Kevin Bacon will topline killer FOX pilot

Kevin Williamson created the serial killer drama

By HitFix StaffWednesday, Feb 1, 2012 3:50 PM

Kevin Bacon

Credit: Matt Sayles/AP

Could Six Degrees of Kevin Bacon be heading for primetime?

The "Footloose" and "JFK" star, famed for his ubiquity, has reportedly landed a lead role on a FOX drama pilot from "Dawson's Creek" and "Vampire Diaries" creator Kevin Williamson.

According to Deadline.com, the pilot focuses on "a diabolical serial killer who uses technology to create a cult of serial killers, and a retired FBI profiler (Bacon) who finds himself in the middle of it." Does that mean that it's a cult that worships serial killers? Or a cult whose only members are serial killers? And does that mean that Bacon's character is a serial killer himself? We're not quite sure.

The website also reports that Bacon's commitment to the series, should it advance beyond the pilot stage, would only be for 15 episodes per season, rather than the standard 22.

Landing Bacon for a leading role is obviously a major coup for FOX, but it doesn't mean that the pilot, which will be directed by Marcos Siega, should be considered a sure thing. It was just last development season that Ethan Hawke was considered FOX's big "get" of the pilot season, but his drama didn't go to series.

While Bacon has never been a TV series regular, it's not a total stranger to the small screen. He earned an Emmy nomination and won a Golden Globe for the HBO film "Taking Chance." He's also guest starred on "Bored to Dead" and directed multiple episodes of wife Kyra Sedgwick's "The Closer."

On the big screen, Bacon was most recently seen in "X-Men: First Class."