Netflix greenlights seven US series, extends eight more including two seasons of Bridgerton
Shondaland’s hit costume drama Bridgerton has been given a double renewal
Netflix revealed commissions for seven new series at its Upfronts on Wednesday, including a family crime comedy from Schitt’s Creek creator Dan Levy and a reboot of competition series Star Search, in addition to renewing eight projects.
The new shows include All The Sinners Bleed, a nine-episode adaptation of SA Cosby’s novel of the same name, executive produced by Barack and Michelle Obama’s Higher Ground Productions and Amblin Entertainment. Joe Robert Cole (American Crime Story) is adapting the story about a former FBI agent turned small-town sheriff as he tries to stop a serial killer who believes they’re on a divine mission.
Netflix also greenlit eight-episode teen psychodrama The Body from writer-director Quinn Shephard and produced by Peter Chernin’s North Road; boxing movie Fight for ‘84, starring Jamie Foxx; heist film Here Comes the Flood, led by Denzel Washington, Robert Pattinson and Daisy Edgar-Jones; and 3×60’ sports docuseries Prime Time, following retired baseball and American football star Deion Sanders.
The as-yet-untitled project from Levy, who is under an overall deal at Netflix, and co-creator Rachel Sennott (Bottoms) follows two deeply incapable siblings who are blackmailed into the world of organised crime. The eight-episode show is set to go into production this year and stars Taylor Ortega (Welcome to Flatch), Laurie Metcalf (Lady Bird) and Levy, who also serves as showrunner and is producing via his Not a Real Production Company banner.
The Star Search reboot, produced by Jesse Collins Entertainment, will air live on Netflix. It comes 30 years after the show wrapped its 12-year run and will follow emerging performers in music, dance, comedy and kids’ acts as they take the stage to compete for a shot at the spotlight.
On the renewals front, Netflix ordered two additional seasons of period drama Bridgerton (seasons five and six) ahead of its S4 premiere, in addition to new instalments of Forever (S2), Love on the Spectrum (S4), Million Dollar Secret (S2), My Life with the Walter Boys (S3), Survival of the Thickest (S3), The Diplomat (S4) and The Four Seasons (S2).
Elsewhere during its Upfront, Netflix said that its advertising tier now has 94 million monthly active users, up from 70 million in November, and that ad tier users in the US spend on average 41 hours each month on the service.
