Fox to add prison drama in prime time

LOS ANGELES, April 15 (UPI) -- Fox will add a prison drama to its prime time schedule, possibly as early as this fall, Daily Variety said Friday.

The paper said the network has ordered 13 episodes of "Prison Break" -- about a man who intentionally goes to prison as part of a plan to help his brother break out of death row. The project is described as a cross between "24" and "Escape from Alcatraz."

The series is being produced for 20th Century Fox TV by a team that includes Neal Moritz ("The Fast and the Furious," "Superman Returns") and Brett Ratner ("Rush Hour"). Ratner directed the pilot, from a script by co-executive producer Paul Scheuring ("A Man Apart").

"Prison Break" stars Wentworth Miller ("The Human Stain"), Dominic Purcell ("Blade: Trinity"), Robin Tunney ("The In-Laws") and Peter Stormare ("Bad Boys II," "Fargo").

Variety said the show would be ready by mid-August, but Fox had not yet decided when it will air.