HBO has big plans for 2010, as they try and reclaim their crown as the go-to network for cinema-quality programming. While they’ve retained some success with their more recent efforts like True Blood, they’ve had to share the prestige pie with the likes of AMC and their hit Mad Men. Madmen.

However, with a list of accumulated talent a mile long, HBO hopes to reclaim the undeniable top spot this year. Their most recent addition is Kathryn Bigelow, who you should know as the Hurt Locker-helming badass that has an extremely strong chance of taking home an Oscar for Best Director in less than a month. Bigelow will be directing a pilot for a new series developed and scripted by John Logan. Called The Miraculous Year, The Hollywood Reporter describes the show as a light drama that is “an examination of a New York family as seen through the lens of a charismatic, self-destructive Broadway composer.”

Logan is no slouch himself, having written a few things you might have heard of, including Gladiator, The Last Samurai, The Aviator, and the possibly forthcoming Bioshock movie.

Brendan at Collider did a fine job of compiling a rundown of HBOs powerhouse slate of projects that include the highly anticipated war serial The Pacific from producers Hanks and Spielberg, and Boardwalk Empire with Scorcese and Buscemi. They’re also pairing some impressive acting talent with big-name filmmakers- Russell Crowe and Maria Bello with Simon Beaufoy (Slumdog Millionaire writer), and Charlize Theron with David Fincher* to name a few.

Of course, nobody mentions the project I’m most excited for- David Chase’s first real post-Sopranos project, Ribbon Of Dreams. It was announced in early 2009, but my cursory search turned up no premiere date for Chase’s exploration of early Hollywood- I can only hope some details will turn up soon.

I’ve got to hand it to them, HBO seems to have spared no expense in grouping some of Hollywood’s premiere talent. It looks like it will be a good year for compelling not-TV.

*This one’s gonna have murderin!