HBO picks up JJ Abrams series

US pay TV network HBO has handed a straight-to-series order to a family sci-fi fantasy drama from Star Wars and Star Trek movie director JJ Abrams.

JJ Abrams (photo: Gage Skidmore)

Demimonde is written by Abrams and will be produced by his Warner Bros Television (WBTV)-owned Bad Robot Productions in association with WBTV and HBO.

Abrams also serves as executive producer alongside Ben Stephenson, head of television at Bad Robot.

Demimonde is the first series created solely by Abrams since his 2001 ABC drama Alias. The last series he co-created was Fox’s Fringe, which premiered in 2008.

Abrams also created Felicity and co-created Lost. His credits as an executive producer include HBO’s Westworld, Roadies on Showtime and the upcoming Castle Rock for Hulu.

In 2015, he produced, co-wrote and helmed Star Wars movie The Force Awakens.