TV project update (THR, DH, EW)

By Nancy Tartaglione-Moore

A series of new TV projects were announced Thursday hailing from such high-profile names as Ridley and Tony Scott, Dick Wolf and Ed Zwick and Marshall Herskovitz. Below is a round-up.

AMC is developing three new projects including a diamond trading drama from exec producers the Scott brothers. "Before the Devil Knows You're Dead" scribe Kelly Masterson will write and executive produce with Scott Free Productions' president of television David Zucker also on board as an EP, says The Hollywood Reporter.

Per the same report, AMC is also developing two new crime dramas: "Low Winter Sun" and "Sacred Games."

Dick Wolf is teaming with HBO on a project that revolves around a RAND-like think tank mission to prohibit the launch of a nuclear bomb. Set in 1950s Santa Monica, the project will be written by "Boardwalk Empire's" Howard Korder with Allen Coulter directing. Wolf is executive producing. THR has more.

Marshall Herskovitz and Ed Zwick have sold their first project to Fox under the duo's overall deal with 20th TV. Deadline reports the soap is an adaptation of Richard Murphy's novel "Confessions of a Contractor."

Per Deadline, the project is described as a soap about the combustible mix that results when you blend desire, jealousy, and home renovation.

Fox has also bought a comedy penned by "Wedding Crashers" co-writer Steve Faber. Deadline reports the tentatively titled "Merry Go Round" will be written by Faber, who will executive produce with Alan Gasmer and Peter Jaysen for Sony Pictures TV. It revolves around five inseparable best friends in college (two women and three men) who by chance are reunited ten years later and, in spite of themselves, resume their old college personas.

Deadline has more on both the above projects here.

Further according to Deadline, Limp Bizkit frontman Fred Durst has signed a deal with CBS and CBS TV Studios under which he will star in and produce a half-hour comedy project about a rock legend looking to balance a high-profile lifestyle with raising a family. Here's more from Deadline.

Deadline also reports that NBC is developing a Latino family drama executive produced by Kenny Ortega and "The Event" executive producer Steve Stark. Project revolves around a a multi-generational Hispanic family running a Latin dance studio in Miami. Ligiah Villalobos will write the script. See Deadline for further details.

"Daily Show" contributor Aasif Mandavi has sold a comedy to CBS about a divorced marriage counselor which he will star in and write. Tagline and CBS TV Studios are producing, says Deadline.

Entertainment Weekly reports that Jamie Kennedy will host TruTV's "Guinness World Records Gone Wild." The reality show sees ordinary people try land a place in the famed record book.

Records the show will attempt to break include the most panes of glass run through in one minute, fastest time to jump over three oncoming cars, highest dive into 12 inches of water, most kicks to the head in one minute, most live cockroaches held in the mouth and the most people crammed into a tiny car...

**This article was compiled using reports from The Hollywood Reporter, Deadline and Entertainment Weekly. The original stories can be accessed by clicking the hyperlinks in the text above.