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.

[pink-siamese.livejournal.com]

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

[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]

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]

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]

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.

[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]

My thoughts exactly!

[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...?

[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.

[coffeeem.livejournal.com]

Well, Gideon wasn't off the radar--he was teaching at Quantico. And Max Ryan wasn't off the radar, either; he was a celebrity true crime writer. Have we seen anyone else who might fit the description?

[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.

[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!!!