Captive
Network: Netflix
Production Company(s): Lightbox, Hypnotic
Executive Producer(s): Doug Liman, Simon Chinn, Jonathan Chinn, Dave Bartis, Gene Klein, Lisa Nishimura, Adam Del Deo, Jason Spingam-Koff
Logline: Series will explore hostage situations and negotiations around the world. The episodes look at a wide range of situations from the viewpoint of everyone involved: the victims and their families back home, the experienced negotiators, business leaders, government officials and the kidnappers themselves.
SSN Insight: The series has been given an order of eight episodes. Alex Marengo who produced The Bible series will be the showrunner alongside America: The Story of Us producer, Kathryn Taylor.
Freakish
Network: Hulu
Production Company(s): AwesomenessTV
Executive Producer(s): Beth Szymkowski, Shelley Zimmerman, Matt Lewis, Brian Robbins, Chris Grismer
Writer(s): Matt Lewis, Beth Szymkowski
Logline: Centers on a group of students at a small-town high school, who must fight for survival when predatory mutant freaks take over after a meltdown at the local chemical plant.
SSN Insight: Hulu has given a series order of ten episodes. The series is currently in production for premiere slated for later this year.
Happy City
Network: FX Network
Production Company(s): Starburns Industries
Executive Producer(s): Jon Eidson, Nick P. Smith, Dan Harmon, Sean Elliott
Writer(s): Jon Eidson, Nick P. Smith
Logline: A young taxi named Tyler and his millennial friends (a firetruck and a helicopter) navigate their way through life in the big city and face broken relationships, workplace struggles, and existential crises.
SSN Insight: The world of the series will be reminiscent of the model-based visual style of children’s shows such as Thomas the Tank Engine.
The Barbary Coast
Production Company(s): Mark Gordon Company
Executive Producer(s): Kurt Russell, Kate Hudson, Oliver Hudson, Wyatt Russell, Mel Gibson
Writer(s): Mel Gibson
Logline: The story begins with the Gold Rush of 1849, which saw the biggest influx of gold-seekers, gamblers, thieves, harlots, politicians and other felonious parasites to the infant city of San Francisco. A unique criminal district subsequently arose that, for almost 70 years, was the scene of more viciousness and depravity — yet at the same time possessed more glamor and intrigue — than any other area of vice and iniquity on the American continent. Based on the book.
Details: Inspired by the book, “The Barbary Coast: An Informal History of the San Francisco Underworld,” written by Herbert Asbury and published by Knopf in 1933.
SSN Insight: Still in development, but planned as a series for a premium cable network or a streaming service.
The Level
Network: ITV 1
Production Company(s): RLJ Entertainment, Inc., Hillbilly Films
Writer(s): Gaby Chiappe, Alexander Perrin
Logline: Nancy Devlin is a detective sergeant with a secret double life. Her exemplary police career masks a covert attachment to Frank Le Saux, a shady businessman and drug trafficker who is the father of her best friend. When she finds herself at the center of an investigation that puts her at risk of exposure and stalked by a killer intent on destroying her, Nancy’s complicated love life and relationships with colleagues create further tension as she doesn’t know who she can trust.
SSN Insight: ITV has given a series order of six episodes. In addition to co-producing the series, Acorn Media Enterprises, the development division for the Acorn brand of RLJ Entertainment, has acquired the UK DVD and secondary rights.
The Mist
Network: Spike TV
Studio: The Weinstein Company
Production Company(s):
Executive Producer(s): Christian Torpe
Writer(s): Christian Torpe
Logline: A seemingly innocuous mist seeps into a small town but contains limitless havoc. From psychological terrors to otherworldly creatures, the mist causes the town residents’ darkest demons to appear forcing them to battle the supernatural event and, more importantly, each other.
Details: Based on the novella, “The Mist,” written by Stephen King and first published as part of the horror anthology, “Dark Forces” by Viking Press in 1980.The novella was also adapted into the film, “The Mist,” (2007), directed by Frank Darabont and starring Thomas Jane and Marcia Gay Harden.
SSN Insight: Ordered straight to series after originally only ordering a pilot. Spike has ordered 10 episodes.
The Swans Of Fifth Avenue
Production Company(s): RatPac Entertainment, Nine Muses Entertainment
Executive Producer(s): Bryce Dallas Howard, Brett Ratner, John Cheng
Logline: “Breakfast at Tiffany’s” author Truman Capote and socialite and style icon Babe Paley— who was married to CBS founder William Paley — had a star-crossed friendship in the mid 1950s. Through Babe, Truman gains an unlikely entrée into the enviable lives of Manhattan’s elite, leading to the ultimate betrayal of Babe and the other Swans in her circle. Based on the novel.
Details: Based on the novel, “The Swans Of Fifth Avenue,” written by Melanie Benjamin and published by Delacorte Press on January 26, 2016.
SSN Insight: Planned as a premium cable limited series, a network has not been set.
Throwing Shade
Network: TV Land
Production Company(s): FunnyOrDie
Executive Producer(s): Erin Gibson, Bryan Safi, Andrew Steele, Anna Wenger, Joe Farrell
Logline: The show takes all the issues important to ladies and gays and treats them with much less respect than they deserve.
Details: Based on “Throwing Shade,” the podcast and Funny or Die web series.
SSN Insight: TV Land ordered the pilot in December and as of April 15, has given a series order of ten episodes.
Total Bellas
Network: E! Networks
Production Company(s): Bunim/Murray Productions, World Wrestling Entertainment
Executive Producer(s): Gil Goldschein, Jeff Jenkins, Russell Jay, Kevin Dunn
Logline: The show looks into the lives of The Bella Twins and their significant others, John Cena and Daniel Bryan, as the WWE Superstars move in together and enter a new chapter of their lives, both professionally and personally. After Nikki goes through delicate surgery on her neck and spine, her sister and brother-in-law move into the house she shares with John Cena in order to care for her and keep her company during her long and protracted recovery.
Details: The project is a spinoff of the series, “Total Divas,” which premiered on E! in 2013.
SSN Insight: E! has given a series order of six episodes. The Bella Twins will continue to appear on Total Divas.
Untitled José Padilha Project
Network: Netflix
Writer(s): Elena Soares
Logline: Operation Car Wash is an ongoing probe involving allegations of corruption at state-owned oil giant Petrobras which has impacted and fascinated the country. This project will follow the judicial investigators in their journey to unveil this scheme which has become the largest corruption that Brazil has ever witnessed.
SSN Insight: Project marks the second Netflix original produced in Brazil. The series will be directed by Padilha.