EXCLUSIVE: In a competitive situation, Peacock landed Poker face, a mystery drama starring Russian dollNatasha Lyonne of Rian Johnson, her T-Street banner and MRC Television, with a 10-episode order straight to the series.
This marks the first TV series for Knives Out and Start Wars filmmaker Johnson, creator, writer and director of poker face and will also serve as executive producer alongside Ram Bergman, a partner at T-Street, and the company’s television president, Nena Rodrigue. Lyonne will serve as an executive producer through her Animal Pictures. Maya Rudolph and Danielle Renfrew Behrens will be the company’s executive co-producers.
“Rian Johnson’s distinctive sensitivity and talent for telling unforgettable mysteries is a great gift for Peacock, and we can’t wait for the audience to investigate each case,” said Lisa Katz, president of scripted content at NBCUniversal Television and streaming. “Paired with Natasha Lyonne’s acting genius, this series will be fun and addictive.”
No details of the premise were revealed, but Johnson raised the curtain on what the show will be about.
“I’m really excited to dive into the kind of fun kindness, guided by the character and mystery of the week’s case that I grew up watching. It’s my happy place, ”he said. “Having Natasha as a partner in crime is a dream and we found the perfect home at Peacock.”
poker face marks the fourth direct order for the MRC Television series last year, in which the TV industry was hit by the pandemic. Join The Terminal List for Amazon, starring Chris Pratt, Constance Wu, Taylor Kitsch, Riley Keough and Jeanne Tripplehorn, which is in production; limited series Reduce to the side for Apple, starring Will Ferrell, Paul Rudd, Kathryn Hahn, Casey Wilson, who is also in production; and Bright girls, with the headline Elisabeth Moss, also for Apple. The Terminal List and Reduce to the side they are co-productions with Civic Center Media, the joint venture between UTA and MRC; Bright girls is a collaboration with the Appian Way.
“Rian is a talented writer and director who attracts you with his unique approach to the mystery and we are very proud to be partners with him, and Ram, and having Natasha Lyonne as our protagonist, and getting this phenomenal show at Peacock with a talented team ”Said MRC television president Elise Henderson.
poker face stems from T-Street’s initial film and television deal with MRC, which is a minority investor in the company.
Johnson received an Oscar nomination for Original Screenplay for Knives out, which raised more than $ 300 million worldwide. Johnson’s other recent credits include “Star Wars: The Last Jedi ” and Looper. T-Street was launched in 2019 by Johnson and Bergman. The duo is preparing the accompaniment for Knives out, that Johnson is writing and directing; and they are producing the next Netflix series Three-Body Problem alongside David Benioff, DB Weiss and Alexander Woo. T-Street is represented by CAA and attorney Stephen Clark.
poker face will not interfere with Lyonne’s role as co-creator, writer, director, executive producer and Netflix star Russian doll, for which she received Golden Globe and Emmy nominations. The series is currently in production in its second season. Lyonne was also an executive producer and recently directed Sarah Cooper: It’s okay, produced by Animal Pictures, and currently can be seen in the Lee Daniels film United States vs Billie Holiday. Lyonne is represented by WME, 3 Arts and Schreck Rose Dapello Adams Berlin & Dunham.
MRC Television, a division of MRC, is also currently in production in the fourth and final season of Ozark for Netflix, the second season of The big for Hulu.