With MTV promising to rebrand its image, the network is doing that by announcing new development deals with well known names in Hollywood while also bringing back a famed show for a reboot.
According to Deadline, the network is going to be putting another focus on music, which is what the network originally focused on when the network was launched in 1981. One such show with a musical focus that’s coming back is Unplugged, which features artists that would play stripped down and acoustic versions of their hit songs.
Other music shows that are coming to the network include a music competition that is from Mark Burnett, the producer behind NBC’s The Voice and CBS’ Survivor and The Amazing Race. There will also be a music themed television series and a music documentary series called Year One.
MTV is refocusing on music as many fans and advertisers wanted more music on the network, Sean Atkins, the new MTV president, said.
The show is also looking to amp up its original programming and is doing so by scoring new development deals with Drew Barrymore, Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson and Pitbull, according to Entertainment Weekly.
Pitbull’s show currently has a working title of 305 and will be a Miami based drama. Drew Barrymore will be working on Blooms, which will be produced by Barrymore’s production team Flower Films. The Rock will be working on a comedy talk show Greatest Movie Show of All Time, This Week. All of the titles are working titles and may change in the future.
There’s also deals in place with John Legend to work on a show called It’s the Real. Zac Efron has a show that has been greenlit that looks at millennial food culture.
MTV is also stepping into the crime docuseries game, looking to make a show similar to The Jinks and Making a Murderer. MTV’s show will be called The Investigation that looks into the case of Ryan Ferguson.
MTV was started in 1981 as a way to showcase some of the best music videos that were being produced. The music videos would be introduced by video jockeys or VJs. Overtime, MTV stepped away from the music business and launched more reality based TV, like Jersey Shore, 16 and Pregnant and its various Teen Mom spinoffs.