Latest News About Writers Who Are Doing Better Than We Are
Mike Kelly (REVENGE) has a new overall deal with HBO after being fired from REVENGE, which has had declining ratings. (Proving that he’s a heck of a good guy in the room, no? We mean as well as being a brilliant writer who isn’t necessarily in tune with audience desires…which pretty much describes exactly what HBO is all about, which, FTR, we do not think is a bad thing.)
Alex Taub (DROP DEAD DIVA) is adapting Carl Hiaasen’s novel, Basket Case, into a drama series for Spike TV. (Carl Hiaassen! On TV! Finally! TVWriter™ congratulates Spike TV for finally moving in a direction we approve of. And you know how important our congratulations – and approval – are, don’tcha? Yeah, we’re afraid we know the true answer to that too. Sigh…)
Sam Ernst & Jim Dunn (HAVEN) are adapting Stephen King’s short story “New York Times at Bargain Rates” into a series for ABC. (How good will this be? We figure that’s in inverse proportion to Mr. King’s active participation. Hey, we love the guy’s writing, but every time he pokes his verbiage into the screen versions…)
Patrick Moss & Jeremy Anderson (GREAT EXPECTATIONS) are writing KING DAVID, a to-be-syndicated series featuring a take that’s likely to raise hella hackles among Bible fans. (What? You don’t think anybody will object to what the PR is describing as “a mafia show in biblical clothing?” What planet are you on?)
Lizzy Weiss (SWITCHED AT BIRTH) is developing INTO THIN AIR, a so-called “family drama,” for ABC family. (Just in case you still thought ABC family was really for, you know, families, this is further described as having “thriller elements.” Just what you want to sit down with your kids to watch, right?)
Latest News About Writers Who Are Doing Better Than We Are
Graydon Sheppard & Kyle Humphrey (NEWBS) have made a deal with Style Media to develop their Twitter/Web series, SH*T GIRLS SAY, for Style Network, an NBCUniversal production company. (To which we can only add, “See, you lazy motherfuckers? Your insane interweb ideas can get you the love and money you want, you just have to, you know, write the damn things!” Yep, that’s what we say.)
John McLaughlin (THE BLACK SWAN) has written the pilot for a drama series to be based on James Patterson‘s book series, PRIVATE, and some actor name of Robert De Niro is pitching it all over town. (Well, actually, Bobby isn’t the one who does the pitches. His genius – we mean it – production partner, Jane Rosenthal, handles that end of things, which means you can bank on getting to see the series on the air somewhere important soon.)
Nigel Trantor’s historical novels about Scottish heroes William Wallace and Robert the Bruce are being adapted into a miniseries for Discovery Channel. No word on the writer, so have your people talk to Discovery’s people ASAP. (And if you know Ridley Scott and/or David W. Zucker, who are executive producers of the project, well, that can’t hurt, can it?)
Michael Green (HEROES) is adapting Alan Moore‘s LEAGUE OF EXTRAORDINARY GENTLEMEN series of graphic novels into a series for Fox Network. (The good news: It’s bound to be better than the feature film version. The bad news: Nobody’s telling us how Alan Moore feels about this project.)
Our new sorta permanent image for deal announcements. Work for you?
Evan Daugherty (SNOW WHITE AND THE HUNTSMAN) is re-tooling a drama pilot based on the comic Midnight Mass for NBC. (because feature credits are the best way to break into TV…but if you have a solid feature film career why would you want to?)
Michael Cooney (IDENTITY) is writing the pilot for GASLIGHT, a soft, steampunk (!) drama, for ABC. (Um, yes, another feature writer type. Getting the pattern here?)
Dana Stevens (CITY OF ANGELS) is writing the pilot for RECKLESS, a drama about the complicated relationship between two opposing lawyers for CBS. (Yes, Ms. Stevens is a feature writer.)
Matthew Carlson (MALCOLM IN THE MIDDLE, THE WONDER YEARS) is adapting the feature film, ABOUT A BOY, into a series for ABC. (Okay, so he isn’t a feature guy – but would this be in development if it hadn’t been a popular film?)
Lotsa writing deals were announced over the past week. We’ll be back soonish with more of them. (And our groovy “love/money” pic. Well, we think it’s groovy anyway. But then, we’re the kind who think the word “groovy” is groovy so what do we know?)
