Showtime Acquires Kirsten Dunst YouTube Series ‘On Becoming a God in Central Florida’

Kirsten Dunst’s dark comedy series On Becoming a God in Central Florida has found a new home for the second time.

Showtime has acquired the YouTube original amid the Google-owned company’s decision to pull back on scripted programming. A source notes that part of the issue was that YouTube was unable to negotiate AVOD rights for the show. The hourlong series, which is produced by George Clooney and Grant Heslov’s Smokehouse Pictures and Sony’s TriStar Television, is now set to debut Aug. 25 on the cable network.

The nine-episode series, which originally started out at AMC, tells the story of the cult of free enterprise and one woman’s relentless pursuit of the American dream in the early 1990s. Dunst plays Krystal Stubbs, who lies, schemes and cons her way up the ranks of Founders American Merchandise (FAM) — the cultish, flag-waving, multi-billion-dollar pyramid scheme that drove her to ruin in the first place, run by the powerful Obie Garbeau II (Ted Levine). The show also stars Théodore Pellerin, Beth Ditto and Mel Rodriguez.

“We were immediately drawn to this stylish and subversive female empowerment story starring Kirsten Dunst as you’ve never seen her before,” Showtime entertainment president Gary Levine said Monday in a statement. “Throw in clever writing, inventive filmmaking, a strong, diverse ensemble and some alligators, and we’re confident Showtime audiences will find On Becoming a God irresistible!”