Starz is making major additions to its programming with a new drama centering around the lives of pole-dancers, an adaptation of a Mexican soap opera, a New York based comedy focusing on the lives of six working women, and a new super hero series written by Curtis “50 Cent” Jackson.
According to TV Guide, Starz is working with Jackson to produce Tomorrow, Today, a vigilante series about a falsely imprisoned Chicago veteran. While imprisoned, he is subjected to a series of experiments and tests by a mad prison doctor who is hell bent on creating the perfect man. The experiments bestow immense power upon the hero, turning him into a unstoppable force of destruction. Now free, the hero is determined to fight for good in a world that has turned its back on him. The series and script were written by Jackson, who will also serve as executive producer for the series. Jackson is also a cast member on the ongoing American crime drama Power on the Starz network.
Pussy Valley, from playwright Katori Hall, is also coming to Starz and will be “an unflinching and unapologetic look at the lives of pole dancers working down in the Dirty Delta.” The series will center around five pole dancers currently working at the Pink Pony Club in Mississippi as they struggle with keeping their personal lives separate from their lives on-stage.
Starz will be adapting the 2010 Mexican soap opera Teresa for American audiences. The series will focus on the life of an undocumented Latina as she does whatever it takes to make it big in Los Angeles. She is a woman fueled by her greed and the”ruthless pursuit of money and power.” The series will be overseen by Carlos Portugal, writer and producer of East Los High and Meet the Browns.
On a lighter note, Starz is also working on a half-hour comedy series Dirty Girls Social Club, based on Alisa Valdes’ best selling novel of the same name. The show is set in New York City and will follow the lives of six women, who grew a strong bond during their time in college, as they work, live, and love in the big city. Ligiah Villalobos, writer for Under the Same Moon and Go, Diego! Go!, will serve as show runner for the series and Anne Thomopoulos (Rome) will serve as a executive producer.
Lionsgate recently acquired the Starz network for $4.4 Billion, and seems determined to make sure the network remains powerhouse in the entertainment industry. With the success of Outlanders, Ash Vs. Evil Dead, and the excitement surrounding the upcoming American Gods, Starz looks to be in top shape for the years to come.