Viola Davis's JuVee Productions sets Universal TV first-look deal
Viola Davis and Julius Tennon's JuVee Productions has signed a first-look deal with Universal Global Television (UGT), Variety reported, with the romantic drama Pawn as its first project. Under the pact, JuVee will develop projects for UGT across all platforms, giving Davis and Tennon a dedicated pipeline for new television series.
Key Takeaways
- JuVee Productions inked a first-look deal with Universal Global Television, Variety reported.
- The inaugural project is Pawn, a romantic drama adapted from a Kennedy Ryan short story.
- Chantelle M. Wells will write and executive produce alongside Davis, Tennon, Andrew Wang, and Ryan.
- JuVee previously held TV deals at eOne, Amazon, and ABC Signature.
- UGT president Beatrice Springborn called Pawn an excellent and gripping starting point for the partnership.
What did Viola Davis and Julius Tennon agree to?
According to Variety, Viola Davis and Julius Tennon's JuVee Productions has inked a first-look deal with Universal Global Television. Under the agreement, JuVee will develop projects for UGT across all platforms.
The pact places JuVee under UGT president Beatrice Springborn. For fans tracking studio moves in our Streaming & TV Alerts coverage, this is one of the bigger producer deals of the week.
What is Pawn about?
Pawn is a romantic drama based on an original short story by Kennedy Ryan, author of Before I Let Go and Score. Chantelle M. Wells, whose credits include Daredevil: Born Again and Yellowjackets, is attached to write.
The logline follows Gina Jones, who makes a deal to become a pawn for the St. Louis crime family, the Rossis, in exchange for money to pay for her ailing grandmother's medical treatments. The Rossis want to take down rivals the Norths by targeting heir apparent Drayden, who is also Gina's new boss.
When Gina and Drayden's attraction becomes undeniable, she must navigate both families' threats and secrets to go from pawn to queen. Davis, Tennon, JuVee head of TV Andrew Wang, Wells, and Ryan all executive produce.
Why does this deal matter for JuVee Productions?
Davis and Tennon said they felt uniquely connected with UGT on bringing empowering and fearless voices to the screen. They cited long admiration for Ryan's work and praised Wells as a boundary-pushing storyteller from iconic shows of the last decade.
JuVee previously had TV deals at eOne, Amazon, and ABC Signature. The company has produced films including The Woman King and G20, plus TV projects such as The First Lady and the docuseries Hungry for Answers, along with shorts, interactive films, and stage productions.
What are industry leaders saying?
Springborn said Viola, Julius, and Andrew have built JuVee into a home for dynamic and powerful stories, adding that UGT is proud to partner with them beginning with the excellent and gripping Pawn.
Wang thanked Springborn and the UGT team for joining JuVee in creating this new chapter. He said their instincts for bold, provocative stories align with JuVee's mission to deliver globally minded series with genre-redefining characters. JuVee is repped by CAA and Lichter Grossman.