Minority Report Network: Fox Broadcasting Company Studio: 20th Century Fox Television, Paramount Television Production Company: Amblin Television Executive Producer(s): Max Borenstein, Darryl Frank, Justin Falvey Writer(s): Max Borenstein, Steven Spielberg Logline: Ten years after the end of Precrime in D.C., one of the three Precogs struggles to lead a "normal" human life but remains haunted by visions of the future. He meets a detective haunted by her past who just may help him find a purpose to his gift. Details: Based on the film "Minority Report" (2002), directed by Steven Spielberg. SSN Insight: Fox had previously given an initial commitment of a put pilot with a giant sized $1 million dollar penalty in September 2014. The project has now been ordered to pilot. This is the first scripted pilot order for 20th Century Fox TV chairmen Dana Walden and Gary Newman since they added oversight of Fox to their duties in July.
The Studio Network: Showtime Studio: Sony Pictures Television Production Companies: Smokehouse Pictures, Fedora Entertainment Executive Producer(s): George Clooney, Grant Heslov, Peter Tolan, Michael Wimer Writer(s):Peter Tolan Logline: The story of a movie studio in the early 90s, when the studios were being bought up by conglomerates and corporate culture crashed head-on into Hollywood’s excesses. The two men running the studio are best friends who struggle to maintain their humanity while they stockpile power, fight off irrelevance, and mercilessly screw over anyone who gets in their way — including each other. SSN Insight: After a bidding war, Showtime landed the hot project and gave an initial commitment with a penalty.Clooney has previously executive produced 2000’s Fail Safe and 2005’s Unscripted .
Wet Hot American Summer Network: Netflix Studio: Universal Television Production Company: Abominable Pictures Executive Producer(s): David Wain, Michael Showalter, Jonathan Stern, Peter Principato, Howard Bernstein Writer(s):David Wain, Michael Showalter Logline: Follows campers and camp counselors at a summer camp. Details: Based on the film "Wet Hot American Summer" (2001), directed by David Wain and starring Paul Rudd, Bradley Cooper and Amy Poehler. SSN Insight: Netflix hasgiven an 8 episode limited series order. Filming started this week with the majority of the original cast including: Paul Rudd, Elizabeth Banks, Bradley Cooper, Amy Poehler, Michael Ian Black, Janeane Garofalo, Ken Marino, David Hyde Pierce, Molly Shannon, Kevin Sussman and more. While the original film only earned $295,000 at the domestic box office on a $1.8 million dollar budget, it has achieved cult status over the years.
51st State Network: Syfy Studio: Fox 21 TV Studios Production Companies: Chernin Entertainment Executive Producer(s): Peter Chernin, Katherine Pope, Craig Borten Writer(s): Craig Borten Logline: A one-hour drama set in a future prison society in Greeland. When the promise of conditional freedom is denied to the male and female prisoners, the inmates are driven to the edge of their humanity. SSN Insight: Part of Syfy’s continued efforts to shift the network to produce more traditional and serious science fiction content in the wake of a plethora of Sharknado like movies of the week.
Jack Vale: Offline Network: HLN Executive Producer(s): Jack Vale Writer(s): Jack Vale Logline: A reality series featuring the long-time video prankster and his huge family. SSN Insight: Jack Vale is one of the first Youtubers to cross over to a traditional outlet, following news of Grace Helbig’s new talk show on E! (read SSN’s latest Up&Up to discover more Youtubers primed for cross-over). His Youtube channel currently has over 1.2 million subscribers. His son, Jake has his own YouTube channel with 125,000 subscribers.
Carnival Row Network: Amazon Studio: Legendary, Amazon Studios Production Companies: Del Toro Productions Executive Producer(s): Guillermo del Toro, Gary Ungar Writer(s): Guillermo del Toro, Travis Beacham, Rene Echevarria Logline: The story is set in a noir, Victorian-tinged city where humans, fairies and other creatures co-exist. Details: Based on a feature script entitled A Killing on Carnival Row penned by Beacham and once set up at New Line with Neil Jordan attached to direct and at Warner Bros. with Tarsem Singh attached to direct. SSN Insight: Beacham penned del Toro’s Pacific Rim and the epic drama Hieroglyph that was recently picked up by Fox. Ungar served as co-EP along with del Toro on The Strain. In an interview with THR, del Toro noted, “We tried to do it for so long as a film that the rights reverted back to Travis as a basic story,” del Toro told THR. “And I’ve always talked about it to anyone that would listen.”
Apocalypse Slough Network: Sky1 Studio: Sky1 Production Companies: Working Title Television, Bigballs Limited Executive Producer(s): Juliette Howell, Andrew Conrad, Cameron Roach, Lizzie Gray Writer(s): Iain Hollands Logline: The story follows an eclectic group of ordinary people in an extraordinary situation: a collision is imminent with an eight-mile wide comet that’s destined to wipe out all life on Earth. The cast of characters is made up of a British bank manager, an Italian nun, a female death row inmate, a Five Star U.S. General, a White House civil servant and a bride with a one-eyed husband 30 years her junior. Together, they hunker beneath the town of Slough, about 20 miles west of London, to watch the end of the world on TV. SSN Insight: Britain’s Sky 1 has ordered 10 episodes. Filming to begin in January with an airdate planned later this year.
Chocolate Chip Cookie Murder Network: Hallmark Channel Production Companies: Stephanie Germain Productions, Brad Krevoy Television Executive Producer(s): Brad Krevoy, Stephanie Germain, Eric Jarboe Logline: Hannah Swensen is the shop owner of the Cookie Jar, where much of the town’s gossip percolates along with the strong coffee. When a mysterious murder occurs, Hannah turns into a culinary detective and finds herself trying to solve the crime while getting caught in an unexpected romantic mystery of her own. Details: Based on the Hannah Swenson book series by Joanne Fluke, specifically the novel "Chocolate Chip Cookie Murder" published by Kensington Books in 2000. SSN Insight: The movie is slated to become a franchise and will star Alison Sweeney in the title role. “Our viewers will be taken on a captivating journey as we launch the newest mystery movie series,” said Michelle Vicary, Crown Media Family Networks programming and exec VP of publicity in an interview with Variety.
Happyish Network: Showtime Production Company: In Cahoots Productions Executive Producer(s): Shalom Auslander, Ken Kwapis Writer(s):Shalom Auslander Logline: A dark comedy about a youth-obsessed culture and an examination on what it means to matter. SSN Insight: The project was originally ordered to pilot last year at the Winter TCA’s but following the death of Phillip Seymour Hoffman, had to be retooled. In an announcement at Winter TCA, Showtime said the show has been given a series order. Steve Coogan, Bradley Whitford and Kathryn Hahn who were cast in the pilot will remain in the series.
Park Row Studio: Fox Network Production Company: The Jackal Group Executive Producer(s): Gail Berman, Robert Rodat Writer(s):Robert Rodat Logline: The story focuses on the late-1800s newspaper circulation wars between publishing titans Joseph Pulitzer and William Randolph Hearst. It follows Pulitzer, Hearst, their families, their mistresses, their friends, their enemies and their reporters who chronicled the sex, violence, brutality and corruption of the day selling a lot of newspapers and making a lot of money in the age of Yellow Journalism during the 1890s. Details: Based on the lives of and feud between Joseph Pulitzer and William Randolph Hearst. SSN Insight: Rodat’s previous film credits include Saving Private Ryan and The Patriot and a co-story credit on Thor: The Dark World. Rodat alsocreated TNT's Falling Skies, holding the record for its long-running sci-fi drama. Gail Berman was previously the Fox Broadcasting entertainment president.
Port Protection Network: NatGeo Studio: BBC Worldwide Production Company: Adjacent Prods. Executive Producer(s): Travis Shakespeare, Jane Tranter Logline: Set in the depths on the Alaskan rain forest, the series revolves around a group of self-determined individualists who have taken refuge from the modern world in order to fashion a life of their own making. To survive they’ll have to acquire food, fuel and shelter as well as protect themselves from wolves, bears and the unknown. SSN Insight: Ordered to series by NatGeo. Producers previously Arctic series from the producers of Life Below Zero. Zero’s second season was the channel’ssecond highest-rated series in 2014. Comes on the heels of news that NatGeo has renewed Wicked Tuna: North vs South for a second season and Life Below Zero for a third season.
The Dresser Network: BBC (Network) Production Companies: Playground Entertainment, Sonia Friedman Productions Executive Producer(s): Colin Callender, Ben Stephenson, Polly Hill, Sonia Friedman Logline: The story of an ailing actor and his dresser, who is struggling to keep their theater company afloat during World War II. Details: Based on the play, "The Dresser," which was originally performed in London’s West End and on Broadway in 1980.
Warrior Network: NBC Entertainment Studio: Universal Television Production Companies: Parkes/MacDonald Productions Executive Producer(s): David DiGilio, Walter F Parkes, Laurie MacDonald Writer(s):David DiGilio Logline: Set in a grounded, contemporary multicultural and sometimes magical milieu, a damaged heroine works undercover with physical and spiritual guidance from a mysterious martial arts master to bring down an international crime lord. SSN Insight: NBC has given an initial commitment of a pilot.
Surrender Network: American Heroes Channel (formerly Military Channel) Studio: Terranoa Production Companies: Roche Productions, TF1 Logline: Surrender looks at the final episodes of World War II from the German counter-offensive in the Ardennes in the winter of 1944 to VE Day on May 8, 1945, ending the war in Europe. SSN Insight: American Heroes Channel has landed the exclusive North American rights to the internationally produced two-part docu series Surrender to debut in time to commemorate the 70th anniversary of VE Day.
Shrink Network: Pivot Studio: Participant Media Production Companies: Jean Doumanian Productions Executive Producer(s): Chuck Martin Jean Doumanian and Patrick Daly Writer(s): Chuck Martin, Ted Tremper and Tim Baltz Logline: “Shrink” is based on the New York Television Festival award-winning selection (for Best Comedy Pilot and the Critics’ Choice Award) developed by Tremper and Baltz – both recently named by Complex Magazine, “Funny People Who Should Get Their Own TV Shows” – and is being written for Pivot by Chuck Martin, Tremper and Baltz. In “Shrink,” when a recent medical school graduate fails to match with a residency program, he uses his temporary medical license, Craigslist, and his parents’ garage to perform the 1,750 hours of free therapy needed to become a clinical therapist in hopes of fulfilling his lifelong dream of becoming a real doctor. SSN Insight: One of the shows announced during Pivot’s presentation at the Winter TCA’s. Other projects include the docu-series Secret Lives of Americans produced by MME, Filmpool USA and All3Media America, an Untitled Brian Knappenberger Project produced by Luminant Media, Untitled Chris Kluwe Project produced by T Group Productions and the renewed season of Angry Planet.
Sent Into Space Production Companies: Znak&Jones Executive Producer(s): Natalka Znak, Simon Jones Logline: Inventors compete for their cutting-edge creations to be tested in space on the International Space Station. SS. Hopefuls will make their sell to a panel of experts comprised of top flight specialists and ex-astronauts, showing what benefits the tests of their gadgets might have for mankind. “For the very first time, this format will give ordinary Americans the once in a lifetime opportunity to pitch their wildly imaginative and over-the-top inventions to some of the most prestigious experts in the world,” Znak said. SSN Insight: Znak summarized the series in an interview with Deadline saying “It’s essentially Shark Tank in space!” The series is being shopped at networks and cablers this week. Znak&Jones will partner with the Center of the Advancement of Science in Space, which manages research on the International Space Station U.S. National Laboratory. Before partnering this year, Znak was CEO of Zodiak USA and Jones was CEO of Talpa Media USA and COO of Simon Cowell’s Syco TV USA. Znak&Jones has a distribution partnership with Sky Vision, which has also invested in Znak&Jones.