Ryan’s Mayors: Ryan Reynolds is producing a comedy project that has been picked up by NBC. Mayors of Casterbridge is described as “Old School meets Gran Torino,” and revolves around four “elder statesman” of a “classic” American neighborhood who find themselves threatened by a youngster who aims to homogenize the town. “Mayors fills a void in programming - more specifically, it aims to spotlight the less explored sexagenarian in all his vitality, rage, corrosive wit and bottomless immaturity,” said Reynolds, who is expected to make a cameo in the pilot and may have a small role on the potential series. And one would imagine that possibility could prove quite alluring when NBC has to decide whether to order this to series. [Deadline]
Anything Goes: Phoenix Pictures is developing a comedy from director Terry Jones, a former Monty Python troupe member, called Absolutely Anything. Jones wrote the script, which involves “aliens, a goofy Brit, a talking dog and buckets of silliness,” with Gavin Scott. The Daily Show’s John Oliver will star, and Robin Williams is in talks to play the part of “Dennis the Dog.” The following individuals have been asked to voice the aliens: John Cleese, Michael Palin, Eric Idle and Terry Gilliam. So yes, everybody should cross their fingers that this all works out. [Deadline]
Death & Co.: MTV has ordered two different series projects as it continues to try and build out its scripted television offerings. That Girl will follow a 15-year-old who “gains notoriety” after she suffers an accident that makes her classmates believe she attempted suicide. The second show, Death Valley, is a documentary-style ensemble show about something called the Undead Task Force, a group which “battles zombies, vampires and werewolves that have overrun the San Fernando Valley.” Fun casting tidbit: Valley’s cast includes Lost’s Alex (a.k.a Tania Raymonde). [HR]
Origin Story: Warner Bros. has picked up a screenplay from Walon Green (The Wild Bunch) about Al Capone’s origins. Cicero follows Capone’s ascent from the Brooklyn slums to the top of the Chicago criminal underworld during the Prohibition. The title of the film refers to the name of the town where the gangster set up headquarters in suburban Illinois. [Variety]
Die Another Day: South African “rave-rap pioneers” Die Antwoord are heading on a North American tour this fall in support of to-be-released disc $0$. What hath Ke$ha wrought? [Pitchfork]
More ’Thorne: TNT will announce Wednesday that it is renewing Hawthorne for a third season. The series, starring Jada Pinkett Smith, will get a 10-episode order. The show has been averaging about 3.5 million viewers per episode. [Variety]
