Felicity Huffman, ‘Peanut Butter Falcon’ Star to Lead ABC Baseball Comedy With Pilot Production Commitment

Joe Otterson TV ReporterAl Madrigal and Jaime Camil are attached to co-star in a single-camera comedy in development at ABC, Variety has learned.The series is titled “Guerrillas.” Madrigal is co-writing and executive producing in addition to starring, with Camil co-executive producing as well.When Miles Flores (Madrigal), a lonely efficiency expert for an oil company gets kidnapped in South America, he ends up working for a disorganized group of guerrilla soldiers to earn back his freedom.

Joe Otterson TV ReporterABC is in early development on a primetime version of the classic daytime soap opera “All My Children.”The project is currently titled “Pine Valley,” named after the fictional Philadelphia suburb that served as the setting for “All My Children.” In the new series, a young journalist with a secret agenda comes to expose the dark and murderous history of a town named Pine Valley only to become entangled in a feud between the Kane and Santos families.Leo Richardson is set

Joe Otterson TV ReporterSamuel L. Jackson is set to star in the limited series “The Last Days of Ptolemy Grey” at Apple.The six-episode series is based on the novel of the same name by Walter Mosley, who will adapt the book for the screen.

Joe Otterson TV ReporterNBC is developing the drama series “Heirs” from Carlos Portugal.The series is set in Miami Beach’s exclusive Star Island. It follows the heirs of a Latin American ex-dictator as they face an unexpected dilemma when a young girl is kidnapped from their home on the night of their own daughter’s lavish quinceañera.Portugal will write and executive produce the project, with John Davis, Jordan Davis, and John Fox executive producing via Davis Entertainment.

Joe Otterson TV ReporterParamount Plus is in early development on a dark comedy that hails from Katie Wech, Variety has learned exclusively from sources.The project is titled “RIP.” Wech will write and executive produce, with Gina Rodriguez and Jennie Snyder Urman also executive producing. The trio previously collaborated on the hit CW series “Jane the Virgin.” The project originated with Rodriguez and Tiana Feghali.

Joe Otterson TV ReporterRachel Polan has joined Jessica Rhoades’ Pacesetter Productions as senior vice president.In her new role, Polan will help identify and foster development for the company and add support to the current productions. In addition, Dana Echt has been named manager at Pacesetter.

Joe Otterson TV ReporterThe NBC comedy pilot based on the Kevin Hart film “Night School” is not moving forward at NBC, Variety has learned exclusively.The half-hour multi-cam had originally gotten a pilot order in January, but the pandemic shutdown virtually all pilot production in March.

Joe Otterson TV ReporterChris Messina is set for a lead role in the upcoming HBO Max pilot “Verbatim,” Variety has learned.The project is based on Brett Weiner’s New York Times Op Docs Series that screened at Sundance in 2014 and 2016.

Joe Otterson TV ReporterFox is developing an animated comedy based on the Craig Banyon Mysteries books by James Mullaney.Mullaney and Shane Black will write and executive produce the project, which is titled “Craig Banyon P.I.” It follows the supernatural adventures of an alcoholic ex-cop and current private investigator, Banyon, as he solves cases in an alternate noir, otherworldly reality.Along with Mullaney and Black, David Silverman, Greg Silverman and Paul Shapiro of Stampede Ventures will

Joe Otterson TV ReporterShowtime has ordered the comedy series “The Curse,” which hails from Nathan Fielder and Benny Safdie. Both will also star in the series alongside Emma Stone.The half-hour series is said to explore how an alleged curse disturbs the relationship of a newly married couple as they try to conceive a child while co-starring on their problematic new HGTV show.Fielder will direct and executive produce in addition to starring and co-creating the series.

Joe Otterson TV ReporterJulia Roberts has signed on to star in a series adaptation of the upcoming Laura Dave novel “The Last Thing He Told Me” at Apple.Roberts will executive produce in addition to starring, with Reese Witherspoon and Lauren Neustadter of Hello Sunshine also executive producing. Hello Sunshine optioned the book from Dave, who will adapt the book for television and executive produce along with her husband, Josh Singer.

Joe Otterson TV ReporterCraig Macneill has signed on to direct and executive produce the pilot for the upcoming “I Know What You Did Last Summer” series at Amazon, Variety has learned exclusively.Macneill made his feature directorial debut in 2015 with “The Boy,” which was loosely based on the novel “Miss Corpus” by Clay McLeod Chapman and premiered at the SXSW Film Festival that same year. Macneill also served as co-writer on the film in addition to directing.

Joe Otterson TV ReporterFreefrom has ordered a pilot for the comedy “Single Drunk Female,” Variety has learned.In the series, after a spectacularly embarrassing public breakdown, irreverent alcoholic Samantha Fink (Sofia Black-D’Elia) is forced to move back home with her “Smother” (Ally Sheedy) to sober up and avoid jail time.

Joe Otterson TV ReporterEitan Bernath has signed on to be the principal culinary contributor on “The Drew Barrymore Show,” Variety has learned exclusively.The role will see Bernath make recurring appearances on the daytime talk show, during which he will showcase original recipes and his expertise and perspective on food-related topics.

Joe Otterson TV ReporterABC has ordered the single-camera comedy “Home Economics” to series.The series will air on the broadcast network in Spring 2021. The show was originally developed as part of the 2020 pilot season.

Joe Otterson TV ReporterThe HBO Max comedy pilot “Minx” is rounding out its cast.Idara Victor, Oscar Montoya, Jessica Lowe, Lennon Parham, and Michael Angarano have all been cast in series regular roles, with Jake Johnson attached to guest star.

Joe Otterson TV ReporterIn a competitive situation, Skydance Television has acquired the rights to P. Djéli Clark’s fantasy historical novella “Ring Shout” with plans to develop it as a television series.KiKi Layne is attached to star in the project, with Kasi Lemmons attached to write, direct, and serve as showrunner.

Joe Otterson TV ReporterNetflix has ordered a comedy series called “God’s Favorite Idiot” from Melissa McCarthy and Ben Falcone, Variety has learned.The streamer has commissioned 16 episodes of the series, in which both McCarthy and Falcone will star. Falcone wrote the series, with both he and McCarthy also serving as executive producers via their company On the Day.

Joe Otterson TV ReporterThe “Blindspotting” series at Starz has cast several key roles as production kicks off in Los Angeles and Oakland, Variety has learned exclusively.Along with previously announced series lead Jasmine Cephas Jones, the eight-episode, half-hour dramedy will also star Benjamin Earl Turner, Atticus Woodward, Jaylen Barron, and Candace Nicholas-Lippman.

Joe Otterson TV ReporterEugenio Derbez is set to star in a new comedy series titled “Acapulco” that has been ordered to series at Apple, Variety has learned.The half-hour series, which will be shot in both Spanish and English, is inspired by the film “How to Be a Latin Lover,” in which Derbez starred and produced.In “Acapulco,” a young Mexican man’s dream comes true when he gets the job of a lifetime at the hottest resort in Acapulco.