NBC’s The Munsters reboot Mockingbird Lane is looking to score Eddie Izzard (The Riches, Ocean’s Thirteen) as part of the cast. Eddie Izzard is in final negotiations to star in and produce the series.

Izzard will be the first actor cast in the pilot, which was written by Bryan Fuller and is set to be directed by Bryan Singer (Superman Returns, X2). Mockingbird Lane is described as a re-imagining of the 1960s sitcom about a family of monsters. We can expect that the show will have striking visuals in the vein of Fuller’s ABC dramedy Pushing Daisies and his FOX comedy Wonderfalls.

Izzard will play Grandpa, the Munster family patriarch. Unlike the 1960′s original, Izzard’s Grandpa will be a powerful, ancient vampire with a suave, sexy womanizer type of personality. On top of your standard vampire powers, he will be able to shape-shift into rats, wolves, and other creatures at will.

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NBC has officially ordered a series based upon novelist Thomas Harris’ unforgettable creation, Dr. Hannibal Lecter. Hannibal will be a modern update on Harris’ novel and the subsequent film, Red Dragon. The show will follow the beginning of Lecter’s relationship with FBI agent Will Graham, before Lecter was exposed as a serial killer himself. Obviously, if the series is successful, there is the chance that the show may delve into the material presented in the Silence of the Lambs  and Hannibal films.

Pushing Daisies creator Bryan Fuller wrote the pilot script for the series and will also act as executive producer for the show. Fuller is also known for creating creative and visually striking shows like Wonderfalls and Dead Like Me. Fuller officially announced his involvement in the project last September and NBC’s interest was piqued shortly after.

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You heard that right. Pushing Daisies creator Bryan Fuller is currently working with NBC to bring a brand new Munsters reboot to the airwaves as soon as next season. Just like that, what could be a terrible idea, has been turned around into a potential brilliant idea. From EW.

So far, NBC, with whom Fuller has an overall deal, has ordered only a pilot. But since the potential series is being described to me as “Modern Family meets True Blood,” I have a good feeling about it.

Not only that, but rumor has it no less than Guillermo del Toro (Hellboy) is eyeing a behind-the-scenes role in the project.

So if fanboys and fangirls weren’t excited enough for Daisies creator Fuller to come on-board, master of twisted horror/sci-fi del Toro is also looking to hop into the mix.

Though it’s sad to believe, a lot of this project’s future rides on whether or not ABC’s newest series No Ordinary Family succeeds. If the TV-watching American audience doesn’t buy into the not-so-conventional family comedies that they used to scoop up in the mid 1990′s, this series could be dead before it’s ever born.

We expect to hear more news soon, but don’t expect anything official until we get closer to NBC’s next Fall Upfronts next year.

SciFi Wire has an interview with Chi McBride, who played Emerson Cod in the tragically cancelled show, and in it the actor says Bryan Fuller, the creator of Pushing Daisies, is currently hard at work on scripting the graphic novel that will carry on the story of the Pie Maker and his magical reanimating finger.

McBride, who was promoting his new role in the comic-adapted series Human Target, says that he’s seen some of the pages for the book, and that it’s “off the hook.”

“It’s a whole thing about a whole bunch of corpses coming to life,” said McBride. He also indicated the tone of the book will be darker and edgier than what could be done on primetime-mainstream television. McBride also dded his enthusiasm for seeing the project continued not only for his own satisfaction, but to also reward the loyal fans.

Pushing Daisies, which was executive produced by Barry Sonnenfeld (The Addams Family, Men In Black), was aired for two seasons on ABC before having the plug pulled for low ratings and high-production costs — despite it’s positive critical and fan response. The show also starred Lee Pace, Anna Friel, Swoosie Kurtz, and Kristin Chenoweth.

There’s few other details about the book currently but when it comes out I’ll definitely pick it up.

The last few years of television have shown us that the ratings darlings were either reality/competition shows, vast plots and casts where a suspension of belief were necessary, or the use of a microscope was employed… every week. Don’t call it a comeback, but times are a-changin’.

According to Variety, ABC has given full-season orders to Modern Family and Cougar Town, both sitcoms – “situation comedies” in case you’ve forgotten – revolving around normal, every-day characters and families dipped in abnormal circumstances. Even The Middle has scored enough viewership to convince the network to re-up and fortify its Wednesday comedy block, which has so far outperformed the same time slot from last year when the now-canceled Pushing Daisies and relocated Private Practice used to reside.

Is this a sign that sitcoms will once again return to prominence and dominate the airwaves? Possibly, however a case can be made for established television stars going back to the well and finding success with a new vehicle. Both Cougar Town and The Middle have comedic veterans as their centerpiece – Courteney Cox Arquette and Patricia Heaton, respectively – while Modern Family provides a good mixture of new talent with familiar faces that has been agreeable with viewers. As with anything television-related, stay tuned.

Like many of you, I was one of the loyal fans who was sad to see Pushing Daisies end last year; however producer and director Barry Sonnenfeld will soon be returning to the very network that canceled his show with a brand new comedy. Variety is reporting the award-winning helmer will soon be working on a half-hour show for ABC that centers around a harried mother who finds a special suit that gives her super powers.

Hmmm…Greatest American Hero anyone? I’m sure it’s no small coincidence that that popular dramedy also aired on ABC (1981-83). The currently untitled multicamera show will be written by George Lopez scribe Laura House.

While the details of the new comedy still need to see the light of day, one can only hope that it is as quirky and original as Sonnenfeld’s previous work for ABC.  As always, stay tuned to The Flickcast for future developments.

The folks over at TV Squad have confirmed an earlier AICN report that former Pushing Daisies creator Bryan Fuller has left NBC’s Heroes for the second, and presumably last, time in order to pursue those infamous “other projects.” Which, according to further reporting on this by EW’s Daivd Ausiello, might actually be the case.

According to Ausiello, Fuller left Heroes to focus on developing two other project for NBC and not, as had been reported at various places, due to “creative differences” with series creator Tim Kring.

“I’m crafting two pilots right now and it’s a lot of work,” admitted Fuller, who has an overall deal with NBC. “It was just too hard to [juggle] Heroes and my development; something had to give.”

Fuller, who returned to Heroes last December after ABC canceled his show, was considered one of the key reasons why Heroes seemed to find its way a bit towards the end of the last season. Not ever having seen his other show, I can’t say for sure one way or the other if his influence helped Heroes.

Still, something must have happend because the show did get better. if it was Fuller, then his departure makes me worry about how Heroes will be when it returns. Guess we’ll find out soon enough. The new season of Heroes kicks off this Fall on a new night and time: Mondays at 8/7c.