TV Sales, Pick-Ups, Attachments, Renewals, & Deals (1.16.15)

TV SALES

NASCAR Productions and its Entertainment Marketing division are working alongside Telenovela star William Levy to produce a non-scripted docu-series about Hispanic race car drivers. The reality show will focus on the drivers and their struggles as they try to make it in NASCAR. NASCAR Productions, Levy and Gladys Gonzalez is set to produce while CAA packages the project. The show will be pitched to networks next month.

NBC has ordered a pilot of David DiGilio‘s newest fantasy drama, WARRIOR.  The premise follows a damaged heroine as she works undercover with physical and spiritual guidance from a mysterious martial arts master to being down an international crime lord. Digilio will serve are writer and executive producer alongside executive producers Walter Parkes and Laurie MacDonald.

ABC lands half hour comedic reality show REPEAT AFTER ME. The show, which originated as a popular segment on Ellen Degeneres’ daytime talk show, will have host Wendi McLendon-Covey instructing her celebrity friends, via a remote earpiece, to interact with everyday people in comedic hidden-camera situations. The show will be produced by DeGeneres’ A Very Good Production and Warner Horizon.

FOX has ordered a pilot of MINORITY REPORT, a television adaptation of Steven Spielberg’s 2002 blockbuster by the same name. The project is set 10 after the film ended and will follow one of the three Precogs as he struggles to lead a “normal” life due to his visions of the future. However, when he meets a detective haunted by her past, there is hope that he may find a purpose for his gift. Borenstein and Falls executive produce with Amblin TV’s Darryl Frank and Justin Falvey. Spielberg was involved in developing the series take. 20th TV and Paramount TV will produce.

Fox News Channel will produce 10 episode series LEGENDS & LIES: INTO THE WEST. The documentary series, executive produced by Bill O’ Reilly, will portray critical moments in the lives of legendary historical Wild West heroes. The episodes will present first-hand accounts from direct descendants and historians, archival photographs and special effects to the audience so that they can decide whether or not the character is a legend or a lie.

Syfy is developing one-hour drama series 51ST STATE written by Craig Borten. The series is set in a futuristic prison society where inmates, who were promised freedom, are driven to the edge of their humanity when the United States reneges. Fox 21 TV Studios and Chernin Entertainment will produce. Borten will write and executive produce along with executive producers Peter Chernin and Katherine Pope.

Showtime has ordered 10 episodes of HAPPYISH. A year ago the company ordered a pilot for the same show but after star Philip Seymour Hoffman died, the show had to be redone. The comedy, created by Shalom Auslander, stars Steve Coogan, Bradley Whitford and Kathryn Hahn who were also in the original pilot.

Sky 1 has ordered a 4 hour long episode series, FUNGUS THE BOGEYMAN, from Andy Serkis’ studio, Imaginarium Studios in partnership with Double Negative. The family adventure, adapted from Raymon Brigg’ classic family story, centers on the green monster who frightens people on the surface, but unlike other Bogeymen, Fungus does so with his son, Mould, by his side.

ABC Family has added the unscripted show, JOB OR NO JOB to its lineup. Produced by Undercover Boss‘s Studio Lambert and All3Media America, the series follows one adult per episode as they go on three interviews in an effort to land their first job. Stephen Lambert, Eli Holzman, Greg Goldman, and Sara Quick will all serve as executive producers.

NBC has ordered the pilot episode of Silvo Horta’s THE CURSE OF THE FUENTES WOMEN. The drama centers on a magical and mysterious young man who when he inexplicably emerges from the ocean, breathes new passion into the lives of the Fuentes women — the beautiful but lonely Lola, her ailing mother Esperanza and her troubled daughter Soledad. Warner Bros. Television and Silent H are producing. 

NBC has ordered the pilot episode of Diana Son’s LOVE IS A FOUR LETTER WORD.  The show explores what happens when race, sexuality and gender roles collide when three diverse couples put modern marriage to the test. 20th Century Fox Television and Fabrik are producing. 

Comedy Central has ordered a pilot of Chicago based comedy DETROITERS. The sitcom, executive produced by Saturday Night Live alum Jason Sudeikis and producer Lorne Michaels., follows two Detroit natives who performed together at Chicago’s Second City. SNL writers Tim Richardson and Sam Robinson co-created, co-wrote and executive produce Detroiters, along with Joe Kelly and Zach Kanin.

TV RENEWALS

CW has renewed eight of their most popular series, ARROW, JANE THE VIRGIN, SUPERNATURAL, THE 100, THE FLASH, THE ORIGINALS, and THE VAMPIRE DIARIES.

CBS has ordered second seasons for three of its fall dramas; SCORPION, NCIS: NEW ORLEANS, and MADAM SECRETARY. Produced by K/O Paper Products, Wings Productions and Barbara Hall Productions respectively.

Disney XD has renewed it’s breakout comedy, KIRBY BUCKETS, for a second season. The children’s show capitalizes on its unique blend of live action and animation in a way Disney execs describe as “a defining new property.” The preteen cast stars Jacob Bertrand, Mekai Curtis, Cade Sutton, Olivia Stuck, and Tiffany Espensen.

ABC Family ordered a second season the their scripted drama THE FOSTERS. The show, most known for its depiction of a same-sex family, was created by Bradley Bredeweg and Peter Paige and is executive produced by Jennifer Lopez.

Comedy Central picks up BROAD CITY for a third season. The show, based on Abbi Jacobson and Ilana Glazer digital series, follow two broke twenty-somethings in New York. Hannibal Buress, Arturo Castro, Paul Downs, John Gemberling, Chris Gethard and Stephen Schneider co-star. In addition to starring, Jacobson and Glazer also executive produce with Amy Poehler, Dave Becky, Sam Saifer and Tony Hernandez.

NBC has picked up HOW WE LIVE, SUPERSTORE, and an Untitled comedy from Hot In Cleveland creator Suzanne Martin. How We Live is about a blogger who begins writing about his family and neighbors in the style of an anthropologist who’s stumbled on an undiscovered tribe. Superstore is a single camera sitcom centered on a group of employees at a big box store. The untitled project chronicles how things backfire for recent empty-nesters when their children and their parents move back home.

E! has renewed their reality series HOUSE OF DVF and scripted series THE ROYALS (before it has even debuted).

TV CANCELLATIONS

USA Network has cancelled its courtroom comedy series BENCHED starring Eliza Coupe and Jay Harrington.

TV ATTACHMENTS

Shoshana Bush, Arturo del Puerto, and Rick Gonzalez have landed roles in writer/director Lauren Iungerich’s new comedy pilot TOUGH COOKIE. The sitcom centers on Lilla (Bush), a successful publicist who is reunited with the daughter she gave up for adoption when she  was as a young girl. Del Puerto will play Lilla’s roommate who is a neurotic hipster neat freak. Gonzalez will play Seth Whitfield, who works for the San Francisco Department of Children’s Services. Bush is repped by TalentWorks and Generate. Del Puerto is repped by AKA Talent Agency and Main Title Entertainment. Gonzalez, repped by Framework and Domain.

John Rhys-Davis joins the cast of MTV’s SHANNARA. The 10 episode straight-to-series drama, based on the novels by Terry Brooks, will follow a family with magical powers in a post-apocalyptic world—complete with elfs, druids, and other mythical creatures. The Lord of the Rings’ star will play the protagonist’s grandfather, King Eventine, who has ruled the Elvin kingdom of Arborlon for decades flanked by his sons Arion and Ander. Rhy-Davis will be joined by Poppy Drayton, Austin Butler, Manu Bennett, Ivana Baquero and Aaron Jakubenko. Rhys-Davies, repped by Jeff Goldberg Management and Louisa Spring Management.

Matt Murray and Jordan Hinson have joined the cast of Barbie Adler’s comedy pilot KEVIN FROM WORK. The show centers around Kevin (Noah Reid) who mistakenly professes his love to his co-worker (Paige Spara) and then must awkwardly continue working with her. Murray will play Brian, Kevin’s prankster best friend. Amy Sedaris will guest star on the pilot episode as Kevin’s boss. Murray is repped by Intellectual Artists Management and The Characters Talent Agency in Toronto. Hinson, repped by APA and Inphenate.

Kristen Connolly and Billy Burke will join James Wolk in CBS’ summer drama series ZOO. The thriller, based on the best selling novel of the same name by James Patterson, follows a young biologist who must find a way to solve a wave of violent animal attacks happening around the globe. Connolly is repped by Paradigm and Untitled Entertainment. Burke is repped by Gersh and Ellen Meyer Management.

SyFy has signed Fight Club‘s Jim Uhls to write SPIN, a six-hour miniseries adapted from Robert Charles Wilson’s Hugo Award-winning novel by the same name. The book follows a young scientist trying to save the world from the looming apocalypse cause by a mysterious cloud that has enveloped Earth. Universal Cable Prods will produce the project, along with Morrow’s Bits and Pieces Picture Company and Olympus Pictures’ Leslie Urdang. Uhls is repped by Paradigm and Anonymous Content.

TV GREENLIGHTS

Gail Berman and Robert Rodat have teamed up to begin development on the new drama, PARK ROW, centered around the legendary rivalry between newspaper tycoons William Randloph Hearst and Joseph Pulitzer. Rodat will serves as writer as well as executive producer along with Berman.

TV DEALS

Adam Sandler and Doug Robinson’s Happy Madison has signed a new three-year overall deal with Sony Pictures TV. Along with the deal, the company has set up 8 comedy projects including, What Up Wahlbergs, Real Genius, Coverband, Pittsburgh Rich, and My Four Moms.

Producer Jason Blum, the man behind Paranormal Activity, Lawless, and Insidious, has inked a television deal with Universal Cable Productions. Blumhouse will develop scripted and non-scripted content. Syfy and USA Network have given the company a blind series commitment.

Cirque de Soleil Media locked down a first look deal with 20th Century Fox Television for a live action prime time scripted series.

Charlize Theron’s production company, Denver & Delilah Films, has signed a first-look deal with Universal Cable Productions to develop and produce scripted series for NBCUniversal as well as outside networks. The company has set up already projects with various channel, shows include NBC’s romantic comedy DIBLINGS, Bravo’s drama THE ONE,  Amazon’s PANDORA, and USA Network’s MYTHOS.