Lifetime Orders THE CLAN OF THE CAVE BEAR Pilot; Ron Howard, Brian Glazer to Produce

Lifetime has ordered the drama pilot The Clan of the Cave Bear, based on Jean M. Auel's series of best-selling novels, it was announced today by Rob Sharenow, Executive Vice President and General Manager of Lifetime.

A co-production of FOX 21 and Lionsgate in association with Imagine Television and Allison Shearmur Productions, the project will be executive produced by Academy Award(R)-winning director Ron Howard (A Beautiful Mind, Rush) and Oscar(R) and Emmy(R) Award winner Brian Grazer (A Beautiful Mind, 24), along with Allison Shearmur (The Hunger Games: Catching Fire, Cinderella), Linda Woolverton (Maleficent, The Lion King), who is writing the pilot, Francie Calfo (Gang Related, Empire) and Jean M. Auel. The project is targeted for a potential 2015 launch.

"I've always admired Jean M. Auel's timeless work," said Sharenow. "With the visionary creative team of Ron Howard, Linda Woolverton, Brian Grazer, Alli Shearmur, Jean M. Auel and Francie Calfo behind it, this project has it all -- epic storytelling, great characters and a unique world that's never been explored on television before. This is exactly the type of top-tier creative talent and great stories we embrace at Lifetime."

The first book of Auel's Earth's Children(R) series, The Clan of the Cave Bear takes place at a time in prehistory more than 25,000 years ago when Neanderthals shared the Earth with the first early modern humans and a band of cave dwellers adopt blond and blue-eyed Ayla, a child of the "Others." As Ayla matures into a young woman of spirit and courage, she must fight for survival against the jealous bigotry of Broud, who will one day be clan leader.

Auel's book series has sold more than 60 million copies globally and all six books have been New York Times bestsellers.

ABOUT LIONSGATE - Lionsgate is a leading global entertainment company with a strong and diversified presence in motion picture production and distribution, television programming and syndication, home entertainment, family entertainment, digital distribution, new channel platforms and international distribution and sales. Lionsgate currently has over 30 television shows on more than 20 networks spanning its Primetime production, distribution and syndication businesses, including such critically-acclaimed hits as the multiple Emmy Award-winning Mad Men and Nurse Jackie, the comedy Anger Management, the network series Nashville, the syndication success The Wendy Williams Show and the critically-acclaimed series Orange is the New Black.

ABOUT FOX 21 - Fox 21 is a cable production studio housed within Twentieth Century FOX Television devoted to making creatively ambitious scripted series for the cable television market, as well as unscripted shows for both cable and broadcast networks. FOX 21 currently produces the Emmy and Golden Globe winning Homeland starring Claire Danes and Damian Lewis, the critically acclaimed smash hit Sons of Anarchy (with FX Productions), Brannon Braga and Adam Simon's freshman hit Salem, Howard Gordon's dramatic thriller Tyrant, the animated comedy Brickleberry from Daniel Tosh and Witches of East End starring Julia Ormond and Jenna Dewan Tatum. The studio also produces the upcoming Rush from Jonathan Levine and Legends from Howard Gordon and Jonathan Levin, and is developing the drama series The Bastard Executioner (with FX productions) from Kurt Sutter and Imagine TV's Brian Grazer.

ABOUT LIFETIME - Lifetime is a premier female-focused entertainment destination dedicated to offering the highest quality original programming spanning scripted series, non-fiction series and movies. As a result of the network's aggressive programming strategy that has doubled the hours of its original programming, 2013 marked Lifetime's second straight year of growth among Total Viewers. Lifetime Television(R), LMN(R), Lifetime Real Women(R) and Lifetime Digital(TM) are part of Lifetime Entertainment Services, LLC, a subsidiary of A+E Networks. A+E Networks is a joint venture of the Disney-ABC Television Group and Hearst Corporation.

Photo Credit: Walter McBride / WM Photos

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