Eli Stone co-creator Marc Guggenheim has set up an event-type serialized drama project at ABC with writer Jennifer Robinson and director-producer Gary Fleder. Meanwhile, Sam Raimi has sold a pitch to CBS in the first development season since Stars Road Entertainment, his company with Joshua Donen, focused on primetime TV with a first-look deal at Sony TV. Both projects have gotten script commitments.
The Guggenheim/Robinson project, which the two are co-writing, follows the White House Office of Crisis Management as they tackle one huge global crisis per season. The first season would chronicle a crisis with a ticking clock on board the international space station. Producing alongside Guggenheim and Robinson are Gary Fleder and Mary Beth Basile via their ABC Studios-based Mojo shingle. If the project goes to pilot, Fleder will also direct. Under his overall deal with ABC Studios, which is producing the new project, Guggenheim is currently a consulting producer on the studio’s new drama series for ABC No Ordinary Family. He also co-wrote the upcoming Warner. Bros. feature Green Lantern.
The Raimi-produced CBS project, from writer Andrew Lipsitz (CSI, CSI:NY) is titled Lancaster and centers on a Scotland yard detective who joins the LAPD. The project reunites Stars Road’s top TV executive Robert Zotnowski with CBS where he previously served as SVP drama.