Lost co-creator Damon Lindelof has made his way to HBO. The cable network has given a 10-episode series pickup for the drama series The Leftovers. The show is an adaptation of Tom Perrotta’s book of the same name about life on earth after the Rapture takes place. The project is co-written by Lindelof and Perrotta, with Peter Berg (Friday Night Lights) directing the pilot, which stars Justin Theroux. This is Lindelof’s first television venture since the hit, science fiction drama Lost and his first foray into cable television. Lindelof will serve as showrunner and will executive produce alongside Perrotta, Berg, Sarah Aubrey, Ron Yerxa, and Albert Berger.
Over at AMC, it was announced that a Walking Dead spinoff is in development. The network, eager to cash in on the zombie series’ success, is on the early stages of development on a “companion series” that will build on “the success of the most popular show on television for adults 18-49,” per AMC president Charlie Collier. The potential series will offer a new view into the Walking Dead universe and will not be narratively tied to the comic books. Creator Robert Kirkman states, “After 10 years of writing the comic book series and being so close to the debut of our fourth, and in my opinion, best season of the TV series, I couldn’t be more thrilled about getting the chance to create a new corner of The Walking Dead universe. The opportunity to make a show that isn’t tethered by the events of the comic book, and is truly a blank page, has set my creativity racing.”
Isn’t that just the same show? What will make this new project worthwhile for audiences? Guess we’l just have to wait and see. The fourth season of The Walking Dead premieres on October 13th.
