Thank You For Smoking hits TV

Usually when movies become TV shows – such as Alien Nation or Blade, they’re born out of high concept thrillers or action movies. But now the USA network in America is developing a Thank You For Smoking comedy series based on Jason Reitman’s black laugh-fest.

James Dodson is penning a pilot script, which might end up with a different title, and will see the Nick Naylor character follow on from his film story. Now free of some of his lobbyist spin-master habits, he’ll end up using his argumentative skills to help people.

"He'll live somewhere between the morally ambiguous character of the movie and Robin Hood," USA programming chief Jeff Wachtel gassed to Variety .

Meanwhile Zach Helm, who has just written and directed Mr Magorium’s Wonder Emporium, has signed a deal with US network ABC to develop a one-hour drama called Rockville 2020.

It’s the tale of a town in Oregon that’s facing irrelevance. So what do the officials decide to do? "Their mayor decides to do something drastic to change the town, and that's trying to get them a bid for the 2020 Olympics” Helm blabbed to Variety.

Apparently there will also be a bigger, theological mystery involved. In today’s tough US schedule, we give it three weeks – and it has to get past the pilot stage first…

Source: ( Variety )