Fox has bought Move, a musical dramedy inspired by famed choreographer Laurieann Gibson. According to Deadline, the show, which comes from Mary J. Blige, Ugly Betty creator Silvio Horta and Gail Berman and her company The Jackal Group, has received a script commitment plus penalty.
According to the article, the show will focus on a choreographer who seeks to redeem her reputation in the entertainment scene by creating a tour for a pop diva. However, there’s competition for the job in the form of her former assistant. She must also expend her energy guiding her troupe of dancers who are described as a “talented, but often difficult, team…which depend on her.”
What’s interesting about Move is that Fox was interested in this show idea before, but at the time, it was under a different name and creative team. As we reported last year, Blige, Berman and Gibson were developing the project, then called 8 Count, with Queen Sugar and Being Mary Jane writer Erika L. Johnson. Johnson was set to write and executive produce along with The Jackal Group President Joe Earley, Blige, Berman and Gibson, the latter three being the only remaining members from the original producing team who are going forward with Move.
Move is Fox’s latest musical project; the network has hit a sweet spot with musical dramas, starting with Ryan Murphy’s Glee and escalating to Lee Daniels’ Empire and Star. Of course, before all of these, there was the reality competition juggernaut American Idol.