John Grisham's The Firm

[WyldeMan45]

There are so many great actors who either were attached to shows that ended too late to join pilots or didn't find the right project, but this has serious potential. Only time and casting will tell, but I for one will be following the development. I say cast Kyle Chandler!

Based on the blockbuster feature film and best-selling novel by world-renowned author John Grisham (“The Pelican Brief,” “The Client”), “The Firm” continues the story of attorney Mitchell McDeere and his family 10 years after the events of the film and novel. As a young associate, McDeere brought down the prestigious Memphis law firm of Bendini, Lambert & Locke, which operated as a front for the Chicago mob -- and his life was never the same. After a difficult decade, which included a stay in the Federal Witness Protection program, Mitch and his family now emerge from isolation to reclaim their lives and their future -- only to find that past dangers are still lurking and new threats are everywhere. “The Firm” is produced by Entertainment One in association with Sony Pictures Television and Paramount Pictures. The executive producers are Grisham, Lukas Reiter (“Law & Order,” “Boston Legal”), John Morayniss (“Haven,” “Hung”), Michael Rosenberg (“Hung,” “Skins”) and Noreen Halpern (“Rookie Blue,” “Hung”).

[Groo The Perverted]

Haven't seen too many things with Chandler in it, but he's cool.

Still pissed that "The Street Lawyer", my favorite Grisham novel, got such a shitty pilot (at least as far as the casting) and never got picked up. That was years ago though.

Wish they'd turn that into a movie.

[ForEver Blu]

A series, after all this time?


Oh well, maybe it will fare better than "The Client" when that was turned into a tv series.


Still call total BS on how the movie's ending differed from the novel, think Tom Cruise requested the change.

[WyldeMan45]

Originally Posted by ForEver Blu

A series, after all this time?


Oh well, maybe it will fare better than "The Client" when that was turned into a tv series.


Still call total BS on how the movie's ending differed from the novel, think Tom Cruise requested the change.

That's why there is a time jump to account for at least some of the big gap. I have never read Grisham before, what was the difference?

[Walts Ghost]

I second Chandler, I think he'd be great in this! I always enjoy him in everything he does. I wish they'd release the rest of Early Edition and the uncut versions of Friday Night Lights on DVD...

I think this show definitely has potential though. If the cast is right, it could be very good.

[ForEver Blu]

Originally Posted by WyldeMan45

That's why there is a time jump to account for at least some of the big gap. I have never read Grisham before, what was the difference?

In the novel

[Show spoiler]Mitchell swindles millions from the firm and runs off with Abby and his brother Ray.

[WyldeMan45]

Originally Posted by ForEver Blu

In the novel

[Show spoiler]Mitchell swindles millions from the firm and runs off with Abby and his brother Ray.

Not sure if I would have liked that ending.

[Samus Aran]

Grisham himself admitted he didn't know how to end his book.

[WyldeMan45]

Originally Posted by Samus Aran

Grisham himself admitted he didn't know how to end his book.

Haha well that's always reassuring when people read 600 pages of your work and you burn them with a bad ending.

[WyldeMan45]

Oh hell yeah! Lucas as got charisma and ability in spades. This is perfect casting.

Josh Lucas To Star In NBC's 'The Firm'

Meet television's Mitchell McDeere. Josh Lucas is in final negotiations to play the lead in NBC's midseason drama The Firm, based on the hit Paramount feature starring Tom Cruise as McDeere and on John Grisham's best-selling novel. The series picks up the story 10 years after the events of the film and novel. As a young associate, McDeere brought down the prestigious Memphis law firm of Bendini, Lambert & Locke, which operated as a front for the Chicago mob -- and his life was never the same. After a difficult decade, which included a stay in the Federal Witness Protection program, Mitch and his family now emerge from isolation to reclaim their lives and their future -- only to find that past dangers are still lurking and new threats are everywhere. The Firm is produced by Entertainment One in association with Sony Pictures TV Networks and Paramount Pictures, with Grisham, Lukas Reiter, John Morayniss, Michael Rosenberg and Noreen Halpern executive producing. This will mark the first regular TV series role for WME-repped Lucas. He was most recently seen in the feature adaptation of another best-selling novel about an attorney, The Lincoln Lawyer, and next co-stars opposite Leonardo DiCaprio in Clint Eastwood's J. Edgar.

[WyldeMan45]

Um Juliette Lewis? WTF.......no!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! I was just getting excited about Josh and Callum starring then they throw her casting in and I get sad....

Callum Keith Rennie has been booked as a series regular on NBC's midseason drama The Firm opposite Josh Lucas and Juliette Lewis. He will play Ray McDeere, the older brother to Mitch (Lucas)

[Walts Ghost]

Well, I'm definitely less excited now...Not a fan of Juliette Lewis...Might pass on this one.

[WyldeMan45]

Originally Posted by Walts Ghost

Well, I'm definitely less excited now...Not a fan of Juliette Lewis...Might pass on this one.

Yeah that's a real killer for me. For the longest time, I was convinced she was legally insane and has the mind of a child. Twenty years and many tv shows, movies and band appearances later and I believe my original assumption I made during Cape Fear was true, she is a very unlikable adult child who's most likely mentally unstable.

[Walts Ghost]

Originally Posted by WyldeMan45

Yeah that's a real killer for me. For the longest time, I was convinced she was legally insane and has the mind of a child. Twenty years and many tv shows, movies and band appearances later and I believe my original assumption I made during Cape Fear was true, she is a very unlikable adult child who's most likely mentally unstable.

Completely agreed. Sad that they had to throw her into the mix...I don't think I can watch her on a weekly basis. I had hopes for this one too...

[Samus Aran]

10 years on the run from the mob turned Abby McDeere into a crazy coke head?

[Walts Ghost]

Originally Posted by Samus Aran

10 years on the run from the mob turned Abby McDeere into a crazy coke head?

I don't think she's Abby, I think she's the girlfriend of Ray, Keith Rennie's character.

[Samus Aran]

The receptionist played by Holly Hunter in the movie then?

[WyldeMan45]

Yup, Walt was right she's not his wife....

Juliette Lewis Joins NBC's 'The Firm'

Juliette Lewis has signed on to star in NBC's midseason series The Firm, which stars Josh Lucas in the legal drama based on the film adaptation of the John Grisham novel that had Tom Cruise in the lead role of young lawyer Mitch McDeere. Lewis will play Tammy, the sassy secretary to Lucas' McDeere that was played by Holly Hunter in the movie (she was nominated for a Best Supporting Actress Oscar for that role). The casting follows the news that Callum Keith Rennie has joined the series playing Mitch's brother Ray, who does investigative work for Mitch. The series picks up 10 years after McDeere brought down the prestigious law firm that operated as a front for the Chicago mob. After a difficult decade, he and his family emerge from isolation to reclaim their lives and their future -- only to find that past dangers are still lurking and new threats are everywhere. The Firm is produced by Entertainment One in association with Sony Pictures Television Networks and Paramount Pictures. The executive producers are Grisham, Lukas Reiter, John Morayniss, Michael Rosenberg and Noreen Halpern. David Straiton will direct the pilot, which begins production in August in Toronto.

[WyldeMan45]

CBS Sues Writer-Producer Of NBC's TV Series 'The Firm'

This is a highly unusual situation because broadcast networks usually settle these kind of nasty ownership disputes behind-the-scenes. The crux of the lawsuit is that CBS is claiming that writer-producer Lukas Reiter developed the TV series based on John Grisham's novel The Firm exclusively for its network. And CBS is claiming it never gave him permission to bring the Josh Lucas-starring project to NBC. So CBS filed suit today in Los Angeles Superior Court against Reiter, his production banner, and and Entertainment One -- but not against NBC -- alleging tortuous interference with contract, breach of contract, and breach of the implied covenant of good faith and fair dealing.

Interestingly, we've learned that CBS hasn't yet served or otherwise alerted E1 or Reiter’s counsel because the network didn’t want them to file a preemptive lawsuit today in New York where the law is a lot less favorable to the plaintiffs on these issues). The CBS strategy was to wait until the courts close here and then give them a heads-up. Cagey.

The current incarnation of the the project originated at E1, which took Reiter's spec pilot script out to several networks including NBC last May.
Lucas originally developed The Firm for CBS a couple of years ago, but it didn't go to pilot there. He then wrote a new version for E1 with John
Grisham's involvement. Then in April, shortly before the upfronts, Sony Pictures Television Networks came on board to co-produce and distribute internationally. The series was sold to NBC with Paramount Pictures, which produced the 1993 movie, also on board as a co-producer. A few days later NBC announced the project as a midseason series scheduled to air on Sundays.

Source

[Walts Ghost]

Originally Posted by WyldeMan45

Yup, Walt was right she's not his wife....

Juliette Lewis Joins NBC's 'The Firm'

Her casting really kills all hope I had in this...

Originally Posted by WyldeMan45

CBS Sues Writer-Producer Of NBC's TV Series 'The Firm'

Source

Really? Wow...