HBO has ordered a pilot for an untitled half-hour comedy from Issa Rae, which would possibly see her mark her return to the network 10 years after Insecure first premiered. The project also sees her reteam with Insecure showrunner Prentice Penny. The news was reported by both Deadline and Variety.
Per the official logline, the pilot, currently referred to as “Untitled Male Friendship Show,” follows “Menzel, a 30-year-old barber, aspiring sports manager and professional best friend to JB, an up-and-coming boxer, as they navigate ambition, insecurity, loneliness and the double-edged sword of success within the high-stakes world of professional boxing in Las Vegas.”
Rae writes and executive produces. Penny, a longtime collaborator of hers who served as showrunner and executive producer on all five seasons of Insecure, will showrun, executive produce and direct the pilot through his A Penny For Your Thoughts banner. Jax Clark also executive produces through Rae’s Hoorae banner, alongside Jonathan Berry and Dave Becky for 3 Arts Entertainment.
The project comes after Rae signed a three-year first-look film and television deal with Paramount in January, following a prior overall deal with HBO that began in 2021. According to Deadline, this pilot predates that new Paramount pact.
Rae’s relationship with HBO dates back to Insecure, the comedy she created with Larry Wilmore and developed from her web series Awkward Black Girl. Starring Rae as Issa Dee alongside Yvonne Orji’s Molly Carter, the series became a cultural phenomenon, earning an Emmy from 14 nominations, three Golden Globe nominations and a Peabody Award, as Deadline notes.
Rae went on to executive produce Robin Thede’s A Black Lady Sketch Show for HBO, which earned multiple Emmy wins, and later created Rap Sh!t, a Miami-set music comedy starring Aida Osman and KaMillion that ran for two seasons at HBO Max.
Featured image photo credit: Hoorae
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