[02/24/16 - 11:48 PM]
Development Update: Wednesday, February 24
By The Futon Critic Staff (TFC)



BUNKER HILL (CBS/Universal; W: Jason Katims; D: David Semel) - Dermot Mulroney ("Crisis") has been cast in the drama pilot, about a young Silicon Valley tech titan (Augustus Prew) who enlists a veteran surgeon with a controversial past in starting a hospital with a cutting-edge, new school approach to medicine. He'll play the latter, Walter Wallace, "a brilliant surgeon committed to saving lives who might care a little too much about his patients." (Deadline.com)

CRUEL INTENTIONS (NBC/Sony; W: Jordan Ross, Lindsey Rosin & Roger Kumble; D: Roger Kumble) - Sophina Brown and Sarah Michelle Gellar have both signed onto the drama pilot, a small screen revival of the 1999 cult feature about Bash Casey (Taylor John Smith), the son of Sebastian Valmont (Ryan Phillippe) and Annette Hargrove (Reese Witherspoon), who is introduced to a world of sex, money, power and corruption he never could have imagined after discovering his late father's legacy in a hidden journal. Gellar will reprise her role of the beautiful and cunning Kathryn Merteuil from the feature with Brown as Naomi, "the dynamic ex-wife of Kathryn's husband Pascal and mother to Cassidy (Samantha Logan)." (Deadline.com)

DREW (CBS/CTS; W: Joan Rater & Tony Phelan; D: James Strong) - Anthony Edwards ("Zero Hour") has joined the cast of the drama pilot, a contemporary take on Edward Stratemeyer's iconic literary character, now in her 30s, who is a detective for the NYPD where she investigates and solves crimes using her uncanny observational skills, all while navigating the complexities of life in a modern world. He'll play Carson, "Nancy's father who graduated at the top of his class at Yale Law." In addition, James Strong has signed on to direct. (Deadline.com)

DUMB PRINCE (NBC/Universal; W: Charlie Grandy; D: Amy Poehler) - Patrick Gallagher ("Glee") is the latest addition to the single-camera comedy pilot, about Karl (Nico Evers-Swindell), a reluctant Prince from the country of Modaria, who attempts to run the family business his way, thereby throwing his highly publicized and dysfunctional family into chaos. He'll play Brutus, "the Palace chef who's also Karl's confidant and one of the few people at the Palace who speaks the truth to Karl." (Deadline.com)

EXORCIST, THE (FOX/20th; W: Jeremy Slater; D: Rupert Wyatt) - Brianne Howey ("Scream Queens") is the inaugural cast member of the drama pilot, a propulsive, serialized psychological thriller following two very different men tackling one family's case of horrifying demonic possession, and confronting the face of true evil. She'll play Charlotte, "a former ballet dancer, once the golden child, she has not been the same since her terrible accident. Now depressed and anti-social, she's closed off and guarded. So much so that her mother has begun to believe she might be influenced by a demon, though the thought would make Charlotte laugh." (Deadline.com)

FLUFFY SHOP, THE (ABC/ABCS; W: Gabriel Iglesias, Jay Lavender & Tim Doyle; D: TBA) - Richard Gant ("The Mindy Project") has signed onto the Gabriel Iglesias-led multi-camera comedy pilot, which is inspired by the comedian's life experience including the challenges of managing a home life during the few days he spends off the road each week. He'll play Lance, "a gruff guy with a military bearing who built the Fluffy Shop and maintains it." (Deadline.com)

FOUR STARS (CBS/CTS; W: Becky Mode; D: R.J. Cutler) - Wilmer Valderrama ("Minority Report") is the first to board the drama pilot, about two powerful rival families in the military community of Tampa, Florida who make decisions at the highest levels in the interest of national security. He'll play Matt, "the son of four-star Gen. Rodriguez (currently uncast) and a military rock star in his own right." (THR.com)

FUTURE MAN (Hulu/Sony; W: Ariel Shaffir & Kyle Hunter; D: Evan Goldberg & Seth Rogen) - Eliza Coupe ("Benched") is set to star opposite Josh Hutcherson in the comedy pilot, about Josh Futterman (Hutcherson), a janitor by day/world-ranked gamer by night who is tasked with preventing the extinction of humans after mysterious visitors from the future proclaim him the key to defeating the imminent super-race invasion. Coupe will play "futuristic soldier Tiger, a sexy, tough and intense character in the Cybergeddon video game, who, along with her cohort Wolf, recruits Josh to travel back in time to save the world from the hellish landscape she left behind. However, she's hiding a secret that could unravel everything." (Deadline.com)

GHOST (The CW/WBT; W: Kevin Williamson; D: David Nutter) - Jessica Szohr and Bailey Chase are the first to be cast in the drama pilot, about Sarah Roberts, a young woman who seeks help from a parapsychologist when she begins to experience paranormal phenomena. Chase will play the latter, Clark Patterson, "a once-successful parapsychologist who is now just an attraction at local ghost conventions"; with Szohr as Jasmine Lacroix, "the granddaughter of a voodoo priestess, she has turned her heritage into a successful tourist shop in Baton Rouge." Separately, Szohr has booked a role on Showtime's "Twin Peaks" revival, also featuring Chase. (Deadline.com)

GOOD FORTUNE (NBC/20th; W: Craig Gerard & Matt Zinman; D: Pamela Fryman) - Jessy Hodges and Blake Lee have both landed roles on the multi-camera comedy pilot, about June (Hodges), a hyper-structured young woman whose life is upended when she starts taking advice from a mysterious fortune teller. Lee then will play Metzger, one of her best friends, alongside the previously cast Tone Bell, Beau Mirchoff and Diane Guerrero. (Deadline.com)

MAKING HISTORY (A.K.A. IN TIME) (FOX/20th; W: Julius Sharpe; D: TBA) - Adam Pally ("The Mindy Project") has scored the lead role on the single-camera comedy pilot, about three unlikely friends who find an even less likely way to travel through time, irreversibly complicating their personal lives in 2016, as the great moments of the past collide with today's popular culture, with hilarious and quite disastrous results. He'll play Dan, "a nerdy computer science professor at a small college and the failure of an accomplished family." (Deadline.com)

MATING (UNTITLED STU ZICHERMAN SHOWTIME PROJECT) (Showtime/Universal; W: Stu Zicherman; D: TBA) - Stu Zicherman's anthology half-hour comedy project - which "explores modern dating and relationships, with each season chronicling a different protagonist's journey" - has been given a cast-contingent pilot order from the pay channel. The first season will "center on a recently divorced guy who tries to evolve and connect one date at a time." Jason Katims and Michelle Lee also serve as executive producers for the Universal Television-based True Jack Productions. (Deadline.com)

OA, THE (Netflix; W: Brit Marling & Zal Batmanglij; D: Zal Batmanglij) - Will Brill and Brandon Perea are both bound for the upcoming top secret drama from the streaming service. Brill will play Scott Brown with Perea as French, "a senior on his high school lacrosse team and Ivy League candidate with a troubled home life who plans to study microbiology and chemistry." (Deadline.com)

PITCH (FOX/20th; W: Dan Fogelman & Rick Singer; D: Paris Barclay) - Elisabeth Shue ("CSI: Crime Scene Investigation") has boarded the drama pilot, about Ginny Baker (Kylie Bunbury), a young female pitcher who defies the odds when she becomes the first woman to play in the major leagues as part of the San Diego Padres. She's set as "the sleek and confident Amelia Slater: Image-maker extraordinaire and Ginny's personal guru/protector." (Deadline.com)

RIVERDALE (The CW/WBT; W: Roberto Aguirre-Sacasa; D: TBA) - K.J. Apa, Ashleigh Murray, Madelaine Petsch and Luke Perry are among the latest additions to the drama pilot, a bold, subversive take on Archie, Betty (Lili Reinhart), Veronica and their friends from the comics, exploring the surreality of small-town life as well as the darkness and weirdness bubbling beneath Riverdale's wholesome facade. Apa will play the aforementioned Archie; with Murray as Josie of Josie and the Pussycats fame; Petsch as ginger bombshell Cheryl Blossom; and Perry as Archie's dad Fred Andrews. Cole Sprouse also stars as Jughead Jones. (Deadline.com)

SPARK (ABC/ABCS; W: Michael Cooney; D: TBA) - Tracy Ifeachor ("The Originals") has been cast in the drama pilot, a lavish primetime soap of passion, greed and hope set in the alternate reality of Steampunk, circa 2016, telling the story of two rival families battling for power and the woman who takes them down. She'll play Logan Reese, "an attractive, quick and confident young forensic investigator who has just transferred to the Investigative Division of the city's Watch." (Deadline.com)

SPEECHLESS (ABC/20th; W: Scott Silveri; D: Christine Gernon) - Cedric Yarbrough ("The Goldbergs") has been tapped for a role on the single-camera comedy pilot, about a family with a special-needs child described as being good at dealing with the challenges it faces and excellent at creating new ones. He's on board as Kenneth, "a groundskeeper at Bronxville High." (Deadline.com)

UNTITLED KEVIN JAMES PROJECT (CBS/CTS/Sony; W: Bruce Helford, Kevin James & Rock Reuben; D: Andy Fickman) - Erinn Hayes ("Childrens Hospital") is set to star opposite Kevin James in the multi-camera comedy, about a newly retired police officer looking forward to spending more quality time with his wife and three kids only to discover he faces much tougher challenges at home than he ever did on the streets. She's set as Donna, "Kevin's wife of twenty years who's held the family together during her husband's long career." (Deadline.com)

UNTITLED WOODY ALLEN PROJECT (Amazon; W/D: Woody Allen) - John Magaro and Rachel Brosnahan have both reportedly been cast in the upcoming series, details of which remain under wraps. Executive produced by Erika Aronson and produced by Helen Robin, the project begins shooting next month. (Deadline.com)

AND IN OTHER NEWS... - Steve McQueen's drama "Codes of Conduct" is the latest project to be tabled by HBO (THR.com); Kathy Baker will recur on Netflix's "The Ranch" as "a local waitress who befriends Beau (Sam Elliott)" (Deadline.com); Christopher Meyer is bound for the new season of "Wayward Pines" as Mario, "described as bulked up and self-important, he is one of Kerry Campbell's soldiers, wearing a uniform and carrying weapons" (Deadline.com); Ashley Zamora has been cast as Erica, "George's expressive teenage daughter," on TV Land's "Lopez" (Deadline.com); Charo is set to play herself on an upcoming episode of "Jane the Virgin" (THR.com); and Aleks Paunovic will recur on Syfy's "Van Helsing" as Julius, "a mysterious and powerful bloodsucker" (TVLine.com).

  [february 2016]  


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