News, updates, and (mostly viable) rumors relating to development of science fiction / fantasy television productions.
Lucifer – FOX may have scored this season with the DC comics based series Gotham (the early returns look good for that one) and they are looking to dip into that well again with an adaptation of Neil Gaiman’s Lucifer character that appeared in the Sandman comics as well as his own spin-off. The network has given a put pilot commitment–meaning they will pay substantial fees if they pass on the property–for the series with Californication‘s Tom Kapinos attached. According to Deadline Hollywood, the series “centers on Lucifer who, bored and unhappy as the Lord of Hell, resigns his throne and abandons his kingdom for the gorgeous, shimmering insanity of Los Angeles, where he opens an exclusive piano bar called Lux”. If picked up, the series likely would be looking at an air date later in 2015.
Hunters – Syfy continues with their promise to focus on “high-end science fiction” oriented scripted programming as they recently greenlit to series Hunters based on Whitley Strieber’s book Alien Hunters. The Walking Dead‘s Gale Anne Hurd is attached and the network has given the show a thirteen episode commitment and bypassed the pilot stage because they thought that the pilot script was “outstanding”. According to The Wrap, the series “will follow a secret government agency tracking a ruthless group of extraterrestrial terrorists.” Hunters will likely air at some point during 2015.
Colony – Former Lost executive producer Carlton Cuse will be teaming with a former star of that show as Josh Holloway has come on board Cuse’s alien invasion series Colony which has been picked up by the USA cable network. According to The Wrap, Holloway will play “Will Bowman, a former FBI agent who — to protect his family — is forced to collaborate with the occupational government to bring down the growing resistance movement inside the Los Angeles colony”.
11/22/63 – Hulu continues to expand their original series offerings and has teamed up with Stephen King and J.J. Abrams’ Bad Robot to produce a nine hour “event” series adaptation of King’s book 11/22/63. The book follows a high school teacher who goes back in time to try and prevent the assassination of John F. Kennedy (the date of the title), but runs into multiple complications trying to accomplish his goal. 2015 will likely be the target year for when the series makes it to the streaming service.
Lumen – TNT has greenlit to series this property which comes from Steven Spielberg’s Amblin Television. According to Variety, the show “revolves around the disappearance of a famous author of a series of fantasy novels and a family of four that winds up transported to a war-torn mystical world that resembles her novels”. The network had been sitting on the pilot for while, but has now decided to give it a series order. It will likely bow on TNT’s some point next year.
Jason Blum Horror Series – Anthologies have become a rare beast on television, but NBC is working with horror filmmaker Jason Blum (Paranormal Activity) to revive the genre. The network has given a script-to-series commitment for a ten episode anthology series that would be “inspired” by true events yet with a Twilight Zone twist. If the scripts meet the network’s approval, then they would order it straight to series. NBC previously attempted a horror anthology with the short-lived 2008 Summer entry Fear Itself which was an offshoot of Showtime’s Masters of Horror.
Humans – AMC has jumped on board with UK production company Kudos and Channel 4 to partner on the an English adaptation of the Sweedish series Real Humans. Deadline Hollywood describes the series as
Set in a parallel present where the latest must-have gadget for any busy family is a ‘Synth’ – a highly-developed robotic servant eerily similar to its live counterpart. In the hope of transforming the way they live, one strained suburban family purchases a refurbished synth only to discover that sharing life with a machine has far-reaching and chilling consequences.
Xbox originally planned to partner on the series, but they backed out and left the door open for AMC to step in. Eight episodes have been planned with an air date set for 2015.
