'Grey's Anatomy' creator casts Morgan in pilot

LOS ANGELES -- Better than 20 million people watched Jeffrey Dean Morgan die on "Grey's Anatomy" earlier this month. "Grey's" creator Shonda Rhimes, though, isn't quite ready to let him go.

Morgan, who played romantic heart patient Denny Duquette on the ABC hit, will work with Rhimes again on the writer's next TV project, according to The Hollywood Reporter. He's been cast as a regular in the show, which centers on a group of female journalists.

ABC has ordered a pilot for the untitled show, which is scheduled to begin production during the summer while Rhimes has some time away from "Grey's Anatomy."

It's no big surprise that Rhimes would want Morgan for another show, given her oft-stated affection for both the actor and his character. This is how Rhimes put it on "Grey's" writers blog: "[Denny] was my 'you jump, I jump' guy. He was my imaginary future husband. He was the guy I was dating in my head."

Should ABC pick up the new Rhimes project, Morgan may have to rework his rather full schedule. In addition to his stint on "Grey's," he also has a recurring part on "Supernatural" (picked up for fall on The CW) and has appeared in a couple of episodes of Showtime's "Weeds" (season two coming later this year) as Mary-Louise Parker's late husband.