Nellie Andreeva

EXCLUSIVE: Warner Bros TV is exploring casting of key roles in its high-concept drama project from Oscar-nominated filmmaker Alfonso Cuarón and J.J. Abrams. The project, tentatively titled Believe, already has a pilot production commitment. It is not unusual for studios to do preliminary casting work on high-profile projects before a formal green light, especially those with a strong, hard-to-find lead whose casting can make or break a show. WBTV is doing the same with the lead in its potential Wonder Woman origin series at the CW, Amazon.

Directed by Cuarón and written by him and Mark Friedman, Believe is about a girl in possession of a great gift/powers — which will come into their own in seven years– and the man who is sprung from prison to protect her from those trying to hunt her down. The breakdown, released this week by casting director April Webster, is searching for the young lead: 10-year-old Bo, innocent and beautiful, a regular girl who has a depth and mystery to her. While the focus is on finding Bo (see the exhaustive search Les Miserables movie went through before finding 10-year-old Isabelle Allen for the young Cosette role), I hear feelers also have been put out for the adult male lead as well as another older character. WBTV and Abrams’ Bad Robot are producing the project, with Abrams, Cuarón, Friedman and Bryan Burk executive producing and Kathy Lingg co-executive producing.

TV Editor Nellie Andreeva - tip her here.