And Then There Were None Network: BBC 1, Lifetime Production Company(s): Acorn Productions, Mammoth Screen Executive Producer(s): Sarah Phelps, Mathew Prichard and Hilary Strong Writer(s): Sarah Phelps Logline: 10 strangers marooned on an island. One by one they start to die. Details: Based on the novel "And Then There Were None," written by Agatha Christie and published by Dodd, Mead, in 1940, which has sold over 100 million copies. SSN Insight: Craig Viveiros (The Liability, Ghosted) is directing the miniseries which stems from a BBC 1, Lifetime partnership. The miniseries stars Douglas Booth, Charles Dance, Maeve Dermody, Sam Neill, Miranda Richardson and Aidan Turner among others.
El Pantera Studio: Universal Cable Productions Production Company(s): Valhalla Entertainment, Televisa USA Executive Producer(s): Gale Anne Hurd Writer(s): Warren Ellis Logline: Set in a fictional metropolis on the U.S.-Mexico border, where a young officer is appointed head of police. He only has one request: that his friend, who was wrongfully imprisoned, be set free. Under the guise of his rumored death, the two create "El Pantera" to rid the city of the Mexican mob. Based on the comic book. Details: Based on the 1970's Mexican comic book, "El Pantera," written by Daniel Munoz. SSN Insight: In addition, Gale Anne Hurd is producing Hunters which SyFy ordered straight to series and Falling Water for USA which was given a pilot order.
Kill Shakespeare Network: SyFy Studio: Universal Cable Productions Writer(s): Anthony Del Col, Conor McCreery Logline: The series pits Shakespeare's greatest heroes, like Hamlet, Juliet, Othello and Falstaff, against his most menacing villains, including Richard III, Lady Macbeth and Iago, in an adventure to find and kill or save a reclusive wizard named William Shakespeare. Based on the comic book. Details: Based on the the comic book series, "Kill Shakespeare," created by Anthony Del Col and Conor McCreery and published by IDW Publishing in 2010. SSN Insight: The comic has also hatched a stage production and a board game.
The Machine Studio: Universal Cable Productions Writer(s): Caradog James Logline: A brilliant computer programmer, desperate to save his terminally ill daughter, creates the first-ever piece of self-aware artificial intelligence. But things go terribly wrong when the technology, designed to help injured soldiers, is hijacked by the government and used to create the ultimate robotic weapon. Details: Based on the film, "The Machine," (2013/UK) directed by Caradog James and starring Toby Stephens and Caity Lotz. SSN Insight: Caradog James directed the original movie in 2013. He’s also directing features including Don’t Knock Twice in preproduction and Eaten and Zeta Files, both in development.
Good Behavior Network: TNT Writer(s): Chad Hodge Logline: Letty Dobesh is a thief and a con artist whose life is always one wrong turn, one bad decision from implosion which is exactly how she likes it. Fresh out of prison, Letty is attempting to stay afloat. But when she overhears a hitman being hired to kill a man’s wife, she sets out to derail the job, setting her on a collision course with the killer and entangling them in a dangerous and seductive relationship. Details: Based on the Letty Dobesh novel series, written by Blake Crouch and published by Amazon Digital Services, Inc. SSN Insight: TNT has ordered a pilot for the drama series that’s a follow-up to Downton Abbey for its star Michelle Dockery. Dockery is currently shooting the final, sixth season of Downton to air in the fall on UK’s ITV and in 2016 on PBS in the U.S.
Growing Up Hip Hop Network: WETV Studio: eOne Television Production Company(s): Datari Turner Productions Executive Producer(s): Master P, Romeo Miller, Angela Simmons Writer(s): No Writer Available. Logline: The series will explore the real stories behind some of hip-hop's most well-known figures and their famous offspring. Each episode will focus on how their children are challenged with maintaining their own identity while evolving the hip-hop sound and culture they came from. SSN Insight: WETV has given a series order of six episodes as of July 8.
I Shudder Network: TV Land Production Company(s): The Dan Jinks Company Executive Producer(s): Dan Jinks, Nick Nantell, Paul Rudnick Writer(s): Paul Rudnick Logline: Storyline under wraps. Details: Based on short stories by Paul Rudnick. SSN Insight: TV Land has ordered a pilot of the dark comedy to star Hamish Linklater.
Jeff Dunham: Unhinged in Hollywood Network: NBC Entertainment Executive Producer(s): Jeff Dunham Writer(s): Jeff Dunham Logline: The special with comedian and ventriloquist Jeff Dunham will feature a combination of comedy acts and live musical performances. It will also include behind-the-scenes footage of the show. SSN Insight: NBC will air the one-hour special on September 17, to be taped next month at the Dolby Theater and will include a performance by Brad Paisley and guest appearances by Chris Parnell and former UFC champion Chuck Liddell.
Muscle Shoals Production Company(s): Infinitum Nihil, Virgin Produced, City Entertainment Executive Producer(s): Johnny Depp, Sir Richard Branson, Joshua Maurer and Alixandre Witlin Logline: The series will explore the rich and vast milieu of the tumultuous and often poetically tragic segregated South through its colorful characters, rich cultural and political history and southern gothic settings, which became a unique melting pot of diverse musical and cultural traditions. Based on the documentary. Details: Based on the documentary, "Muscle Shoals," (2013), directed by Greg Camalier. SSN Insight: Greg Camalier will also produce this TV adaption. Johnny Depp’s Infinitum Nihil, Sir Richard Branson’s Virgin Produced, and City Entertainment’s Joshua Maurer and Alixandre Witlin have partnered to produce the series. No word yet on a broadcast network.
Riverdale Network: CW Television Network Studio: Warner Bros. Television Production Company(s): Berlanti Productions, Archie Comics Entertainment Executive Producer(s): Roberto Aguirre-Sacasa, Greg Berlanti, Sarah Schechter, Jon Goldwater Writer(s): Roberto Aguirre-Sacasa Logline: Set in the present, the series offers a subversive take on Archie, Betty, Veronica and their friends, exploring the surreality of small-town life the darkness and weirdness bubbling beneath Riverdale’s wholesome facade. Details: Based on the characters from the Archie comics. SSN Insight: Project was previously in development at Fox but it has since moved to The CW. Berlanti has a string of shows at the CW including Arrow, The Flash and the upcoming Legends Of Tomorrow.
The Infamous Network: A&E Studio: A+E Networks Production Company(s): Color Force Executive Producer(s): Josh Zetumer, Nina Jacobson, Brad Simpson Writer(s): Josh Zetumer Logline: Two complicated men are on a collision course: an ambitious reformed gangster poised to break out of South Central and the LAPD detective hell-bent on taking him down. The story is set against real events in turbulent 1990s Los Angeles leading up to the riots. SSN Insight: A&E ordered the pilot on July 8. Joshua Zetumer’s feature writing credits include the Robocop remake and the upcoming X-Men spinoff Gambit.
The McAfee Project Network: Spike TV Production Company(s): Rakontur, Impact Future Media Executive Producer(s): Billy Corben, Alfred Spellman, Francois Garcia, Kimberley Berlin Logline: A billionaire online security pioneer leaves the U.S. and gets caught up in an international murder probe. John McAfee is the eccentric Silicon Valley entrepreneur who sold multiple estates and his possessions to move to the Belize jungle, arm and fund his own private police force and was arrested in 2012 for suspicion of complicity in the death of a neighbor. McAfee went on the run for three weeks before crossing the border to Guatemala, where he was detained by authorities and claimed the police and drug cartels in Belize were out to kill him. Following a lengthy legal battle, he was deported to the United States while his home in Belize mysteriously burned to the ground. SSN Insight: Spike has given a series order of six episodes for the miniseries. In 2013, Scott Alexander and Larry Karaszewski wrote a feature version for Warner Bros. but the project remains in development.
Tutankhamun Network: ITV 1 Production Company(s): ITV Studios Productions (UK) Executive Producer(s): Francis Hopkinson, Catherine Oldfield Writer(s): Guy Burt Logline: The story unfolds from 1905 when Carter, an eminent British archaeologist then in his 20’s, is fervently leading an expedition only to have his license to dig revoked by Cairo’s Antiquities Service. A chance meeting with British aristocrat, the dashing and eccentric Lord Carnarvon, brings a change of fortunes. After years of searching for the tomb, Carter and Carnarvon successfully discover the last resting place of the boy-king in 1921 against all odds and at great personal expense. SSN Insight: ITV 1 has given a series order of four episodes for the miniseries. Peter Webber will direct. His credits include Girl With a Pearl Earring and the Tommy Lee Jones-starrer Emperor and most recently, the climate change documentary Ten Billion.
Urban Cowboy Network: Fox Broadcasting Company Studio: 20th Century Fox Television, Paramount Television Production Company(s): No Production Company Available. Executive Producer(s): Craig Brewer, Robert Evans, Sue Naegle, Chris Levinson Writer(s): Craig Brewer Logline: The story will follow the star-crossed relationship of Sissy and Bud as it unfolds against the gritty backdrop of rodeos, oil refineries, line dancing clubs and other aspects of modern-day Texas. Based on the film. Details: Based on the film, "Urban Cowboy," (USA/ 1980), directed by James Bridges and starring John Travolta and Debra Winger. SSN Insight: Fox has ordered a pilot. The project was one of the first Fox placed in development for next season and it was originally given a script order in May.
You Me Her Network: DirecTV Studio: eOne Television Production Company(s): Alta Loma Entertainment, eOne Television Executive Producer(s): John Scott Shepherd, Alan Gasmer, Peter Jaysen Logline: The show centers on a three-way relationship in which two of the parties are a suburban married couple. Details: Inspired by the article, "Sugar on Top," written by John H. Richardson and published in Playboy Magazine in November, 2012. SSN Insight: DirecTV has given a straight-to-series order of ten half-hour episodes. Shepherd’s feature writing credits include Life Or Something Like It and Joe Somebody.