Deadline.com has the scoop that the Showtime network has bought a script for an half-hour comedy TV show based on Chew, the Eisner Award winning comic book series by John Layman and Rob Guillory.

As announced during last year’s San diego Comic- Con (see here), the project is being developed by Circle of Confusion, the company behind AMC’s hit series adaptation of Robert Kirkman’s The Walking Dead.

Stephen Hopkins is attached to direct and executive produce the project. Terri Hughes Burton and Ron Milbauer (Eureka) wrote the Chew script, which will now be tweaked under Showtime’s guidance. Along with Hopkins, Burton, Milbauer, David Engel and Circle of Confusion are also executive producing Chew, with Hopkins’ producing partner Kate Garwood expected to produce in some capacity.

Chew centers on Tony Chu, a police detective who is a “cibopath”, who detects psychic impressions from whatever he eats. Chu is appointed to the FDA, which - because of the illegalization of chicken, due to the death of over a hundred million people worldwide being allegedly due to a strain of bird flu - has now become the most powerful law-enforcement branch of the United States government.

Huge congratulations to John and Rob! I look forward to seeing the show!

Related posts:

1. SDCC 2010: Circle of Confusion to Adapt Layman and Guillory’s Chew!
2. Andrew Lincoln Cast as Rick Grimes in the AMC Adaptation of ‘The Walking Dead’
3. John Layman Signs Advance Copies of Chew #16 at Midtown Comics Downtown, NYC.
4. FX Orders Pilot of Bendis and Oeming’s Powers
5. Zac Efron to Star in the Movie Adaptation of Brian Michael Bendis’ Fire