Latest News About Writers Who Are Doing Better Than We Are
by munchman
Bill Hader (SATURDAY NIGHT LIVE) has a development deal with HBO and will create and star in a new comedy series there. (Cuz dude’s fucking funny, man. Yeah, I know Lorne Michaels messed with him. But you know how it is with guys like Lorne. Just can’t understand true genius – like HBO can.)
Glen Mazzara (THE WALKING DEAD) is developing DAMIEN, described as “the antichrist in…a new TV series” over at Lifetime. (OMG! Just think how many women Damien could endanger! All the abuse he can heap on ’em! All the power he can take away! This is perfect for Lifetime, just perfect. Kudos to whatever genius executive came up with this concept…cuz God knows no self-respecting writer ever would.)
Speaking of horror shows, WE TV has hired Matt Lambert (can’t find any info on the right Matt Lambert) to write the pilot for SOUTH OF HELL, a show about a demon hunter, bringing James Manos Jr. (DEXTER) aboard as showrunner when the series goes on the air in 2015. (Guess Lambert and the WEe development geniuses aren’t getting along. Too bad Glen Mazzara didn’t step into this one though. Man knows how to write about chasing evil like nobody else.
Here’s a cool switch: Loren Bouchard (BOB’S BURGERS) and the rest of the staff of that selfsame cult hit series are turning it into a comic book series instead of the usual other way around. (As a lifelong – well, actually I started reading ’em in the womb – comic book fan, Yer Friendly Neighborhood Muncher thinks that’s awesome. I always wanted to write comics, and now I know how to get in. Just strike it lucky on TV!)
Latest News About Writers Who Are Doing Better Than We Are
by munchman
Jonathan Ames (BORED TO DEATH) is adapting the Icelandic sorta serious/sorta not series WORLD’S END for Showtime. (And we think that’s perfect casing cuz if anybody was ever a sorta kinda guy – in the best sorta way – it’s Jonathan, who has been one of Yer Friendly Neighborhood Muncher’s idols, like, forevah.)
Robert Orci (You name it and if it’s on TV he’s probably written and produced it) is making the switch to feature film director and will be sitting in the control chair for STAR TREK 3. (Considering how much regard this munchy one has for Orci’s writing, I’d call this pretty damn bad news for TREK lovers. OTOH, there’s one – small – bright spot. Now that Ocri’s a director I’ll never have to put his name in boldface again. Cuz that’s how we roll here at TVWriter™.)
In keeping with this site’s luv for peer production, I was going to announce the creators of a new web series based on Mary Shelley‘s immortal icon Frankenstein. But although the info I got names the producers, it simply refers to the writers as “a new team of writers,” so the hell with that. If anybody out there knows whose creativity is jamming on the keys, let us know in the Comments, please.)
Speaking of newbies, it looks like the folks at the Lancashire Telegraph newspaper website (who proudly proclaim that they were finalists for something called “Online Media Awards 2013 Best Local/Regional News Website”) are far from ready for primetime. Recently they announced that Chris Lunt, creator-writer of the hit UK series PREY has gotten the gig remaking “’60s spy show The Saint.” Normally I’d think this was a wonderful thing for a local/regional news outlet to be doing,) but I do have a teeny prob with the wording of the headline: “East Lancashire TV drama writer asked to fly to Hollywood.” Really? That’s what the the Telegraphs visitors/readers need to know? I’m thinking these bozos have managed to insult both Chris and his neighbors in one very ill-advised line of type. “Carumba!” as people in Lancashire probably don’t say.)
Latest News About Writers Who Are Doing Better Than We Are
by munchman
Andrew Chambliss (ONCE UPON A TIME) has a new overall deal with ABC studios, where he’ll continue writing-producing ONCE and develop new projects as well. (Congrats, Andrew. Although just between you and the munchy one, your talent is horribly wasted on that show. Hope you get to develop shows with style and substance soon!)
Spike Lee (Remember him?) is writing the pilot for a Showtime adaptation of his 1986 feature film classic, SHE’S GOTTA HAVE IT. (And this one really intrigues me cuz, well, the Spiker doesn’t seem to at all be the same writer-director now that he was then. A whole different attitude, y’know? So will he recapture the magic? Or continue coming off as kinda dickish? I’m looking forward to finding out.)
Rich Blumquist (THE DAILY SHOW) has a new overall deal with 20th Century Fox TV, where he’ll do the usual new project development thing. (Which I think is a shame cuz this guy is so damn funny we should be seeing the results of his crazed brainstem activity every day on a show that’s already on the air, like we used to. C’mon, Rich, entertain us before the powers that be decide you’re no longer hot.)
Latest News About Writers Who Are Doing Better Than We Are
by munchman
Jonathan Hickman‘s graphic novel, Pax Romana has been put into development at Syfy. Special Forces! Time travel! Ancient Rome! World War III! (Whoever writes this is gonna have one hell of a glorious time. Call your agent and make that writer you. Or, if you’re producing this thing, call Yer Friendly Neighborhood Munchman’s agent and make it – hehe – moi.)
Sera Gamble & John McNamara (SUPERNATURAL for Sera, IN PLAIN SIGHT for John-boy) are developing THE MAGICIANS, based on a series of books by Lev Grossman, also for Syfy. It’s described as “Harry Potter for grown-ups, so maybe Syfy will be able to get it right. (I know Sera and John can.)
Frank Miller‘s comic book RONIN is being developed into a Syfy series also, and it too doesn’t have a writer.(So if you’re the proud possessor of a worldview from somewhere in the early Middle Ages, which is what munchie hears you’ll need to get along with Mr. Miller, it’s agent time again, baby! )
Charles Soule‘s comic series Letter 44 is another project going the adaptation route at the Worst Science Fiction Channel in the History of Mankind. (Yeppers, that would be Syfy again.) Jonathan Mostow (TERMINATOR 3) is writing this one. (Which means nothing to me cuz I’ve never been able to make myself watch that flick. Ooh, I said “flick.” What does that mean? Hint: Not a term of endearment, Beloved Readers.)
This just in, Matthew Federman & Stephen Scaia(WAREHOUSE 13)got the gig adapting PAX ROMANA. There goes our big chance. (Actually, there go 2 big chances: Yours/mine to get that gig and the viewers chance for this series to be anything but stupid Syfy Channel crap.)
Latest News About Writers Who Are Doing Better Than We Are
by munchman
Eric Amadio (COLUMBUS DAY) & John Singleton (SHAFT) are co-writing SNOWFALL, a Showtime series about L.A., drugs, the ghetto, and everything else ugly about the town. (Which of course means this is on Ye Friendly Neighborhood Munchead’s “Must See” List!)
Jonathan Ames (BORED TO DEATH) is developing BLUNT TALK a comedy series about a Brit determined to become the king of U.S. cable news, for Starz. (Yeppers, that’s the worst log line ever. But don’t despair, this baby has Patrick Stewart attached as the star and a two season order. OTOH, it has Seth MacFarlane attached to produce. But, hey, the brilliance of BORED TO DEATH will overcome! Mehopes, mehopes, mehopes….)
Kat Likkel & John Hoberg (MY NAME IS EARL) are re-upping their overall development deal with ABC Studios. (Cuz they can, I guess. Let’s face it, MY NAME IS EARL isn’t the best credit on anybody’s list. And their more recent work – THE NEIGHBORS, well….)
Michelle Lovretta (LOST GIRL) has sold KILLJOYS, an adventure/drama series about a “multi-planetary class war,” to Syfy. (Whoa, two buzzwords in one blurb. The munchman is cool with anything that says “multi-planetary” and “war,” but the “class” part could prove to be so overdone by the time this series – which already is on the new schedule – debuts. Thing is – this really sounds relevant…unfortunately for, you know, the current state of our little world.)
