Zoe Saldana to star in NBC's 'Rosemary's Baby' miniseries

[Sawyer]

http://www.deadline.com/2013/12/rosemarys-baby-nbc-miniseries-agnieszka-holland-directing/

NBC Greenlights ‘Rosemary’s Baby’ Miniseries With Agnieszka Holland Directing
By NELLIE ANDREEVA

Four months after NBC signaled a push in the longform arena with a development slate of several miniseries and event series, the network has greenlighted the first project from that slate, four-hour miniseries Rosemary’s Baby, an adaptation of the 1967 best-selling suspense novel by Ira Levin. Agnieszka Holland, who has been nominated for both an Oscar (Europa, Europa) and an Emmy (Treme), has come on board to direct the mini, written by Scott Abbott (Introducing Dorothy Dandridge) and James Wong (American Horror Story). Casting begins immediately, with filming set to begin in January in Paris. Lionsgate Television is producing, with Joshua Maurer, Alix Witlin and David Stern serving as executive producers. “Ira Levin’s mesmerizing book was a groundbreaking reflection on how effective and influential a psychological thriller could be,” said Quinn Taylor, NBC’s EVP, Movies, Miniseries and International Co-Productions, who has been shepherding NBC’s longform strategy since joining the network from ABC in June. Added NBC Entertainment president Jennifer Salke, “As we move into the event movie and miniseries space, Rosemary’s Baby represents the kind of attention-getting, surprising project that will make noise for us. The story has been updated and moved to Paris, but it’s faithful to the spirit of Ira Levin’s classic novel.”

Rosemary’s Baby centers on a young married couple who move into a Paris apartment that has a haunted past. After getting pregnant, the wife becomes increasingly suspicious that both her husband and their neighbors will have ulterior motives when her child is born. The book has a famous feature adaptation, the 1968 film directed by Roman Polanski and starring Mia Farrow.

This is NBC’s first miniseries in a long time as the genre has been enjoying a resurgence following the success of History’s Hatfields & McCoys. NBC’s last major miniseries franchise was the 2004 10.5 earthquake mini and its 2006 sequel. The network’s last miniseries until now was the 2009 The Storm, which aired during the summer. NBC has several other miniseries in the works, including an adaptation of Stephen King’s Tommyknockers, along with several limited series, including The Bible sequel AD: After the Bible. The order to Rosemary’s Baby comes on the heels of NBC’s ratings success with its high-profile longform effort, the live staging of The Sound Of Music last Thursday. It also follows CBS’ order yesterday to four-hour miniseries Dovekeeprs, produced by Mark Burnett and Roma Downey.

http://www.deadline.com/2014/01/zoe-saldana-to-topline-nbc-miniseries-rosemarys-baby/

Zoe Saldana To Topline NBC Miniseries ‘Rosemary’s Baby’
By NELLIE ANDREEVA

Avatar and Star Trek star Zoe Saldana is set to play Rosemary in NBC’s four-hour miniseries Rosemary’s Baby, an adaptation of the 1967 best-selling suspense novel by Ira Levin. The mini centers on Rosemary (Saldana), a young wife and would-be mother who, with her husband, moves into a Paris apartment that has a darkly storied past. After finally getting pregnant, she becomes increasingly suspicious that both her husband and their mysterious neighbors have ulterior motives about the future of her child. “Zoe has proven that she is one of our most gifted actresses and we think she has the perfect combination of spirit and gravitas to take on the title role from Ira Levin’s infamous novel,” said Quinn Taylor, Executive Vice President, Movies, Miniseries and International Co-Productions, NBC Entertainment. “With Zoe leading the cast under the direction of Agnieszka Holland, this reimagined event mini-series is off to a great start.” Holland is directing the mini from a script by Scott Abbott. Production is set to begin shortly in Paris. Saldana recently appeared in the Christian Bale drama “Out of the Furnace” and upcoming projects include Marvel’s “Guardians of the Galaxy,” “Blood Ties” and the “The Book of Life.”

Well, damn.

 

[Sawyer]

http://www.deadline.com/2014/01/patrick-j-adams-jason-isaacs-rosemarys-baby-miniseries-nbc/

Patrick J. Adams & Jason Isaacs To Star In NBC’s ‘Rosemary’s Baby’ Miniseries
By NELLIE ANDREEVA

EXCLUSIVE: Suits star Patrick J. Adams is set as the male lead opposite Zoe Saldana in NBC’s four-hour miniseries Rosemary’s Baby, an adaptation of the 1967 best-selling suspense novel by Ira Levin. Jason Isaacs also has joined the mini, directed by Agnieska Holland. It centers on Rosemary Woodhouse (Saldana), a young wife and would-be mother who, with her husband Guy (Adams), moves into a Paris apartment that has a dark past. After finally getting pregnant, she becomes increasingly suspicious that both her husband and their mysterious neighbors have ulterior motives about the future of her child. Isaacs will play warlock/coven-leader Roman Castevet, a role played by Sidney Blackmer in Roman Polanski’s 1968 feature adaptation, in which Guy was played by John Cassavetes. This marks a nice NBCUniversal crossover, with Adams — one of the hottest stars of USA Network where Suits is a flagship series — taking on a lead of an NBC project. It also marks Issacs’ return to NBC where he toplined drama Awake. (He also worked with NBC topper Bob Greenblatt on Showtime’s Brotherhood.) Filming on Rosemary’s Baby, produced by Lionsgate TV, is slated to begin shortly in Paris. Adams is with Andy Corren Management, UTA and attorney Lev Ginsburg; Isaacs with Gersh, Independent Talent Group and Silver Lining.

 

[TheVileOne]

I remember reading about almost 10 years ago that they wanted to do a Rosemary's Baby miniseries that would re-adapt the first book and the later sequel.

So do they also plan to adapt the sequel with this miniseries? Where the baby grows up and the apocalypse is about to start?

 

[Primal Slayer]

First (2)episode was ok, certainly a little more kick than the original.

 

[Charlie Boy]

Is this what NBC thinks happens if interracial couples reproduce?

 

[Marvolo]

It's not bad. Sufficiently creepy. Zoe is gorgeous as always. I've never seen the original, but I've been meaning to for a long time.

 

[Primal Slayer]

The original is product it's time and very slow and long.