http://nymag.com/daily/entertainment/20 ... _show.html

Two years ago this month, horror comedy Zombieland burst into movie theaters and instantly became one of 2009's biggest sleeper hits, eventually taking in more than $100 million at the worldwide box office. There was instantly talk of a sequel that might even be filmed in 3-D, but so far, Columbia Pictures has yet to greenlight a follow-up (even with The Walking Dead continuing to demonstrate Americans' love for all things gross and deceased). Now, Vulture hears the sequel might actually not happen at all, but for a reason that might make fans happy: A half-hour TV version of Zombieland is in the works with original writers Rhett Reese and Paul Wernick onboard. Specifically, we hear talks are well under way with Fox Broadcasting and Columbia's sister unit, Sony Pictures Television, to put the zom-com into development for the 2012-13 season. If it happens, it will actually be sort of fitting.
As Zombieland producer (and new Vulture columnist) Gavin Polone noted when we called him up to confirm this news, "The original plan for this was to make it as a TV show." Indeed, CBS actually ordered a pilot script for the concept all the way back in 2005, "but they did what networks do, which is to take all the good stuff out." CBS ultimately passed and Syfy was interested, but couldn't make things work financially, Polone says. Ultimately this was good news, of course, since the movie was a blockbuster and helped further the careers of stars Jesse Eisenberg and Emma Stone, as well as director Ruben Fleischer (now helming the Ryan Gosling/Sean Penn drama Gangster Squad). There was serious work on a film sequel, but Polone says that's now likely on hold: "If the TV show goes, then the sequel won't happen."
One good reason to think a series version of Zombieland could be killer is the fact that the writers have been working on story ideas for a show for years now. As Reese told MTV News last year, "We always thought [it should be a TV series]. If you watch the movie with that in mind, you will see some remnants of the television show. We have the 'Zombie Kill of the Week,' which was always intended to happen every week. The movie ends on a cliffhanger; it doesn't have a real resolution." Polone says the main leads, obviously, won't be part of the series. But maybe since the project is headed to Fox, Zooey Deschanel could do a cameo as a zombie Jess?
War schon lange überfällig und als gestern die Walking Dead Quoten rauskamen, habe ich mich schon gefragt, warum sich immer noch kein Sender gefunden hat. Schade ist nur, dass es als Halbstünder für ein Network geplant ist. Nicht nur wegen der Zensurauflagen. Auf Showtime, HBO oder FX hätte man vielleicht sogar Woody Harrelson bekommen können. Das die Kino-Fortsetzung stirbt, wenn die Serie bestellt wird, wäre natürlich auch schade.
http://www.deadline.com/2011/10/hbo-dev ... -starring/

HBO is reteaming with Temple Grandin scribe W. Merritt Johnson, this time on the series side. The pay cable network has in the hopper a dark comedy project written by Merritt, which is being developed as a starring vehicle for Don Johnson. Johnson is executive producing the project with his manager Jason Weinberg and Merritt. The dark comedy, based on an idea from Merritt and Chris Carmona, who will serve as supervising producer, centers on a suicidal game show host, the role earmarked for Johnson, who is trying to avoid the downward spiral of his life while dealing with the headache of his family and work life. The project expands Don Johnson’s relationship with HBO where he has been recurring on the off-beat comedy series Eastbound & Down. The Gersh-repped actor did 2 episodes last year and will return in the upcoming third season to reprise his role as Eduardo Sanchez. In addition to the HBO comedy, Merritt Johnson has a drama in the works at Showtime about the Ball LGBT subculture, which he is writing as well as executive producing with Lee Daniels, who is attached to direct. Merritt Johnson, repped by CAA and Leverage, previously worked on the HBO half-hour drama In Treatment.
Das wäre genau die schmierige Rolle die ich mir für Johnson seit Eastbound und Machete wünsche.
http://www.deadline.com/2011/10/hbo-dev ... -creators/
The creators of polygamist series Big Love are developing another unconventional family drama for HBO. Mark V. Olsen and Will Scheffer are behind China Doll, a show in the works at the pay cable network about a mixed-race family and their humanoid robot. The project combines Scheffer’s passion for technology and Olsen’s interest in Chinese history and politics. “It is about China, Chinese Americans, robots, the effect of technology on our lives and the China moment in American consciousness,” said Olsen, referring to China’s current economic ascendance that is changing the dynamic in the U.S.-Chinese relationship. China Doll centers on a successful California construction subcontractor, his Asian American wife who is a university professor, and a robot as they straddle both sides of the Pacific with extended families on two continents. Despite the presence of a robot, “this is not a sci-fi show,” Scheffer said. “It is ambitious but is set in the present day.” China Doll stems from CAA-repped Olsen and Scheffer’s overall deal at HBO for their Anima Sola Prods, which has been ramping up development in both TV and film. Last year, the company brought in Lisa Bellomo as a development executive.
Irgendwie weiß ich nicht was ich mir darunter vorstellen soll. Ein humanoider Roboter als eine der Hauptfiguren, aber keine Science Fiction? :?: