DeVon Franklin To Star In & EP Comedy ‘Played’ & EP Family Drama ‘Closure’ In Works At BET+
27.02.2023 - 23:41
/ deadline.com
EXCLUSIVE: Prolific producer and actor DeVon Franklin has set up two new scripted development projects at BET+ under his overall deal with CBS Studios, which is the studio for both.
The first project, Played, is a comedy in which Franklin would star. The second project, Closure, for BET and BET+, is a family drama inspired by the life of baseball Hall-of-Famer Andre Dawson turned funeral home owner. Franklin would executive produce both projects via his Franklin Entertainment.
Written by Devon Shepard (The Ms. Pat Show), in Played, Franklin stars as a TV personality in the comedy which chronicles the trials of a dysfunctional dater.
Here’s the official logline: “What if the life of a dysfunctional dater is punctuated by his conscience being a fully-produced talk show hosted by real-life tv personality and producer DeVon Franklin? Every time our guy is faced with one of life’s many dilemmas, he finds himself on DeVon’s couch.”
Shepard executive produces with Franklin and Jesse Collins, Dionne Harmon, and Andy Horne for Jesse Collins Entertainment. JCE’s Jenna Nicholson serves as co-executive producer.
Written and executive produced by The Neighborhood co-exec producers Jackie McKinley and Antonia March, Closure, inspired by Dawson’s life, is family drama that follows the life of a homicide detective, Nicky Banks, as she juggles her detective duties with the family-owned business, The Banks Funeral Home, founded by her father, beloved Major League Baseball Hall-of-Famer, Billy Banks. Nicky struggles to balance her sibling relationships, complicated personal life, and an earnest search for her missing twin brother.
The project was originally developed for CBS and written by Samantha Corbin-Miller, who will serve as