HBO Max Developing Julie Plec-Produced Drama Based on ‘Beach Lane’

By Elaine Low

LOS ANGELES (Variety.com) – Soon-to-launch streamer HBO Max continues to work to bulk up its originals content library.

The WarnerMedia-owned direct-to-consumer platform has set a script development deal for “The Beach,” a one-hour drama based on the book “Beach Lane,” by New York Times bestselling author Melissa de la Cruz.

Erin Cardillo and Richard Keith are writing and executive producing alongside “Vampire Diaries” co-creator Julie Plec through her My So-Called Company production shingle, Leslie Morgenstein and Gina Girolamo of Alloy Entertainment and Jenna Dewan for Everheart Productions. Everheart Productions’ Jean Song is co-producing. Warner Bros. TV is the studio.

The series “follows three local teens who work in the Hamptons’ lavish estates, exclusive beach clubs, and breath-taking boats over one magical summer as their lives and hearts become increasingly intertwined with wealthy families who swoop in from the city for the summer season,” according to .

HBO Max will make its debut in May, and is set to compete with Netflix, Disney Plus and any number of other streaming services vying for subscriber attention.

HBO Max’s “Americanah,” the 10-episode limited series based on Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie’s bestselling novel of the same title, has cast Emmy-winning Uzo Aduba to star opposite Lupita Nyong’o, Variety recently learned exclusively; the series has also cast Zackary Momoh in a lead role. Among other recent announcements from HBO Max are a series order for the Lena Dunham-produced high school dramedy “Generation”, a script development deal for CIA interns comedy “Classified,” and stand-up comedy specials from Tracy Morgan, John Early, Rose Matafeo and Ahir Shah.