With the TV landscape already more crowded than ever, Jeffrey Katzenberg is looking to reinvent the very medium with Quibi, a streaming service that will deliver “quick bites” of content — episodes or installments running 10 minutes or less. Katzenberg and CEO Meg Whitman have pitched the mobile-based service as quick entertainment for viewers on the go.

“You leave the house every morning with a little TV in your pocket. It’s called your smart phone,” Whitman said in 2018. “During the day, you have these in-between moments. Ten minutes here, 15 minutes there, where you want to see something great.”

Quibi is scheduled to launch on April 6, 2020 with a two-tier pricing system: $4.99 with ads, $7.99 without. And lest anyone remain skeptical, the service already has a raft of A-list talent lined up for various projects. Read on for a list of what’s in development.

Drama

Don’t Look Deeper: Emily Mortimer (Mary Poppins Returns) and Don Cheadle headline this sci-fi series directed and executive produced by Twilight director Catherine Hardwicke. The story, set “15 minutes into the future” (whatever that entails), follows a high school senior who realizes she may not be human.

Frat Boy Genius: Based on a buzzy feature screenplay, this series will tell the tale of Snapchat’s rise through a Social Network-esque, reportedly deeply unflattering portrait of founder Evan Spiegel.

The Fugitive: A modern, social media-infused update of the classic TV series (and 1993 Harrison Ford film), The Fugitive tells the tale of Mike Ferro (Logan‘s Boyd Holbrook), who must clear his name by tracking down the real perpetrator of a bombing in Los Angeles. Prison Break‘s Nick Santora is writing the series, and Kiefer Sutherland will play the cop hot on Ferro’s trail.

#Freerayshawn: Antoine Fuqua, director of The Equalizer and 2016’s The Magnificent Seven, is producing this drama, which Katzenberg pitched as a modern twist on ’70s classic Dog Day Afternoon. Stephan James (Homecoming) stars as Rayshawn, an Iraq War veteran who takes shelter in his apartment building after a botched drug deal. Amid a police standoff and growing media frenzy, a sympathetic cop (played by Laurence Fishburne) tries to convince him to surrender.

Crazy Talented: Doug Liman (The Bourne Identity) will direct this twisted superhero tale, in which a charismatic leader convinces psych ward patients that they possess extraordinary “talents,” and must stop alien weapons from falling into the wrong hands.

The Stranger: In this thriller, written and directed by Veena Sud (The Killing), a mysterious Hollywood Hills passenger enters a young ride share driver’s car. Over 12 hours, the two venture into the seedy underbelly of Los Angeles in a spine-chilling game of cat and mouse.

When the Street Lights Go On: This project has had a long, winding road to the screen: Written as a film, the script ranked second on the 2011 Black List, later being reworked and produced as a pilot for Hulu, who passed. The pilot was shopped around (even screening at the Sundance Film Festival) but never picked up. Now, this story — about a young girl’s murder that rocks a suburban town — has finally found a home at Quibi. It will be rewritten yet again, with Stranger Things alum Rebecca Thomas directing.

The Last American Vampire: Based on the novel by Seth Grahame-Smith (on board as an EP), this series will follow a young female FBI agent as she’s partnered with a wealthy, 500-year-old vampire bon vivant to protect the world from a dangerous threat.

Survive: Sophie Turner is following up a little show called Game of Thrones with this thriller, also starring Corey Hawkins (Straight Outta Compton). The show tells the story of two survivors of a plane crash on a remote mountain, who must work together as they combat the elements and their personal demons to make it back to civilization.

Untitled action-thriller project: Liam Hemsworth will star as Dodge Maynard, a terminally ill man desperate to care for his pregnant wife — enough so that he joins a potentially lucrative game that turns out to be a deadly ruse that pits him as the prey in a dangerous game of cat-and-mouse. Cristoph Waltz will also star as Miles Sellers, with Nick Santora (CBS’ Scorpion) writing and Phil Abraham (Daredevil) directing.

Untitled Guillermo del Toro project: The Oscar-winning Shape of Water director is developing a project described as a “modern zombie story.”

El Señor de Los Cielos prequel: Telemundo is partnering with Quibi on a prequel to its acclaimed telenovela, chronicling the rise of notorious real-life drug lord Amado Carrillo Fuentes.

Swimming with Sharks: A contemporary adaptation of the 1995 Kevin Spacey-starring Hollywood satire, this series follows a young female assistant at a studio “filled with manipulators, schemers and intrigue,” who just might outwit all of them.

Wireless: This thriller, executive produced by Steven Soderbergh (who knows a thing or two about what mobile phones can bring to entertainment), stars Tye Sheridan as a self-obsessed college student stranded in the Colorado mountains, with his smartphone as his only tool for survival. The show is described as “a survival movie for the next generation about the lies we tell through our phones, and the lies our phones tell us.” Andie MacDowell will also star, in an undisclosed role.

Charlemagne: With Vikings wrapping up its run, creator Michael Hirst is moving on to another historical drama, based on the life of Holy Roman Emperor Charlemagne, who united much of Europe during his reign amid a “salacious” personal life.

Toys: Melinda Hsu Taylor (The CW’s Nancy Drew) is adapting James Patterson‘s dystopian best-seller, which tells the tale of a young woman in a near future in which DNA manipulation has split humans into genetically enhanced “Elites” and unaltered “Basics.”

Transmissions: Bodyguard creator Jed Mercurio is developing a sci-fi thriller about a lone scientist at a remote observatory who starts to receive strange signals from deep space.

Code 8 spinoff: Cousins Stephen Amell and Robbie Amell are extending their passion project Code 8 with a spinoff series based on the 2019 film, set in a world where 4 percent of the population is born with supernatural abilities. The show will apparently take place several years after the movie.

CURS_R: Ridley Scott joins Quibi’s stable of A-list filmmakers as an EP on this thriller, which follows a broke student who attempts to win a cash prize by playing a strange 1980s computer game. She soon realizes, however, that she’s actually playing for her life.

Dead Spots: Pitch Perfect screenwriter Kay Cannon is producing an adaptation of Melissa F. Olson’s 2012 fantasy novel, described as “an urban fantasy dramedy about a lowly janitor for Los Angeles’ supernatural community.” (Namely vampires, werewolves, and the like.)

Comedy

Royalties: Darren Criss will star in, executive produce, and write songs for this musical comedy series, following a ragtag songwriting duo named Sara and Pierce. Criss is also co-writing the series with fellow Team StarKid co-founders Nick and Matt Lang (of A Very Potter Musical fame).

Dummy: Starring Anna Kendrick and Donal Logue (of the late Gotham), this comedy follows the story of an aspiring writer and her boyfriend’s sex doll(?). Originally written as a TV pilot, the project was developed into a film script to be diced up into Quibi’s 10-minute-or-less “bites.”

Mapleworth Murders: From EPs Lorne Michaels and Seth Meyers comes this comedic mystery-procedural, written by Paula Pell (A.P. Bio) and John Lutz (30 Rock), who also star alongside J. B. Smoove (Curb Your Enthusiasm) and Hayley Magnus (The Dressmaker). The show follows a murder mystery author (Pell) who sets out to solve a spate of killings in her quaint, small town. Also on board are a murderer’s row (sorry) of SNL veterans and other comedy figures in supporting or guest roles, including (deep breath): Fred Armisen, Tina Fey, Wanda Sykes, Maya Rudolph, D’Arcy Carden, Tim Meadows, Patton Oswalt, Jack McBrayer, Annie Mumolo, Ike Barinholtz, Chris Parnell, Andy Samberg, Terry Crews, and Nicole Byer.

The Now: Peter Farrelly (Green Book) and Bobby Farrelly bring you the story of a suicidal man named Ed Poole, whose brother and father have already died by suicide. For the sake of his mother, the man strives to turn things around, and learn to live in “the now.” Dave Franco stars as Poole, with O’Shea Jackson Jr. and Daryl Hannah also starring, and Bill Murray and Alyssa Milano in recurring roles.

Varsity Blues: A “modern take” on the 1999 James Van Der Beek-starring film is in production. Like the film, the show will follow a high school football team and their struggles with a hostile coach. No casting news has been announced, but one can only hope Van Der Beek will show up at some point.

Winos: Thomas Lennon is masterminding this series as creator, writer, executive producer, and star. The show follows a failed Silicon Valley entrepreneur who relocates to wine country and tries to improve the fortunes of a struggling vineyard. Comedic fish-out-of-water antics will presumably abound.

How to Lose a Guy in 10 Days: Another updated spin on a film, this one reworks the 2003 Matthew McConaughey-starring rom-com into the story of an online columnist and an advertising executive who both need to prove that they’re capable of being monogamous. They soon discover keeping a relationship is harder than Andie Anderson made it look.

Last Resort: This comedy, produced by Dwayne Johnson and Paul Feig, focuses on a Polynesian family who run a resort in Hawaii. Their life is upended when a tech billionaire puts in a bid to buy the land.

Flipped: A “chronically underemployed” couple (played by Will Forte and Kaitlin Olson) strive to become TV’s next great home-renovation show duo in this comedy series produced by Funny or Die. Unfortunately, their plans are waylaid somewhat when members of a drug cartel (Andy Garcia, Eva Longoria, and Broad City‘s Arturo Castro) kidnap the pair and force them to renovate their massive houses.

Memory Hole: Dive back into all the cringeworthy pop culture events you forgot — or maybe never even knew about in the first place — with this series, hosted by Will Arnett and created by Patriot Act with Hasan Minhaj writer Scott Vrooman.

Untitled Cara Delevingne prank show: The Carnival Row star will host a practical joke series in which she and “a band of female accomplices” wreak mischief and mayhem by executing ever-more-elaborate pranks and stunts.

Nikki Fre$h: Nicole Richie, rapper? That’s the premise of this comedy series, which follows Richie’s titular alter ego as she strives to bring her own educational, wellness-related brand of rap (known as “Parent Trap”) to the world.

Kirby Jenner: The Kardashian empire is now expanding to Quibi, as Kendall Jenner‘s “twin brother” Kirby (actually a “faux Kardashian” known for his parody Instagram account) gets his own showcase series. Kendall and matriarch Kris Jenner will also appear on the show, as well as executive produce.

Agua Donkeys: Produced by Funny or Die, this series follows two employees at a pool-cleaning company on their quest for “the perfect tan, the perfect vibe, and the perfect mix of bromine and chlorine” for pool-cleaning. The short film on which it’s based has been called a “Californian Napoleon Dynamite.”

Nice One!: Comedian Ron Funches (Noelle) hosts this comedic game show, in which comedians attempt to out-compliment each other.

Rapper Warrior Ninja: Ahead of his Adult Swim show’s long-delayed fifth season, Eric Andre is bringing one of its most memorable segments to Quibi with Rapper Warrior Ninja. Hip-hop stars will attempt to navigate a perilous obstacle course while freestyling — typical Andre fare, in other words, if any Andre fare can be described as typical.

Action Scene: This series follows Kevin Hart, as himself, on a quest to land a major role in an action movie. After being rejected for a role, he has a random run-in with an A-list action star, leading to a chain of events that result in Hart fighting his way through several comedically over-the-top action sequences — with cameos by “some of Hollywood’s biggest action movie heroes” along the way.

Floored: YouTube star Liza Koshy hosts this bizarre spin on competitive dance shows, in which two teams attempt to perform pre-rehearsed routines on a floor that “lifts, tilts, drops, shakes and spins in time to the music.” As if that weren’t enough, they’ll also be plagued by surprise obstacles. And you thought Dancing With the Stars was strenuous.

Junior High: Created by and starring Jimmy Tatro (American Vandal) and his longtime collaborator Christian Pierce, this series has its roots in the pair’s YouTube comedy, and follows them, as middle schoolers, struggling to figure out the fast-paced world of junior high.

Skinny Dip: This show, based on Carl Hiaasen’s 2004 novel, is a darkly comic revenge saga about a woman whose husband flings her overboard on a cruise. Miraculously, she’s rescued by a retired cop, and the pair begin plotting to gaslight her husband. Writers Russel Friend and Garrett Lerner (House) previously developed the project at the CW before Quibi picked it up.

Reno 911!: Quibi is in the revival business, too. Comedy Central’s cult-hit cop show, cancelled in 2009, will be back for a new season on the streaming service with co-creators Thomas Lennon, Robert Ben Garant, and Kerri Kenney-Silver back to write and star.

Untitled Trevor Noah series: This show will follow the Daily Show host on tour, documenting his “candid interactions” with people and how these moments impact both his worldview and his comedy.

Gayme Show: Matt Rogers (co-host of podcast Las Culturistas with SNL‘s Bowen Yang) and comedian Dave Mizzoni will host this comedic competition series, in which two straight contestants are paired with a celebrity “life partner” as they go head-to-head in various challenges to earn the title of “Queen of the Straights.”

Black Coffee: Gabrielle Union will executive produce this series from writer-director Morgan Cooper. The story follows a former basketball star from Kansas City who returns home and opens a coffee shop in his old neighborhood.

Trill League: With Power on Starz wrapping up soon, executive producer Curtis “50 Cent” Jackson‘s next project will be this animated series, an adaptation of the indie graphic novel of the same name. The comic, by Anthony Piper (who will co-write the series), focuses on a league of black superheroes (many of whom are spoofs of DC Comics characters) as they battle monsters, supervillains, and more, satirizing modern America along the way.

Gloop World: From Rick and Morty co-creator Justin Roiland comes this sure-to-be-absurd claymation series, following the adventures of “anthropomorphic blob” roommates Bob Roundy and Funzy.

Horror

Spielberg’s After Dark: Appointment TV is back, sorta. The beloved filmmaker is writing a “10 or 12-chapter” spooky story that can only be viewed after the sun goes down.

Wolves and Villagers: Pitched by Katzenberg as “Fatal Attraction 2.0,” this series boasts Naomi Watts in the lead role and Blumhouse maestro Jason Blum (the producer behind Get Out and Ma) as an executive producer.

50 States of Fright: Original Spider-Man and The Evil Dead helmer Sam Raimi is producing this horror anthology, which draws inspiration from the folklore of each U.S. state. Rachel Brosnahan, Christina Ricci, Ming-Na Wen, and more are on board to star in different episodes.

Emma: AnnaSophia Robb (The Act, The Carrie Diaries) stars in this horror series, directed by American Psycho helmer Mary Harron, as a pregnant young woman who must reckon with her pregnancy’s “increasingly disturbing effects” and a possible conspiracy around it.

Tomie: Quibi sees Netflix’s live-action Cowboy Bebop and raises it Tomie. Alexandre Aja (Crawl) will direct a live-action adaptation of the popular Japanese manga series, which “starts out as a murder mystery,” with a high school girl disappearing and pieces of her body popping up across a small town, before becoming “something even more horrific.”

Quibi’s launch slate in April will be built on three different tiers of content: star-studded “lighthouse” productions; mid-tier “quick bites”; and news-focused “daily essentials.” Katzenberg refers to these daily essentials as the “secret sauce,” providing curated daily information in a quality way from trusted sources in an effort to create regular viewing habits.
"“Movies in chapters — I think they are exceptional. They are the things people will likely talk about.”"

The lighthouse productions are another format innovation. They’re essentially movies that are broken up into several-minute chapters with weekly releases. This means a two-hour movie could take 12 chapters to play in its entirety, and you’ll have the option to binge everything at the end of the run. “Movies in chapters — I think they are exceptional,” says Katzenberg. “They are the things people will likely talk about.”

https://www.theverge.com/2020/1/8/21...-shows-preview

But crucially, future-proofing means ignoring TV sets altogether. And laptops. There’s no browser app or Roku app. For everyone at Quibi, the first and only venue for their content is the phone. This means if we all move to smart watches or AR glasses by 2040, Quibi will be screwed if it doesn’t innovate. Whitman and Katzenberg seem optimistic that phones will stick around for a while.

https://gizmodo.com/quibi-is-either-...ter-1840876439