‘Veep’ Creator Armando Iannucci Returns to HBO With Space Comedy Pilot Order

Veep creator Armando Iannucci is returning to HBO.

The pay cabler has ordered a pilot for a space comedy from the acclaimed writer, The Hollywood Reporter has confirmed.

Avenue 5 (working title) is described as a comedy set in the future, mostly in space. In addition to a pilot, HBO has also ordered backup scripts for the show.

The project marks Iannucci’s first TV endeavor since he left Veep at the end of season four. Iannucci exited the Julia Louis-Dreyfus political comedy due to the long commute between his home in London and the show’s Los Angeles-based production. (The first few seasons were filmed in Maryland.)

The pilot for Avenue 5 will shoot in London next year.

The pilot order comes days after HBO ordered a pilot for a TV adaptation of the beloved graphic novel Watchmen from Leftovers showrunner Damon Lindelof.

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Iannucci, who won two Emmys for his work on Veep, was succeeded as showrunner by Seinfeld and Curb Your Enthusiasm alum David Mandel. HBO recently confirmed that the upcoming seventh season of the half-hour would be its last.

Since departing Veep, Iannucci has turned his attention to film, most recently writing and directing the political satire The Death of Stalin, which has earned favorable reviews, including from THR, which called the film “amusingly engrossing.”

Iannucci’s other credits include the 2009 film In the Loop and the acclaimed British political comedy series The Thick of It. 

If ordered to series, Avenue 5 would join original HBO comedies Veep, Silicon Valley, Ballers, Insecure, Divorce, High Maintenance, Vice Principals and Crashing as well as the upcoming return of Curb Your Enthusiasm.