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Fox is looking for its second DC Comics series.
Following a prolonged deal-making process, the network on Thursday handed out a pilot pickup for Lucifer, based on the character from The Sandman comics and its subsequent spinoff, The Hollywood Reporter has learned. Additionally, Jerry Bruckheimer and Sleepy Hollow EP Len Wiseman have boarded the drama.
Read more TV Pilots 2015: The Complete Guide
From Californication creator Tom Kapinos, the drama centers on Lucifer, who is bored and unhappy as the Lord of Hell and resigns his throne and abandons his kingdom for the beauty of Los Angeles, where he gets his kicks helping the LAPD punish criminals.
From Warner Bros. Television — which produces all of DC’s rapidly growing roster of TV adaptations — Kapinos will pen the script and exec produce via his Aggressive Mediocrity banner. Bruckheimer and his Jerry Bruckheimer Television topper Jonathan Littman will executive produce, while the company’s KristieAnne Reed is set as a co-EP. Wiseman will executive produce and direct the pilot after serving in the same capacity on Fox’s Sleepy Hollow. The drama landed at Fox with a hefty put-pilot commitment in September.
For Bruckheimer, the drama comes after he was attached to executive produce another DC Comics take — Global Frequency — for Fox that did not move forward.
The character of Lucifer was modeled after David Bowie and has appeared in Sandman and its spinoff via DC’s Vertigo imprint. Lucifer made his debut in Superman’s Pal Jimmy Olsen No. 65 in 1962 before being revived in Neil Gaiman‘s critically praised Sandman in 1989.
Lucifer brings to two the number of DC adaptations to earn pilot pickups this season. It joins CBS’ Supergirl, starring Glee alum Melissa Benoist.
DC’s current broadcast roster includes the already renewed CW series Arrow and spinoff The Flash as well as Fox’s Gotham, which also earned an early second-season order. Meanwhile, NBC’s freshman DC take Constantine (based on Hellblazer) remains in contention for a sophomore season after its production order was cut off at 13. Still to come is The CW’s midseason debut of Vertigo title iZombie as comic takes as broadcasters bet big on the genre heading into this season. DC also has TNT’s Titans take in the works as well as Syfy’s Superman origin story Krypton.
ABC, meanwhile, still has Marvel properties Agents of SHIELD and freshman Agent Carter in contention for next season, with Netflix already casting its four Marvel series and upcoming mini.
Lucifer brings to six the number of drama pilots in the works at Fox this season. Last year, the network — under Kevin Reilly‘s “no pilot season” — readied eight hourlongs.
Email: Lesley.Goldberg@THR.com
Twitter: @Snoodit
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