Orci’s Latest Project “Scorpion” Gets Pilot Order at CBS

Posted on February 5, 2014 by Tom Castaneda

Roberto Orci latest television could have (eight) legs at CBS…

The network has given a pilot order to Scorpion, a drama from the 40-year-old Mexican American film and television writer and producer, Nick Santora, Justin Lin and Alex Kurtzman.

The project, which had a put pilot commitment, was written by Breakout Kings co-creator Santora and will be directed by Fast & Furious’ Lin, with CBS Television Studios producing.

It centers on an eccentric genius and his international network of super-geniuses who form the last line of defense against the complex threats of the modern age.

Scorpion was inspired by the true story of Walter O’Brien (hacker name “Scorpion”), CEO of global think tank Scorpion Computer Services. A man with one of the world’s highest documented IQs (1 in 1.5B people), O’Brien became a real-life Professor X and recruited and trained other geniuses from around the world to work together to save lives and solve problems from casino security to Military Drone warfare.

This is a second pilot order this season from Orci and Kurtzman’s K/O, along with the terrorism drama Identity at the CW.

The CW Orders Pilot of Orci’s Drama Project “Identity”

Posted on January 30, 2014 by Tom Castaneda

Roberto Orci may have found his identity at the CW…

The network has ordered a pilot of Identity, the drama project from the Mexican-American film and television writer and producer and his business partner Alex Kurtzman.

Identity is inspired by the Israeli feature script Dance of the Hours by Orna Raiz.

The drama project, written by Corinne Brinkerhoff, centers on a young woman in need of a transplant who learns that she’s related to a powerful family whose son is her only hope for a donor organ.

The CIA approaches her to investigate the family’s involvement in domestic terrorism and to infiltrate their rarefied world.

Her loyalty, morality and ethics are tested as she’s forced to slowly build a case against the family who saved her life.

CBS Television Studios is producing the project with studio-based K.O. Paper Products.

Rodriguez to Direct Pilot for Latino James Bond-esque TV Series

Posted on November 12, 2013 by Tom Castaneda

Robert Rodriguez will be bringing a Latino James Bond to television…

The 45-year-old Mexican American director, producer and screenwriter will direct and executive-produce the pilot for an original series for Rodriguez’s new English-language network, called El Rey.

From Alex Kurtzman and Roberto Orci’s K/O Paper Products, the series is said to be an adventure drama.

It centers on a playboy soccer star who, in reality, happens to be a skilled covert operative, executing missions for a little known branch of the CIA.

Lopez’s Nuyorican Prods. Signs First Look Deal with Universal

Posted on November 7, 2013 by Tom Castaneda

Jennifer Lopez could start bringing more scripted and reality projects to life real soon…

The 43-year-old Puerto Rican singer/actress’ production company, Nuyorican Prods., has entered into a first look production deal with Universal Television to develop new scripted and reality projects.

As part of the deal, Priscilla Porianda, who joined Nuyorican Prods. last year, has been named Head of Development.

“I am thrilled to have Nuyorican partner with NBC Universal and I am happy to announce Priscilla Porianda as our Head of Development,” Lopez said. “She will work closely with Elaine Goldsmith-Thomas, Benny Medina and I in expanding our brand into scripted and unscripted television. Our goal at Nuyorican has always been to create edgy, timely and relevant programming.”

The company has breakout new ABC Family drama The Fosters, about a lesbian couple raising children, which was recently renewed for a second season.

Porianda serves as a co-producer on The Fosters as well as Nuyorican’s upcoming feature with Universal/Blumhouse Boy Next Door, which stars Lopez and Ryan Guzman.

“We are so lucky to have someone as smart and creative as Priscilla to work with us as our partner and friend,” Goldsmith-Thomas said. Porianda will split her time between New York and Los Angeles to “try to access the great talent pools on both coasts.”

Prior to joining Nuyorican, Porianda worked at Alex Kurtzman and Roberto Orci’s K/O Paper Products. Simon Fields, who previously served as Nuyorican president, is no longer with the company.

In addition to The Fosters, Nuyorican has reality series South Beach Tow, entering a third season on TruTV.

Gonzalez Cast in Recurring Role on Fox’s “Sleepy Hollow”

Posted on August 23, 2013 by Tom Castaneda

Nicholas Gonzalez is headed to Sleepy Hollow…

The 37-year-old Mexican American actor has signed on to appear in a recurring role on Fox’s new drama Sleepy Hollow, created by Roberto Orci and Alex Kurtzman.

The series follows Ichabod Crane as he partners with Sleepy Hollow’s local female sheriff to solve the mysteries of a town ravaged by the battle between good and evil.

Gonzalez, who recently signed on to appear on Lifetime’s Witches of East End, will recur as Luke, Abbie’s (portrayed Nicole Beharie) ex-boyfriend who works for the Sleepy Hollow Police Department.

Gonzalez is best known for playing Alex Santiago on Showtime’s boxing drama series Resurrection Blvd. His other television credits include appearances on The Glades, Off the Map, Melrose Place, CSI: Miami and True Blood.

Orci In Talks to Write the Next Star Trek Film…

Posted on August 6, 2013 by Tom Castaneda

Roberto Orci will be trekking into familiar territory…

The Mexican-American film and television writer and producer and his business partner Alex Kurtzman are in talks to pen the next Star Trek outing for Paramount Pictures and Skydance Productions.

Orci and Kurtzman co-wrote the previous two installments for director J.J. Abrams, who is in negotiations to produce Star Trek 3 through his Bad Robot production company. Damon Lindelof also shared writing credit on this summer’s Star Trek Into Darkness. Sources say Lindelof will not be back for the third chapter of the rebooted franchise.

Though the project is shrouded in secrecy, much like Star Trek Into Darkness was, reports have surfaced in recent weeks that the studio would tap new writers. Rumors swirled that other young writing teams were being courted for their takes. But Paramount shifted gears recently and is returning to the duo that breathed new life into the moribund franchise. The tricky part was getting Kurtzman and Orci to find a gap in their schedules to write. In addition to their growing TV empire, they have been busy on the film front as part of their two-year first-look deal with Universal Pictures that has them rebooting The Mummy and Van Helsing.

The next Star Trek film is untitled and unscheduled, but Paramount and Skydance are eager to continue the franchise, which will celebrate its 50th anniversary in 2016. Stars Chris Pine, Zachary Quinto and Zoe Saldana are expected to return.

Rodriguez’s “Locke & Key” to be Developed as a Feature Film

Posted on June 19, 2013 by Tom Castaneda

Gabriel Rodriguez’s critically acclaimed work is headed to the big screen…

Universal Pictures has optioned Locke & Key – the supernatural comic book series by the Chilean comic book artist and Joe Hill – to develop as a feature film.

Roberto Orci, Alex Kurtzman and Bobby Cohen will produce the project via their Universal-based K/O Paper Products banner.

Locke & Key tells the story of three siblings who, after the gruesome murder of their father, move to their ancestral home in Massachusetts. They soon discover the house has magical keys that give the bearers a vast array of powers and abilities. However, a devious creature is also after the keys, forcing the family to make a stand against evil.

The stories expanded to tell a bi-generational coming-of-age tale that encompasses heroism and tragedy and thrills and chills.

The graphic novel collections have appeared on the New York Times bestseller list multiple times, even hitting #1, while the comics have garnered Rodriguez and Hill multiple Eisner Award nominations.

Hill, the son of Stephen King and author of horror novels like Heart-Shaped Box and the recent NOS4A2, won an Eisner for best writer, and the series has twice won the British Fantasy Award for best comic/graphic novel.

Orci’s Modern-Day “Sleepy Hollow” Project Gets Pilot Order

Posted on January 23, 2013 by Tom Castaneda

It’s Sleepy time for Rorbeto Orci…

Fox has picked up the drama pilot Sleepy Hollow from the 39-year-old Mexican-American television writer/producer and his partner Alex Kurtzman.

Sleepy Hollow, which has Underworld helmer Len Wiseman on board to direct, is described as as a modern–day supernatural thriller based on The Legend Of Sleepy Hollow.

The project follows Ichabod Crane as he partners with Sleepy Hollow’s local female sheriff to solve the mysteries of a town ravaged by the battle between good and evil.

Orci and Kurtzman wrote the script with up-and-coming writer Phillip Iscove, on whose idea the project is based.

Kurtzman and Orci will executive produce Sleepy Hollow; and their studio-based K/O Paper Products produce.

Orci to Produce Fantasy Adventure Series “Dragonology”

Posted on August 27, 2012 by Tom Castaneda

Roberto Orci is preparing to take children on a fantastical adventure…

The 39-year-old Mexican film and television producer and his business partner Alex Kurtzman have signed on to produce Dragonology, a fantasy adventure series to be based on the children’s book series.

Universal picked up the series in 2008, initially hiring Leonard Hartman to pen the script. Hartman now will serve as an executive producer on the project, while Orci and Kurtzman will oversee the hiring of a new scribe and the writing of a new script.

The faux fiction books are based on the notion that dragons actually exist as revealed by the Victorian dragonologist Ernest Drake. The studio’s take revolves around a team of dragonologists who embark on a quest to avert a plot to use the world’s remaining dragons to wipe out humanity.

The series, published in the U.K. by Templar and in the U.S. by Candlewick Press, now has 12 titles and has sold more than 6 million copies.

Dragonology falls under Kurtzman and Orci’s two-year, first-look deal with Universal that they signed in May.

The duo are writers and producers on Star Trek 2 and have been slated to write and executive produce the sequel to The Amazing Spider-Man.

Orci to Helm “Sleep Hollow” Pilot for Fox…

Posted on July 24, 2012 by Tom Castaneda

There could be plenty of sleep for Roberto Orci in the near future…

The 39-year-old Mexican-American film and television writer/producer and his business partner Alex Kurtzman have received a pilot commitment from Fox for their drama pitch Sleepy Hollow.

Described as a modern–day supernatural thriller based on The Legend of Sleepy Hollow, it follows Ichabod Crane as he partners with Sleepy Hollow’s local female sheriff to solve the mysteries of a town ravaged by the battle between good and evil.

Orci and Kurtzman will write the script with up-and-coming scribe Phillip Iscove, on whose idea the project is based. In addition, Orci will serve as an executive producer on the project.

This is the first TV project Orci and Kurtzman will co-write since the 2010 launch of their production company as a pod based at 20thCentury Fox Television.

Orci and Kurtzman previously co-penned Fox’s Fringe with JJ Abrams and CBS’ Hawaii Five-0 reboot.

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