ABC Secures Civil Rights Docuseries About Emmitt Till’s Mother, Jay-Z & Will Smith To Produce

Jay-Z, Will Smith, Emmitt Till

ABC Secures Civil Rights Docuseries About Emmitt Till’s Mother, Jay-Z & Will Smith To Produce

Jay-Z and Will Smith’s upcoming docuseries will officially have a home network with ABC. The project will center around Emmitt Till’s mother, Mamie Till Mobley. 

According to Deadline, ABC announced on the 65th anniversary of Emmitt Till’s death that the six-part series will be heading its way. ABC Entertainment President Karey Burke said:

“Today marks 65 years since the tragic murder of 14-year-old Emmett Till. This limited series will shine a light on the determined pursuit of justice by Emmett’s mother, Mamie Till Mobley. Their story involves inconceivable heartbreak and brutality but also the enduring love of a mother and her son, galvanizing a movement that carved the path for today’s racial justice movement. We are honored to be bringing their story to ABC backed by an all-star producing team.”

ABC first purchased the pitch with a penalty this time last year and launched a virtual writers’ room this past April in light of the COVID-19 shutdown.

Jay-Z is the executive producer of the project, along with Tyran “Ty Ty” Smith of his Roc Nation company. Will Smith and James Lassiter’s Overbrook Entertainment will produce. Marissa Jo Cerar is writing and executive producing the series.

Other notable contributors include Aaron Kaplan, Dana Honor, and Michael Lohmann of Kapital Entertainment; Rosanna Grace from Serendipity Film Group; Alex Foster and John Powers Middleton of The Middleton Media Group; and David Clark at Mazo Partners. Kapital Entertainment will also serve as the studio.

Gina Princebythewood will direct the first episode.

The project is inspired by Devery S. Anderson’s book Emmett Till: The Murder That Shocked the World and Propelled the Civil Rights Movement. 

It’s scheduled for a 2021 premiere.

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