CBS, Tribeca pact for pilot trio

One of three projects to be produced as series

By MICHAEL FLEMING

CBS has made a deal with Tribeca Prods. to develop three pilots that will be executive produced by Tribeca partners Robert De Niro and Jane Rosenthal.

The deal gives Tribeca a guarantee that one of the three projects will be produced as a series pilot.

The first project, to be produced in partnership by Media Rights Capital, is an hourlong pilot that will be written by William Monahan, the Oscar-winning writer of ``The Departed'' who will make his first foray into TV with an untitled drama set in New York.

Monahan, who recently scripted ``Body of Lies'' and ``Edge of Darkness,'' is writing the pilot targeted for the Eye's fall 2009 sked. Rosenthal wouldn't reveal the subject matter.

``It's right in his wheelhouse, though, and set squarely in New York,'' Rosenthal told Daily Variety. ``Bob and I are huge fans of his movies and the characters he writes. We wanted to stretch into television, and I worked at CBS and have a long friendship with Les Moonves. It felt like home.''

Tribeca continues to develop ``Little Fockers'' and ``The Undomestic Goddess'' for Universal Pictures, and ``Frankie Machine'' at Paramount, with Michael Mann attached to direct and De Niro to star.

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