Apparently over the past couple pilot seasons, ABC has ordered contemporary versions of Romeo & Juliet set in New York and Chicago but nether of them came to fruition. Now it looks like the network is in the romantic tragedy market again, but this time the setting will stay in Renaissance Verona as Deadline reports Catherine Hardwicke is in talks to direct the pilot for the series that will follow the seminal couple star-crossed lovers as they attempt a romance despite belonging to clans that are at odds with each other. I'm pretty sure Hardwicke already did a similar story by directing Twilight, but perhaps that's the appeal. This would be Hardwicke's first venture into TV if she ends up directing the script from Andrea Berloff (World Trade Center). Period dramas have been all the rage lately with Mad Men, The Tudors and Boardwalk Empire, but do we really need another telling of Romeo & Juliet?

Hit the jump for details on a couple new series' from Samuel L. Jackson and executive producers from Lost.

Honestly, with all the police dramas that hit networks every season, I'm about ready to say get these motherfuckin' police dramas off my mother fuckin' TV, but it looks like a decent one might be on the way courtesy of Samuel L. Jackson. Variety reports the actor is developing a detective drama for The CW called Hankshaw, a series that would follow a mysterious man in his 20s who doesn't know his real identity, but believes that he's either a descendent of Sherlock Holmes or is actually the literary sleuth. Hawkshaw's psychiatrist thinks he suffers from Dissociative Identity Disorder -- but her sister, a young cop, soon discovers Hawkshaw's British charm and powers of deduction can help her solve crimes. Both sisters soon find themselves drawn to him (and perhaps battling for his affection). It's a unique take on the police procedural, and it sounds like it has more of a serial story lined up, so count me intrigued for now.

Finally, Lost executive producers are moving from the sci-fi realm into fairytales as EW reports Edward Kitsis, Adam Horowitz and Damon Lindelof have been developing a fairytale-themed drama series. Details on the plot are non-existent at this point, but we may find out something soon as the trio of producers are getting ready to pitch the project to ABC for the 2011-2012 pilot season. As of now the only hint on the series we have is that the show will feature a female lead. Stay tuned as this project develops.