We know the cat is likely out of the bag but we can now confirm that the upcoming TNT Pilot starring Oscar Winner Geena Davis will be shot here in Oregon. We’re thrilled to have yet another project from TNT and director/producer Dean Devlin. Dean and his team at Electric Entertainment have been instrumental in Oregon’s film and television industry growth over the past few years. Here’s to hoping that this pilot leads to yet another multiple year project much like what “Levereage” was for the past four years! Below is TNT’s original press release:
TNT Orders Pilot for Untitled Bounty Hunter Drama
Starring Oscar Winner Geena DavisLeverage’s Dean Devlin to Direct Pilot for Project
From Electric Entertainment, Ternion Productions and 3 ArtsTNT has ordered a pilot for an untitled bounty hunter drama starring Oscar-winning, Emmy-nominated actress Geena Davis (The Accidental Tourist, Commander in Chief). The dramatic and quirky project casts Davis as an unconventional bail bondswoman and bounty hunter whose eccentric personality and unusual tactics give her an advantage in a tough and unpredictable business. The show is inspired by the real-life story of Mackenzie Green.
The pilot script for TNT’s bounty hunter drama was written by Scott Prendergast and Amy Berg, with Dean Devlin set to direct. Prendergast, Berg and Devlin serve as executive producers on the project along with John Altschuler, Dave Krinsky, Tom Lassally and Michael Rotenberg. Davis serves as co-executive producer, while Devlin and Berg are the showrunners. The project comes to TNT from Electric Entertainment, Ternion Productions and 3 Arts.
This marks Devlin’s third TNT project. He previously served as executive producer on TNT’s caper series Leverage, which ended its five-year run in December, as well as TNT’s The Librarian trio of films.
About Electric Entertainment
Electric Entertainment is a full service film, television, and new media production company and studio headed by veteran producer Dean Devlin along with Marc Roskin and Rachel Olschan. Electric recently wrapped the fifth and final season of TNT’s action-packed drama Leverage.
Electric’s other television credits include TNT’s The Librarian, starring Noah Wyle which was the highest rated movie on cable that year (2004); its sequel, The Librarian: Return to King Solomon’s Mines; and the third installment of the franchise, The Librarian: Curse of the Judas Chalice. Along with Bryan Singer’s Bad Hat Harry production company, Electric produced Syfy’s The Triangle, which won an EmmyÒ for its Visual Effects and was the highest-rated miniseries on the cable channel since Steven Spielberg Presents TAKEN (2002).
About TNT
TNT is television’s destination for drama. Seen in 99 million households and ranking among cable’s top networks, TNT is home to such original drama series as Rizzoli & Isles, Falling Skies, Dallas, Major Crimes, Perception, Franklin & Bash, Southland and the upcoming Monday Mornings. The network also features dramatic unscripted originals like the upcoming Boston’s Finest, 72 Hours and The Hero. In addition, TNT is the cable home to popular dramas like Castle, The Mentalist, Bones, Supernatural, Smallville and Law & Order; primetime specials, such as the Screen Actors Guild AwardsÒ; blockbuster movies; and championship sports coverage, including NASCAR, the NBA and the NCAA Division I Men’s Basketball Championship.
TNT is part of Turner Broadcasting System, Inc., a Time Warner company. Turner Broadcasting creates and programs branded news; entertainment; animation and young adult; and sports media environments on television and other platforms for consumers around the world.
Connect with TNT
Website: http://www.tntdrama.com
Pressroom: http://www.tntnewsroom.com
Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/TNTWeKnowDrama
Twitter: @TNTweknowdrama | @TNTPR
So glad to hear that Scott Prendergast is involved with this! He went Wilson HS in Portland, and graduated just before I started there. My sister was in the plays there, and he was usually the lead when I’d go to see them. He was kind of legendary in our drama department–he wrote this series of sketches called “The Absolute Riot and Destruction Show” which was uproariously absurd and funny, and we loved performing them in class, because it was like having our own private Monty Python.
When he wrote, directed and starred in “Kabluey”, I arranged to interview him on my radio show. I felt an odd mix of starstruck, nerdy little brotherish, and admiration. He’s got a great comedic sensibility and warmheartedness to his writing, so I’m sure it’s going to be great!
This is awesome!
I used to go to school with Scott Prendergast in Portland, Or.
He is extremely talented and always thought his flick, Kabluey was amazing! I am looking forward to more of his brilliant work.
It is a great homecoming and I am psyched that he is coming back here to Portland to film this awesome sounding show.
Welcome home my friend. I look forward to hanging out with Gina too.
Great news! The co-writer, Scott Prendergast, was Wilson HS class of ’88 grad. Go Oregon!
Is this the same Scott Prendergast who grew up in Portland and went to Wilson High School?
Didn’t Scott make Kabluey? PDX or bust!
Super cool! Scott Prendergast went to Wilson High here in Portland. Great to see him bring this to Oregon!
Did you know Scott Prendergast is a local Portland boy…started his great career at Wilson High School. Fabulous he could bring this to Portland.
I’m not sure why it’s not mentioned but Scott Prendergast is an Oregonian! He grew up in Portland and is a Wilson High School alum. I hope the Governor’s office is aware that this is a real hometown project. So proud!
It’s great that a native Oregonian is coming back to make this film.
Really looking forward to another project involving Scott Prendergast! After riding the school bus with him around Southwest Portland all if those years, I am so glad he gleaned some comedic timing from me!! Jk. Super proud of Scott and his many accomplishments in film. Also, so excited the filming is to be done in OR. Woohoo!
I was very lucky to be the Drama teacher at Wilson when Scott was Thespian President. What a hilarious actor. I still laugh when I think of Scott, Julie Venables and their team of crazy friends doing improv for twelve hours straight. He even improved with the hamburger his mom brought him for dinner. So happy to have him back in town!
So excited about this news! Absolutely love Scott’s work and to have it filmed in his native state of Oregon is amazing. Looking forward to watching the pilot when it airs.
When does it begin shooting and will they be hiring local production crew members?
April. Most of the crew will be local like it was the case on “Leverage”
Word is that while the pilot will be shot here (likely with cut rates for all crew) the rest of the series’ first season is already lined up to be shot in LA – just like Electric did with FX’s “Legit”.
Dean Devlin and co are taking advantage of Oregon filmmakers – abusing crew and eating up all the incentive money from the state, leaving no resources for local productions. How long will the film community here put up with this shameful situation, just for a few (very few) jobs?
First off, Legit is not an Electric show. They only rented the facilities that Electric already had up in Portland. It’s a completely different show that Electric has no involvement in.
Second, the Oregon rebate isn’t available for that pilot because all the available funds have already been taken by other shows this year, projects that applied way in advance for. The Pilot is a very new project that isn’t even an Electric Entertainment show, it’s TNT. They are just using the facilities that Leverage created up here.
Get your facts straight and stop spreading bullshit rumors that you can’t confirm as true. All you do is sound like some bitter a-hole that got fired from Leverage because he/she felt was under paid. As if Oregon filmmakers and their tiny budgets pay any better.
Look at the names of the producers, genius. You are the one who doesn’t know what is up. Apparently you don’t even know who Electric Entertainment really is.
Dean Devlin (who IS Electric Entertainment) directed this new pilot, with his henchman Paul Bernard by his side – the same Paul Bernard who produced Legit.
Doesn’t matter to us locals anyway, as they are packing up and abandoning Oregon now, carpetbagging their way to Louisiana now – thankfully.
As far “confirming as true”, as you put it, you needn’t look any further than Electrics own website: http://www.electricentertainment.com/category/news/
If this isn’t an Electric Entertainment project, then why is it splashed all over their “News” page?
WOW!
I just moved back to Portland and happen to see this. Its fantastic that we are using our own, unique, awesome, home-grown talent from our own fair city! I briefly saw Scott in LA a few years back when he was just shopping his first film around. So inspiring how far he’s come. We went to Wilson together and shared the stage doing a bunch for shows and I always had to contain myself from laughing too loudly back stage with him. It was a challenge at times but one that I would happily take on any time again. So proud of him.
Hey Juliette,
This is Jason Laford…I have been teaching the sunday acting class at Pima…I just Opened- Portland Actors Studio and Im trying to find you for casting in the documentary we are doing…shoots first week in August. Reach me at 503-206-1944