Redmayne, Butz, LuPone Tapped for Logan-Penned HBO Pilot

Deadline.com reports that Tony Award-winning playwright John Logan (RED) is developing a drama pilot with Academy Award-winning director Kathryn Bigelow ('The Hurt Locker') and executive producer Lydia Pilcher ('Amelia') for HBO. The drama, 'Miraculous Year,' would star RED's Tony Award-winner Eddie Redmayne along with Tony Award-nominee Hope Davis (GOD OF CARNAGE); Tony Award-winner Norbert Leo Butz (DIRTY ROTTEN SCOUNDRELS); two-time Tony Award-winner Patti LuPone (GYPSY, EVITA); and three-time Tony Award-winner Frank Langella (FROST/NIXON, FORTUNE'S FOOL, SEASCAPE).

The article describes 'Miraculous Year' as a New York family drama, centered on Terry Segal (Butz), a composer and lyricist for Broadway. His father (Langella) is a painter; his sister (Davis) is a lawyer. The new star of Terry's show would be played by Redmayne, a role described by Deadline as "captivating and sexy." A Broadway diva (LuPone) looks to be a recurring role. Shooting is to begin this summer.

RED, a new American play by John Logan about the master of twentieth century abstract impressionism, Mark Rothko, opened Thursday, April 1 at the Golden Theatre (252 West 45th Street between Broadway and Eighth Avenue). The production plays a limited run through Sunday, June 27. John Logan has written 14 plays including NEVER THE SINNER; HAUPTMANN: SPEAKING IN TONGUES; SCORCHED EARTH; and RIVERVIEW. His new adaptation of Ibsen's THE MASTER BUILDER appeared on the West End in 2003. He is a member of the Victory Gardens Theatre Playwright Ensemble. Logan's work as a screenwriter includes 'Sweeney Todd' (Golden Globe award); 'The Aviator' (Oscar, Golden Globe and WGA nominations); 'Gladiator' (Oscar, Golden Globe and WGA nominations); 'The Last Samurai;' 'Any Given Sunday;' and 'RKO 281' (WGA award, Emmy nomination).

Norbert Leo Butz, most recently seen on Broadway in ENRON and the revival of David Mamet's SPEED THE PLOW, and previously seen on the national tour of DIRTY ROTTEN SCOUNDRELS, a performance that won him a Tony, as well as awards from Drama Desk, Outer Critics, and the Drama League. Other notable productions include originating the role of Fiyero in WICKED and performing in the original cast production of RENT, while more recent productions have included IS HE DEAD? and THE LAST FIVE YEARS and CATCH ME IF YOU CAN in Seattle.

Eddie Redmayne's film credits include 'The Other Boleyn Girl,' 'The Yellow Handkerchief,' and 'The Good Shepherd,' and he has appeared in the television miniseries 'Tess of the d'Urbervilles' and the upcoming 'The Pillars of the Earth.' In addition to RED, for which he won a Tony Award and an Olivier Award in the London production, he has appeared onstage in NOW OR LATER; THE GOAT, OR WHO IS SYLVIA?; and TWELFTH NIGHT.

Photo Credit: Walter McBride/Retna Ltd.