Feature directors tapping into tube

Major names sign on to helm pilots

By JOSEF ADALIAN

Lee

Muccino

Hogan

A slew of feature helmers have signed on to direct network pilots this spring, including Gabriele Muccino ("The Pursuit of Happyness"), P.J. Hogan ("My Best Friend's Wedding") and Spike Lee.

Other major names signing on to pilots include Todd Holland, Alex Graves and Adam Bernstein.

And in pilot casting news, Gabrielle Union ("Running With Scissors") has joined the cast of the ABC pilot "Football Wives."

Muccino, hot off helming Will Smith's Oscar-nommed perf in "Happyness," will direct and exec produce "Viva Laughlin," the musical drama Hugh Jackman is exec producing for CBS via Sony and CBS Par Network TV. Gig helming a U.S. TV production is a first for Muccino, whose other credits include directing the Italian-language film "L'Ultimo Bacio" and writing the U.S. version ("The Last Kiss").

Hogan, meanwhile, has inked to direct and exec produce the Barry Josephson-produced "Nurses" pilot for Fox. Helmer's other credits include "Peter Pan" and "Muriel's Wedding." Pilot comes from 20th Century Fox TV.

As for Union, thesp is set to play Chardonnay Lane, a rich Park Avenue model-turned-recording artist who is engaged to a football player.

Union sealed a six-figure deal with ABC and Touchstone last fall (Daily Variety, Oct. 31); the "Football Wives" casting is a result of that pact. Thesp previously starred in the short-lived thriller "Night Stalker" for the Alphabet web.

As for the other helmers attaching themselves to projects:

• Lee is aboard the untitled Tom Fontana/Barry Levinson mayor project at NBC (formerly "MONY"). NBC U TV Studios is producing.

  Peacock didn't move forward with the New Orleans-themed project Lee had been developing but had a deal in place with Lee to direct another project.

• Holland ("Malcolm in the Middle") is directing Greg Garcia's "Fugly," a half-hour comedy for CBS from 20th Century Fox Television. Helmer played an ex-con last season on Garcia's "My Name Is Earl."

• Bernstein will direct Barry Schindel's untitled CBS drama presentation about public defenders. Helmer's credits range from "30 Rock" to "Law & Order." Project is from CBS Par.

• Graves, whose credits range from "The Nine" to "The West Wing," has signed to direct the Kevin Falls-penned "Journeyman" for NBC. He'll also exec produce the 20th Century Fox TV-produced time-travel hour.

• Ian Toynton will direct "Supreme Courtships," the Fox comedic drama about Supreme Court clerks. Helmer's credits include "The OC" and "Summerland."

(Michael Schneider contributed to this report.)