Harsh Vardhan
A television adaptation of Adrian Nicole LeBlanc’s 2003 narrative non-fiction book ‘Random Family: Love, Drugs, Trouble, and Coming of Age in the Bronx’ is reportedly in development at Max. Chris Terrio serves as the main writer of the series. The shooting of the project will start in New York on an undisclosed date.
The show unravels the hidden American outlaw narrative beneath the glitz of gangsta glamour, gold-laden drug dealers, and street culture. The narrative intertwines two romances: the intense infatuation of nineteen-year-old Jessica with the successful heroin dealer Boy George and the first love between fourteen-year-old Coco and Jessica’s brother Cesar, an aspiring thug. The young couples, while escaping family troubles, embark on a risky journey to outrun their destinies. They get chauffeured to Pocono getaways and nightclubs, in addition to cruising the streets in Lamborghinis and customized James Bond cars.
As the narrative progresses, Jessica and Boy George navigate the fine line between wealth and ruin, while Coco and Cesar grapple with the street life’s challenges, entangled in a dance between life and death. Amidst murders, DEA/FBI investigations, fugitive pursuits, homelessness, and the persistent grip of poverty, they form and dissolve family bonds. The teenagers find excitement, trouble, and love, making their way through the hazards of the Bronx and beyond, discovering that love is the only constant in their tumultuous lives.
Terrio wrote the famed ‘Zack Snyder’s Justice League‘ based on a story by him, Snyder, and Will Beall. He penned ‘Star Wars: Episode IX – The Rise of Skywalker‘ with J. J. Abrams as well. Terrio began his involvement in the DCEU with ‘Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice’ as a writer, followed by ‘Justice League,’ which he wrote with Joss Whedon.
Terrio received acclaim for writing Ben Affleck‘s ‘Argo,’ which earned him the Academy Award for Best Adapted Screenplay. The film also earned the writer nominations for Best Screenplay at the Golden Globes and the BAFTA Awards. The screenplay, adapted from a Wired article by Joshuah Bearman titled ‘The Great Escape: How the CIA Used a Fake Sci-Fi Flick to Rescue Americans from Tehran’ and Tony Mendez’s memoir, ‘The Master of Disguise,’ reflects Terrio’s extensive research for the project. The movie follows a CIA agent orchestrating a risky operation to rescue Americans in Tehran during the 1979 hostage crisis. Terrio also directed the 2005 drama ‘Heights,’ depicting the intertwining lives of five New Yorkers over the course of 24 hours. Additionally, he directed an episode of FX/Audience Network’s legal thriller ‘Damages.’
New York, the principal location of the series, also serves as a significant location for HBO’s teen series ‘Euphoria‘ and Netflix’s romantic crime drama ‘You.’
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