Lifetime is going to spend some time in the East End.
The network has given a 10-episode order to the series "Witches of East End," the network said Thursday. The series, which is based on the best-selling novel by Melissa de la Cruz, will star Julia Ormond, Jenna Dewan-Tatum, Rachel Boston and Madchen Amick.
Ormond will star as Joanna Beauchamp, the mother of daughters Freya (Dewan-Tatum) and Ingrid (Boston) -- who, unbeknownst to them, are their family's next generation of witches, even as they live seemingly boring lives in the Long Island town of East Haven. That changes, however, when Freya becomes engaged, sparking a series of events that force Joanna to reveal the truth.
Amick ("Twin Peaks") will play Joanna's witch sister Wendy.
"Eastwick" alum Maggie Friedman will write the pilot for the Fox 21-produced drama, with "Mean Girls" director Mark Waters directing as well as executive producing with 3 Arts Entertainment's Erwin Stoff.
The series will premiere later this year.
“We’ve been thrilled about 'Witches of East End' and its powerful premise since the moment we bought the property, and our friends at Fox 21 helped develop it for television," Lifetime Networks' executive vice president, programming Rob Sharenow said of the pickup. "This is one of the most exciting ensemble casts we’ve seen and the whole show is fresh, original and just right for Lifetime.”
"Witches of East End" joins a growing slate of scripted fare for Lifetime, a slate that includes "The Client List," "Army Wives" and the upcoming drama "Devious Maids" from "Desperate Housewives" honcho Marc Cherry.
