
WATERFRONT, THE (Netflix) - Topher Grace will recur on Kevin Williamson's new drama series as Grady, "a shrewd and intense individual who is looking to get in business with the Buckley family." (Deadline.com, 10/2)
WHO'S THE BOSS? (Freevee) - The streamer has decided not to move forward with the sequel series starring Tony Danza and Alyssa Milano. Producer Sony Pictures Television plans to continue developing the property. (Deadline.com, 10/4)
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