ABC's 'Hallelujah' pilot resurrected, Jesse L. Martin still attached

A second coming for ABC's rejected pilot "Hallelujah" could be in the works.

ABC has signed former "Law & Order" star Jesse L. Martin, who had a lead role in the pilot from "Desperate Housewives" creator Marc Cherry, to a one-year talent deal. Cherry, meanwhile, is working on a new script for the drama, Deadline reports.

The network may also try to re-sign "Lost" Emmy winner Terry O'Quinn for the reworked pilot, the site says. O'Quinn has since taken a recurring part on "Hawaii Five-0," but since he's not a regular on the CBS series he's allowed to go after a full-time gig.

"Hallelujah's" actors were let out of their contracts after ABC passed on it in May, so it's likely that some fairly significant recasting would take place on the second pilot.

"Hallelujah" is about a biblical-level battle between good and evil in a small Tennessee town (called, you guessed it, Hallelujah). The pilot Cherry made in the spring also had a musical element, with a gospel choir commenting on the action.

Cherry, meanwhile, may scale back his duties on "Desperate Housewives" in the near future: Deadline says he will be a consultant on the show next season while he works on "Hallelujah" and other projects. As for Martin, if ABC ends up passing on "Hallelujah" again, he'll be considered for other projects.