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THE-MUNSTERS

[TV Bites] NBC Resurrecting “Munsters” Again? “The Following” Promo and “Hannibal” When?

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Posted by MrDisgusting on January 07, 2013 @ 10:09am
Category: Movies / News

In a quick TV news roundup to kickstart the week, it has been just 10 days since NBC passed on its “Munsters” reboot “Mockingbird Lane,” which had been in the works at NBC for two years under two regimes. But the network is not closing the door to bringing the family of monsters from the classic sitcom back, reports Deadline. “I won’t say we won’t do another version of The Muensters again,” NBC chief Robert Greenblatt said after the network’s executive session at TCA. He addressed the reasons for the decision not to proceed with Bryan Fuller’s “Mockingbird Lane” despite the pilot, which carried a reported $10-million price tag, doing decent ratings business when it aired as a Halloween special in October. “We just decided that it didn’t hold together well enough to yield a series,” Greenblatt said. “It looked beautiful and original and creative, but it just all ultimately didn’t come together…, it just didn’t ultimately creatively all work.” The pilot featured a cast led by Jerry O’Connell as family patriarch Herman Munster, Portia de Rossi as his wife Lily, Eddie Izzard as Grandpa, and Charity Wakefield as cousin Marilyn. “We felt great about that cast,” Greenblatt said. “But we tried to make it not just a sitcom. We tried to make it an hour, which ultimately has more dramatic weight than a half-hour. It’s hard to calibrate how much weirdness vs. supernatural vs. family story. I just think we didn’t get the mix right.”

Greenblatt talked with TVGuide about “Hannibal,” the forthcoming small screen prequel to The Silence of the Lambs. Greenblatt said Hannibal could make it on the schedule before the end of the season if other midseason offerings fizzled. But he also said it could be held for summer, where it might be competitive against high-quality cable dramas. Added NBC Entertainment President Jennifer Salke: “It’s very unique. It’s like a procedural you’ve never seen before.” Mads Mikkelsen, Hugh Dancy and Laurence Fishburne star. The pilot is directed by 30 Days of Night‘s David Slade.

Lastly, below is a 3-minute long promo for Fox’s “The Following,” the terrifying new thriller from creator/executive producer Kevin Williamson (“The Vampire Diaries,” “Dawson’s Creek,” the Scream franchise) and director Marcos Siega (“The Vampire Diaries,” “Dexter”)! The series premieres January 21, 2013 on Fox. READ MORE

[TV] The Munsters Will NOT Move Into “Mockingbird Lane”

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Posted by MrDisgusting on December 28, 2012 @ 9:35am
Category: Movies / News

“Mockingbird Lane“ proved to be a dead end.

TVLine reports that NBC has decided not to order to series the reboot of “The Munsters,” which had been shepherded by Bryan Fuller (“Hannibal,” “Dead Like Me,” “Pushing Daisies”) and directed by X-Men‘s Bryan Singer.

“I tweet with a heavy heart,” Fuller said on Thursday. “NBC not moving forward with #MockingbirdLane. From producers and cast, thank you all for enthusiasm and support.”

Says the site, the “Mockingbird Lane” pilot — which NBC aired as a pre-Halloween special — drew 5.4 million total viewers and a 1.5 rating, giving the network its best demo in the Fridays-at-8 time slot in two years.

The modernized Munster family featured Jerry O’Connell as Frankenstein-ish Herman, Portia de Rossi as his vampire wife Lily, Mason Cook as their budding werewolf son Eddie, Charity Wakefield as cousin Marilyn (aka the normal one) and The Riches‘ Eddie Izzard as the ravenous Grandpa.

[TV] Watch 5 Clips From NBC’s “Mockingbird Lane” Halloween Special

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Posted by MrDisgusting on October 24, 2012 @ 12:05pm
Category: Movies / Videos

Airing October 26 on NBC is the failed pilot presentation of “Mockingbird Lane“, the reboot of “The Munsters” that will now air as a TV special. NBC has released 5 sneak peak clips that are now embedded inside.

“Sweet little Eddie Munster (Mason Cook) is a normal kid about to enter the horrors of puberty. Truth is, he’s about to discover that for him becoming a teenager means growing hair in truly unexpected places — as in all over his body — every time the moon is full! Eddie’s got it pretty good though. His loving, supportive, run-of-the-mill family includes his mom Lily (Portia de Rossi), the daughter of Dracula; his dad Herman (Jerry O’Connell), who brings new meaning to “Frankenstein”; and Grandpa (Eddie Izzard), who would give Dracula a run for his money if he weren’t actually Dracula! Of course then there’s creepy cousin Marilyn (Charity Wakefield), who’s really the odd one because she’s so completely normal.”

This new, reimagined version of the classic 1960’s comedy “The Munsters” is based on executive producer Bryan Fuller’s (“Pushing Daisies,” “Heroes”) script and was directed by executive producer Bryan Singer (“X-Men” film series, “House”). READ MORE

[TV] UPDATED: NBC Already Moving Out Of “Mockingbird Lane,” Passing On “Munsters” Reboot?

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Posted by MrDisgusting on October 02, 2012 @ 9:53am
Category: Movies / News

Update: 7:54AM PST – Bryan Fuller just tweeted to the contrary. “NBC just informed me the Deadline article regarding #MockingbirdLane was Dead Wrong. Stay tuned for updates!” We’ll be sure to bring you those updates as they come in.

Add this to the list of most disappointing television news since Fox passed on the “Locke & Key” adaption… Deadline is reporting that it’s unlikely that NBC’s “Mockingbird Lane” pilot will be going to series. There is no final decision, but they hear that the network brass are leaning towards passing on the project, a reboot of the classic 1960s sitcom “The Munsters.” The project from Bryan Fuller had been in the works at NBC for a couple of seasons, originally developed by the previous regime during the 2010-11 development cycle. Fuller’s script was one of very few Bob Greenblatt kept in play when he took over the network in January 2011. It was redeveloped and in November 2011, it was ordered to pilot around the same time another Fuller-written drama, Hannibal, landed a script-to-series deal at NBC.

Like Fuller’s previous series, “Pushing Daisies,” “Munsters” was to feature striking visuals mixed with all the classic “Munsters” archetypes. Rolled to June, the pilot landed Bryan Singer as director and assembled a cast led by Jerry O’Connell as family patriarch Herman Munster, Portia de Rossi as his wife Lily and Eddie Izzard as Grandpa. The pilot was lauded for its visual style but pulling off the high-concept premise — a show about a family of “monsters” — was always considered a risky proposition. In the end, they hear it didn’t quite work.

Meanwhile, Fuller is busy working on “Hannibal,” a series based on the Hannibal Lecter character, which has a 13-episode midseason order. READ MORE

NBC’s “Mockingbird Lane” Will Feature The Infamous Universal Monsters!!!!

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Posted by MrDisgusting on July 18, 2012 @ 10:37am
Category: Movies / News

One of the more highly anticipated pilots is NBC’s forthcoming “The Munsters” reboot, “Mockingbird Lane“, which is getting a colorful, modern transformation to the small screen from “Pushing Daisies” and “Dead Like Me” creator Bryan Fuller.

The Hollywood Reporter caught up with Fuller at Comic-Con to discuss how “Mockingbird Lane” could do for NBC and Universal’s library of monsters what Once Upon a Time has done with its bank of Disney characters, how CGI will be involved and how the tone will change as the Munster family’s stories are told in an hour format vs. the 1960s CBS series’ half-hour comedy format…

“The Munsters actually do what monsters do: they eat people and they have to live with the ramifications of being monstrous,” Fuller told the site. “It’s like grounding it in a reality because the half-hour was a sitcom, we saw the monsters: they were monsters on the outside and weren’t monsters on the inside. For us, they’re monsters outside and inside, and we get to double our story. So any story you can tell on Parenthood and “True Blood,” we can tell. To have Eddie Munster be the starting point for the family — because in the past, when Eddie was born human, they stopped living like monsters because they didn’t want to damage Eddie. You get to this interesting thing with Lily, who’s been hiding who she is for the last 11 years and now has to accept who she is after she’s denied it for so long. It’s those types of emotional stories — yet they’re going out and eating people at the same time.”

Continued inside… READ MORE

TV: See Charity Wakefield as Marilyn Munster In ‘Mockingbird Lane’

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Posted by MrDisgusting on June 13, 2012 @ 11:16am
Category: Movies / News

Showrunner Bryan Fuller shared a first ever look at actor Charity Wakefield as Marilyn Munster in NBC’s “Mockingbird Lane,” their television reboot of “The Munsters” that also stars Eddie Izzard (first look), Mason Cook and Jerry O’Connell.

The pilot, written by Bryan Fuller and to be directed by Bryan Singer, is described as a reinvention of the 1960s sitcom about The Munsters, a family of “monsters” — vampires, werewolves and Frankenstein, and their “plain” cousin (Wakefield) — that will feature striking visuals in the vein of Fuller’s ABC dramedy “Pushing Daisies.” Cook will play Eddie Munster, Lily and Herman’s only child, an earnest boy scout and budding werewolf. Horrified to learn the truth about himself, he refuses to eat meat and faces off against Grandpa (Izzard) at dinner.

I’m very excited to see this on NBC’s slate this coming fall. I’m still a huge fan of Fuller’s “Dead Like Me” and expect this to be a beautiful disaster. READ MORE

Mariana Klaveno Out, Portia De Rossi To Play Lily Munster In “Mockingbird Lane”

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Posted by EvanDickson on June 12, 2012 @ 11:29pm
Category: Movies / News

Looks like Mariana Klaveno couldn’t get out of her contract with “Devious Maids” because she’ll no longer be playing Lily Munster in NBC’s “Munsters” reboot, “Mockingbird Lane“. The show has gone with better known actress Portia De Rossi (pictured above; “Arrested Development”) instead.

Per Deadline, “Portia de Rossi, known for her platinum blonde locks, is taking on one of TV’s best known brunettes — Lily Munster. The Arrested Development and Better Off Ted alumna is set to play the female lead in NBC’s Munsters reboot Mockingbird Lane. Mariana Klaveno had previously been cast as Lily Munster but the deal was contingent on her being released from ABC’s pilot Devious Maids, where she was a regular. However, Devious Maids producer ABC Studios did not release Klaveno or agree to make her a recurring on the project”

She will join Jerry O’Connell (announced yesterday as Herman Munster) and Eddie Izzard, who will play the powerful and quick-witted vampire in a role that was originated by Al Lewis. Mason Cook will play Herman and Lily’s werewolf son, Eddie. Bryan Singer will executive produce and direct the pilot. NBC initially eyed the reboot, from “Pushing Daisies” creator Bryan Fuller, for this development season but pushed the project to summer.

The newer version of the show is said to be an edgier and slightly darker take exploring origins of Herman and Lily Munster (originally played by Gwynne and Yvonne De Carlo) and how they arrived at the famed 1313 Mockingbird Lane address. READ MORE

TV: Eddie Izzard Gets Fitted For ‘Mockingbird Lane’ Grandpa Munster Costume

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Posted by MrDisgusting on June 12, 2012 @ 11:46am
Category: Movies / News

Showrunner Bryan Fuller shared a first ever look at actor Eddie Izzard being fitted for his role as Grandpa Munster in NBC’s “Mockingbird Lane,” their television reboot of “The Munsters” that also stars Charity Wakefield, Mason Cook and Jerry O’Connell.

I’m very excited to see this on NBC’s slate this coming fall. I’m still a huge fan of Fuller’s “Dead Like Me” and expect this to be a beautiful disaster. READ MORE

TV: NBC Has Found Their Herman Munster For “Mockingbird Lane”

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Posted by MrDisgusting on June 04, 2012 @ 9:21pm
Category: Movies / News

Some really bizarre casting news that kind of has me excited. THR writes that Jerry O’Connell has a new address: 1313 Mockingbird Lane.

The former “Defenders” and Piranha 3D star has been cast as Herman Munster in NBC’s “Munsters” reboot, “Mockingbird Lane.”

The actor will play the patriarch of the family, who in the 1960s CBS comedy was played by Fred Gwynne. In the reboot, Herman — like in the original series — has a permanent home under Grandpa Munster’s thumb. O’Connell joins the previously cast Eddie Izzard, who will play the powerful and quick-witted vampire in a role that was originated by Al Lewis. Mason Cook will play Herman and Lily’s werewolf son, Eddie. Bryan Singer will executive produce and direct the pilot.

NBC initially eyed the reboot, from “Pushing Daisies” creator Bryan Fuller, for this development season but pushed the project to summer.

Fuller and NBC first made an attempt to revive the sitcom last year, with the network ultimately passing. His newer version is said to be an edgier and slightly darker take exploring origins of Herman and Lily Munster (originally played by Gwynne and Yvonne De Carlo) and how they arrived at the famed 1313 Mockingbird Lane address.

The original series, produced by Universal Studios, aired 70 episodes from 1964-66. READ MORE

TV: “Munsters” Reboot “Mockingbird Lane” Gets Some Interesting Concept Art

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Posted by EvanDickson on April 12, 2012 @ 9:29am
Category: Movies / Images

Finally some tangible imagery is oozing out of “Mockingbird Lane”, NBC’s high concept series reboot of “The Munsters”. I actually applaud the decision to change the title, it’s a bold move in an age where brand recognition is everything and it hopefully gives this series a chance of carving out a slight new identity for itself. Mockingbird Lane is of course the new street the Munsters move to in order to reinvent their lives.

The pilot, written by Bryan Fuller and to be directed by Bryan Singer, is described as a reinvention of the 1960s sitcom about a family of “monsters” – vampires, werewolves and Frankenstein and their “plain” cousin (Wakefield) — with striking visuals in the vein of Fuller’s ABC dramedy “Pushing Daisies.”

Entertainment Weekly landed the image which features a nice mockup of the Munsters’ house as well as a decent peek at Eddie Izzard as “Grandpa”.

MockingbirdLane41212 TV: Munsters Reboot Mockingbird Lane Gets Some Interesting Concept Art

TV: ‘The Munsters’ Retitled To ‘Mockingbird Lane’

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Posted by MrDisgusting on February 02, 2012 @ 7:00pm
Category: Movies / News

TV: The Munsters Retitled To Mockingbird Lane

TV Line confirms earlier rumors that NBC’s “The Munsters” television reboot will be titled “Mockingbird Lane”, which is of course where the family moves to start their new life.

The project is currently in the casting stage, so there’s still time for “Pushing Daisies” creator Bryan Fuller/X-Men auteur Bryan Singer/NBC to consult our dream picks for Herman, Lily and the rest of the creepy brood.

The project features striking visuals mixed with all the classic “Munsters” archetypes. Grandpa Sam Dracula is essentially Dracula who assembled Herman because no man was good enough for his daughter Lily, a sexy vamp. Lily’s niece Marilyn the freak is actually normal and Lily and Herman’s only child, Eddie, has his werewolf tendencies surface in puberty, forcing the family to relocate to their famous 1313 Mockingbird Lane address. READ MORE

TV: More Plot Details For “The Munsters” Pilot Hit!

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Posted by EvanDickson on December 26, 2011 @ 5:15pm
Category: Movies / News

TV: More Plot Details For The Munsters Pilot Hit!

Last month we had an exclusive report on the basic plot for Superman Returns, X-Men and Apt Pupil director Bryan Singer’s upcoming pilot for The Munsters.

Now, even more details (okay, a lot of details) have hit the net in what looks to basically be Moviehole’s lengthy script review of the show’s inaugural episode.

So I’m gonna warn you of spoilers before you hit the jump…. READ MORE

Exclusive

TV: Character Details and Plot for ‘The Munsters’ Pilot!

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Posted by MrDisgusting on December 03, 2011 @ 7:09pm
Category: Movies / Exclusives

While NBC begins casting their reinvisioned “The Munsters” we decided to do a little digging and find out more about the planned television series set to begin filming next February.

We’re exclusively told by insiders that this will NOT be a remake of the original 1964 series that starred Fred Gwynne, Al Lewis and Yvonne De Carlo as a family of friendly monsters have misadventures never quite realizing why people react to them so strangely.

The modern take will instead be strange hybrid of the popular comedy “Modern Family” and HBO’s “True Blood”. While the series will be dark there will be a lot of heart and comedic elements. While I’m a huge fan of Bryan Fuller’s “Dead Like Me”, his “Pushing Daisies” never grabbed my attention, and frankly neither were any good at character development. The follow, though, gives me some series hope. There are a lot of interesting people moving into 1313 Mockingbird Lane…

The pilot episode, which is to be directed by Bryan Singer – who also was behind the camera for the “House” pilot, Superman Returns and X-Men – will focus on 10-year-old Eddie Munster who is unaware that he’s a werewolf, and that his family is composed of terrifying creatures. The madness begins when a baby bear attacks a scouting trip, only it turns out that this “bear” is actually Eddie transformed into a werewolf. Eddie is unaware of his metamorphosis and it forces the family to move in order to protect the family secret. The coming of age story gets weirder as he fights against his family when he learns of a shocker: they’re a family of flesh-eaters!

A few other random character notes: Lily Munster has an eating disorder and eats suicide victims. Grandpa Munster is a 600-year-old shapeshifter, and Marilyn Munster was adopted when her mother tried to eat her as a baby. READ MORE

TV: Bryan Singer Directing ‘The Munsters’ Pilot!

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Posted by MrDisgusting on November 30, 2011 @ 3:23am
Category: Movies / News

TV: Bryan Singer Directing The Munsters Pilot!

NBC’s “The Munsters” will be brought to you by The Bryans.

X-Men and Superman Returns helmer Bryan Singer is finalizing a deal to direct and executive produce Bryan Fuller’s reboot of the 1960s comedy, which recently received a pilot order by NBC, reports Deadline.

Universal Television is producing the project, described as an imaginative reinvention of “The Munsters” as a visually spectacular one-hour drama.

After originally developing “The Munsters” last season, Fuller redeveloped it with NBC’s new executive team this summer and delivered his new script at the beginning of this month. Like Fuller’s previous series, “Pushing Daisies”, “The Munsters” calls for striking visuals mixed with all the classic “Munsters” archetypes, and NBC had been looking for a top director to create the world of “The Munsters” circa 2011.

The first pilot Singer directed was “House”, and he continues to serve as an executive producer on the long-running Fox medical drama. READ MORE

TV: ‘The Munsters’ Officially Returning to the Small Screen!

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Posted by MrDisgusting on November 17, 2011 @ 2:05am
Category: Movies / News

TV: The Munsters Officially Returning to the Small Screen!

Less than 2 weeks after receiving Bryan Fuller’s script for “The Munsters,” NBC has given a pilot order to the “Pushing Daisies” and “Dead Like Me” creator’s reboot of the 1960s comedy, reports Deadline.

Universal Television is producing the project, described as an imaginative reinvention of “The Munsters” as a visually spectacular one-hour drama.

Word is that the network envisions the new “Munsters” as a potential summer or event series. the project features striking visuals mixed with all the classic “Munsters” archetypes. Grandpa Sam Dracula is essentially Dracula who assembled Herman because no man was good enough for his daughter Lily, a sexy vamp. Lily’s niece Marilyn the freak is actually normal and Lily and Herman’s only child, Eddie, has his werewolf tendencies surface in puberty, forcing the family to relocate to their famous 1313 Mockingbird Lane address.

In addition to “The Munsters,” Fuller also has “Hannibal,” based on the Hannibal Lecter character, in contention at NBC for a straight-to-series order via Gaumont International TV. READ MORE

TV: NBC Determined to Move in With ‘The Munsters’

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Posted by MrDisgusting on August 11, 2011 @ 7:50pm
Category: Movies / News

As first reported by TV Guide, NBC is still developing a remake of “The Munsters” with “Pushing Daisies” creator Bryan Fuller, The Hollywood Reporter has confirmed.

New NBC Entertainment topper Robert Greenblatt is said to like the idea of a remake and has asked Fuller to take another attempt at the project. Fuller and NBC first made an attempt to revive the 1960s CBS sitcom last year, with the Peacock ultimately passing.

Fuller’s new look is said to be an edgier and slightly darker hourlong take exploring origins of Herman and Lily Munster (Fred Gwynne and Yvonne De Carlo) and how they arrived at the famed 1313 Mockingbird Lane address.

Like NBC’s recent script order for “Frankenstein,” Universal Media Studios will produce.

The original series, produced by Universal Studios, aired 70 episodes from 1964 to 1966 on CBS. The series has proved strong in syndication, ultimately drawing a spinoff, “The Munsters Today,” which ran from 1988 to 1991 and lasted 72 episodes. A feature film, Munster, Go Home, and a 1981 NBC telefilm, “The Munsters’ Revenge” with the original cast, also stemmed from the original property.
READ MORE