It's been a weird old time for JJ Abrams of late. Despite still being one of the most powerful creatives and producers working in the industry, he's seen his projects take a hit — a giant deal with Warner Bros. Discovery has seen slow development and several cancellations (including a Justice League Dark series), and Paramount has seen little forward movement on the Star Trek movie front – but it appears that the former relationship is finally paying off again as he as set up new series Duster at HBO Max starring Lost veteran Josh Holloway alongside Rachel Hilson.
Co-created with LaToya Morgan, Duster is set in 1972 in the Southwest and follows the first Black female FBI agent (Hilson) as she recruits a gutsy getaway driver (Holloway) in a bold effort to take down a growing crime syndicate. The cast also features Keith David, Sydney Elisabeth, Greg Grunberg (an Abrams stalwart), Camille Guaty, Asivak Koostachin, Adriana Aluna Martinez and Benjamin Charles Watson.
"Duster is an amalgam of all my favorite things — high octane storytelling with deep characters and so much heart,” said Morgan in a statement picked up by The Hollywood Reporter. "It’s a dream project and I’m supremely grateful to all the folks at Warner Bros. and HBO Max for believing in this show. And I couldn’t have asked for a better partner in crime than JJ to build this incredible world."
Says Abrams, "LaToya and I are thrilled at the chance to bring the wild, wily and wacky world of Duster to life, especially with this exceptional cast, crew and network." The series’ first season will run for eight episodes, with Abrams and Morgan writing the first two installments and Watchmen's Steph Green directing. No word yet on when it'll hit screens.