Angela Bassett & Courtney B. Vance Sign New Overall Deal With 20th Television
Disney’s 20th Television has signed a new multi-year first-look deal with the husband and wife team of Angela Bassett and Courtney B. Vance.
Bassett Vance Productions will be developing and executive producing new comedy, drama, limited series and TV movies for Disney’s linear networks and streamers such as Hulu and Disney+, with an emphasis on platforms across Disney Entertainment Television.
This new deal builds on the pair’s partnership with Disney, with Angela Basset currently working with 20th Television on the hit series “9-1-1” and she has recently worked with National Geographic series, “Queens”. While Courtney can be seen next in new Ryan Murphy limited series “Grotesquerie”, which hits FX and Hulu/Disney+ later this month. Courtney has also previously worked with Disney on “Genius” and “The People vs. O.J. Simpson: American Crime Story”.
“Monkey Boy” is going to be first project to be developed under this overall-deal, which has been inspired by bestselling author Francisco Goldman’s Pulitzer Prize fiction finalist novel and tells the story of an investigative journalist who discovers a connection between a political assassination in Central America and an unsolved murder in his hometown, the Latino enclave of East Boston, forcing him to confront a history of childhood trauma that he’s been running from his entire life.
Onyx Collective is developing the drama, which is being created by Joshua Allen Griffith (Mrs. America), who will write the pilot script, with Ben Smith supervising, they will also both be executive producers on the project.
Karey Burke, president of 20th Television, a part of Disney TV Studios said in a statement to Deadline:
“Angela and Courtney are deeply thoughtful storytellers, with incredible intellect and insight, and true ability to unearth distinct, relevant and unique material that reflects the human experience and the world in which we live. Their indelible work bringing characters to life on 20th Television series over the years has been remarkable, and we are thrilled to embark on this next creative chapter with them.”
Courtney B. Vance added:
“Angela and I are always ready and willing to meet the moment when it comes to creating opportunities for storytellers to do what they do best and offer extraordinary, memorable characters and stories to the world. The new deal with 20th Television offers Bassett Vance Productions just that opportunity,”
Angela Bassett also added:
“We look forward to continuing to expand our footprint as producers and visionaries. This opportunity with Karey, Eric [Schrier], and the team at 20th Television opens up a multitude of possibilities for us to both introduce new voices and to work with other creators we’ve long admired. Courtney and I are ready to roll up our sleeves and get to work.”
Bassett Vance Productions is led by Lynnette Ramirez, President, and Loni Rodgers, Director of Development. The company’s team also includes Eric Parker Reid and Chelsea Maloney, newly promoted to Creative Executive, and Anita Johnson, Company Manager. With Lynnette also said in a statement:
“Our Bassett Vance Productions team is so excited to begin this new journey through Angela with 20th Television. For us to join forces with a studio that has such wide-reaching content opportunities is a dream for any producing team..”
What do you think of this new deal? Let me know on social media!
