J.J. Abram's 'Alcatraz'.

[Rappy Veteran]

JJ Abrams and Lost executive producer Elizabeth Sarnoff are heading to another island. I hear Abrams and his Warner Bros. TV-based Bad Robot are about to take out to the networks Alcatraz, a drama spec script written by Sarnoff. Like all things Bad Robot, the project is shrouded in secrecy but it is about the San Francisco Bay island that once housed some of the country's most notorious criminals, including Al Capone. WBTV, which co-produces with Bad Robot, declined comment.

Sarnoff joined ABC's Lost, co-created and executive produced by Abrams, in the second season as a writer-producer and rose through the ranks to executive producer in the sixth and final season of the sci-fi/adventure series. She wrote or co-wrote 19 episodes, including the series penultimate episode. Abrams tends to develop with writers he has worked with before and seems to prefer spec scripts over pitches. Bad Robot's two series on the air, Fox's Fringe and the upcoming NBC spy drama Undercovers, originated as spec scripts Abrams co-penned with Alias alums Alex Kurtzman and Roberto Orci and former Felicity and What About Brian writer-producer Josh Reims, respectively. Speaking of Fringe, a trivia tidbit: a minor character on the show's first season was named Elizabeth Sarnoff. Before Lost, Sarnoff worked on Deadwood and Crossing Jordan.

Source

Edited November 22, 2010 by Rappy

[Rappy Veteran]

The network that gave us Prison Break is heading back to prison. Fox has picked up Alcatraz, the J.J. Abrams produced drama about the San Francisco Bay island. The project, which was written on spec and recently taken out to the networks, has received a pilot commitment by Fox which is already in business with Abrams on sci-fi drama Fringe. Alcatraz is described as "a show about mysteries, secrets and the most infamous prison of all time: Alcatraz." Lost executive producer Elizabeth Sarnoff penned the final script, while Steven Lilien and Bryan Wynbrandt (Kyle XY) wrote earlier versions. All 3 are credited as writers on the pilot, which Abrams, Lilien and Wynbrandt will co-executive produce. Abrams' Bad Robot Prods is producing with Warner Bros TV. This is the third consecutive year a spec from Bad Robot has landed a major commitment after interest from multiple networks. The first two scripts, Fringe and Undercovers, went to series on Fox and NBC, respectively.

Source: Deadline

Read more: http://www.spoilertv.com/2010/09/fox-picks-up-jj-abrams-alcatraz.html?utm_source=twitterfeed&utm_medium=facebook#ixzz0zhvQGE00

[Pallab]

To be honest the only thing that sounds interesting about this is J J Abrams. Lets hope it will be good.

Btw, what is a spec?

[Rappy Veteran]

First Casting!

EXCLUSIVE: Big news for Lost fans: series co-star Jorge Garcia has joined another J.J. Abrams drama about an island. Garcia is set to play a lead on the Fox pilot Alcatraz, which is executive produced by Lost co-creator/executive producer Abrams.

The project, described to be "about secrets and the most infamous prison of all time," centers on a group of missing Alcatraz prisoners and guards who reappear in the present day. It chronicles the efforts of a team of FBI agents to track them down and unravel the mystery behind their disappearance thirty years prior. Garcia will play the hippy geek Dr. Diego Soto, the world's foremost expert on Alcatraz.

Actor-comedian Garcia, who landed his first TV series role on the CBS comedy Becker, rose to fame as one of the key cast members on ABC's hit drama Lost. He was the first actor cast in the Lost pilot, just like he is now on Alcatraz. The role of Hugo "Hurley" Reyes on Lost was tailor-made for him. Similarly, he was the first and only actor the producers of Alcatraz approached for the role of Dr. Soto. Garcia, repped by APA and KLWG Entertainment, guest stars on the Thanksgiving episode of CBS' comedy How I Met Your Mother tomorrow night. He will also appear in an episode of ABC's midseason comedy Mr. Sunshine. Garcia is the third Lost cast member eyeing return to primetime this season in a new drama series executive produced by Abrams. Michael Emerson and Terry O'Quinn star as former special ops agents in the project Odd Jobs, which landed at NBC with a put pilot commitment.

Alcatraz was written on spec by Elizabeth Sarnoff, who penned the final version, and Steven Lilien and Bryan Wynbrandt, who wrote earlier incarnations. The project, from Abrams' Bad Robot Prods. and Warner Bros. TV, was bought by Fox with a pilot commitment in mid-September, and greenlighted to pilot a week later. Sarnoff serves as showrunner and executive produces with Abrams and Bryan Burk. Lilien and Wynbrandt will co-executive produce and Danny Cannon will direct the pilot, which is slated to begin in January in San Francisco and Vancouver.

[PreKe]

Heh, more islands and time travel? :)

[gigapixels Veteran]

YES! I'm not a huge Lost fan, but Hurley is awesome :D

[Growled Member]

Sounds like Lost part two.

[Jase]

As long as he goes easy with calling everyone "dude".. I think I'll enjoy him as a main character.

[Dark_ph0enix]

Hurley! On an Island!

Awesome!

[ThisSiteHasLostItsCharm]

hopefully it'll last longer than undercovers...

[Rappy Veteran]

EXCLUSIVE: Sarah Jones (Sons of Anarchy) has landed the lead in the J.J. Abrams-produced Fox pilot Alcatraz. The drama project, from Warner Bros. TV and Abrams' Bad Robot, centers on a group of missing Alcatraz prisoners and guards who reappear in the present day. It chronicles the efforts of a team of FBI agents to track them down and unravel the mystery behind their disappearance thirty years prior. Jones will play Rebecca Madsen, a smart, thoughtful and a little obsessive police officer. She joins Lost alum Jorge Garcia who was the first actor cast in the pilot. Jones is the latest ingenue to headline a series project from Abrams, who is known for breaking new young female talent on his shows. He cast Keri Russell on Felicity, Jennifer Garner on Alias, Evangeline Lilly on Lost, Australian Anna Torv on Fringe, and, most recently, British actress Gugu Mbatha-Raw on Undercovers.

[Rappy Veteran]

Two more actors have joined the cast of J.J. Abrams? time-warped Alcatraz pilot, according to a a spokesperson for Fox. Jonathan Coyne (Lara Croft Tomb Raider: The Cradle of Life) will play the infamous prison?s warden and Jason Butler Harner, who appeared in the Fringe pilot, will portray his cruel lieutenant. They join a cast that already includes Lost alum Jorge Garcia and Sarah Jones (Sons of Anarchy).

[Rappy Veteran]

Sam Neill is set to star opposite Sarah Jones in the J.J. Abrams-produced Fox pilot Alcatraz. The drama project, from Warner Bros. TV, Abrams' Bad Robot and executive producer/showrunner Liz Sarnoff, chronicles the efforts of a cop (Jones) and team of FBI agents tracking down a group of missing Alcatraz prisoners and guards who reappear in the present day. Neill will play Emerson Hauser, the head of a government agency who radiates authority and piercing intelligence. In addition to Jones, WME-repped Neill joins previously cast Lost alum Jorge Garcia and Jonny Coyne, who also play lead roles, and Jason Butler Harner, who is supporting.

http://www.deadline.com/2010/12/sam-neill-to-star-in-j-j-abrams-alcatraz/

[Rappy Veteran]

EXCLUSIVE: ER alumna Parminder Nagra is set for a lead role on Fox's pilot Alcatraz. Also in negotiations to join in the J.J. Abrams-produced pilot is veteran Robert Forster. The drama project, from Warner Bros. TV, Abrams' Bad Robot and executive producer/showrunner Liz Sarnoff, chronicles the efforts of a cop (Sarah Jones) and team of FBI agents tracking down a group of missing Alcatraz prisoners and guards who reappear in the present day.

Sam Neill was just cast as Emerson Hauser, a head of a government agency. Nagra will play his lab technician, Lucy. Forster, who was nominated for an Oscar for his supporting role in Jackie Brown, will play Ray Archer, a retired detective who is now owner/bartender of a cop hangout bar. Following her breakthrough performance in the 2002 film Bend It Like Beckham, Nagra joined NBC's medical drama ER, on which she co-starred for six seasons, until the show's end in April 2009.

[PreKe]

ER alumna Parminder Nagra is set for a lead role on Fox's pilot Alcatraz.

Has she gotten slightly fatter?

[Rappy Veteran]

Santiago Cabrera has joined the cast of forthcoming Fox drama Alcatraz.

The pilot, from executive producer J.J. Abrams, will follow police officer Rebecca Madsen (Sarah Jones) as she works with a team of FBI agents to track down a group of missing Alcatraz prisoners and guards.

Deadline reports that former Heroes star Carbrera will play Madsen's "sweet-natured" fiance Jimmy in the project.

The actor previously starred as super-powered artist Isaac Mendez on the NBC series from 2006 to 2007 and also plays the recurring role of Lancelot on BBC fantasy drama Merlin.

He will join the previously-cast Sam Neill, Jorge Garcia, Jonny Coyne and Jason Butler Harner in Alcatraz.

Filming on the pilot is expected to commence later this month.

http://www.digitalspy.co.uk/ustv/s1/heroes/news/a298873/heroes-star-joins-foxs-alcatraz.html

[Rappy Veteran]

ABRAMS: We do. We have a few projects. We have a show for Fox called Alcatraz, that starts shooting on the 19th, which I could not be more excited about.

Is Alcatraz actually about Alcatraz?

ABRAMS: Alcatraz does involve Alcatraz.

Will it be shot in the actual prison?

ABRAMS: Some will be, yes. There are sets being built, but there will be some of the pilot shot in San Francisco at Alcatraz.

What is the series about?

ABRAMS: I don't want to give anything away because no one wants to hear that, but I will say that it's a beautifully written and surprisingly emotional script, although not surprising when you know that Liz Sarnoff wrote it. She's amazing. The show is about an incredibly odd and mysterious turn and secret about the prison of Alcatraz, and a modern-day mystery that involves something very odd that happened there 50 years ago.

Who have you cast?

ABRAMS: The cast is unbelievable. It's Sam Neill, Sarah Jones, Jorge Garcia from Lost ? who was the first person we cast and is just the greatest with an amazing role ? and Johnny Coyne, who's an amazing English actor. We have a spectacular cast. There are a number of other actors and it is wonderful. I'm really excited about the show.

[Rappy Veteran]

Alcatraz given full Season pick up!

Fox on Tuesday was also in the mood for some addition as well as subtraction, granting orders to series including the Bones spinoff and J.J. Abrams? Alcatraz.

http://www.tvline.com/2011/05/breaking-fox-cancels-human-target-breaking-in/

[Crazysah]

Awesome news. This is going to be great stuff. Can't wait!

[KoL Veteran]

Pretty cool. Looking forward to this.

[ThisSiteHasLostItsCharm]

when is this supposed to start?

[Rappy Veteran]

when is this supposed to start?

it's a Fall show so...the Fall sometime!

[ThisSiteHasLostItsCharm]

ah poop, and everything seems to be dropping like flies atm, soon there won't be anything left to watch :(

[Rappy Veteran]

[mudslag]

Has she gotten slightly fatter?

Its called a pregnancy

Sam Neill rocks, "In the mouth of madness" is one of my fav roles of his.