As I'm sure you've all read, Brendan is working on a pilot for ABC - "Samurai Girl." See his post here about the pilot and his character "Jake Stanton" (name has a nice ring to it don't you think?).

The proposed series is based on a series of novels called "Samurai Girl."

In checking out the novels I located this summary for the first book in the series.

"From School Library Journal
(Grade 6 Up-)

Six-month-old Heaven survived a plane crash that killed her parents and was adopted by the affluent Kogo family. The now 19-year-old is forced to marry sleazy Teddy Yukemara, the son of a wealthy businessman with whom Heaven's mafioso dad is involved. When a ninja crashes her wedding, she sees her dad stand by and watch while her brother is brutally murdered. Convinced that she can no longer trust her family, she flees the wedding, her parents, and her posh lifestyle to learn the ways of the samurai and eventually avenge her brother's death. Action, romance, and intrigue are all neatly woven into this cinematic and sarcastic first installment in a new series. These characters are three-dimensional, and Asai's sense of atmosphere effectively captures the sights, smells, and energy of Los Angeles. In fact, the author cleverly surrounds her American-culture and film-obsessed heroine with enough mystery, passion, and fight sequences to rival any Hollywood action blockbuster. A step above the usual action/adventure series book, Sword is great for all audiences, but especially reluctant readers.

Hillias J. Martin, New York Public Library
Copyright 2003 Reed Business Information, Inc."

We're keeping our fingers and toes crossed that the series takes off. Wonder who has been case as "Heaven"



Moon

Checked on IMBD and located this info.

They indicate that Jamie Chung will play the title role of "Heaven" in Samurai Girl.







I'm not familiar with the actress. Credits are "Real World" which this "mature" dragon never watched.

From TV Squad.Com we have:

"Samurai Girl heading to ABC Family
Posted Aug 21st 2007 1:02PM by Adam Finley
Filed under: Other Drama Shows, Pickups and Renewals

ABC Family has ordered a pilot for Samurai Girl, a new series based on the book Samurai Girl: Book of the Sword by Carrie Asai. Other books in the series include Book of the Wind, Book of the Shadow, Book of the Flame and Book of the Heart, but according to Variety the new series will be based solely on Book of the Sword, which tells the tale of a girl named Heaven, who, rescued from a plane crash as an infant, grows up with an adoptive Kogo family that hides a "dark secret." Heaven must use her samurai ways to learn all she can.

In the book, Heaven's brother is murdered during her pre-arranged wedding to the son of her father's business partner. It's this event that compels Heaven to learn the ways of the samurai and avenge the death of her brother. Adaptations tend to differ from the source material, so it will be interesting to see how closely this new series follows the book. The pilot, which begins shooting this fall, was written by Alias writer Luke McMullen."

So far that is all I've had time to research. I leave it to the other Fehrians to provide more 411.

Work calls, TTFN,



Moon

Hmm interesting Thanks for the info Moon I shall see what comes up (and darn good stuff happens when Vin always leaves )

Hmm I may have to read now,no? *looks at the pile of Palahniuk, O'Dell and Kripke -ism books on the bed* Bah.

http://www.simonsays.com/extras/flash/samuraigirl/home.htm

This is definitely doing to be American-ized judging from well. . . I looked and no 'Jake' is mentioned anywhere.

Sounds interesting. I do remember seeing Jamie Chung, vaguely, when flipping channels and coming upon "The Real World". Didn't know what her name was though.

Let's hope he isn't the murdered brother who doesn't last the pilot!


Yay, such good news, and this sounds really interesting. Must check out the first book at least! Good riddance CSI Miami *kicks unappreciative of Brendan show*

If it were me . . . well . . I'm putting my money on the 'ex fiance' or the mentor at this point but I hope he isn't the murdered brother because that would . . . well suck.

Yes Happy dance .... sounds promising and fun with lots of opportunity including good pedigree of writing and it shoots in Vancouver - [not that I live any nearer Vancouver than LA ]
Well done Brendan - may this pilot/show give you a lot of experience and further recognition And thanks for letting us know [if you peruse through these comments] I'm so pleased

Moving this over from the "General News" thread.

QUOTE(Spiderman @ Oct 19 2007, 10:56 PM)

I don't think I'll get in trouble but this was the breakdown for Jake Stanton

"An American military brat who grew up mostly on the streets of Japan near his father's navy base, this ruggedly handsome and fit 24 year old was close friends with Ohiko, whom he is shocked to learn has been killed. Smart, but not book smart he is blue collar cool. Anxious to protect the headstrong Heaven, who is on the run from a group of mysterious goons, Jake urges her to flee the country. When she refuses, he reluctantly agrees to teach her martial arts. A master himself, Jake was once in the employ of the dread Japanese Yakuza, but despite his checkered past, he embraces Heaven's battle as his own -- and we sense that he would like to embrace Heaven herself as well..."

There is a connection between the 2 but that last statement makes him look like a manwhore which he is indeed not. It's a great character and am looking forward to it's challenges.

Our man has spoken! Go, "ruggedly handsome and fit" Spiderman!

Moon

Wow this sounds like a good show. I always loved those Martial Arts things. Is Brendan busy learning MA or does he already do some of it?

Those are great news

The series sounds interesting, Jake Stanton sounds interesting... Hopefully, we'll get to see it airs!

Oh that's wonderful news!! Congratulations Brendan and I hope we see this air soon!!

Congrads Brendan! This show sounds great! I can't wait for it to start airing soon!

Hee, glad to hear he *isn't* the murdered brother!


Ooh, sounds like he gets to be the angsty best friend of murdered brother, though--it does sound like a great role, both physical action and emotional drama--Brendan is very good at both!


Thanks for posting the description, Brendan--if you get into trouble, don't worry, we'll cover for you, "Oh, no, what description? We never read any description!"


Very interesting Jake is supposed to be a martial arts master (and 24 is mighty young for that)--has Brendan had any martial arts training before? Guess he's going to be mighty busy training!

However I did hear him say his favourite show on TV to be in would be that boxing reality show!!! Repressed violent urges

Congrats Brendan!!! It will be great to see you every week again. I can't wait to see the show. My husband may even like this one. I'll certainly TiVo it so there is record of the viewing.

The show sounds unique enough to earn interest. Good luck on getting picked up!

Rugged and handsome. Why does the Marlboro Man come to my mind?

Ruggedly handsome - thats our man

looking forwards to it

Bren When ? when will it air ?

is it shot yet ? ]


thanks !

From Hollywood Reporter:

2 subpoenaed for NBC pilot
By Nellie Andreeva

Oct 22, 2007

Megan Dodds and Christina Vidal have been tapped to co-star on NBC's untitled Luke Reiter drama pilot, which is being directed by Barry Sonnenfeld.

Meanwhile, Brendan Fehr and Kenneth Choi have been added to the ABC Family drama pilot "Samurai Girl."

The untitled Luke Reiter project, from Universal Media Studios, is a legal thriller about unapologetic lawyers at a prestigious New York civil firm who will do whatever it takes to win their high-profile cases and outmaneuver one another.

It centers on Charlie (Alan Tudyk), a slick, gregarious lawyer who wants to make it to the top, and Joe (Andrew Lincoln), a soulful lawyer who has a true sense of justice. Both are in love with the same woman, Hannah (Dodds). Hannah is a lawyer at the firm and the elegant daughter of one of the most senior partners with her own plans to climb to the top of the corporate ladder.

Vidal will play a feisty third-year law student who is Joe's assistant and has ambitions and secrets of her own.

The pilot, executive produced by Reiter and Sonnenfeld, is slated to begin production today in New York.

Dodds, who was born in the U.S., has lived in London for the past few years and recently starred in the one-woman show "I Am Rachel Corrie." She is repped by ICM, Thruline and British agency Independent Talent.

Vidal ("I Think I Love My Wife") is repped by APA, manager Bob McGowan and attorney Neil Meyer.

"Samurai," from ABC Studios and Alloy Entertainment, centers on Heaven (Jamie Chung), a teenage girl who straddles the worlds of her life as the adoptive daughter of a wealthy family and the ancient Samurai traditions of her blood ancestors.

Fehr will play Jake, a martial-arts expert who teaches Heaven how to protect herself when she sets out to avenge her brother's death.

Fehr, who most recently recurred on CBS' "CSI: Miami," is repped by Fortitude and managed by Roar.

Choi will play Sato, the right-hand man to a powerful Japanese mogul.

Choi, who most recently appeared in the Jet Li film "War," is repped at Pantheon and Gail Abbott Management.

this looks like something I would like. Looking forward to seeing it. Better than CSI.

Poking my head in.....

Was checking the Hollywood North Report on something else filming in Vancouver and ran across this about filming of SG......

SAMURAI GIRL
Samurai Girl Productions Ltd.
Director: Bryan Spicer
Exec. Prod: Frank Spotnitz, Bob Levy
Line Producer: S. Lilly Hui
DOP: Joel Ransom
PD: Jill Scott
PM: Doug Brons
PC: Carol Schafer
LM: Heather Vedan
ALM: Bob McQuarrie
SPFX Coord::
John MacCuspie
Casting: Jennifer Page
Extras: Natasha Tony
Sched: Nov 01/07 - Nov 19/07

Thanks, Vicki! They must be in the midst of shooting now, hope we get an update from Brendan or Lisa when he's done.


And there's a good omen--Frank Spotnitz, another XF alum, is involved! Yay!

hum.. I thought Brendan said they were filming until the 20th?


Sorry, I've been busy and haven't had time to touch base with Brendan.

Looking forward to this pilot. Hoping it will get picked up too!

any news on this? or pictures? anything?

Nope, nothing's out on it other than what's here currently.

So.. I was chatting with Brendan today. He said that he saw the finished pilot with the director, and was pleased with the results. We all know how critical he is of his own performances, so this is a very good sign.

He is still waiting to hear if the project has been green lit by ABC Family. So lets keep the positive thoughts going.

Fingers SO crossed I'm really excited about this. I hope the writer's strike doesn't screw things up.

Fingers are crossed. I really hope this doesn't get screwed up by the strike.

Hopefully the writer's strike is over soon and it's picked up. Fingers crossed here too!

my fingers and toes are crossed.

Thanks, Lisa--Brendan's reaction sounds really promising for the quality of the show--and I really hope for the best, quickest solution to the writers' strike so we can get everyone back to work--and not just for Samurai Girl and new Brendan, but all the other shows *coughSupernaturalcough*


Fingers crossed!

Is there any white smoke yet....

LOL!

Wonder what Brendan's feelings are on the writer's strike or possible SAG strike? Will it help his pilot as the pilot season seems to have changed forever now?

ABC Family picks up "Samurai Girl".

YAY Brendan! Congrats!

YAY

Congrats Brendan

ETA: 3 2-hour episodes, eh? Not bad.

Just saw the news! Congratulations Brendan!

woohoo, great news.

ABC Family Gets Spotnitz's Samurai

ABC Family has picked up Samurai Girl, a six-hour miniseries from executive producer Frank Spotnitz (The X-Files), Variety reported.

The cable network will air Samurai Girl as a three-part programming event over the course of a weekend this August.

Samurai Girl is based on the young-adult novels about a Japanese teen who discovers that her adopted father is really the head of the Yakuza, the Japanese mafia. She winds up training as a samurai to combat her father's empire.

The project will start shooting this spring in Vancouver, Canada. Jamie Chung (Dragonball) stars as Heaven; the cast also includes Brendan Fehr, Saige Thompson, Kyle Labine, Anthony Brandon Wong, Steven Brand and Kenneth Choi.

Spotnitz, Bob Levy and Leslie Morgenstein executive-produced the pilot, which was penned by Luke McMullen.

from SCIFI WIRE


ON YAHOO NEWS THEY EVEN WROTE IT'S GONNA BE MAJOR PROGRAMMING EVENT..!!

CONGRATS BRENDAN !!

Yay!!!



Congrats, Brendan! Um, did I know it was Frank Spotnitz before?? I like Frank, he's cool--saw him at 2 X Files conventions, he was very nice. And someone good to work with for Brendan!


Something fun to look forward to in August, and hopefully we'll get pictures and promos and stuff.


Are we going to get to see the pilot ever?? Hope so.

Yay!

ABCFamily likes to promote their series & mini-series at Comic Con...I hope this will be one they choose to promote this year!

Congratulations Brendan!!!!

What wondeful news! Now I've got something to look forward to in August.

- guess there's going to be a bit of work here then

this is exciting. The Dragonball connection should help this be HUGE. Back to work!

yet another reason to go to comic con ....

I'm really looking forward to seeing this, It sounds really interesting.

I hope I can watch it down here in Argentina!!

From The Futon Critic:

Thanks lyric

Woo--happy birthday to me! (Sept 4)



Thanks, Lyric.

Stacy Keibler has joined Samurai Girl.

From The Hollywood Reporter:

Amber Tamblyn joins 'Unusuals'
Morris Chestnut, Jane Lynch, others also tapped for series
By Nellie Andreeva and Kimberly Nordyke

June 9, 2008, 01:00 AM

Amber Tamblyn has signed on as the female lead in ABC's drama presentation "The Unusuals."

In addition, Morris Chestnut has been cast in ABC's drama pilot "The Prince of Motor City," Stacy Keibler has joined ABC Family's "Samurai Girl," Jane Lynch and Kathleen Rose Perkins have come aboard ABC's comedy pilot "Never Better," and Joy Bryant, Sienna Guillory, Nelson Lee, Omar Metwally and Richie Coster have joined the cast of Fox's two-hour backdoor pilot "Virtuality."

"Unusuals," from Sony, is a dramedy set at a New York police precinct. Tamblyn will play Detective Casey Shraeger, a smart cop who also is the black sheep of her wealthy family. Tamblyn's most recent starring role on the small screen was in CBS' "Joan of Arcadia," also for Sony.

"Motor City," from ABC Studios, is a gothic family soap inspired by "Hamlet" that centers on Billy (Warren Christie), a young Harvard philosophy professor forced to return to Detroit to take over the family's auto company and reconnect with his ex-girlfriend, Meg (Piper Perabo). Chestnut ("The Game Plan") will play Meg's current boyfriend. He is repped by CAA and Kritzer Levine Wilkins.

"Samurai," from ABC Studios and Alloy Entertainment, centers on a 19-year-old Japanese girl named Heaven (Jamie Chung) who sets out to take down her adopted father's evil empire. Keibler will play Heaven's rival and ex-fiancee of her love interest, Jake (Brendan Fehr). "Samurai Girl," a six-hour "special event," airs in September.

Keibler ("What About Brian") is repped by ICM and attorney Brad Small.

"Better," from ABC Studios, centers on Keith (Damon Wayans), a recovering alcoholic trying to be a good husband and father. Lynch is playing Linda, Keith's Alcoholics Anonymous sponsor. Perkins is playing Claire, an AA member who has a contentious relationship with Keith.

Lynch ("Julie & Julia") is repped by Domain. Perkins (TNT's "Truth in Advertising") is repped by Innovative and Trademark Talent.

"Virtuality," from UMS, is set aboard Earth's first starship, which is equipped with advanced virtual reality modules. Bryant is set as Alice Thibadeau, Lee is playing Kenji Yamaguchi, Guillory will portray Rika Goddard, Metwally is set as Dr. Eyal Meyer, and Coster was cast as Jimmy Johnson.

Bryant ("Welcome Home Roscoe Jenkins") is repped by CAA and Untitled. Lee ("Blade: The Series") is repped by Stone Manners and attorney Geoffry Oblath.