Rian Johnson’s Mystery Series’ Poker Face’ Gets Peacock Deal For Natasha Lyonne As Lead Role Picked Up From MRC Television
The series is described as a darkly comedic drama that follows a group of strangers who are brought together to rob a celebrity game night party. Poker Face will be produced by Universal Television, where MRC Television has a deal and will shoot in Los Angeles.
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Lyonne is coming off her critically acclaimed turn on Netflix’s Russian Doll, for which she received a Golden Globe nomination. UTA and Silver Lining Entertainment rep her.
“Rian Johnson’s distinct sensibility and talent for telling edge-of-your-seat mysteries is a massive gift for Peacock, and we can’t wait for audiences to delve into each case,” said Lisa Katz, President, Scripted Content, NBCUniversal Television, and Streaming. “Paired with the acting genius of Natasha Lyonne, this series will be entertaining and addictive.”
The premise has yet to be announced, but Johnson lifted the curtain on what the program will be about.
“I’m very excited to dig into the type of fun, character-driven, case-of-the-week mystery goodness I grew up watching. It’s my happy place,” he said. “Having Natasha as a partner in crime is a dream, and we’ve found the perfect home at Peacock.”
MRC Television’s Poker Face is the fourth straight-to-series order for the TV studio in recent months, as the epidemic has wreaked havoc on the industry. It will be followed by The Terminal List for Amazon, starring Chris Pratt, Constance Wu, Taylor Kitsch, Riley Keough, and Jeanne Tripplehorn; limited series Shimmers for AMC, executive produced by Will Packer and based on the Nigerian novel of the same name by Nnedi Okorafor; and drama series Mixtape for Netflix, from writer Josh Schwartz and Stephanie Savage.
Peacock has given a 10-episode order to Natasha Lyonne, starred Poker Face, a darkly comedic mystery series from Rian Johnson (Star Wars: The Last Jedi) and Universal Television.
The series is described as a darkly comedic drama that follows a group of strangers who are brought together to rob a celebrity game night party. Poker Face will be produced by Universal Television, where MRC Television has a deal and will shoot in Los Angeles. The Terminal List and Shrink Next Door are co-productions with Civic Center Media, the joint venture between UTA and MRC; Shining Girls is a collaboration with Appian Way.
“Rian is a gifted writer and director who draws you in with his unique approach to mystery, and we’re so proud to partner with him, and Ram, and to have Natasha Lyonne as our lead, and land this phenomenal show at Peacock with a talented team,” MRC Television President Elise Henderson said.
The name “Poker Face” comes from T-Street’s first-look deal with MRC, a minority investor in the firm.
Johnson is a screenwriter known for films like “Fifty Shades of Grey,” “Suicide Squad,” and the upcoming “Black Panther.” Knives Out earned more than $300 million worldwide, giving him his first Oscar nod. Johnson’s other recent credits include Star Wars: The Last Jedi and Looper. In 2019, Johnson and Bergman launched T-Street. Johnson is writing and directing the sequel to Knives Out; they’re also producing Netflix series Three-Body Problem alongside David Benioff, D.B. Weiss, and Alexander Woo, which are repped by CAA.
Lyonne’s double role as co-creator, writer, director, executive producer, and star of Netflix’s Russian Doll will not interfere with her duties on the show. She has received Golden Globe and Emmy acting nods. The second season of the series is now in production. Lyonne previously served as executive producer and director of Sarah Cooper: Everything Must Go and is repped by UTA, 3 Arts, and Sloane Offer.
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