the industry

NBC Does Something Right, Gives Thomas Lennon and Robert Ben Garant a Show

Strip-ers: NBC has picked up a comedy pilot from veterans of The State Thomas Lennon and Robert Ben Garant. The co-creators and stars of Reno 911 will star together in The Strip, a multicamera comedy about a former child star (Lennon) who owns a Hooters-style eatery in a strip mall just outside of Las Vegas. Like Dickie Roberts, only funny, and with much shorter shorts. [THR]

The Greatest Dad of Our Time: In a bit of news that will be of particular interest to our siblings at Daily Intel, Gossip Girl has found Serena van der Woodsen’s dad! If we just told you it was a Baldwin, would you be able to guess which one? Time’s up, it’s Billy Baldwin, the one who was last seen as the transsexual-loving Attorney General on Dirty Sexy Money. Let’s hope, for Serena’s sake, he hasn’t taken any parenting tips from his brother. [Michael Ausiello/EW]

I Have a DreamWorks: DreamWorks has found a screenwriter for its Martin Luther King, Jr. biopic in Ronald Harwood, who won an Oscar for writing The Pianist. The studio picked up MLKJ’s life rights in May, making it the first studio to make a film about the civil rights leader with full rights to his speeches. It may be a little early to start talking cast, but it’s never too early to talk NOT casting. We can all agree on NOT casting Will Smith, right? [Variety]

Animal Cruelty: Keinohrhasen, a German romantic comedy that translates to Rabbit Without Ears, is getting the remake treatment from Newmarket Entertainment. The film centers on a lady killing journalist who reconnects with his old friend Anna after being sentenced to 200 hours of community service at her daycare. Any movie that continues that absurd glorification of journalists is a movie we can get behind. [Variety]

Heaaaaarts: Summit Entertainment has picked up the right to the upcoming zombies romance movie Warm Bodies. Jonathan Levine, who wrote The Wackness, has signed on to write the film, which is being adapted from Isaac Marion’s book. The story is about a zombie going through an existential crisis who starts a relationship with a human. Yeah, you read that right. [Variety]

Stop, Drama Time: ABC snagged two drama pilots today, one about medicine and one about crime-solving. Off the Map comes from Grey’s Anatomy creator Shonda Rhimes and revolves around three doctors who leave the U.S. to work in a clinic on a tropical island where they encounter things they’ve never seen before. Body of Evidence is about a neurosurgeon-turned-medical examiner who has a unique way of solving crime that often puts her at odds with her bosses. Ah yes, the rogue doctor/cop/medical examiner. We know the character well. [THR]

NBC Does Something Right, Gives Thomas Lennon and Robert Ben Garant a Show