Fox has opted not to proceed with a spinoff from its signature drama series Empire centered on the larger-than-life character of Cookie Lyon, played by Golden Globe winner Taraji P. Henson. Disney TV Studios’ 20th Television, which produces the project with Imagine TV, is currently shopping it to Disney outlets ABC and Hulu, I hear.
The mothership series, created by Lee Daniels and Danny Strong, ran on Fox for six seasons. A spinoff of such a successful series comes with a high price tag, which is hard for a broadcast network to cover, especially when it is not affiliated with the studio as is the case with Fox and 20th TV, which became separated by the Disney-Fox acquisition toward the end of Empire’s run.
While Fox brass felt this was not the right show for the network at this time, they are committed to staying in business with the Empire and the proposed spinoff’s creative collaborators. The network recently opened a writers room for drama Our Kind Of People, from Lee, Karen Gist and 20th TV, with an eye to a series order which appears likely.
The mothership series, created by Lee Daniels and Danny Strong, ran on Fox for six seasons. A spinoff of such a successful series comes with a high price tag, which is hard for a broadcast network to cover, especially when it is not affiliated with the studio as is the case with Fox and 20th TV, which became separated by the Disney-Fox acquisition toward the end of Empire’s run.
While Fox brass felt this was not the right show for the network at this time, they are committed to staying in business with the Empire and the proposed spinoff’s creative collaborators. The network recently opened a writers room for drama Our Kind Of People, from Lee, Karen Gist and 20th TV, with an eye to a series order which appears likely.
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