Steven Spielberg’s Amblin takes Easy option

Denzel Washington in 1995’s Devil in a Blue Dress

Steven Spielberg’s Amblin Television is developing a series based on Walter Mosley’s books about a black Second World War veteran who becomes a hard-boiled private eye.

The drama, based on gritty detective series Easy Rawlins, will be set in 1950s LA. In addition to the detective genre staples, the show will explore the racial inequality and social injustice experienced by black people and other people of colour.

The character of Easy Rawlins has previously appeared on screen in the 1995 film Devil in a Blue Dress, which starred Denzel Washington.

Sylvain White (Stomp the Yard, The Losers) will executive produce the series and is also set to direct the pilot episode.

Amblin Television co-presidents Darryl Frank and Justin Falvey (The Americans, Haunting of Bly Manor) will also executive produce, along with Mosley, his producing partner Diane Houslin for their company B.O.B. FilmHouse, and Jeremy Bolt (Monster Hunter, Resident Evil franchise) of JB Pictures.

Alex Maggioni, senior VP of television at Amblin, will oversee the day-to-day development of the project for the prodco, alongside Frank and Falvey.

White is represented by UTA, Artist First and Jeff Endlich at Morris Yorn. Mosley is represented by CAA, Gloria Loomis and Tom Selz.