Last year, Ridley set up an ABC drama series titled American Crime, which follows a racially-charged murder case and the trial that follows. He was write and executive produce the show.
It’s been announced today that ABC has now given a pilot green light to the project, which is set in California’s Central Valley. It reads like it’ll be an ensemble piece, as audiences will experience the murder and trial through the eyes of several different people who are, in some way, connected to the events.
The show frankly tackle race, class and gender politics in the USA. Ridley wrote the script and is executive producing with former ABC Studios head of drama-turned-producer Michael McDonald through ABC Studios. No potential air or delivery date has been set. And not only did Ridley adapt 12 Years A Slave, he also wrote the script for, and directed another film that made its debut last fall (on the film festival circuit) – the Jimi Hendrix biopic starring Andre Benjamin, All Is By My Side.
Ridley is also currently developing a film based on the 1992 Los Angeles riots, with Ron Howard’s and Brian Grazer’s Imagine Entertainment, and Justin Lin (4 Fast & Furious movies) attached to direct
His recent efforts include penning the script for Spike Lee’s HBO series Da Brick, which never made it to air.
