B.J. Novak to Develop Multi-Cam Comedy ‘Young People’ at HBO Max (EXCLUSIVE)
By Joe Otterson
LOS ANGELES (Variety.com) – B.J. Novak is set to write and executive produce a comedy series currently in the works at HBO Max, Variety has learned exclusively.
Titled “Young People,” the multi-camera series has received a multi-script commitment at the streamer with a penalty attached. A writers’ room has been opened for the pilot plus five additional scripts. Warner Bros. Television will produce.
In the half-hour show, six twenty-somethings from very different backgrounds and perspectives find themselves sharing an apartment in Brooklyn. The show is described as tackling friendship in the age of argument, connection in the age of disconnection, and the joys and anxieties of building a life in a gig-to-gig, date-to-date, month-to-month world where living like “young people” might be a transitional phase of life — or might be permanent.
This marks the second TV project that Novak has set up this month. It was announced at the beginning of May that he scored a series order at FX for a half-hour episodic anthology series. The pick up came after the show filmed its first two episodes. Each episode will feature a different cast. Novak wrote and directed the first two episodes and will serve as executive producer.
Novak is best known for his work on “The Office,” on which he served as a writer, director, and in various producer roles in addition to appearing onscreen. He also served as an actor, executive producer, director, and writer on “The Mindy Project” alongside series creator and fellow “Office” alum Mindy Kaling. He now joins Kaling at HBO Max, as she got a series order for the comedy series “College Girls” last October.
Novak’s other onscreen credits include shows like “The Newsroom,” “Crazy Ex-Girlfriend,” and “Community” as well as films like “Inglorious Basterds,” “Reign Over Me,” and “The Amazing Spider-Man 2.” He is currently working on his feature directorial debut, “Vengeance,” for Blumhouse.
He is repped by CAA, Price Management, and Ziffren Brittenham.
“Young People” is one of just two multi-cam comedy projects to be announced at HBO Max thus far. Last week, the streamer announced a pilot production commitment for a reboot of “Head of the Class,” which will also be a multi-cam. Other comedies in the works at HBO Max include “College Girls,” “Love Life” starring and executive produced by Anna Kendrick,” and “Made for Love” starring Cristin Milioti. “Love Life” will be available upon the official launch of HBO Max on May 27.
