Netflix Orders Dear White People TV Series

Dear White People is making the jump to TV. THR reports that the project, based on the 2014 movie of the same name, has received a straight to series order from Netflix. Justin Simien, who directed the film, will write the series and direct the first episode, and Stephanie Allain Bray (Dear White People), Julia Lebedev (Dear White People), and Devon Shepard (House of Lies, Weeds) are on board as executive producers. The original film starred Tessa Thompson, Tyler James Williams, Teyonah Parris, Brandon Bell, Dennis Haysbert, and Kyle Gallner (among others), but at this time it’s unclear if any of them will be reprise their roles. Here’s THR’s overview of the series: “Like the film, [Dear White People] follow[s] a diverse group of students of color as they navigate a predominantly white Ivy League college where racial tensions are often swept under the rug. The series is a send-up of ‘post-racial’ America that also weaves a universal story about forging one's own unique path.” "During the film's release, I had the pleasure to speak with hundreds of students and faculty across a variety of college campuses dealing with these very issues in real time," Simien said. "I'm so grateful to have this platform — not only to give a voice to those too often unheard in our culture, but to also tell great stories from new points of views. From Day 1, Lionsgate has been remarkably supportive of the vision for the show, and working with Netflix is every bit as harmonious as I'd imagined it would be. Bringing this show to such a vibrant platform is an honor I don't take lightly." The series will consist of 10, 30-minute episodes and is expected to premiere in 2017. If you haven't seen the movie (like me), check out the trailer below for an idea of what to expect: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Qm6HeK1dyAY