Stephen King’s mammoth best-seller “Under the Dome” is officially coming to the small screen, but not to Showtime, where it was originally developed.
CBS announced on Thursday (November 29) that it has given a straight-to-series order to “Under the Dome,” snagging the project from its corporate sibling and giving it a 13-episode commitment.
The network plans to air “Under the Dome,” from Steven Spielberg’s Amblin Television, in the summer as part of a big original programming push that will also include the 13 episode return of “Unforgettable” and another installment of “Big Brother.” CBS is already planning a multi-platform viewing window around the summer launch.
“Lost” veteran and “Y: The Last Man” creator Brian K. Vaughan adapted the King novel, which focuses on the mysterious happenings in a small New England town. Wait. That’s every Stephen King book. This particularly novel focused on the mysterious events in a small New England town when the residents wake up one morning to discover that their community has been trapped in a transparent dome. Where did the dome come from and what happens when combustible personalities find themselves stuck in tense, contained circumstances? It won’t be hilarious hijinks, that’s for sure.
“This is a great novel coming to the television screen with outstanding auspices and in-season production values to create a summer programming event,” blurbs CBS Entertainment President Nina Tassler. “We”re excited to transport audiences ‘Under the Dome’ and into the extraordinary world that Stephen King has imagined.”
It’s worth noting that CBS is describing “Under the Dome” as a “series” and not as a “limited series” or a “mini-series.”
In addition to Vaughan, executive producers on “Under the Dome” will include King, Justin Falvey, Darryl Frank, Stacey Snider and Neal Baer. The premiere — which isn’t being a pilot because of the straight-to-series order — will be directed by Niels Arden Oplev, who helmed the “Girl with the Dragon Tattoo” and the pilot for “Unforgettable.”