[dropcaps type=’normal’ font_size=’65’ color=’#ed145b’ background_color=” border_color=”]O[/dropcaps]scar-winner Halle Berry and Emmy-winner Lena Waithe have teamed up to to executive produce BET’s 10-episode straight-to-series comedy sequel to the 1990’s urban hit ‘Boomerang.’ The show is set to begin filming in Atlanta with pre-production already underway.
Initially described as an updated version of the 1992 Eddie Murphy and Robin Givens feature, the half-hour comedy is now being described as a sequel. The series will follow the lives of Jacqueline Boyer’s (Givens) son and Marcus (Murphy) and Angela Graham’s (Berry) daughter as they attempt to step out of their parents’ shadows and make a legacy of their own.
Waithe will co-write the pilot alongside showrunner Ben Cory Jones (Underground, Insecure) with Dime Davis on board to direct that as well as multiple other episodes, including the finale. Davis will reunite with Waithe after the duo worked together on the latter’s Showtime drama The Chi as well as Netflix film Step Sisters. For her part, Waithe earned an Emmy for co-writing Netflix’s Master of None. Boomerang joins Waithe’s TV slate that also includes TBS’ Twenties, Amazon horror anthology Them, HBO’s untitled Kid Fury project, not to mention her role as Aech/Helen in Ready Player One among others.
“This is less of a reboot and more of a continuation of the original story,” Waithe said. “There’s no point in trying to remake a classic. It can’t be done. So, we want to create something fresh that speaks to a new generation. We hope people will come to the show with an open mind and ready to embrace the new world we’ve created!”
Berry, meanwhile, returns to the franchise after playing Murphy’s love interest in the original 1992 feature film. She will next be seen in John Wick: Chapter 3 and Bruised, which will also be her feature directorial debut. “I’m thrilled to team up with Lena on this project as she is without a doubt a leading voice of her generation and a trailblazer in her own right. I’m truly excited to be a part of bringing this iconic and beloved film to the small screen,” Berry said.
Produced by Viacom-owned cable network BET, Waithe’s Hillman Grad Productions, VP Production and Development Rishi Rajani, and Paramount Television, the 10-episode half-hour series will premiere sometime in 2019 on BET.
