Fox is wading into the ripped-from-the-headlines waters with a limited series that’s reportedly inspired by the rash of police shootings of unarmed (black) civilians in recent years. According to Deadline, the network is developing an event series from Beyond The Lights director Gina Prince-Blythewood and Brian Grazer (Empire, Parenthood). Prince-Bythewood is writing the pilot with her Beyond The Lights producer (and husband), Reggie Rock Bythewood. The untitled drama is set in Tennessee and will focus on the aftermath of the shooting of a white teen by a black cop.
Sanaa Lathan (The Perfect Guy, Alien Vs. Predator) has already been cast as one of the leads; she’ll play an expert investigator who teams up with a special prosecutor (who’s not yet been cast) from the Department Of Justice to look into the shooting. The pair will also become embroiled in the “media attention, public debate and the social unrest that comes with such a volatile case as they seek justice before the divided town erupts in a race war.” Those are lofty goals, Fox—we just hope the show doesn’t get reworked midseason to include a crossover episode with The Grinder.
Lathan and Prince-Bythewood previously worked together on the director’s first film, Love & Basketball. Fox seems anxious to move ahead with the new series; it’s reportedly intent on handing out a series order once the show’s bible is ready.
[h/t TVLine]