Black Rodeo Drama Greenlit At Starz

Starz is continuing its move to own its own programming with a new series set in the world of Black rodeo in Texas.

The network has greenlit the untitled drama, which comes from Demascus showrunner Kirk A. Moore, Breaking Bad exec producer Mark Johnson and Counterpart Studios.

The eight-part family drama unfolds in Southeast Texas, where rodeo isn’t just what you do – it’s who you are, per the logline. At the center are three siblings bound by the legacy their mother built and the unfinished business their father left behind. Driven by their own ambitions and drawn into each other’s orbit, alliances shift, relationships tangle, and nothing stays private for long. The network said it is “infused with hip hop swagger and country soul”.

Moore serves as showrunner and exec produces alongside Johnson and Myki Bajaj of Gran Via, and Tony Hernandez, Elise Henderson and Lilly Burns of Counterpart Studios. It will be overseen by Starz execs Giovanna Desselle and Christina Jokanovich.

The series is Starz’s second fully owned production following Fightland, a British boxing drama from Curtis ’50 Cent’ Jackson.

It’s a move that’s been telegraphed for the last year by CEO Jeff Hirsch. He said that a standalone Starz – after its split from Lionsgate – would own a lot of its programming and said that by 2027, it would own half of its slate.

“There’s a large content savings by controlling your IP,” he said.

“Messy family dynamics, jaw-dropping spectacle and an undeniable swagger – this is the kind of bold, original storytelling we’re proud to own from the ground up,” said Kathryn Busby, President of Original Programming, Starz. “With a touch of urban grit and a huge dose of country soul, it’s Texas through and through. There’s nothing else like it, and we’re thrilled to bring it to Starz’s audiences.” 

Moore is represented by CAA, manager Scott Carr, and attorneys Loan Dang & Nina Shaw.