In an exclusive interview with Variety, Kevin Hart revealed that his production company, Hartbeat, is developing a new series with Taraji P. Henson. Based on the novel “Moorewood Family Rules” by HelenKay Dimon, the novel is described as a cross between “Knives Out,” “Ocean’s 8,” and “The Nest.” The project is set to be a high-stakes family drama with a comedic edge.
The series’s logline reads: “One day a con man met an heiress, wooed her, married her, had three kids…and kept on conning. Jillian Moorewood (Henson) is the oldest child from that meet-cute-gone-wrong marriage. The stable one. The sensible and dependable one. The one who took the fall and went to prison. Now, she’s out and finds the scheming clan in full family fleecing mode. But Jillian is done with the cons and familial deception, and this time she may have the leverage to make it happen. However, as Jillian attempts to clean up her family’s ways, she may end up getting her hands even dirtier and her plans may put those who she cares about in the crosshairs.”
Justin Simien, whose docu-series ‘Black Hollywood’ will premiere on MGM+ on August 11, is attached to helm the project. Henson is starring and executive producing alongside Simien, and Henson’s TPH Entertainment will also produce, along with Culture Machine.
Hartbeat’s partnership with Henson is expanding beyond this project. The company is also behind the highly anticipated Peacock series “Fight Night: The Million Dollar Heist,” which stars Henson alongside a formidable cast including Hart, Don Cheadle, Samuel L. Jackson, and Terrence Howard.
“Fight Night: The Million Dollar Heist” is a crime drama series set in Atlanta on the night of Muhammad Ali’s historic 1970 comeback fight. It follows a heist that occurs during an afterparty for the fight, and its impact on the city. The series will premiere on Peacock on September 5, 2024.
“These are the types of projects that we as a company want to make,” Hart told Variety. “‘Fight Night’ I truly do believe is going to blow people away. And leave people wanting more. Not just from the idea of ‘Fight Night’ but from us as a company.”
As Hartbeat continues to grow, the company is clearly aiming to produce a diverse slate of content that appeals to a wide audience. “Comedy will always be in our DNA,” said Bryan Smiley, president and chief content officer of Hartbeat. “But it’s not just comedy. Going forward, you’re going to see a lot more of us leaning into cultural, broad-audience shows that reflect the premium nature of the stories we want to tell.”
With projects like “Moorewood Family Rules” in the pipeline, Hartbeat is demonstrating its ambition to become a major player in the television industry.