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), Spike Lee, 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,” reports Variety.
Muccino will direct and executive produce “Viva Laughlin,” the musical drama Hugh Jackman is exec producing for CBS via Sony and CBS Paramount Network TV.
Hogan, meanwhile, has signed to direct and executive produce the Barry Josephson-produced “Nurses” pilot for Fox. The pilot comes from 20th Century Fox TV.
As for Union, the actress is set to play Chardonnay Lane, a rich Park Avenue model-turned-recording artist who is engaged to a football player.
Lee is aboard the untitled Tom Fontana/Barry Levinson mayor project at NBC (formerly “MONY”). NBC Universal TV Studios is producing.
Holland (“Malcolm in the Middle”) is directing Greg Garcia’s “Fugly,” a half-hour comedy for CBS from 20th Century Fox Television.
Bernstein will direct Barry Schindel’s untitled CBS drama presentation about public defenders.
Graves has signed to direct the Kevin Falls-penned “Journeyman” for NBC. He’ll also executive produce the 20th Century Fox TV-produced time-travel hour.
Ian Toynton will direct “Supreme Courtships,” the Fox comedic drama about Supreme Court clerks.
