David Fincher is joining the power showrunner ranks.
The two-time Oscar nominee (The Social Network, Benjamin Button) has landed a series order for his 1980s music video comedy, The Hollywood Reporter has learned. HBO declined comment.
Set in 1983 Los Angeles, Video Synchronicity (working title, previously Living on Video) centers on Robby, a wide-eyed guy who drops out of college and drives to Hollywood with dreams of directing a sci-fi epic. He lands a job as a production assistant for a company that makes music videos.
Said to be along the lines of HBO’s Entourage, the comedy revolves around the players of the then-exploding music video industry — directors, record executives and crew members, many of them who dabble in drugs — as told through the eyes of a newcomer named Robby.
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Red Band Society breakout Charlie Rowe stars as Robby. The actor replaced The Killing‘s Tyler Ross as the lead in the comedy, which filmed two episodes rather than a traditional pilot.
As with every Fincher project, details are being kept under wraps but the cast is said to include Sam Page (reteaming with Fincher after a recurring role on House of Cards), Jason Flemyng, Kerry Condon, Elizabeth Lail, Corbin Bernsen and Paz Vega.
Fincher, a two-time Grammy winner for best music video (The Rolling Stones’ “Love Is Strong” and Justin Timberlake and Jay-Z’s “Suit & Tie”), will direct and exec produce. Based on an idea from Fincher, he’ll write alongside Bob Stephenson and Rich Wilkes (xXx). Michael Lehmann and Marcos Siega are on board as co-exec producers.
For HBO, the Fincher comedy joins a rapidly growing roster of half-hour programming that also includes new additions Lorne Michaels‘ Brothers in Atlanta, Sarah Jessica Parker vehicle Divorce and web-to-TV pot comedy High Maintenance.
Those join a comedy slate that also includes the upcoming Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson entry Balllers, Danny McBride’s Vice Principals as well as Jack Black and Tim Robbins starrer The Brink.
The remainder of the premium cabler’s comedy slate includes Doll & Em, Girls, Getting On, Silicon Valley, Togetherness, Veep and the TV movie finale of Looking.
As for the rest of HBO’s comedy pilot slate, that includes Whitney Cummings vehicle Are Men Necessary?, and half-hours from Sarah Silverman and Issa Rae.
Fincher now has series on HBO and Netflix, the latter of which recently renewed House of Cards for a fourth season.
Email: Lesley.Goldberg@THR.com
Twitter: @Snoodit
