Peacock is developing a drama series about the FBI’s notorious COINTELPRO program, Variety has learned exclusively.
Set in 1965, the series centers on Amos Harvey, a conservative black cop and veteran of the Korean War, who is forcibly recruited into the FBI’s secret task-force, COINTELPRO. His job is to infiltrate the Civil Rights movement to destroy the organizations from the inside. Meanwhile, Amos’ wife Roberta, a nurse tired of her role as a cog in the broken and unfair system, finds herself reinvigorated when she joins the movement behind her husband’s back. Before long, deception and secrecy split the Harvey household as Amos and Roberta end up on opposite sides of the war for America’s soul.
Leon Hendrix III and Ajani Jackson will write and executive produce the series. Cedar Park’s David Ayer, Chris Long, and Darryll C. Scott with Cedar Park’s subsidiary Evergreen Valley Productions will also executive produce. eOne facilitated the deal and will produce along with UCP, a division of Universal Studio Group.
Hendrix is an alum of the 2016-2017 Universal Writers Program. He previously wrote for the series “Two Sentence Horror Stories.” He is repped by Grandview.
Jackson currently has a project in development with ABC Signature and wrote for the video game “Tom Clancy’s Ghost Recon Breakpoint.” He is repped by Circle of Confusion, Ziffren Brittenham and Kaplan Stahler.
Cedar Park and Ayer are repped by WME.
Peacock officially launched earlier this year. Among its current slate of original programming are shows like the “Saved by the Bell” sequel series and “The Amber Ruffin Show.” The series adaptation of “Brave New World” was canceled at Peacock after one season.
(Pictured: Leon Hendrix III, left; Ajani Jackson, right)