spinoff casting news

[dysfunkshunell1.livejournal.com]

According to The Hollywood Reporter...

Oscar winner Forest Whitaker is in final negotiations to star on CBS' potential "Criminal Minds" spinoff.

The project, which revolves around a new group of profilers who work outside the FBI bureaucracy, will be introduced on an episode of "Criminal Minds" in the spring.

Whitaker will play Cooper, the squad leader. Described as dynamic, mysterious, charming and a father figure to the rest of the team, he is a former star profiler in the Behavioral Unit who has been off the radar for the past eight years.

"Minds" executive producer Chris Mundy wrote the planted spinoff, from a story by him and "Minds" executive producer/showrunner Ed Bernero. Richard Shepard is directing.

Like the original series, the potential spinoff is being produced by ABC Studios, the Mark Gordon Co. and CBS Studios.

Producers of the new show zeroed in on Whitaker early and finally moved close to locking him in Monday night after lengthy on- and off- negotiations.

As part of the deal, Whitaker is expected to get a producing credit.

On TV, the WME-repped Whitaker, who won an Oscar in 2007 for "The Last King of Scotland," most recently had arcs on FX's "The Shield" and NBC's "ER."

Thoughts?

Comments

[blackmaryjanes.livejournal.com]

I know it's nit-picky, but that fact that they forgot the A in BAU is driving me nuts.

And I wasn't excited about the spin-off before, and still not.

[xo-popjunkie-xo.livejournal.com]

not excited nor will I ever be. CBS needs to stop making spinoffs. There should only be one Criminal Minds.

[southrnbygrace.livejournal.com]

Does nothing for me. Unless they amp it up I won't be watching.

I guess I'm nit-picky too...cause they said he's the 'squad leader'? I think they mean "Unit Chief". They need to get the terminology correct cause this makes it sound like a half-assed attempt at a spin off.

[dysfunkshunell1.livejournal.com]

They might not be wrong. The way the casting call was originally written, this 'team' is outside of the FBI.

...which explains maybe why he isn't being called the Unit Chief but leaves me all wtf at how this is a spinoff or how they'll appear on a CM ep. Bleh.

[songfire3.livejournal.com]

Not interested - they don't even get the terminology right. *Behavioral Unit*? *Squad Leader*? *rollseyes*

Why can't they just leave the show as it is? Who needs a spin-off?

[80ssluvrgirl.livejournal.com]

This sequel has disaster written all over it, I get that they want to capitalize on the CM fanbase but some spinoff that is an "edgier" version of the show in not the way to go about it. Personally, I think it would be a better idea to increase the merchandising opportunities.

[miggs13.livejournal.com]

"Again NCIS:LA I am looking at you..."

Agreed. I can't watch it. And I fear a CM spin-off is gonna suck just as bad.

[pink-siamese.livejournal.com]

How many "former star profilers who have been off the radar for X years" can there be?

[procedurals.livejournal.com]

My thoughts exactly!

[coffeeem.livejournal.com]

Whitaker is a mighty fine actor, and the writing combo of Chris Mundy and Ed Bernero is also promising. It sounds as if this show is going to have less relation to real-world law enforcement...but heck, I'm a fan of Leverage. A little fantasy in my drama isn't such a terrible thing!

[woodchoc-magnum.livejournal.com]

Okay, fine. So they're getting an Oscar winner.

I still don't want to watch it. *sniff*

[fursona.livejournal.com]

idk why people aren't being more open to this. spin-offs aren't necessarily a bad thing? look at NCIS. or law&order: svu. i'm confident in the writers to pump out something good, even if it doesn't have any of the characters we all know/love. the profiling and the crimes interest me more, anyway.

[lost-journey.livejournal.com]

I'm shallow and unless there's a dorky character with messy hair and an awesome wardrobe, I'm not all that interested. :D

[lost-journey.livejournal.com]

MEH.

Let me know when there's a spin-off all about Reid's personal life. Otherwise, kthnxbye.

[cupcakery.livejournal.com]

Former star profiler? Wait, are we going to have to rework the tenuous time-line again?

[lost-journey.livejournal.com]

Let's hope not.

[bjoyjlaff.livejournal.com]

I'm not going to say this will be a complete bomb, but I guarantee this cast will not have the effortless chemistry of the original. Nor will the stories be as good.

Forest Whitaker is a talented actor and all... but there is only one Criminal Minds for me. The one with MGG/Shemar/Thomas.. for starters. haha.

[artistic-angle.livejournal.com]

They are making a spin off? Really? :p

Anyway, guess he hasn't been talking to Laurence Fishburne lately.

[cupcakery.livejournal.com]

O snap. Still bitter about the brass bringing in a big name male actor because of course there always needs to be one. Waaaaah..

[cloudzrshibby.livejournal.com]

I like Forest and everything, but I amd STILL not excited for this. At all.

[jeweledvixen.livejournal.com]

Meh, this doesn't sound promising. I'll wait and see, though. ~Hopefully~ they will surprise us and actually come up with a decent show.

[gargoule.livejournal.com]

Whitaker will play Cooper, the squad leader. Described as dynamic, mysterious, charming and a father figure to the rest of the team, he is a former star profiler in the Behavioral Unit who has been off the radar for the past eight years.

I'm having a hard time picturing this. It seems like they weren't sure what they wanted in the character and threw everything in for good measure.

I'm not that interested at this point. Part of me is thinking this is going
to be a huge clusterfuck.
I find myself not interested in NCIS: LA and it looked decent when it first came out. Now it's fallen into the "meh, there's absolutely nothing else on. I'll take a peek" category of series for me.

[procedurals.livejournal.com]

I'd love to see Forest Whitaker on my TV, but like others I don't really have high hopes for this.

Sort of off topic, but I wonder what the character descriptions were for the original casting call for Criminal Minds? Because I remember reading the casting call for the spinoff and rolling my eyes repeatedly, but maybe that's just how they all sound...?

[dysfunkshunell1.livejournal.com]

I don't think it's really off topic so I went digging and found...

QUANTICO (CBS) - Mandy Patinkin ("Dead Like Me"), Shemar Moore ("Birds of Prey"), Lola Glaudini ("The Handler") and Matthew Gubler ("The Life Aquatic With Steve Zissou") have all joined the cast of the drama pilot, a suspense thriller that centers on the F.B.I.'s Behavioral Analysis Unit (B.A.U.). Patinkin will play Spec. Agent Jason Donovan, described in the casting notice as "35-45. Experienced and has been around the block, deceptively average-looking, articulate, with a commanding presence, he's a seasoned FBI profiler who traded in field work for seminar instruction after witnessing a dozen cops die in a shrapnel bomb. He maintains a close relationship with his ex-wife, a psychiatrist, who has been helping him deal. When a serial murderer plagues the Seattle area, Donovan is asked to return as a full-time Unit Chief, but kept under close supervision."

Glaudini then is set as Spec. Agent Elle Greenaway, described as "Late 20s. All ethnicities. She is a young, sharp, resourceful and feisty FBI agent with a background in sex offender cases. Her specialty area stems from having been raped at age 19, and the assailant never having been caught. Elle impresses the hell out of the task force members, which is what she wants, as she is bucking for the opening in the BAU (Behavioral Analysis Unit) at Quantico. According to her "file," Elle's biggest character flaw is impatience." As for Moore it's expected he'll play Spec. Agent Derek Morgan, who's detailed as "30-35. All ethnicities. He is a handsome, confident, fast-talking FBI profiler, an expert on obsessional crimes. A witty, direct lady charmer who trains new agents, Morgan joins the special profiler team led by Donovan, to save a woman from becoming the fifth victim of a deranged serial killer." Gubler's character wasn't specified. Touchstone Television is behind the project, which comes from executive producers Jeff Davis and Mark Gordon ("Grey's Anatomy").

QUANTICO (CBS) - Thomas Gibson ("Dharma & Greg") is the latest addition to the pilot, a suspense thriller set inside the F.B.I.'s Behavioral Analysis Unit. He'll reportedly play Spec. Agent Aaron "Hotch" Hotchner in the project. Said character is described in the casting notice as: "Mid 30s. All American. He is an FBI special agent, a loyal, God-fearing compassionate, family man who is respectful of authority. He's a nice guy, reluctant to pass judgement, but more than capable of doing what's required of him." Mandy Patinkin (Spec. Agent Jason Donovan), Shemar Moore (Spec. Agent Derek Morgan), Lola Glaudini (Spec. Agent Elle Greenaway) and Matthew Gubler also star in the project, which comes from Touchstone Television, Paramount Network Television and executive producers Jeff Davis and Mark Gordon. In addition, it's believed Gubler's role has been confirmed as Spec. Agent Dr. Daniel Reed: "27. A classically misunderstood genius with a seriously low social I.Q., he is an FBI special agent whose expertise covers just about everything. Reed takes his job seriously, and often needs to be reminded by his cohorts to lighten up."courtesy of thefutoncritic (http://www.thefutoncritic.com/showatch.aspx?id=criminal_minds)

Aside from LOL at the changes since, I still find this a LOT more intriguing than what they're giving us thus far for the spinoff. I'm hoping that they aren't just expecting an Oscar winner to carry the show and that we're simply missing some key details. Seriously hoping.

[calanthe-b.livejournal.com]

I'm not interested in watching the sequel - but I am very, very happy that the actor they're chasing for the 'mysterious, charming father figure' lead role is not a white man.

[aratama.livejournal.com]

Haha, truth.

(I love Mandy and all, and I've come to appreciate Rossi, but that sort of casting is really old. It's been old for a few decades.)

[eiko82.livejournal.com]

Yeah, still not feeling excited. I like Forest Whitaker but I still don't see the point in a CM spin-off. THERE CAN ONLY BE ONE CM!!!

[dunderklumpen.livejournal.com]

You can think what you want about the spin-off but Whitaker is a brilliant actor and I hink he will be able to give the role real life. That makes me really curious about the spin-off. I'm really surpised how negative fandom is reacting in general. I'm gonna watch the beginning and will then decide if I continue or not because although I love CM to death I thought the first 2-3 episodes weren't brilliant either.

[miss-odell.livejournal.com]

THIS!!

[rainbow-goddess.livejournal.com]

I'm skeptical, but I was skeptical about NCIS:LA as well and now I love it, though for a completely different reason than I love original NCIS.

I just don't understand how this "team that's outside the FBI bureaucracy" works. If they're outside the FBI, then how can they be in the same universe as Criminal Minds? Who do they work for? Are they a group of rogue profilers or what?

[djan31.livejournal.com]

Rogue profilers.

LOL.

[reseda-3067.livejournal.com]

Okay, spin offs CAN be good, but I seriously have my doubts about this one.

I´m not a fan of Forest Whitaker, even though he´s a great actor. I can´t really see him as " mysterious and charming and a father figure ". But that´s just me.

And I agree with everyone who mentioned NCIS:LA: UGH!!!!

[dumbstruckk.livejournal.com]

Still haven't come around the idea of a spin-off. I feel like it's going to be CM 2.0

[djan31.livejournal.com]

Just no.
I cannot imagine watching this show without these characters. Every one of them adds something that keys me in, Hotch, Reid, Prentiss, Morgan, Garcia, Rossi, and hell, even JJ (and that's something because I'm not a huge JJ fan). Never watching this.

-crosses arms-