Kiefer Sutherland Talks Web Drama ‘The Confession’; ’24′ Movie Updates

Jan 15, 2011 by Niall Browne 

Kiefer Sutherland stars in a new 10 part web-based action drama called ‘The Confession.’ The star also talks about the development of the ’24' movie.

Keifer Sutherland is set to star in a new action web-series called The Confession from Digital Broadcasting Group. The 24 star is also the creator of the ten episode series, which was written and directed by Brad Mirman, and co-stars John Hurt. The series premieres on Hulu in March.

The actor is also talking about the current state of the film spin-off of 24 - delivering news that the project is far from dead!

Each episode of  The Confesssion will be five to seven minutes long, and the plot centers on a hit-man confessing his sins to a priest on a snowy Christmas Eve. The story features flashbacks as the hit-man tells the priest how he came to visit him, climaxing with a twist. You can check out the teaser for the series here.

Sutherland talked to EW about the genesis of the series:

“It came about in such a different way. I was meeting a couple friends of mine, who wanted to introduce me to Chris Young (CEO of Digital Broadcasting Group). I know so little about the internet, but that’s what a lot of friends do for work. Most of that stuff being produced for the internet is comedy, very much like Jackass kind of material, which is great but didn’t appeal to me. Chris started talking about wanting to do a drama, but his criteria was so different. A drama in five-minute episodes! It was one of those things, like a puzzle over the course of the lunch. It can’t be that complicated to figure out a story in five minutes, right? I couldn’t, and it frustrated the crap out of me. So I went home that night, still thinking about it, and it stayed with me for three days. I was falling asleep when I literally got this idea of a confessional.”

The star shot the film last month in New York, but he stated that it was difficult, and far from the luxury of a typical Hollywood production:

“We called on a lot of favors. A dollar is a dollar. It gets you what you get. There’s no way around that, so you’re phoning dear friends for favors. None of us were paid what we normally get paid. Everybody found their own challenge in it, and that was the reason to do it. All of us believe very strongly that the internet is the future, the largest network in world, with the ability to reach a big audience.”

The series, has an interesting (if maybe clichéd) premise, and it might just be the thing that takes web-based entertainment to the next level. While the internet is filled with great comedy and some interesting horror material, it hasn’t really broken through to the mainstream . So could Sutherland’s attachment to such a project legitimize it as a form of entertainment for the masses?

It’s hard to say, at this juncture, but the main problem with a project of this kind (as stated by Sutherland in the above quote) is the length of each episode. It will be difficult to build drama in five minutes, and then sustain it over a ten episode story arc that will make viewers come back each week. It could be that viewers will just want to watch the series in its collected form, avoiding the film-makers initial intention.

As to returning to the role of Jack Bauer, Sutherland stated that there is still hope that a film version of 24 might just make it to the screen – despite the news that the recent script for project had been rejected by Fox. The gravel voiced actor said:

“We have a couple ideas we are working on that we are very excited about. 24 was a lot of work, it certainly had its ups and downs. But for so many reasons, it was one of the great experiences of my life. I miss the daily grind of it, which I was surprised about because that’s the one thing you complain about all the time. Be careful what you ask for!”

He went on to call the project “the little engine that could” and said that although State of Play writer Billy Ray’s script hadn’t met expectations, some of the material would still be used:

“Billy did a fantastic job and there are aspects of that story [that will remain]. I couldn’t be more thrilled.”

So fans of Kiefer Sutherland and 24 can rejoice. Not only will the former Lost Boy be making an apperance on a hard drive near you with The Confession, but it looks like there is still a chance that you’ll be able to see Jack Bauer on the big screen.

Source: Indie Wire & EW

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J.J. Abrams Pitching Crime Drama ‘Pulp’ To Networks

J.J. Abrams is at it again. In addition to Alcatraz and two other projects in pre-production, the busy producer’s company Bad Robot is shopping a neo-noir crime drama called Pulp to television networks.

There’s very little information available on the project at the moment and it is currently in the early stages of development. Monica Breen and Alison Schapker, whose previous works include Bad Robot projects Lost and Fringe, are writing the pilot and serving as executive producers. The only other pearl of information is that the potential series will feature a “heightened reality” setting – which doesn’t mean a whole lot when speaking about a medium like television.

Comparisons to Quentin Tarantino’s 1994 film Pulp Fiction started flying at the news, but at this early stage in production there’s not much evidence that the new series will share much with the iconic movie. As anyone who’s seen the opening credits will know, the term ‘Pulp’ applies to a wide range of both vintage and modern stories.

Originally referring to dime novels and comics printed on cheap pulp paper, the term now applies to movies, television and books that attempt to capture the gritty, unapologetic style of the original stories from the early 20th century. It’s unlikely that a show on network television would feature the same raw action and dialogue of Tarantino’s work (to say nothing of the non-linear storytelling), but a rough crime series could prove a nice counterpoint to Fringe and Undercovers.

Assuming that Pulp is picked up by a major network, it will become the fourth Bad Robot project in pre-production. Lost stars Terry O’Quinn and Michael Emerson have signed on to Odd Jobs at NBC. Jonathan Nolan, who’s worked with his brother Christopher on The Dark Knight and Memento, is writing an unnamed show for CBS. Alcatraz, a series about a group of government agents tracking down time-traveling former inmates and staff of the iconic prison, will begin filming at Fox in under a month.

Considering Abrams’ and Bad Robot’s track record, it’s likely that one of the big four will pick up Pulp very soon.

Source: TV Guide

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Starz Hires Kelsey Grammer for New Drama Series ‘Boss’

The cable channel landscape is changing, yet again. MTV, which began as a channel for music videos, is now home to mostly non-scripted “reality” series. Now, the premium “movie” channels are evolving into a home for quality new, and often cutting edge, drama series.

Starz is the latest example. The channel is reportedly working on developing a new drama, Boss, that will star Frasier veteran, Kelsey Grammer, and will be directed by Milk director, Gus Van Sant.

According to Deadline Hollywood, Starz has ordered an initial eight episodes of Boss. The series is written by Apocalypto co-writer, Farhad Safinia, and produced by Lionsgate Television. It’s Grammer’s first foray as an actor in a drama series as well as his first run on cable. It should be interesting to see whether this dream team can create a quality run of shows.

The story is set in Chicago, where the mayor, Grammer’s character, discovers that he’s suffering from a degenerative mental condition. The idea is reminiscent of King Lear, but with a modern twist. It will play out in the political arena of Chicago and could be a great show – if done well.

Starz is attempting to position itself alongside HBO, Showtime, and AMC, as a place for top-notch series – but can they succeed? This new take on an old theme could help the network reach its goal, or it could hurt it if the show fails. It’s a risky undertaking to re-brand a network after many years.

Despite some well-received original programming such as Spartacus and Crash, Starz isn’t the go-to place for great original dramas, so they’ll have to catch the attention of potential viewers before they can reap the benefits (assuming Boss is even good). Not to mention, a weak series could damage their rebranding attempt.

Boss joins another new series, Camelot, already in production for Starz.

Source: Deadline Hollywood

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