News, updates, and (mostly viable) rumors relating to development of science fiction / fantasy television productions. If you have tips or more info on these or other productions, please pass them along in the comments.
[Updated for Incorporated Pilot]
Development news picked up some the last couple of weeks including a breaking announcement from yesterday on the Twin Peaks revival.
Updates:
Twin Peaks: It looks like Showtime’s mini-series revival of this classic 90’s show will be moving forward without creator David Lynch. He had previously expressed some trepidation over the project and yesterday word broke that he would be dropping out. Lynch tweeted that “after 1 year and 4 months of negotiations, I left because not enough money was offered to do the script the way I felt it needed to be done”. Showtime in turn issued the following statement concerning Lynch’s departure:
We were saddened to read David Lynch‘s statement today since we believed we were working towards solutions with David and his reps on the few remaining deal points. SHOWTIME also loves the world of Twin Peaks and we continue to hold out hope that we can bring it back in all its glory with both of its extraordinary creators, David Lynch and Mark Frost, at its helm
It appears that they still plan to go forward with the project (and haven’t given up on getting Lynch on board) which would deliver a nine episode limited run series continuation of the Twin Peaks story twenty years later (and several of the original actors including Kyle MacLachlan are set to return). But if Lynch is not involved, it would definitely impact the cred of the revival among its fans.
Development:
Captain Cosmos: Game of Thrones‘ George R. R. Martin may still be tasked with completing the books that series is based on, but he has found another project for his time as well. He is currently working on a new show for HBO that looks like it might take its inspiration from early TV kiddie space operas like Captain Video and His Video Rangers. Titled Captain Cosmos, Zap2It.com describes the series pitch as “at the dawn of the age of TV in 1949, a visionary young writer creates a science fiction series that tells stories no one else will dare to tell”. This is part of Martin’s 2013 deal with HBO to develop more TV properties and would likely hit the air sometime in 2016.
Attack on Titan Live Actions Series: Word had already broke that this anime series would be adapted to the big screen and now it appears that a live action TV is in the works as well. According to ComicBook.com, the series “will tell a new story of the complex everyday lives of soldiers, and will tie into the two upcoming live action films”. Actors from the movies will reprise their roles in the series and it is set to debut in August.
Lucky Man: Stan Lee may be 92 years old, but that doesn’t appear to have slowed him down from developing new projects. He is working with UK’s Sky channel and Downton Abbey producer Carnival Films on the superhero series Lucky Man. According to Variety:
It is the story of detective Harry Clayton, a cop from Central London’s notorious Murder Squad, who is given a charm that seems to confer upon the wearer the ability to control luck. Harry is down on his luck: his wife and child have left him due to his gambling habit, his boss thinks he’s in league with the devil, and he has a huge debt to an infamous underworld crime boss who is threatening his life. A chance meeting with a mysterious woman who gives him an ancient bracelet changes everything… It appears to give Harry control over luck itself.
Ten episodes have been ordered and it will air during 2016.
Shadowhunters: This series which is based on Cassandra Clare’s YA Mortal Instruments fantasy books and is a spin-off of the 2013 feature film has been picked up by ABC Family. According to Deadline Hollywood:
The series will reboot the chronicle of the Shadowhunters led by Clary Fray and Jace Wayland in one-hour episodes beginning with the first book, City Of Bones, and expanding into later books as the series progresses.
The feature film was not a Box Office success, but apparently the property was still considered to have untapped potential. It will likely make it to air sometime in 2016.
Montauk: Netflix continues to move forward with original programming and has announced development on this supernatural mystery series which, according to Hollywood Reporter, “centers around the disappearance of a boy in Montauk, Long Island, in 1980”. Eight episodes have been ordered with plans for it to air at some point in 2016.
Nerdist News: Syfy may not have found much ratings success last year with Wil Wheaton’s snarky geek update show The Whil Wheaton Project (though I rather enjoyed it), but they are dipping into that well again with a TV version of Nerdist News which offers genre and pop culture news and updates. The Talking Dead‘s Chris Hardwick will produce but will not be the host. There’s no word at this point on how soon Syfy will get the show on their schedule.
Incorporated: Syfy has greenlighted a pilot for this series from Ben Affleck’s Pearl Street Productions. According to the press release, this dystopian tale set in the future “tells the story of executive Ben Larson, forced to change his identity in order to infiltrate a cut-throat corporate world, to save the woman he loves. In the process, he will take on the entire system – with deadly consequences”. This is currently a pilot order only, but if it goes to series it would likely hit Syfy’s schedule at some point in 2016.
