Malcolm D. Lee’s Blackmaled Productions is joining forces with Peacock for the upcoming drama series “Drunk on Love.” This collaboration is part of Lee’s first-look deal with Universal Television, focusing on amplifying voices of color in the entertainment industry.
“Drunk on Love” is an adaptation of Jasmine Guillory’s New York Times bestselling novel of the same name. The storyline revolves around Margot Noble, whose life takes an unexpected turn when she inherits a struggling vineyard in Napa Valley alongside her estranged brother, Elliot. Drawn back to the small town she believed she had left behind, Margot encounters Luke Williams, a man whose life has recently been disrupted by his mysterious departure from the tech company he founded. Their fateful meeting at a late-night tasting room sparks a connection that will alter both of their lives and the destiny of Noble Vineyard.
Sisters Attica Locke and Tembi Locke, known for their work on projects like “From Scratch” and “When They See Us,” will write and executive produce as part of their overall deal with Universal TV. Malcolm D. Lee and Dominique Telson will serve as executive producers, with Jasmine Guillory as co-executive producer. Michael Allen, VP of Television at Blackmaled Productions, will oversee the project.
Additionally, Malcolm D. Lee is venturing into the music scene in Atlanta with a half-hour dramedy for BET+. Inspired by the life of rapper-actor Chris “Ludacris” Bridges, the untitled DJ project explores the misadventures of an ensemble dedicated to boosting ratings at their hip hop radio station. Ludacris joins as an executive producer and music supervisor, providing his unique insight into the competitive music scene. The series, currently in development and written by Noah Gardenswartz, involves key players from Universal Television, Disturbing Tha Peace, and features executives such as Larry Wilmore, Dominique Telson, Jeff Dixon, Josh Bratman, and David Blackman.
And Attica and Tembi Locke are also busy working on another adaptation outside of Drunk on Love. The duo recently entered into an overall deal with Universal Television and are adapting Attica’s novel, “Bluebird, Bluebird.”
The upcoming drama explores the life of Darren Mathews, a Black Texas Ranger with complex feelings about his upbringing in the Lone Star State. As the first in his family to venture far from Texas, duty eventually calls him back home, adding layers of intrigue to the narrative.