Jake Kasdan Teaming With Liz Meriwether For ‘Chicks & Dicks,’ Mark Wahlberg Sells Sports Pilot ‘Home Game’
After acclaimed but short-lived runs for two behind-the-scenes shows with “Sports Night” and “Studio 60 On The Sunset Strip,” who would have thought Aaron Sorkin would have a third chance at a show with a similar concept? Well, thanks to David Fincher and “The Social Network” the writer gets his shot with HBO now ordering a pilot for his cable news show drama, tentatively titled “More As The Story Develops.”
The project will reunite Sorkin with his ‘Network’ producer and all-round heavyweight Scott Rudin with production set to begin later this year presumably for a 2012 unveiling. Sorkin evidently did extensive research for the project, spending time with MSNBC‘s Keith Olbermann and Chris Matthews as well as at Fox News Channel and CNN programs, though no characters in the project are expected to be based on the personalities he shadowed. No word yet on what Sorkin has planned in the meantime but he does have his gestating directorial debut planned with an adaptation of the memoir by John Edwards‘ political aide Andrew Young. The story, of course, fascinatingly follows the Edwards’ 2008 presidential run and the subsequent scandal which marred his attempts to be Barack Obama‘s running mate.
Meanwhile, director Jake Kasdan will reportedly team with “Fempire” (a collective a female scribes which includes Diablo Cody among others) member Liz Merriwether (“No Strings Attached“) for her recently-ordered untitled, single-camera comedy pilot for Fox. Titled “Chicks And Dicks” — an edgy title to be definitely rejigged in some way (Let’s not forget, “No Strings Attached” was originally titled “Fuckbuddies“) — the show is described as a young ensemble comedy about the sexual politics of men and women. Peter Chernin of Chernin Entertainment and Katherine Pope are executive producing. Kasdan has his upcoming comedy “Bad Teacher” starring Justin Timberlake, Jason Segel and Cameron Diaz due out on June 17th.
Finally, Mark Wahlberg — who’s earning all sorts of cred this award season for producing “The Fighter” and “Boardwalk Empire” — has sold a multi-camera sports comedy pilot to CBS which is based on the story of three-time Super Bowl winner Mark Schlereth and follows a retired player who returns home to his wife and daughters. Keep in mind though that “Entourage” was originally “based” on Wahlberg’s own life before veering off into its own world, so don’t expect a Schlereth biopic. The former NFL champion will also executive produce alongside Wahlberg, Stephen Levinson and writers Chris Nowak and Warren Bell.
