ABC is getting in the Sam Esmail business in a major way. The network has bought two dramas from the Mr. Robot creator and Homecoming EP – Acts of Crime, which has landed a production commitment; and Untitled CDC Project, which has received a put pilot commitment. Both projects hail from UCP, where Esmail is under a mega overall deal. It marks a rare broadcast sale for UCP, part of Universal Studio Group, whose focus has been on cable/streaming series, such as Esmail’s Homecoming for Amazon and Angelyne for Peacock as well as Umbrella Academy for Netflix.
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This marks Esmail’s first foray into broadcast TV. Under his UCP deal, he had a couple of ideas, Acts of Crime and CDC drama, that were best suited for broadcast. UCP took the projects out to all the major broadcast, and ABC won the bidding war, I hear.
Written and directed by Esmail, Acts of Crime would mark the first series created by him since his award-winning Mr. Robot. The drama is described as a unique spin on the crime procedural.
Both projects are executive produced by Esmail and Chad Hamilton for Esmail Corp, under the company’s deal at UCP, which is the studio for both.
A search is underway for a writer to pen the Untitled CDC Project.
Esmail created and served as executive producer on UCP-produced Mr. Robot, starring Oscar winner Rami Malek, which aired for four seasons on USA Network. The series earned 12 Primetime Emmy nominations with three wins over the course of its run, including outstanding lead actor in a drama series for Malek. Esmail served as executive producer on two other UCP series, Homecoming and Briarpatch. Esmail also is behind limited series Angelyne a Battlestar Galactica reboot for NBCU’s Peacock as part of his UCP overall deal.
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