NBC has officially greenlit production on a J.J. Abrams pilot, and has agreed to pay a penatly if the project does not go to series.
Reps for the network did not respond to requests for comment, but an industry source with knowledge of the deal confirmed the agreement and the terms. TheWrap broke the news of the Abrams project Wednesday evening.
Abrams and Josh Reims co-wrote a spec script for the project. Because the script is already written, the project will now go to pilot. Warner Bros. TV-based Bad Robot is producing.
NBC wasn't WBTV's first choice for the Abrams project. The studio had serious overtures from ABC and CBS, and was in talks with both.
But when a deal couldn't be done with those networks, NBC stepped up and landed the project. It's a major coup for new NBC chief Angela Bromstad, who's been working hard to restore the Peacock's rep as a home where top creative talent can feel comfortable.
Insiders all over Hollywood have been talking about the general sense of stability and calm inside NBC Entertainment in recent months. While there's still plenty of concern over the network's continued poor ratings performance, there's a sense that the network's west coast unit-- under Bromstad, reality chief Paul Telegdy and long-time chairman Marc Graboff-- is finally operating smartly.
