Rian Johnson is already hard at work on his next project, the original television seriesPoker Face. The series will stream exclusively on NBCUniversal’sPeacock. Johnson’s T-Street Productions and MRC Television will produce the 10-episode first season. Natasha Lyonne ofOrange Is the New BlackandRussian Dollfame will star.
In addition to being the creator, Johnson is also taking on writing and directing duties.Poker Facewill be his first-ever original series. His previous television work includes directing three episodes ofBreaking Bad, including the Emmy-winning “Ozymandias”. He’s most recognizable, however, for 2017’sStar Wars: The Last Jedi.
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Given the director’s track record,Poker Facebeing a mystery drama is far from a surprise. His first film,Brick, was an homage to detective noir — set at a high school. New Hollywood whodunnits such asThe Last of SheilaandClueinspiredhis acclaimed filmKnives Out, which featured an ensemble cast that included Chris Evans and Ana de Armas. Johnson describesPoker Faceas a deconstruction of classic “case-of-the-week” television (thinkColumbo).
Lyonne, who co-created Netflix’sRussian Doll, calledPoker Facea “dream show.” So far, she’s the only member of the cast to have been revealed. This is her first project with Johnson, although the two have interacted on Twitter before. Interestingly, Johnson tagged Lyonne in a tweet about theColumboboard game back in 2019. It’s safe to assume the crime drama was a big influence onPoker Face, especially considering their similar formats.
Johnson’sBreaking Badwork is great, butPoker Facebeing his debut series means we’re not sure what to expect. His films have given him both critical and box office success, but he’s far from scandal-free. Most notably, he’s been criticized for his handling ofcharacters inStar Wars:The Last Jedi. The film that made him a household name also made him one of the most divisive people in the biz.
Peacock is also a bit of an odd one out in the world of entertainment. Despite being “free as a bird,” it hasn’t come close to the heights reached by its competitors.It has NBC’sThe Office, and that’s about it. When it comes time to binge, people are turning to Netflix, which is churning out new content every day. Peacock hasn’t even earned a seat at the table. New projects likePoker Faceand theBel-Airreboot will draw viewers in, but will those same viewers stay? At least we’re not talking about Quibi here.
Poker Facewill be released on Peacock on an unspecified future date.
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