The pot-growing Botwin family is heading to back to TV — in a new home.
Starz is developing a follow-up to Weeds, the Showtime series starring Mary-Louise Parker that ran from 2005-12. The sequel would pick up with Nancy Botwin (Parker, who is attached to star and executive produce) and her family 10 years after the original series, in an era when marijuana has been legalized in several states.
Starz parent Lionsgate, which produced the original show, is also behind the new effort. Victoria Morrow, a writer and co-executive producer on the Showtime series, is penning the follow-up and will executive produce. Series creator Jenji Kohan is not involved at the moment.
Lionsgate CEO Jon Feltheimer announced the sequel during the company’s quarterly earnings call on Thursday. “We’re thrilled to be back in business with series star and executive producer Mary-Louise Parker on what we’re calling ‘Weeds 4.20,’ already in active development at Starz, as we prepare a comprehensive and integrated rollout for one of television’s most beloved properties.”
Feltheimer also said Lionsgate will take Weeds and Mad Men to the global syndication marketplace next year.
The series finale of Weeds jumped forward in time to show that Nancy was now the head of a successful legal-weed business, but in keeping with the series as a whole, it had cost her relationships with her family.
The new show would seem to fit in with the Starz mandate of offering “premium female” programming, as outlined by then-COO (now president and CEO) Jeffrey Hirsch to The Hollywood Reporter in July.
The potential series will look to join a roster of originals on the premium cabler that includes Power and its upcoming spinoff Outlander, Vida, Sweetbitter, American Gods, The Girlfriend Experience and the forthcoming series Dangerous Liaisons, P-Valley, Hightown, Heels, The Dublin Murders and John Wick offshoot The Continental. Starz is also developing a show based on the 2018 movie Blindspotting.
