Mega-producer J.J. Abrams and Supernatural creator Eric Kripke are teaming up on a new project for NBC entitled Revolution. The network committed to a pilot today.
The pair combine to make a one-two punch of high profile names for the hopeful new series. Details are being kept close to the vest at this point, but given Abrams’ penchant for action and Kripke’s tendency towards creepy suspense, would-be viewers have a lot of material to speculate on.
Abrams will have three concurrent series on television at the beginning of 2012: Fringe and Alcatraz on Fox and Person of Interest over at CBS (check out our reviews of the Fringe and Person of Interest premieres, and a trailer of Alcatraz from the 2011 Comic-Con panel). J.J. is making quite a lot of team-ups as of late: Super 8 paired him with Steven Spielberg, and Person of Interest with The Dark Knight writer Jonathan Nolan.
Kripke has been hard at work on Supernatural since 2005 with an excellent season 7 premiere on Friday. Notably, Warner Bros (who will be developing the Revolution pilot) tapped him for a CW adaptation of DC comics super-spook Deadman.
NBC could certainly use a hit, and big names behind the project can only help – after The Playboy Club, the network’s fall heavy-hitter, drew lukewarm reviews and poor ratings in its debut last week. With dependable shows like Law & Order: Special Victims Unit seemingly petering out after long runs, NBC is betting on supernatural/sci-fi thriller Awake to pep up its mid-season.
Bad Robot, Abrams’ production studio, has an almost unbeatable record in recent years. Though not all of its shows are unqualified hits (see the enjoyable but quickly cancelled Undercovers), an Abrams-backed show has a better chance than just about anything of making it to an initial season order. Support from the small but fiercely loyal Supernatural audience can only boost the odds in Revolution‘s favor.
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Revolution is in the pilot stage at NBC. Expect casting announcements in the next couple of months.
Follow Michael on Twitter: @MichaelCrider
Source: Deadline
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Yeah, but what is the show about?
I wanted to write exactly THAT!
They are filming part in Senoia, Ga. They are setup in the field across from my house and I still dont know what the pilot is about.Know body is sociable.
Oh..ide say about an hour!
Kripke…Abrams…and the network who owns the rights to the Masturbating Bear. What else can we ask for?
Seriously though, Kripke and Abrams both have solid track records, but the execs at NBC will probably screw this up because that is what they do best.
Abrams has created or co-created Felicity, Alias, Lost, and Fringe. He has directed movies like MI3, Star Trek, and Super8. He worked on a few failures like TV’s Undercovers (an NBC show). You are right, NBC would have cancelled Fringe because they are a horrible network. FOX usually cancels shows quickly, but they realized the show had potential. They moved it to Friday nights (the death slot) and it survived. Kripke doesn’t have the resume that Abrams has, but he wrote one of the best 5 season story arcs that I’ve ever witnessed on television. Like I said, with these two at the helm ‘Revolution’ has the possibility to be a good show…the bad news is the wrong network has committed to the pilot (NBC will somehow screw this up).
NBC is the dead network… let see how this plays out, Huge fan of J.J myself.
Have watched the trailer for this and can’t wait to see it.