Network 10’s ‘Sisters’.
First announced last October, the Fox network’s remake of Imogen Banks’ and Jonathan Gavin’s drama Sisters is finally getting traction.
Leslye Headland, the co-creator/director of the Netflix comedy Russian Doll, has signed on to direct the pilot scripted by executive producer Annie Weisman, whose credits include the series The Path, About a Boy and Desperate Housewives.
Casting is underway on the untitled one-hour series which centres on Julia Bechly, an only child whose life is turned upside down when her father is forced to reveal that during his career as a fertility doctor, he used his own sperm to conceive dozens of children.
As Julia begins to track down her siblings, among a sea of brothers she discovers only two sisters – both of whom quickly become a part of her now redefined family.
The project was rated as one of the hottest drama scripts at Fox last year but was the last to get a pilot order as it took time for Fox and Universal TV to hammer out a co-production deal under the network’s new business model as an independent, according to Deadline.
Universal TV will produce the pilot in association with Endemol Shine North America, with Banks among the executive producers. Shooting is due to begin in the next couple of months.
Produced by Endemol Shine Australia, Sisters screened on Network Ten in 2017, featuring Maria Angelico as Julia, with Antonia Prebble, Lucy Durack, Barry Otto, Dan Spielman and Roy Billing.
Netflix acquired the seven-episode series produced by Banks and Nicole O’Donohue and directed by Emma Freeman, Corrie Chen and Shannon Murphy, which premiered as a Netflix Original last September.
Created by Natasha Lyonne, Amy Poehler and Headland, Russian Doll follows a young woman named Nadia (Lyonne) on her journey as the guest of honour at a party one night in New York City. At the party she dies repeatedly.
The series features an all-female writing and directing team, with the episodes directed by Headland, Lyonne and Jamie Babbit.