Dawn Olmstead has been promoted to President, Universal Cable Productions and Wilshire Studios. She will oversees creative development and operations for both studios, reporting to Bonnie Hammer, Chairman, NBCUniversal Cable Entertainment. Additionally, Andra Shapiro has been elevated to EVP & General Counsel, Legal…

Following the success of breakout comedy Happy!, Universal Cable Prods. is adapting another Image Comics property into a TV series. UCP is developing Image Comics' comic book series Ice Cream Man, which debuted in January. Max and Adam Reid (Sneaky Pete) will write the adaptation. The duo will serve as executive…

NBCUniversal Cable Entertainment has formalized its development/Universal Cable Prods. & Wilshire Studios leadership under Chairman Bonnie Hammer following the exit of Jeff Wachtel, Chief Content Officer, NBCU Cable Entertainment and President, UCP & Wilshire Studios, who is segueing to a new role as NBCU…

I have learned that Universal Cable Productions has teamed with Shout! Factory to develop a TV series based on Bill Carter's best-selling 2006 book Desperate Networks. Carter, former longtime New York Times media reporter and current CNN contributor, will write the adaptation, which is in very early stages. Desperate N…

Suits creator/executive producer Aaron Korsh has closed a new two-year overall deal with Universal Cable Productions, the studio behind the hit USA drama series Suits. Korsh, who had been under an overall deal at UCP since December 2012, will continue as showrunner on Suits, which is returning for a seventh season in…

In a post titled “The Wild Cards Are Coming…to Television,” Game of Thrones author George R.R. Martin announced on his livejournal site yesterday that Universal Cable Productions has acquired the rights to adapt his Wild Cards book series. “Development will begin immediately on what we hope will be the first of…

Jackie de Crinis, USA Network’s EVP original programming who developed many of the network’s signature series — from Monk to Mr. Robot — is stepping down and segueing to an overall deal with sibling Universal Cable Prods. Under the pact, de Crinis will serve as an executive producer on the USA/UCP 10-episode…

Two years into her tenure as EVP of Development for Universal Cable Prods., Dawn Olmstead is expanding her portfolio. In her new role as EVP of Development at Universal Cable Prods. and Wilshire Studios, Olmstead — who has renewed her contract — will add oversight of development for Wilshire Studios, NBCUniversal…

It was a very dramatic and locked in finale to the fifth season of Suits last night, but the legal drama that anchors USA Network's original programming slate ended in a good place – at least viewershipwise. Last night's 10 – 11:04 PM finale of the Aaron Korsh created series snagged 1.708 million total viewers and a…

Universal Cable Productions has closed a new two-year overall deal with Aaron Korsh, creator/executive producer of USA’s hit drama series Suits. Korsh, who had been under an overall deal at UCP since December 2012, will continue as showrunner on Suits and develop new projects for UCP. One of the projects Korsh…

USA Network and Universal Cable Prods. have teamed to greenlight two-hour backdoor pilot The Wilding, a supernatural drama from executive producers Tim Kring (Heroes) and writer-creator Silka Luisa (To The Bone). Ciarán Foy (Citadel) is set to direct. The project, whose pickup had been in the works for a while with…

EXCLUSIVE: In his first foray into television, writer Sam Esmail wrote a spec for a brooding hacker drama, which was picked up by USA Network. It went to pilot and series, which was just renewed for a second season ahead of its series premiere tonight. In a rare feat, Esmail, a complete novice in TV, was entrusted…