‘Bad Boys’ Spinoff TV Series Starring Gabrielle Union In the Works
EXCLUSIVE: The Bad Boys hit movie franchise is getting a spinoff TV series centered on the character played in the second film by Gabrielle Union.
No one would comment but I hear the untitled project, which is currently being pitched to TV networks, already has garnered strong interest from multiple places and is expected to land a major commitment. It hails from the Bad Boys movies’ producer Jerry Bruckheimer, Doug Belgrad via his 2.0 Entertainment and Primary Wave Entertainment. Sony Pictures TV Studios, whose movie sibling is behind the feature franchise, is the studio.
The untitled Bad Boys spinoff is being written by The Blacklist writers-producers Brandon Margolis and Brandon Sonnier. Union’s Special Agent Sydney “Syd” Burnett, introduced in the sequel Bad Boys II, is the sister of Detective Lieutenant Marcus Burnett (Martin Lawrence) who was romantically involved with Marcus’ partner, Detective Lieutenant Mike Lowrey (Will Smith). She is an undercover operative with the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA). You can watch a trailer for Bad Boys II below.
Union just became available as BET announced that her popular series Being Mary Jane will end with next year a two-hour series finale movie.
I hear the idea for a Bad Boys offshoot centered around Union’s character came from Primary Wave Entertainment, which manages the actress, in the company’s first broadcast development season since it brought in former NBC Universal TV Entertainment chairman Jeff Gaspin as President. He executive produces the project alongside Union’s manager Jeff Morrone.
Also executive producing the potential series are Belgrad and Jerry Bruckheimer TV’s Bruckheimer, Jonathan Littman and KristieAnne Reed.
Belgrad worked on Bad Boys during his 25-year career as a Sony movie executive. He was the creative executive on the first movie, which established Lawrence and Smith as feature stars. As he segued into producing with the launch of 2.0 Entertainment last fall, one of the Sony features he set out to co-finance was the long-gestating Bad Boys 3. His film slate also includes Sony’s upcoming Peter Rabbit and the Elizabeth Banks-directed Charlie’s Angels reboot.
Because it is based on existing Bruckheimer IP, the project does not fall under Jerry Bruckheimer TV’s overall deal at CBS TV Studios. Via that pact, Bruckheimer TV has set up three drama projects at CBS: Main Justice, a legal drama inspired by former U.S. Attorney General Eric Holder; Unthinkable, an FBI crime drama penned by MacGyver executive producer David Slack; and Whistleblower from NCIS: New Orleans executive producer/co-showrunner Chris Silber.
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