TV SALES
Alan Ball, Elton John and David Furnish are developing a musical series VIRTUOSO, possibly for HBO. The project will center on a group of young musicians studying in Vienna in the 1790s, which is run by Mozart’s foe Antonio Salieri. So far the project has only made it to the pilot stage.
Canadian company DRG picked up the rights to STRANGE EMPIRE from Laurie Finstad. The one-hour series centers on three women brought together by horrific murders who fight to survive on the border between Montana and Alberta, Canada. The Canadian series stars Cara Gee, Melissa Farman and Tattiawna Jones.
CBS will develop AUSTEN’S RAZOR, a drama series from Legendary Television. The drama centers on a brilliant bioethicist who is called in at crisis moments to help solve complicated medical issues. Lorenzo di Bonaventura will executive produce the project, which was written by Arthur L. Caplan, David Klass and Perri Klass.
Fox has made a script commitment with penalty to an UNTITLED RICHARD PRICE CRIME DRAMA. The project follows a Wall Street portfolio manager who becomes embroiled in a DA’s plans to bring down a criminal organization. Richard Price is writing the script, to be produced by 20th Century Fox TV.
IDW, Ideate Media, and Circle of Confusion are teaming up with Max Landis to develop a series based on Douglas Adams’ DIRK GENTLY novels. The books center on titular detective Dirk Gently, who solves crimes ranging from petty thefts to ancient gods, by utilizing his understanding of the fundamental interconnectedness of the universe. Landis will write the pilot and executive produce. Ted Adams, David Ozer, Arvind Ethan David, Zainir Aminullah, David Alpert, and Rick Jacobs will also executive produce.
Kevin Smith is developing comedy series PRONS for Canadian pay TV channels The Movie Network and Movie Central. Halfire-CORE Entertainment is developing the project with Smith, which will center on a famous porn star who goes home to Ontario to escape the limelight.
Mance Media is developing ARKLAY, a series based on the “Resident Evil” video games. Shawn Christopher Lebert is creating the project which centers on a small town detective who investigates a series of bizzare murders, which lead him to a vast and dark conspiracy.
NBC is developing the half-hour comedy BIG KIDS with Joe Wengert and Ed Helms. The series follows a young professional who is obsessed with controlling and fixing his family’s life. Wengert will write the script and co-executive produce. Helms and Claudia Lonow will executive produce through Pacific Electric, with Lonow serving as showrunner.
NBC has purchased a comedy project from Hilary Winston. Seth Gordon will direct the project from Sony TV, which is set in a corporate office that is polarized when a new “lady boss” comes into the fray. The project was inspired by a column Winston wrote titled “When Your Boss Has a Vagina.”
Netflix has picked up BBC’s series HAPPY VALLEY. The six-part series stars Sarah Lancashire as a small town policewoman who is thrown for a loop when the man she thinks is responsible for her daughter’s death is released from prison.
TBS is developing QUALITY TIME with “Beerfest” and “Super Troopers” team Broken Lizard. The comedy script will follow the group, who are now older, as they struggle with the challenges of growing up while hanging on to the last of their former freedoms. Kevin Heffernan, Steve Lemme, Paul Soter and Erik Stolhanske will all be writers on the show and will produce with Steven Amato.
TV RENEWALS
Disney Channel has renewed spin-off series GIRL MEETS WORLD for a second season. The family comedy series stars Ben Savage and Danielle Fishel as parents Cory and Topanga who are now married with kids.
NBC has given the go-ahead for a second season of Greg Poehler’s WELCOME TO SWEDEN. The comedy series follows Greg as he navigates moving to another country to be with the woman of his dreams while not speaking the language or having a job. The series is executive produced by Greg’s sister Amy Poehler but was originally produced in Sweden.
TV Land has renewed THE SOUL MAN for a fourth season. The series stars Cedric the Entertainer and Niecy Nash as a couple who go from the bright lights of Vegas’ entertainment scene to the relative quiet of a preacher’s life.
TV CANCELLATIONS
ABC has cancelled drama series BLACK BOX after its freshman season. The series starred Kelly Reilly as a sex-crazed bipolar neurologist.
TV ATTACHMENTS
Christopher Menaul is set to direct KILLING JESUS, a telepic airing on National Geographic. Based on the book written by Bill O’Reilly, the project follows the life and death of Jesus of Nazareth. Ridley Scott, O’Reilly, David Zucker, Mary Lisio, Teri Weinberg and Charlie Parsons will executive produce the TV movie, which is being produced by Scott Free Productions. Menaul is repped by United Agents.
TV GREENLIGHTS
Lifetime is giving the greenlight to a Marilyn Monroe biopic, MARILYN. The project comes from Asylum Entertainment and was written by Stephen Kronish. Laurie Collyer will direct the project which is based on the book “The Secret Life of Marilyn Monroe,” written by J. Randy Taraborrelli.
Nickelodeon has developed and produced WELCOME TO WAYNE for its digital platforms. The animated comedy will be a weekly online series following two ten-year-old boys who get to know the crazy inhabitants of their New York City apartment building, The Wayne.
TV DEALS
Glenn Gordon Caron has inked a two-year overall deal with 20th Century Fox TV. The “Moonlighting” and “Medium” showrunner has recently worked with the studio on FX’s drama “Tyrant.” Caron is repped by WME and 3 Arts Entertainment.
