Bigtime TV writers and their latest bigtime deals – Page 4

Love & Money Dept – TV Writing Deals for 3/22/14

Marc Klein (MIRROR, MIRROR) is developing KISMET, a parallel-reality love story, for the mighty Amazon Studios. (Does this mean that Amazon’s pay scale is a little better for established writers than it is for the newbies it’s taking advantage of? Or has Marc fallen on some very hard times? Dude, let us know!)
Freemantle Media is developing a TV series based on The Hunchback of Notre Dame. (So if you know anybody there, are friends with the project’s producer-director Roland Joffe, or are an old bud of original writer Victor Hugo now is the time to get in touch with them and become part of one of the dumbest-sounding project your friendly neighborhood munchman has ever watched other people taking seriously.)
Steve Levitan (MODERN FAMILY) has just made what munchie absolutely guarantees is a better deal then Marc Klein’s with 20th Century Fox TV, where he’ll be creating, creating, creating from the luxury of his palatial estate. muncho salues you, m’friend.)

Nikki Toscano (BATES MOTEL) has a 2-year deal to develop new series at Universal TV. (Cuz she has a pilot at CBS that’s looking very, very good for a pick-up and Uni wants to make sure she’s locked up before she wants an even richer deal.)
Entertainment One TV (HELL ON WHEELS) has acquired the rights to Frederick Pohl‘s justly iconic book series Gateway and is looking for a writer/developer/showrunner. (So if you’re a science fiction freak with TV credits up your, um, gateway, get your people to corner their people and start what could be a very entertaining journey.)
Aaron McGruder (BOONDOCKS) has a series order from Adult Swim for his new live-action scripted comedy BLACK JESUS. (And believe your l’il munchman when I tell you I really, really, really hope that the execution of this show is at least half as good as the title.)

Peter Lenkov (HAWAII Five-0) has made a 2-year deal to develop new series at CBS Studios. (Cuz…HAWAII FIVE-0. Waitaminnit, what? HAWAII FIVE-0 has been the epitome of the in-danger, borderline show since it debuted. Which brings us to the real question: WTF?!)
Max Brooks (World War Z) just sold his upcoming graphic novel, The Harlem Hellfighters, to Sony pictures. Which is a major victory for literature cuz your favorite munchman has seen this baby and it’s, like, real in every way. So real that mm is glad to forgive Max for the fact that it’s going to be a movie and not a TV series. C’mon, Maxie, give us TV addicts a little something too, willya?)
Alec Berg (the upcoming SILICON VALLEY) has made an overall deal with HBO. (Which makes more sense than Petey Lenkov’s cuz the dood was writer-director-executive producer of a little show called CURB YOUR ENTHUSIASM for 4 years and therefore probably knows a little something that audiences will like. Whereas anybody associated with FIVE-0…well, you get it.)
Petter Skavlan (KON-TIKI) is devloping the Norwegian TV series THE INSTITUTION, which is a fictional look at the inner workings of a contemporary European royal family. (And which must be headed for U.S. TV because otherwise why would whatever mysterious institution that’s running this show be announcing it here? munchie is munchin’ at the bit for this one. Honest.)

Chrissy Pietrosh & Jessica Goldstein (COUGAR TOWN) have signed a 2 year deal to develop new projects for Universal TV. (So if you’re a big fan of COUGAR TOWN, MY NAME IS EARL, and something called BIG DAY, rejoice cuz with this kind of money changing hands something these two ladies write will definitely show up on your screen. OTOH, if you aren’t a fan….)
Lena Dunham (GIRLS) is writing a 4 part comic book series about everybody’s least hip, trendy, edgy, or even interesting teenager – Archie! Yep, she’s going to give the world her take on Archie and his gang. (And to make matters worse, Archie Comics is actually paying her to completely destroy their franchise. Oh, has the munchie one gone too far in showing his displeasure? Nah…I haven’t even come close to adequately expressing my disgust.)
Dylan Morgan & Josh Siegal (30 ROCK) have joined the uber talented Chrissy and Jessica with a 2 year deal of their own at Universal. (Except on this one el muncho is looking forward to the results of their labors.)
Leesa Dean (CHILLTOWN TV) has won the Focal Press “Bound to Create” contest, and TVWriter™ couldn’t be happier. (Cuz not only is she a genius animation writer-creator-producer, she just happens to be one of our featured columnists. Congrats, Leesa. Just one question…who’s Focal Press? Please spill cuz let’s be honest here, your friendly neighborhood munchman is way too lazy to google)

David O. Russell (you know who he is) has left ABC’s THE CLUB, a series his presence helped sell, but co-writer Susannah Grant will remain. (You gotta ask yourself: If a guy like Russell can get dumped from a TV series, how rough must the politics of the medium really be? If yours truly had a mind, it’d be boggling!)
Rick Eid (DARK BLUE) is showrunning the new Lifetime drama series, THE LOTTERY, about stuff that happens in, you know, a “dystopian future.” (Sorry, Lifetime, but there’s a show the muncher won’t be watching cuz let’s face it, those of us living in the dystopian present really could use a change.)
Hallmark Channel has picked up THE GOOD WITCH, a series based on its TV movies of the same name. No writer or showrunner has been listed, so excuse me while yrs truly calls his agent. (Not that muncho expect her to answer, but that’s another (sad!)story.)
Marco Pennette (KIRSTIE) is out as showrunner of TV Land’s comedy of that selfsame name and is working as a consulting producer on MOM instead. (Cuz the talented writer/creator/sonofabitch is so goddamn rich already why work full-time?)