Tag Archives: Locke & Key

‘Locke & Key’ pilot trailer is (probably) all we’ll ever see

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It’s a real shame that FOX passed over Locke & Key, the Joe Hill/Gabriel Rodriguez comic book adaptation from creator Josh Friedman and executive producers Roberto Orci, Alex Kurtzman, and Steven Spielberg. 20th Century Fox TV screened the pilot directed by Mark Romanek at Comic Con, but the cheers simply didn’t prove loud enough for the studio to pass it along to another network. Due to rising production costs and lack of network/cable interest, Locke & Key has been shelved indefinitely and will likely never see the light of day again.

And so I share with you this sneak peek at the pilot that leaked onto the Internet not too long ago. On Twitter Friedman posted a link to the video saying that it “was made by FOX for advertisers months ago (obviously before they decided not to pick us up).” Mirando Otto, Jesse McCartney, Sarah Bolger, Skylar Gaertner, and Nick Stahl star in the haunting promo that successfully hypes the mystical world set forth by Hill and Rodriguez and imagined for TV by Friedman. Though it’s hard to watch because you know the story will never be told on screen, it’s certainly worth viewing so you can at least experience a glimpse of what might have been.

In June Hill had this to say about the premiere episode: “Mark Romanek and Josh Friedman turned in a hell of a good pilot (says a dude who is, of course, completely unbiased). The finished episode is scary, and lean, and emotionally authentic, and has a similar feel to Super 8; it very much has a kind of early 80s scary-Spielberg vibe. It’s also very faithful to the source material. I’m so, so proud of everyone who worked on it and of what was accomplished.”

[Via TVLine]

Josh Friedman’s ‘Locke & Key’ not dead yet, pilot will screen at Comic Con

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I’ve got some good news for those of you following the saga that is the TV adaptation of Joe Hill’s comic book Locke & Key. When FOX’s upfront presentation came and went without a pickup for the spooky pilot, whispers surfaced saying that backing studio 20th Century Fox TV was tempted to pitch it to other networks and cable stations like The CW and Syfy. Unfortunately these networks passed on the pilot, too. After all this rejection typically this would mark the end of a TV project. But Locke & Key is special, you see. Instead of being shelved in the attic, 20th Century Fox TV granted the comic book’s publisher IDW Publishing permission to screen the pilot at Comic Con.

What makes Locke & Key worthy of coming back from the dead. In a word: pedigree. The following people are involved in the making of this show: Josh Friedman (showrunner/executive producer/writer), Steven Spielberg (executive producer), Roberto Orci & Alex Kurtzman (executive producers), and Mark Romanek (director). Miranda Otto and Nick Stahl star. The high-profile pilot was all the buzz during pilot pickup season, but due to production costs and other financial reasons FOX (and the other networks that considered taking it on) ultimately decided to pass on it.

Kudos to IDW for having the guts to ask 20th to screen the pilot in its entirety at Comic Con. And not only that–a panel consisting of Hill and collaborator Gabriel Rodriguez, Friedman, Orci, and Kurtzman will be on hand to discuss the making of the pilot. If there’s any place to resurrect a high-profile comic book adaptation with spooky and mysterious elements attached, it’s Comic Con. If the pilot is well-received by the crowd, there is a chance that network execs might hear their cheers and decided to pick up the series for midseason or fall 2012. I will be attending the screening next month and will report back my impressions. I have a gut feeling Locke & Key is going to be a crowd-pleaser.

Joe Hill shared his reaction to the pilot on his blog. “Mark Romanek and Josh Friedman turned in a hell of a good pilot (says a dude who is, of course, completely unbiased). The finished episode is scary, and lean, and emotionally authentic, and has a similar feel to Super 8; it very much has a kind of early 80s scary-Spielberg vibe. It’s also very faithful to the source material. I’m so, so proud of everyone who worked on it and of what was accomplished. Locke & Key doesn’t have a TV home at the moment, but there’s quite a bit of good will out there for the pilot among those who have seen it. So I can’t say what will happen after SDCC. We’ll just have to – ah – stay tuned.”

[Via Deadline]

Upfronts: FOX 2011-2012 Schedule

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Ready for some brand-spankin’ new TV!? Every year the big networks hold their own press events to preview their new programming to advertisers and audiences. The Upfronts is a time when the networks release TV program information to the public like the creators, producers, and stars behind their new fall and mid-season shows. Jump after the break to browse FOX’s upcoming TV lineup; there you’ll find trailers, synopses, and the complete fall schedule. But first start here and get acquainted with the fresh programming.

FOX’s 2011-12 schedule includes 12 new series. New comedies include New Girl, I Hate My New Daughter, Allen Gregory, and Napoleon Dynamite (the latter two are animated cartoons). New dramas include Terra Nova, Alcatraz, and The Finder. The X-Factor is the sole reality show addition for next season.

When and where can you find these programs in the schedule? I’ll tell you! Monday night packs two dramas; FOX staple House (which will be entering its eighth and likely final season, without Lisa Edelstein, see below) is being pushed to the 9PM slot to cushion Steven Spielberg’s highly buzzed about dino-epic Terra Nova. Tuesday night remains comedy night with the Zooey Deschanel-starrer New Girl cushioned between Glee and Raising Hope at the 9PM slot. Simon Cowell’s next big competition reality series The X Factor will air its one-and-a-half-hour performance show Wednesday nights and the one-hour results show the following night. I Hate My Teenage Daughter, a half-hour comedy starring Jaime Pressly, airs after the performance show on Wednesdays; FOX veteran Bones airs after the results show on Thursdays. Friday nights will be familiar to all: Gordon Ramsey’s Kitchen Nightmares and the best sci-fi show on TV Fringe will occupy the 8PM and 9PM slots respectively. Saturdays are home to back-to-back episodes of Cops, followed by America’s Most Wanted. FOX has all but cancelled their longest running series; AMW is being limited to four quarterly two-hour specials. And lastly Sunday night is Animation Domination, per usual. Following the NFL-post game The OT, the following animated ‘toons will air between 7:30PM and 10PM: The Cleveland Show, The Simpsons, Allen Gregory (new), Family Guy, and American Dad.

A number of FOX shows are being held for mid-season premieres. American Idol returns January 22 and will take over The X Factor‘s positions on Wednesday and Thursday nights. House will be bumped back to the 8PM slot to make way for the new mysterious series from J.J. Abrams called Alcatraz on Monday. Following the Idol results show on Thursday will be the Bones spinoff The Finder. And the spring Animation Domination Sunday looks like this: ‘toon encores will air in the early 7:30PM slot, Napoleon Dynamite get sandwiched between The Cleveland Show, The Simpsons, and Family Guy, and Bob’s Burgers will occupy American Dad‘s 9:30PM slot. When Glee goes on a short hiatus between March and April, FOX plans to expand the Tuesday night comedy block with single-camera comedy Family Album (starring Glee‘s Mike O’Malley) and Little in Common (starring Rob Corddry and Kevin Hart); one or both may make the cut. Lastly, Tim Kring’s Touch starring Kiefer Sutherland is also being saved for a mid-season launch.

And if you’re keeping track, FOX went mad and cancelled the following shows; these will not be returning next season: Human Target, Lie To Me, The Chicago Code, Breaking In, Traffic Light, Running Wilde, and The Good Guys.

*Dr. Cuddy is checking out of House early. This unfortunate news comes after many of the other stars re-upped their contracts for the upcoming season. Lisa Edelstein’s original contract expires at the end of this current season, and she decided to not follow her castmates into what’s likely to be the show’s final season. The show is undergoing some budgetary cuts, and so her decision not to come back is likely due to a pay cut. Bummer. This is what Edelstein had to say on the matter: “After much consideration, I am moving onward with a combination of disappointment at leaving behind a character I have loved playing for seven years and excitement of the new opportunities in acting and producing that lie ahead.”

*FOX has decided not to pick up the anticipated spooky sci-fi series Locke and Key from Josh Friedman, Roberto Orci & Alex Kurtzman, and some guy named Steven Spielberg. The show, based on the Joe Hill comic book of the same name, is currently being shopped around network and cable station. Sources say studio 20th Century Fox TV is pitching it to The CW and Syfy, so let’s hope the adaptation can find a home elsewhere before it turns to dust.

*The network has locked a deal with Warner Bros. to bring back The Flintstones to broadcast TV! Family Guy creator Seth MacFarlane has been tapped to helm the venture. And for him this is a life-long dream come true. In fact, MacFarlane claims that Fred Flintstone was the first cartoon character he ever drew at age 2. The Flintstones will return to animated form in 2013 with production beginning this fall. MacFarlane commented on the exciting news: “So it’s appropriate that events have come full circle, allowing me to produce the newest incarnation of this great franchise. Plus, I think America is finally ready for an animated sitcom about a fat stupid guy with a wife who’s too good for him.” He added that while the characters will remain the same, new technology will enter the land. He questioned, “What is the animal version of an iPad?” FOX president Kevin Reilly said, “The Flintstones are among the funniest and most beloved characters in television history, and we can’t wait to introduce them to a whole new generation on Fox. FOX has long been home to iconic families like the Simpsons and the Griffins, so I have no doubt that the Flintstones and the Rubbles are going to fit right in on our air.”

Continue reading Upfronts: FOX 2011-2012 Schedule →

FOX’s ‘Locke & Key’ finds its star

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The upcoming FOX drama Locke & Key spearheaded by Josh Friedman (showrunner/executive producer/writer), Steven Spielberg (executive producer), and Roberto Orci & Alex Kurtzman (executive producers) has just cast its star player. Miranda Otto (War of the Worlds) will play Nina Locke the mother of three children “who survive an unspeakable horror and attempt to rebuild their lives at Keyhouse, their family home in Lovecraft, Massachusetts.”  Want a more extensive synopsis?  You got it!  “It is a mysterious New England mansion, with fantastic and transformative keys hidden inside its walls that are also being sought by a hate-filled and relentless creature with ties to the Locke family’s past who will stop at nothing to accomplish his sinister goals.”  Sounds like spooky fun doesn’t it?  Expect Locke & Key to air on FOX this summer.  Mark Romanek (One Hour Photo, Never Let Me Go) is currently in negotiations to direct the pilot.

[Via Deadline]

FOX picks up ‘Locke & Key’

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Well, that didn’t take too long.  About one week after it was spilled that Josh Friedman (showrunner/executive producer/writer), Steven Spielberg (executive producer), and Roberto Orci & Alex Kurtzman (executive producers) were going to work on an adaptation of Joe Hill’s comic book Locke & Key FOX swiftly decided to pick up the show and made a series commitment to the project.  For a show to receive a direct-to-series order says a lot about the potential for it.  Upcoming shows like The Walking Dead (AMC) and Terra Nova (FOX) follow in Locke & Key‘s footsteps; they were given a full series order without having to prove their worth by taping a pilot episode beforehand.  Heather Kadin, Justin Falvey, Darryl Frank and Ted Adams join as executive producers.  20th Century Fox and DreamWorks TV are signed on to back the venture.  And according to The Hollywood Reporter, there are talks that the show will be “a potential summer project.”  Glad to hear things are full steam ahead.

Locke & Key follows three teenage brothers, Tyler, Kinsey, and Bode Locke, who move to a Massachusetts mansion where they find the mystical Ghost Door which grants them powers, including the ability to separate his spirit from body and to transport between different worlds.

[Via THR; IGN]

Spielberg, Orci & Kurtzman, Friedman & Hill onboard for ‘Locke & Key’ comic book adaptation

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Locke & Key, a comic book series written by Joe Hill, illustrated by Gabriel Rodriguez and published by IDW Publishing, follows three teenage brothers, Tyler, Kinsey, and Bode Locke, who move to a Massachusetts mansion where they find the mystical Ghost Door which grants them powers, including the ability to separate his spirit from body and to transport between different worlds.  The modern (2008-present) comic book is about to undergo a transformation with some HUGE names at the helm.  A few months back, writers Roberto Orci & Alex Kurtzman (Fringe, Star Trek, Transformers) were approached to write a screenplay for a movie adaptation of the series.  After much speculation, Vulture breaks news that the series will be adapted for television.  In addition to Orci & Kurtzman, Steven Spielberg will serve as executive producer (via DreamWorks TV) and  Josh Friedman, who was the showrunner of the dearly missed Terminator: The Sarah Connor Chronicles, will write and exec produce.  Oh and you knnow Joe Hill, the writer of the comic book?  He just happens to be Steven King’s son.  20th Century Fox and DreamWorks TV will back the venture.  Now the wait begins to see which network is willing to scoop up all this talent and greenlight the production process.

[Via IGN; NYMag; Wiki]