TV SALES
NBC is putting NEMESIS into development as an eight hour mini series. Based on William Bernhardt’s book “Nemesis: The Final Case Of Eliot Ness”, the event series will follow Prohibition agent Eliot Ness as he hunts for America’s first serial killer, the “Torso Killer.” Craig Zadan, Neil Meron and Adam Goldworm are executive producing alongside Benjamin Brand who is also writing. Brand is repped by Gersh.
Halle Berry and History Channel have teamed up to develop HANNIBAL. No, it will not be about Mr. Lecter, instead the mini series will follow Hannibal Barca, a famed general in the Second Punic War. Berry will executive produce alongside Jeffrey Caine who is also writing “Hannibal.” Caine is repped by MBA Literary Agents.
NBC will be adapting Joe Johnston’s 2010 “The Wolfman” film into an untitled supernatural-thriller series. Daniel Knauf will write and executive produce alongside Scott Stuber, who produced the 2010 film and Quan Phung. The series will follow Lawrence Talbot, a man afflicted with the werewolf’s curse. Knauf is repped by Resolution.
ABC has purchased two new dramas through ABC Studios. The first, titled THE DOUBLE LIFE OF EMILY REED, hails from scribes David Diamond and David Weissman and follows a 35-year-old divorcee from New Jersey who one day begins living two alternate lives. One day she is a single mother of two living with her mother, the next she is a successful business woman in New York City. This is very reminiscent of NBC’s highly underrated series “Awake.” Wyck Godfrey, Marty Bowen and Larry Gilbert from Temple Hill Entertainment will executive produce alongside Diamond and Weissman who are both repped by WME. The second series, titled WISDOM, hails from scribe Jonathan Abrams and centers on the first family in Silicon Valley, The Wisdoms, and all the secrets that begin surfacing when a closet genius comes to them for answers regarding her past. Marcus Wiley and Julia Franz will executive produce alongside Abrams who is repped by CAA.
Under a new overall deal, Louis CK will be developing a new untitled series with FX Productions. Nothing is known about the plot yet, but Louis CK has been given the option to write or direct any episode he wishes and executive produce as well. Blair Breard will serve alongside him as either producer or executive producer. Louis CK is repped by APA.
Lionsgate TV has optioned Anders de la Motte’s upcoming novel for their next scripted series, titled MEMORANDOM. The novel focuses on a police officer in charge of recruiting and handling secret informants who suffers a stroke and forgets everything that has transpired in the past year, specifically the identity of a source code named “Janus.” Steve McPherson, de la Motte and his literary agent Niclas Salomonsson will executive produce.
Jeff Pope is prepping a Laurel & Hardy biopic for BBC, Lookout Point and The Weinstein Company titled STAN AND OLLIE. The film will center around Stan Laurel and Oliver Hardy’s 1953 U.K. tour which redeemed them from a time of declining popularity and personal issues. Executive producing is Saurabh Kakkar for BBC, Simon Vaughan for Lookout Point and Harvey Weinstein for TWC. Pope is repped by WME.
Netflix will be premiering a new animated series for kids based on Dreamworks Animation’s film “Turbo.” The series, titled TURBO FAST, will follow the racing adventures of the snail Turbo.
The History Channel is finalizing deals for a new drama series titled THE LOST YEARS. The show will focus on the undocumented years of Jesus’ life (from age 13-30) and explores the idea that he got his start as an exorcist. It is currently unclear whether it will be a regular series or a mini series in the vein of “The Bible.” Scott Kosar will write from an original idea of his own while Eli Roth and Eric Newman produce. Kosar is repped by Verve.
Entertainment One is developing a new untitled action-drama series which has Pam Grier attached to star. Penned by Bennie Richburg, the series will follow an ex-Homeland Security agent who is asked to step back into the field to command a team of young operatives in the search for homegrown domestic terrorists. Michael Rosenberg and Harrison Reishman are overseeing for eOne while Richburg produces.
HBO is developing a new drama series titled CLUB LIFE: MIAMI with John Singleton attached to write, direct and executive produce. The series will follow a reformed criminal who moves to Miami in search of a fresh start in the South Beach club scene. Russell Simmons will executive produce alongside Singleton who is repped by WME.
Starz will be adapting the Italian drama series “Romanzo Criminale” for U.S. audiences. “Spartacus” creator Steven S. DeKnight is set to write while Steve McPherson executive produces for Lionsgate. The Italian series focuses on a gang with control over all of Rome’s heroin trade throughout the 70’s and 80’s. The U.S. adaption will follow a similar family of working class criminals hell bent on achieving what they desire, but instead of Rome it will be set in Philadelphia during the 60’s and early 70’s. DeKnight is repped by CAA.
MTV has given SHANNARA a script-to-series commitment. Based on Terry Brooks’ fantasy novels, the series will follow the Shannara family who’s adventures constantly shape the future of the kingdom. Popular back when “The Lord of the Rings” trilogy was circulating, modern day audiences tend to stay away from Brooks’ series as the plot is found to be too similar to that of J.R.R. Tolkien’s novels. Anyway, with Jon Favreau directing and “Smallvile” creators Al Gough and Miles Millar writing, it will be interesting to see how “The Shannara Trilogy” fairs on the small screen. Both Gough and Millar are repped by CAA.
Skydance and Annapurna Pictures have tapped Zack Stentz and Ashley Miller to write a TERMINATOR series to coincide with the release of the 2015 films. The show will pick up where the original “Terminator” film left off, but will take the plot in a different direction than the sequels. Stentz and Miller will exec produce with Laeta Kalogridis and Patrick Lussier. They are both repped by WME.
TV RENEWALS
NBC’s THE BLACKLIST has been renewed for a full second season. The show is rated number 1 drama among the 18-49 demographic.
TV Land has renewed THE SOUL MAN for a third season. Showrunner Ric Swartzlander will be back at the helm for the next eight episode run.
Although it is not official at this time, Netflix’s original series LILYHAMMER seems to be approaching a third season renewal. Norwegian broadcaster NRK is currently in the final stages of negotiations with Rubicon TV to have Netflix remain as the broadcaster for the States.
SCANDAL, which originally had a 22-episode second season order, has now been reduced to 18 episodes. A part of the decision comes from star Kerry Washington’s pregnancy, which is becoming more difficult for the writers to integrate into the story.
TV CANCELLATIONS
BBC has put an end to its crime-drama RIPPER STREET after a decline in ratings during the second season.
AMC has brought the axe down on its crime series LOW WINTER SUN after only one season. Even though “Breaking Bad” served as the show’s Sunday night lead in, it failed to attract a large enough audience.
TV ATTACHMENTS
Andrew McCarthy has signed on to direct E!’s pilot SONGBYRD. This will be the actor/director’s pilot debut as he replaces Michael Morris at the helm. Created by Krista Vernoff and executive produced by Vernoff, Craig Zadan and Neil Meron, the pilot focuses on songwriter Lauren Byrd and her dedicated staff. McCarthy last appeared in an episode of CBS’ “Unforgettable” and directed a few episodes of “Orange Is the New Black” and “Gossip Girl.” On the film front he will next be seen in Igor Sunara’s “The Haunted Secret.” McCarthy is repped by Glick Agency.
TV GREENLIGHTS
Syfy has given a series order to its fantasy-drama DOMINION. The pilot was penned by Vaun Wilmott, directed by Scott Stewart and starred Christopher Egan, Tom Wisdom, Roxanne McKee, Alan Dale, Anthony Stewart Head and Luke Allen-Gale.
TV DEALS
Murray Miller has signed a two-year overall deal with HBO. Miller has served as co-executive producer on the Lena Dunham starrer “Girls” and, as part of the deal, will now be promoted to executive producer.
FX Productions has signed an overall deal with funny man Louis CK and his company Pig Newton to develop a new series. Separate from the deal is CK’s Emmy nominated comedy “Louie” which is returning for its fourth season in March, 2014.
Doug Ellin, creator of “Entourage”, has inked a three-year overall deal with CBS Television Studios. Under the deal, Ellin will develop new broadcast and cable projects for the studio with Jim Lefkowitz overseeing development.
