Friday May 9, 2008

Justin Timberlake is set to venture in to reality TV — and produce a new reality adventure show for MTV.

The show, called The Phone, will be based on a Dutch reality show format, beginning each episode with two hidden cell phones ringing at opposite ends of a major city. Contestants who answer the phones will have five seconds to decide if they want to play along for a cash prize, and then a guide on the other end of the line gives them a mission to complete before the time runs out.

And as they embark on their adventure, a helicopter tracks their every move. MTV describes the show as a wild and cinematic ride reminiscent of films like The Bourne Identity and The Game.

“Genre-busting and reinvention is at the core of what we do, and The Phone does just that,” Tony Disanto, MTV executive vice president of programming and series development, said in a statement.

“Each week will be an action-packed mini-movie,” he continued.

The show will premiere this fall. No specific launch date is available yet.