Showtime, John Singleton Developing ’80s-Set Cocaine Drama

Showtime is poised to explore the dark side of the 1980s.

The premium cable network is teaming with John Singleton and writer Eric Amadio to develop Snowfall, a drama poised to explore the “Greed is good, cocaine is God” era of the ’80s, The Hollywood Reporter has learned.

Described tonally as in the vein of Boyz n the Hood meets The Wire, Showtime bought the pitch for the drama that will explore the stranger-than-fiction true story of how cracked changed Los Angeles. The drama is told through the eyes of a young man who would become the world’s first superstar drug dealer.

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Told from the perspective of a young African-American kid from Compton, Calif., a Mexican wrestler and a CIA agent charged with running money to the Contras, Snowflake will examine the beginnings of the crack cocaine epidemic in Los Angeles.

L.A. natives Amadio (After Sex, Columbus Day) and Singleton will co-write and exec produce the drama, with the latter attached to direct should it move to pilot. Michael London, Underground’s Trevor Engelson and Evan Silverberg will exec produce.

For his part, Singleton has two other projects in development — a Miami-set club drama and New York-centered society entry — both at HBO. The Academy Award nominee’s credits include Shaft, 2 Fast 2 Furious, Four Brothers and Baby Boy.

Singleton is repped by WME; Amadio is with CAA. Both are with Underground and Jake Bloom.

Email: Lesley.Goldberg@THR.com
Twitter: @Snoodit

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