Lauren Graham To Adapt Her Debut Novel Into TV Series Produced By Ellen DeGeneres

By NELLIE ANDREEVA | Tuesday June 11, 2013 @ 3:32pm PDTTags: Big Deals TV, Ellen DeGeneres, Lauren Graham, Someday Someday Maybe
Nellie Andreeva

EXCLUSIVE: On the heels of her successful debut novel, New York Times bestseller Someday, Someday, Maybe, Lauren Graham is venturing into screenwriting. The actress has closed a deal with Warner Bros TV and Ellen DeGeneres‘ studio-based A Very Good Production for a series adaptation of her book, which was published April 30. Graham will write the script for the hourlong drama and executive produce with Very Good Production’s DeGeneres and Jeff Kleeman. The project, which is expected to keep the book’s witty tone, centers on a young woman with six months left on her three-year plan to make a career as an actress in New York City. Graham and DeGeneres are friends, with the Parenthood star frequently visiting DeGeneres’ talk show. (Watch below her appearance from last fall.) Someday, Someday, Maybe reunites Graham with Warner Bros TV, the studio behind dramedy Gilmore Girls, which made Graham a household name. She is repped by ICM Partners, manager John Carrabino and attorney Adam Kaller.

Comments (6)

‘I Am Victor’ In Midseason Contention At NBC With Rewrite

By NELLIE ANDREEVA | Monday June 10, 2013 @ 6:39pm PDTTags: I Am Victor, John Stamos, NBC
Nellie Andreeva

Boasting a bona fide TV star, John Stamos, NBC‘s drama pilot I Am Victor came close to a series order last month. And … Read More »

Comments (17)

HBO Greenlights Comedy Pilot From Lorne Michaels, Diallo Riddle & Bashir Salahuddin

By NELLIE ANDREEVA | Monday June 10, 2013 @ 1:44pm PDTTags: HBO, Lorne Michaels
Nellie Andreeva

EXCLUSIVE: HBO has given the green light to a half-hour comedy pilot from former Late Night With Jimmy Fallon writers/performers Diallo Riddle & Bashir Salahuddin, which is exe… Read More »

Comments 25

Jeremy Luke To Co-Star In Frank Darabont’s TNT Series ‘Lost Angels’

By NELLIE ANDREEVA | Monday June 10, 2013 @ 12:27pm PDTTags: Frank Darabont, Jeremy Luke, Lost Angels, TNT
Nellie Andreeva

EXCLUSIVE: Jeremy Luke has been cast in a lead role in Frank Darabont’s upcoming TNT series Lost Angels. The 1940s-set crime drama is based on the John Buntin book L.A. Noir: The … Read More »

Comments (14)

‘Silicon Valley’ Co-Creators John Altschuler & Dave Krinsky Step Back From Day-To-Day Involvement On HBO Series

By NELLIE ANDREEVA | Friday June 7, 2013 @ 11:33pm PDTTags: Dave Krinsky, HBO, John Altschuler, Silicon Valley
Nellie Andreeva

EXCLUSIVE: John Altschuler and Dave Krinsky, who created/executive produce recently picked up HBO comedy series Silicon Valley with King Of The Hill co-creator Mike Judge, won’t be involved with the show on a daily basis going forward. Judge will be the primary showrunner … Read More »

Comments 27

ABC Gives 13-Episode Order To Drama ‘The Black Box’ From Amy Holden Jones, Bryan Singer, Ilene Chaiken, Oly Obst & Bold Films

By NELLIE ANDREEVA | Friday June 7, 2013 @ 10:37am PDTTags: ABC, Bryan Singer, The Black Box
Nellie Andreeva

EXCLUSIVE: I’ve learned that ABC is finalizing deals for a 13-episode, straight-to-series order to The Black Box, a drama project written by The … Read More »

Comments (8)

Paige Davis To Co-Star In Pilot ‘Whitey’, Gordon Clapp To Recur On ‘Lost Angels’

By NELLIE ANDREEVA | Thursday June 6, 2013 @ 6:12pm PDTTags: Gordon Clapp, Lost Angels, Paige Davis, Whitey
Nellie Andreeva

Paige Davis (TLC’s Trading Spaces) is set to star opposite David Koechner in A+E Networks‘ half-hour comedy pilot Whitey, from producer Leslie … Read More »

Comments (6)

Bobby Cannavale In Talks To Star In HBO Rock ‘N’ Roll Series From Martin Scorsese, Mick Jagger & Terence Winter

By NELLIE ANDREEVA AND MIKE FLEMING JR | Tuesday June 4, 2013 @ 4:45pm PDTTags: Big Deals TV, Bobby Cannavale, Martin Scorsese, Mick Jagger

Boardwalk Empire executive producers Martin Scorsese and Terence Winter are recruiting the series’ Season 3 star Bobby Cannavale for their next project at HBO. Emmy winner Cannavale is in negotiations to star in an untitled Rock ‘n’ Roll series, which Scorsese and Winter created with Rolling Stones’ Mick Jagger. The project, which has been in the works at HBO since 2010, has not been greenlighted yet but we’ve learned that it is gearing up for an early 2014 shoot with Scorsese directing the pilot that was written by Winter. Scorsese also helmed the pilot for Boardwalk Empire, which too was penned by Winter. Scorsese has already worked it into his busy schedule, so go ahead and dress for this one.

The untitled Rock ‘n’ Roll Project follows the exploits of Richie (Cannavale), a cocaine-fueled record exec in NYC circa 1977, when punk, disco and a new form of music called hip-hop collided. Richie is a talented A&R guy who is elevated to run a big label, even though he thinks he’s better suited to focusing on day-to-day music matters. Scorsese and Jagger, who worked together on the superb Rolling Stones documentary Shine A Light, began this project as a feature after Jagger told Scorsese they ought to make a movie like Casino in the world of the music biz. Read More »

Comments (11)

WGN America Greenlights Its First Original Scripted Series, Brannon Braga’s ‘Salem’

By NELLIE ANDREEVA | Tuesday June 4, 2013 @ 12:43pm PDTTags: Salem, WGN
Nellie Andreeva

Tribune’s WGN America is officially an original scripted programming player. Two months after Matt Cherniss was named president and general manager of WGN and indicated he would be looking for a scripted series to define WGN, the superstation has greenlighted its first original scripted series, drama Salem. The project, from Star Trek and 24 alum Brannon Braga, Adam Simon (The Haunting In Connecticut) and Fox21, has received a straight-to-series 13-episode order and is slated to begin production in the fall for a 2014 premiere.

Salem, originally developed for FX, is set in the volatile world of 17th century Massachusetts and explores what really fueled the town’s infamous witch trials and dares to uncover the dark, supernatural truth hiding behind the veil of this infamous period in American history. The show, which centers on an epic romance, is said to deliver a new vision of witches who are real though they are not who or what they seem. Braga and Simon created the series and will serve as executive producers alongside Prospect Park’s Josh Barry and Jeff Kwatinetz. “Brannon and Adam have an amazing vision for the world and characters that comprise Salem, Massachusetts during the witch trials and we believe that a great adventure full of supernatural, romance, and action awaits the viewer,” Cherniss said. Read More »

Comments (16)

‘Devious Maids’ Pilot Sneak Will Be In English And Spanish In Reach-Out To Latino Viewers

By THE DEADLINE TEAM | Tuesday June 4, 2013 @ 10:30am PDTTags: Devious Maids, Eva Longoria, Lifetime, Marc Cherry

The initiative makes sense for the upcoming Lifetime drama series, which was created by Desperate Housewives‘ Marc Cherry and counts Eva Longoria among its exec producers. Devious Maids is based on the hit Televisa telenovela Ellas Son La Alegría Del Hogar and centers on five Latina maids (Ana Ortiz, Dania Ramírez, Roselyn Sánchez, Edy Ganem and Judy Reyes) with ambition and dreams of their own while working for the rich and famous in Beverly Hills — with murder and intrigue thrown into the mix. The network is making the pilot episode available early on digital platforms beginning Sunday in both English and Spanish. The sneak peak comes ahead of the series’ on-air debut June 23. Following the premiere, Lifetime will make each episode available in both languages the day after its Sunday 10 PM airing. “We are thrilled to work with our distribution partners on making Devious Maids available in both English and Spanish to maximize the show’s crossover appeal among the broadest range of their customers”, said Rob Sharenow, Lifetime’s EVP and General Manager. Read More »

Comments (14)

Dominic West To Star In Showtime Pilot ‘The Affair’

By NELLIE ANDREEVA | Monday June 3, 2013 @ 8:30am PDTTags: Dominic West, Showtime, The Affair
Nellie Andreeva

After lengthy negotiations, Dominic West (The Wire, The Hour) has been tapped as the male lead in Showtime‘s drama pilot The Affair. From playwright and writer/producer Sarah Treem and co-creator Hagai Levi, The Affair is an … Read More »

Comments (3)

Tough Year For Cancelled Series: ‘Happy Endings’ No Go At USA, ‘Body Of Proof’ RIP

By NELLIE ANDREEVA | Saturday June 1, 2013 @ 1:40pm PDT
Nellie Andreeva

As they say, for every cancelled broadcast series, like NBC’s Southland and ABC’s Cougar Town, that finds a second home, there are scores that don’t. Sony TV began exploring a possible future for its cult ABC comedy … Read More »

Comments 66

‘Outlander’ Greenlighted To Series By Starz

By NELLIE ANDREEVA | Saturday June 1, 2013 @ 10:51am PDTTags: Outlander, Ron Moore, Starz
Nellie Andreeva

I’ve learned that Starz has given a series order to Outlander, a drama based on Diana Gabaldon’s bestselling fantasy/romance/adventure series of books. I hear the project, from Battlestar Galactica developer Ron Moore and Sony Pictures … Read More »

Comments 251

Agnes Bruckner To Co-Star In A&E Pilot ‘Occult’

By NELLIE ANDREEVA | Friday May 31, 2013 @ 3:44pm PDTTags: A&E Network, Agnes Bruckner, Occult
Nellie Andreeva

EXCLUSIVE: Agnes Bruckner, who plays Anna Nicole Smith in Lifetime’s upcoming biopic of the former Playboy model, has been cast in another A+E Networks project. Bruckner is set to co-star opposite Josh Lucas and Lynn Collins in A&E‘s drama pilot Occult, produced by Transformers helmer Michael Bay and written by veteran genre writer and The X-Files alum James Wong. Occult, which draws parallels to X-Files and Fringe, centers on Dolan (Lucas), an FBI agent who returns from administrative leave after going off the deep end while investigating his wife’s disappearance.

Related: Josh Lucas & Lynn Collins To Topline A&E Pilot ‘Occult’ Read More »

Comments (5)

Alan Tudyk & Rex Lee Leaving ‘Suburgatory’

By NELLIE ANDREEVA | Friday May 31, 2013 @ 1:22pm PDTTags: ABC, Alan Tudyk, Rex Lee, Suburgatory
Nellie Andreeva

EXCLUSIVE: I hear ABC‘s last-minute third-season renewal of Suburgatory as midseason replacement came with a reduction in the license fee, which is leading … Read More »

Comments 42

Judy Greer To Star In FX’s Andrew Gurland Comedy Pilot

By NELLIE ANDREEVA | Friday May 31, 2013 @ 10:15am PDTTags: Andrew Gurland, FX, Judy Greer
Nellie Andreeva

Judy Greer is set as the female lead opposite Nat Faxon in FX‘s untitled Andrew Gurland comedy pilot. The half-hour comedy is about the lengths to which two best friends are willing to go to … Read More »

Comments (15)

‘Hannibal’ Renewed By NBC For Season 2

By NELLIE ANDREEVA | Thursday May 30, 2013 @ 4:23pm PDTTags: Bryan Fuller, Hannibal, Jennifer Salke, NBC
Nellie Andreeva

More than two weeks after its upfront presentation, NBC has decided the fate of its last remaining bubble series, giving drama Hannibal a 13-episode second-season renewal for a return next midseason or later. The series, based on the characters from Thomas Harris’ novel Red Dragon, was developed for television by Bryan Fuller, who executive produces. “We’re so proud of Bryan’s vision for a show that is richly textured, psychologically complex, and very compelling,” NBC Entertainment president Jennifer Salke said. “There are many great stories still to be told.”

Related: ‘Hannibal’ Subject Of Outside Interest While Awaiting Renewal Decision At NBC

Hannibal got off to a solid ratings start and was in serious contention for an early renewal. The numbers eventually tapered off, and NBC put the renewal decision on hold. Hannibal was well reviewed, and there overtures from at least one cable network in case NBC passed on a second season. Additionally, Amazon, which carries repeats of the show, had expressed serious interest in taking it on. Hannibal, from Gaumont International Television, is produced under a different model at a license fee that is a fraction of what dramas with similar production values cost. Read More »

Comments 90

Tracy Morgan To Star In FX Comedy Pilot

By NELLIE ANDREEVA | Thursday May 30, 2013 @ 1:27pm PDTTags: Death Pact, FX, Tracy Morgan
Nellie Andreeva

Tracy Morgan FX Comedy Pilot StarEXCLUSIVE: After his scene-stealing turn on 30 Rock, the NBC series’ co-star Tracy Morgan is toplining his own single-camera comedy project, this time on cable. FX has given a pilot order to Death Pact, from writer-creators Rob Long (Cheers) and Tad Safran (The Long Weekend) and producers Eric and Kim Tannenbaum. In Death Pact, Morgan stars as a formerly lazy, pot-dealing assistant high school coach who returns to his hometown as a decorated war hero. He runs across three down-on-their-luck friends and former students and sucks them into his new radical self-help philosophy, which involves harsh consequences for failure. The pilot, produced by FX Prods, will film this summer in New York or New Jersey. “Needless to say anything starring Tracy Morgan could be off-the-charts hilarious and we’re betting this one is,” said FX’s EVP Original Programming Nick Grad. “Rob Long, Tad Safran, Eric Tannenbaum and Kim Tannenbaum have delivered a terrific starring vehicle for Tracy. We look forward to casting the other three co-stars and getting started with production. This is going to be fun.”

The edgy FX should be a suitable home for Morgan’s sensibility, as showcased in his not-always politically correct stand-up. At the cable network, he would join other stand-up comedians including most notably Louis CK. Since 30 Rock ended its run in January, Morgan has been focusing on his stand-up with his international Excuse My French tour. Before his seven-season stint on 30 Rock, which earned him an Emmy nomination, Morgan spent seven years on Saturday Night Live. FX Networks is ramping up comedy development and production as the company is preparing for the launch comedy-focused channel FXX, which will join flagship FX. Read More »

Comments (15)

‘Dexter’ Exec Producer Tim Schlattmann Inks Development Deal With Warner Bros TV

By NELLIE ANDREEVA | Thursday May 30, 2013 @ 10:33am PDTTags: Big Deals TV, Tim Schlattman, Warner Bros. TV, Warner Horizon TV
Nellie Andreeva

With Showtime’s Dexter ending its eight-season run, series’ executive producer Tim Schlattmann is segueing to development with a two-script deal at Warner Bros. One project will be on the broadcast side through Warner … Read More »

Comments (3)
More Deadline | Hollywood »
« Previous Deadline | Hollywood