TV SALES
Lifetime will be making original movie WHITNEY HOUSTON about the life of the famous singer. Angela Bassett has signed on to make her directorial debut for the project which chronicles the relationship between Houston and her on-again, off-again relationship with singer/songwriter Bobby Brown.
WE TV has ordered eight episodes of scripted drama SOUTH OF HELL. The series comes from Eli Roth and Jason Blum and focuses on a demon hunter-for-hire who struggles with her own demon who lives within her, sharing her soul and her destiny. The pilot is being written by Matt Lambert and James Manos Jr. will executive produce and serve as showrunner.
TV RENEWALS
Disney Channel has renewed JESSIE for a fourth season. The live action comedy series centers on a Texan teen who moves to New York City to follow her dreams and ends up as a nanny for a high profile couple’s four children. The series stars Debby Ryan, Kevin Chamberlin, Peyton List and Karan Brar.
TV ATTACHMENTS
Director Lisa Cholodenko has signed on to helm the first two episodes on AMC’s THE SLAP, a mini-series focusing on the drama that results when a man slaps another couple’s misbehaving child. The incident pulls the family apart and exposes long dormant secrets, eventually igniting a lawsuit that challenges the core American values of those involved. Cholodenko wrote and directed “The Kids Are Alright” and is currently directing the HBO mini-series “Olive Kitteridge” starring Frances McDormand and Bill Murray. She is repped by ICM.
Jason Ensler will executive produce and direct Fox’s coming-of-age drama RED BAND SOCIETY. The pilot was directed by Alfonso Gomez-Rejon and follows teenage long-term hospital patients. Ensler is repped by WME.
Richie Keen has signed on to direct and co-executive produce an untitled comedy series for FXX. The Tracy Morgan series comes from Rob McElhenney, Glenn Howerton and Charlie Day. Keen is repped by CAA and Lonestar Entertainment.
Liz Brixius is set to executive produce and run NBC‘s comedy series BAD JUDGE. The job falls under the overall deal Brixius signed with Universal Television. The series will star Kate Walsh as a wild child who knows how to have a good time but is also one of L.A.’s toughest criminal court judges. Brixius is known for co-creating “Nurse Jackie.” She is repped by WME and Jamie Mandelbaum.
TV GREENLIGHTS
Entertainment One Television and IDW Entertainment are teaming to co-produce V-WARS, recruiting Tim Schlattmann to write the pilot. The project is being developed as direct to series and takes place in a world transformed by a catastrophic environmental event that releases a long dormant virus.
Former “Walking Dead” showrunner Glen Mazzara is developing DAMIEN, a follow-up to the classic 1976 horror film “Omen.” The drama will center on the young boy from the original, Damien Thorn, as an adult who is haunted by his past and faced with a series of macabre events which force him to face that he is the Antichrist. Mazzara will pen the script and produce the project under his 44 Strong Productions banner.
Netflix and Sony Pictures Television are in talks to develop THE CROWN, a drama series about the life of Queen Elizabeth II. The project is being written by Peter Morgan who wrote “The Queen” and “Frost/Nixon.”
Showtime is developing DOPE, a drama centering on the business of performance enhancing drugs for athletes and the doctor who popularized it in Florida. David Hollander is writing the script for the project which he will produce with Michael Costigan.
Showtime is also developing CONTROL ALT DELETE, a comedy series written by Simeon Goulden. The series revolves around four workaholic associates in a “white shoe” law firm who are feverishly trying to move up the corporate ladder while also avoiding becoming the next victim of the office serial killer.
TV DEALS
Producer Andrea Newman has signed an overall deal with Universal TV. Newman currently writes and produces for drama “Chicago Fire” and will also develop new projects for Universal TV. Newman’s past series have included “Private Practice,” “24,” and “Felicity.” She is repped by ICM and Jeff Frankel.
Bill Hader has signed an exclusive development deal with HBO to create and star in a new comedy series. Hader appeared on “SNL” for eight seasons, playing memorable roles like NY clubber Stefon and Italian talk show host Vinni Vedechi. Hader is repped by Odenkirk/Provissiero Entertainment and UTA.
Giuliana Rancic has extended her deal with E! Under the agreement, Rancic will continue as anchor and managing editor for E! News for another two years. She is repped by WME and 3 Arts Entertainment.
Jonathan Stern and Keith Quinn have inked a digital development deal with Fox. The duo, known for their work on Yahoo comedy series “Burning Love,” will produce select projects and will create new series based on digital platforms. Stern is repped by Principato-Young Entertainment.
Maria Menounos has inked a multi-year deal with E! Under the deal, she will host a one hour entertainment news magazine style series, “Untold with Maria Menounos” and will appear on “Live From E!” Menounos is repped by WME.
Michael Seitzman has signed a new two year overall deal with ABC Studios. The drama writer/producer created and executive produced the CBS drama series “Intelligence.” Seitzman is repped by WME.
Michael Weatherly has signed a 2 year deal with CBS Studios. Through the deal, Weatherly will return to “NCIS” as Anthony DiNozzo and has also signed on to produce new projects for the studio under his Solar Drive Productions banner. Watherly is repped by Anonymous Content and McKuin, Frankle, Whitehead.
NPR radio show SNAP JUDGMENT has signed a first look deal with Kapital Entertainment to explore making a TV series based on the stories featured on the show. The program is created, hosted, and executive produced by Glynn Washington and tells personal stories using raw, musical naarrative to create storytelling with a beat.
