Issa Rae and Tracy Oliver are joining forces. The two powerhouse creatives have co-created Open, an hour-long series project that was recently taken out and has already garnered seven offers, Deadline reports. The project is produced by Paramount Television Studios under Rae’s first-look deal there.
In Open, when a married couple who did everything right opens their marriage to save it, the decision sends shockwaves through their Houston friend group, igniting affairs, exposing secrets and forcing everyone to confront the lies holding their relationships together.
Oliver will serve as showrunner and executive producer alongside Rae and Jax Clark via Rae’s Hoorae banner, Brian Dobbins for Artists First and David Becky and Jonathan Berry for 3 Arts Entertainment.
The announcement comes as both women are having a particularly busy stretch. As we previously reported, Oliver is writing and executive producing Hilary, the Bel-Air spinoff headlined by Coco Jones, in development at Peacock. Her packed slate also includes Girls Trip 2, The Blackening 2, Paper Gods at Netflix, Not a Happy Family at Starz and holiday film Deck the Y’alls starring Octavia Spencer and Jessica Chastain.
For Rae, Open arrives alongside news that HBO has ordered an untitled Male Friendship comedy pilot she wrote and executive produced, with longtime collaborator Prentice Penny returning as showrunner, executive producer and director. The pilot follows Menzel, a 30-year-old barber and aspiring sports manager who is the professional best friend to JB, an up-and-coming boxer, as the two navigate ambition, insecurity and the double-edged sword of success in Las Vegas. The reteam comes as Rae and Penny are currently on the road together for the Insecure 10th Anniversary Tour, a 13-city live conversation tour running through October 8.
Oliver became the first Black woman to write a film that grossed more than $100 million with Girls Trip in 2017. In television, she created First Wives Club and Harlem. Rae is known for her breakout HBO comedy series Insecure, which earned 14 Emmys and a Peabody over its five-season run. She also executive produced A Black Lady Sketch Show and Rap Sh!t at HBO. She will next be seen in the film Babies, premiering at the Toronto International Film Festival.