BATTLE ROYALE (The CW, New!) - The netlet is reportedly in preliminary talks to import the cult Japanese film franchise as a television series, in which teenagers in a totalitarian state fight for survival in a government-imposed competition. It's understood Koushun Takami's novel, upon which the films are based, would be optioned as part of said efforts. No other details were given. (LATimes.com)
D-RAW (Comedy Central, New!) - Comedian/YouTube star Deshawn Raw is set to star in a new comedy pilot at the cable channel featuring Deshawn and his diverse group of friends "as they make fun of themselves and their lives in Rancho Cucamonga." Chris Rock is on board to executive produce the project alongside Raw and J.P. Minot, the latter of which will direct. (Deadline.com)
INFAMOUS (NBC) - Wes Brown ("Hart of Dixie") has joined the cast of the midseason drama, about Joanna Locasto (Meagan Good), a police detective who goes undercover to solve the murder of her childhood best friend, the heiress to the Bowers pharmaceutical empire. He'll take over for Neil Jackson as Julian Bowers - the sweet, sexy, bad boy, sex-addicted youngest son - whom Joanna was once involved. Ella Rae Peck, Katherine LaNasa, Laz Alonso, Marin Hinkle, Tate Donovan and Victor Garber also star in the project, from creator Liz Heldens. (TVLine.com)
CINNAMON GIRL (Lifetime) - The Renée Zellweger-produced drama, about four girls coming of age during the Los Angeles music and movie scenes of the late 1960s/early 1970s, has been ordered to pilot. Gavin O'Connor is directing the hour from a script by Zellweger and Anthony Tambakis. Said trio will executive produce with Danny Bramson serving as producer and music supervisor. (Deadline.com)
EX MEN (CBS) - Kal Penn ("How I Met Your Mother") is the latest addition to the comedy pilot, about Carter Thomas (Christopher Nicholas Smith), a young guy who finds camaraderie living among the more experienced guys he meets in a short-term rental complex. He'll play Gil Brooks ("a nice, somewhat nebbishy guy, who owns a Spa and Pool equipment store"), one of said fellows, who was "caught having the world's worst affair and now lives in the complex until he can convince his wife to take him back." Rob Greenberg is behind the half-hour, which is set up at the CBS Television Studios-based The Tannenbaum Company. (Deadline.com)
THE EXPERIMENT (MTV, New!) - Blumhouse Productions ("Paranormal Activity") is developing a new "found-footage mystery" drama at the cable channel. Brian Horiuchi and Miguel Sapochnik created the hour which Sapochnik will direct from a teleplay by Horiuchi. They'll likewise executive produce alongside Jason Blum and Naomi Despres. No other specifics were given. (THR.com)
THE LANDLORD (HBO, New!) - Writer/cartoonist Daniel Clowes ("Ghost World") is developing a new comedy at the pay channel about "a volatile college professor with Utopian delusions, who after inheriting a shabby apartment building in a remote California town, drags his family into the unforgiving netherworld of small-town America." "Little Miss Sunshine" directors Jonathan Dayton and Valerie Faris are eyeing the half-hour, which they'd presumably executive produce alongside Clowes and John Lesher. (Variety.com)
LOW WINTER SUN (AMC) - Mark Strong and James Ransone are both on track to star in the drama pilot, "a contemporary story of murder, deception, revenge and corruption in a world where the line between cops and criminals is blurred." The former would play Frank Agnew - a role he originated in the project's U.K. incarnation - who murders a fellow detective, activating "forces that will forever alter that detective's life and pull him into the heart of the Detroit underworld." Ransone then is set as Damon Callis, a member of the Detroit organized crime syndicate. Chris Mundy is behind the hour, a co-production of AMC Studios, Endemol USA and Tiger Aspect Productions. (Deadline.com)
TINY APARTMENT (Comedy Central, New!) - Jessie Cantrell, Mike O'Gorman and Pat Driscoll's web series has snagged a pilot order from the cable channel. Said effort revolves around a young couple, Jessie (Cantrell) and Mike (O'Gorman), living in a rundown apartment in New York City, trying to "make the best of their situation with a little help from beer, take out, and their best friend, Pat (Driscoll)." Tristram Shapeero is on board to direct and executive produce alongside the trio, as well as Joe Kelly and Mosaic's Jimmy Miller and Sam Hansen. (Deadline.com)
UNTITLED DAN HARMON PROJECT (FOX, New!) - "Community" creator Dan Harmon is reportedly close to landing a new multi-camera comedy at the network. No details however were given about the project, which Harmon would write and executive produce. (TVGuide.com)
EX MEN (CBS) - Christopher Nicholas Smith ("Paranormal Activity 3") has booked the lead role on the single-camera comedy pilot, about a young guy who finds camaraderie living among the more experienced guys he meets in a short-term rental complex. He'll play said fellow, Carter Thomas ("handsome, charming, funny"), in the CBS Television Studios-based project. Rob Greenberg is behind the half-hour, which he'll also executive produce alongside Eric and Kim Tannenbaum. (Deadline.com)
THE GOODWIN GAMES (FOX) - Kat Foster ("Weeds") has joined the cast of the midseason comedy, about three siblings (Becki Newton, Scott Foley, T.J. Miller) who must heed to the idiosyncratic terms of their father's (Beau Bridges) will to inherit his fortune. She'll play Lucinda, an attractive minister who used to date - and was dumped by - Scott Foley's character. Felisha Terrell originated the role in the pilot, one of two that was recast (the other being Jake Lacy by T.J. Miller). Carter Bays, Chris Harris and Craig Thomas are all behind the half-hour, which is set up at 20th Century Fox Television. (Deadline.com)
REACT (TNT, New!) - "Act of Valor" director Scott Waugh is developing a new drama at the cable channel "described as revolving around a secret black ops task force and is grounded in reality." Sean Jablonski ("Suits") will pen the hour and executive produce alongside Barry Josephson and Waugh via the latter's Bandito Brothers banner. No other details were given. (THR.com)
HANNIBAL (NBC) - Laurence Fishburne ("CSI: Crime Scene Investigation") is in talks to join the cast of the upcoming drama, a contemporary take on the Will Graham (Hugh Dancy) and Hannibal Lecter (Mads Mikkelsen) characters from Thomas Harris's novels. He'll play Jack Crawford, "the agent-in-charge at the Behavioral Science Unit of the FBI who is tasked with tracking down a certain flesh-eating serial killer." Dennis Farina, Scott Glenn and Harvey Keitel played said role in its feature film incarnations. Bryan Fuller is behind the project, from Gaumont International Television. (TVLine.com)
HELLO LADIES (HBO, New!) - "The Office" co-creator Stephen Merchant is set to write, direct, executive produce and star in a new comedy pilot for the pay channel about "a gawky Englishman searching for the woman of his dreams in Los Angeles." Lee Eisenberg and Gene Stupnitsky co-wrote the half-hour alongside Merchant and will likewise executive produce for ABC Studios. Production is set to begin later this year. (Deadline.com)
SLEEPY HOLLOW (FOX, New!) - "Hawaii Five-0" executive producers Alex Kurtzman and Roberto Orci are set to reteam with pilot helmer Len Wiseman for a modern-day take on "The Legend of Sleepy Hollow" which follows Ichabod Crane "as he partners with Sleepy Hollow's local female sheriff to solve the mysteries of a town ravaged by the battle between good and evil." The network has given a put pilot commitment to the project, which Kurtzman and Orci will co-write alongside Phillip Iscove. They'll likewise executive produce with Heather Kadin for their 20th Century Fox Television-based K/O Paper Products banner. (Deadline.com)
SLEEPY HOLLOW (The CW, New!) - Patrick Macmanus and Grant Scharbo are in talks to land their own take on "Sleepy Hollow" at the netlet in which "FBI Agent Ichabod Crane arrives in Sleepy Hollow to investigate a mysterious beheading." Gina Matthews of Little Engine Productions and Aaron Berger and Carina Schulze of Chatrone Productions are also on board to executive produce the hour, a studio for which has yet to be attached. (Deadline.com)
