Ridley Scott (WME, Ziffren Brittenham) and writer Steven Zaillian (WME, Gang Tyre) have acquired rights to the 2003 BBC pseudo-documentary "The Day Britain Stopped" and have set up the project -- about a man-made disaster that ignites a global catastrophe -- at Fox.
Showtime has ordered its first pilot for series consideration in 2013.
The Vatican, a contemporary thriller about spirituality, power and politics, is set against the modern-day political machinations within the Catholic church. The series would explore the relationships and rivalries, in addition to the mysteries and miracles behind the institution.
Paul Attanasio (House, Donnie Brasco) wrote the one-hour script, with Ridley Scott (Prometheus, The Good Wife) set to direct his first television pilot.
Production on The Vatican, produced by Sony TV, begins next year. Attanasio, Scott and David Zucker (The Good Wife) will executive produce.
This comes as Showtime recently wrapped the seasons of Homeland and Dexter, and readies several new scripted dramas for 2013: Liev Schreiber‘s Ray Donovan and Masters of Sex with Michael Sheen and Lizzy Caplan.
E-mail: Philiana.Ng@thr.com
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