The creative team of BET’s forthcoming “Boomerang” series has just acquired two female powerhouses. According to The Hollywood Reporter, Emmy-winner Lena Waithe and Oscar-winner Halle Berry have signed on to executive produce the 10-episode comedy.
Considered a sequel of sorts, “Boomerang” originates from the Eddie Murphy and Robin Givens ’90s romcom of the same name. “Boomerang” follows an advertising executive and womanizer (Murphy) who is given a run for his money by his new female boss (Givens). Berry also stars in the original. BET’s series is somewhat of a continuation of this narrative, focusing on the kids of Murphy and Givens’ characters as they strive for a legacy independent of their parents’ executive success.
The series reunites Waithe with director Dime Davis, who previously worked with Waithe on Netflix’s “Step Sisters” and Showtime’s “The Chi.” Waithe will cowrite the pilot alongside showrunner Ben Cory Jones (“Insecure”).
BET exec Scott Mills expressed the excitement in pairing Berry with a writing talent as dynamic as Waithe. “Partnering an icon such as Halle with a disruptor like Lena is a perfect blend for the creation of a project that tells a classic tale in a relevant voice,” he said. “This partnership demonstrates BET’s commitment to the continued elevation of the brand, collective creativity, and authentic storytelling.”
Berry added, “I’m thrilled to team up with Lena on this project as she is without a doubt a leading voice of her generation and a trailblazer in her own right. I’m truly excited to be a part of bringing this iconic and beloved film to the small screen.”
Last year, Waithe became the first black woman to win a comedy writing Emmy for her “Thanksgiving” episode of “Master of None.” She now has countless projects in the works, including an anthology series for Amazon, Melina Matsoukas’ feature “Queen & Slim,” and “Twenties,” a TBS comedy series about a queer black woman and her two best friends trying to live out their dreams in their early 20s. The second season of her Showtime series “The Chi” premieres next year. She also has a first-look deal with the network.
Berry is set to star in the Melissa London Hilfers-penned remake of “Jagged Edge.” She will also make her directorial debut with “Bruised,” a martial arts drama that follows a tarnished MMA fighter (played by Berry) who is reunited with the six-year-old son she previously abandoned. She can be seen in theaters next spring alongside Keanu Reeves in “John Wick 3: Parabellum.”
