Amy Poehler, Mindy Kaling Developing Comedies at Peacock
By Will Thorne
LOS ANGELES (Variety.com) – Peacock is adding a bunch more feathers to its slate.
Only a couple hours before NBCUniversal unveils the new streaming service, has announced it is developing series with Amy Poehler and Mindy Kaling, among others.
The Poehler-produced project is titled “Division One” and is described as a coming-of-age comedy about an underdog women’s collegiate soccer team that gets a new female coach – a former professional soccer player who’s fallen from grace – and must decide whether or not they’re going to take the risk of trying to be great.
Maggie Carey, who is best known for directing episodes of shows such as “Barry,” “Silicon Valley” and “Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt,” is writing, directing and executive producing the show, alongside Julia Brownwell who serves as a writing-executive producer. Poehler, who was recently announced as the co-host for next year’s Golden Globes, is exec producing via her Paper Kite banner, alongside Kim Lessing. Retired national women’s soccer player Abby Wambach is also among the executive producers with Glennon Doyle. Dave Becky and Tom Lassally will exec produce for 3 Arts Entertainment. “Division One” hails from Universal Television.
The Kaling comedy is called “Expecting” and centers on Ellie, a fiercely independent but perpetually single music manager who has always wanted a family but never found a man worthy of the role of “father.” When she reaches her 39th birthday, Ellie decides to ask her gay best friend and co-worker, Jonathan, if he’ll be her sperm donor.
Kaling, who exited Universal Television for an overall deal with Warner Bros. TV last February, is exec producing the Warner Bros. project with Howard Klein. Chris Schleicher is writing and executive producing.
Peacock has also announced two more projects in development, one of which is an animated comedy series based on the McElroy family’s Dungeons & Dragons podcast and bestselling graphic novel series. Titled “The Adventure Zone,” the series follows an unlikely, poorly equipped trio and their beleaguered Dungeon Master as they reluctantly embark on a quest to save their world.
Adam Higgs is on board as a writer and executive producer, with Clint, Justin, Travis and Griffin McElroy all exec producing.
Finally, the streamer is developing an anthology series about tech companies, the first installment of which will deal with the rise of Twitter. Titled “Hatching Twitter,” the show is being written and executive produced by Nick Bilton, whose book of the same name provides the basis for the first part and explores “the colossal ramifications the technology will have on our future.”
Patrick Macmanus is also executive producing the project which hails from UCP.
