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ABC bags Cherry for Phantom

US network ABC is prepping its next show based on a musical and has lined up Desperate Housewives creator Marc Cherry for the adaptation.

Cherry is developing Phantom of the Opera through his prodco Cherry/Wind Productions and ABC Studios, with Alaz Zachary and Michael Weiner onboard to write the script.

The 1×60′ show will be set in the modern-day music industry and include musical interludes alongside scripted drama. The story is based on the 1909 novel by Gaston Leroux and was previously remade as a TV show for NBC in 1990.

The move adds to the growing trend for musical-based TV shows, which have included NBC’s live production of The Sound of Music. The same network also has a live performance of Peter Pan planned for later in the year, while ABC’s musical fairytale Galavant on its upcoming slate.

Meanwhile, the networks has expanded the orders of some of its top performing dramas and comedies, including Modern Family, Grey’s Anatomy and The Goldbergs.

The network has ordered two extra episodes for Grey’s Anatomy (season 11), Modern Family and The Middle (both season six), as well as new series Black-ish and The Goldbergs (season 2), bringing their total episode counts to 24.

Meanwhile, Castle has received an additional episode, bringing its season seven total to 23.

Resurrection, will also get an extra hour, meaning its second season will consist of 14 episodes.

The news comes as Once Upon a Time co-creator Adam Horowitz revealed the forthcoming eighth episode of the show’s fourth season would be a two-hour broadcast.

Earlier this week, rival network The CW ordered full seasons of freshman series The Flash and Jane The Virgin following strong early ratings.

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