ABC has ordered a television series reboot of the 1995 romantic film, Waiting to Exhale, starring Angela Bassett (Black Panther, American Horror Story), Whitey Houston (Sparkle), and Lela Rochon (Harlem Nights), according to Deadline. The film follows four friends as they bond over their relationships with men, two of which are involved in affairs with married men, another experiencing divorce as her husband leaves her for his mistress, and the last finding new love with a neighbor. The show’s reboot will feature a new set of characters, the main four being the daughters of the original friends.
The reboot is slated to be written by Attica Lock (When They See Us), and Tembi Locke (Never Have I Ever), and directed by Anthony Hemingway (Genius: Aretha). Author Terry McMillan will also serve as consisting producer as the author of the book the original film was based on. She teased her role in the series adaptation in early November.
The original film grossed over $81 million worldwide. Rebooting the well known and widely referenced film Waiting to Exhale into a television series has been considered far before the Locke sisters gained traction as writers of the series.