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Universal is back in business with screenwriter Sarah Rothschild (The Gauntlet), as the studio has picked up the workplace comedy pitch 24-7 and will develop it as a starring vehicle for Kerry Washington and Eva Longoria, the Tracking Board has confirmed.
Washington and Longoria will produce via their respective production companies Simpson Street and UnbeliEVAable Entertainment, whose Ben Spector will also produce.
Plot details are being kept under wraps, but the title sure sounds like it ups the ante on the 1980 workplace comedy 9 to 5, which starred Jane Fonda, Lily Tomlin and Dolly Parton.
Universal executive Sara Scott will oversee the project for the studio, while Pilar Savone and Will Rack will oversee development for Simpson Street and UnbeliEVAble, respectively.
Washington stars on ABC’s Scandal and lends her voice to Pixar’s Cars 3. She recently optioned the books The Mothers and The Perfect Mother as a producer. She’s represented by CAA and Washington Square Films.
Longoria is coming off of Blumhouse’s Lowriders and recently wrapped Jamie Foxx’s comedy All-Star Weekend. Not only is she developing several projects as a producer, but she also just signed on for a key supporting role in the Overboard remake. She’s repped by CAA and Brillstein Entertainment Partners.
Rothschild is a Baltimore-based writer who writes for Love, Unscripted on Awesomeness TV and also wrote The Dog Walker, which Alison Eastwood is attached to direct. She’s repped by Verve, and her pitch sale was first reported by Deadline.
Jeff Sneider | Editor in Chief
