Common Starring In TV Series Based On B.P. Reiter’s The Saturday Night Knife & Gun Club

Stephen J. Cohen/Getty Images

Common Starring In TV Series Based On B.P. Reiter’s The Saturday Night Knife & Gun Club

Stephen J. Cohen/Getty Images

Common is getting a jump start on his Lionsgate TV deal.

The multihyphenate, days after signing the first-look pact with the studio, is set to star in a TV series based on B.P. Reiter’s The Saturday Night Knife & Gun Club.

The drama, which does not yet have a network, revolves around a tough, street-smart ER doctor with a troubled past (to be played by Common) who leads his staff against brutal conditions, dwindling resources, bureaucracy, and corporate greed in order to save lives at an inner-city hospital.

The drama hails from Eric Eisner (yes, Michael Eisner’s son) and his Double E Pictures, where he serves as CEO. Eisner, who optioned the rights to the book, will exec produce the potential series alongside Common’s Freedom Road Productions and Lionsgate TV. The pilot episode will be penned by Allan Loeb and Andrew Farotte.

Eisner, who is a partner with his father at The Tornante Co., also sits on the board of sports card manufacturer Topps Inc. and is a director for the Portsmouth Football Club. He spearheaded the production of Sundance hit Hamlet 2 and produced the Grammy- and Oscar- short-listed documentary Long Strange Trip. He is repped by attorney Keith Fleer.

“I’m thrilled to partner with Lionsgate and Freedom Road to develop this exciting new TV series based on this engrossing book,” Eisner said. “We have a great script and a strong team in place, and I look forward to bringing the series to life.”

Saturday Night Knife & Gun Club is the first sale for Common under his new Lionsgate TV overall deal. The pact reunites him with the studio for which he starred in the John Wick and Now You See Me franchises. Common’s TV credits include a co-starring role on AMC’s Hell On Wheels. Common is repped by UTA, Dudley, and attorney David Fox.

This article was originally published on The Hollywood Reporter.

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