Wonderwall

Jennifer Love Hewitt, Lifetime Developing Modern-Day 'Pride & Prejudice' (Exclusive)

The Associated Press, Tuesday, December 11, 2012, 3:57pm (PST)

The Hollywood Reporter

Lifetime is looking for a new Elizabeth Bennet and Mr. Darcy.

The female-skewing cable network is teaming with Jennifer Love Hewitt to develop "Darcy's Town," a modern retelling of Jane Austen's literary classic "Pride and Prejudice" set in a small Virginia town.

The Lifetime drama is being penned by Sheryl Anderson ("Charmed"), exec produced by Hewitt and hails from the actress-producer's Fedora Films and Cineflix. Jeanie Bradley, Fedora's head of development and production, brought the project to Lifetime.

"Pride and Prejudice", first published in 1813, is set in 19th century England and revolves around the Bennet family and Elizabeth's love affair with Mr. Darcy. Lifetime's "Darcy's Tow"n marks the second Austen reimagining this development season. Boardwalk Empire's Margaret Nagle has set up a modern Sense and Sensibility at CBS; it revolves around three devoted sisters whose lives are upended when the father who abandoned them as children returns.

For The Client List star Hewitt, the project marks her latest collaboration with Lifetime after inking a first-look development deal with the actress' Fedora Films. Under the pact, the former Party of Five star is also developing an adaptation of her book, The Day I Shot Cupid, among other projects for the cabler.

Lifetime renewed The Client List for a 15-episode second season in May.

Hewitt is repped by WME, Untitled and Hirsch Wallerstein; Anderson is with The Cartel.

Email: Lesley.Goldberg@thr.com; Twitter: @Snoodit