Apple has ordered a series adaptation of the Garth Risk Hallberg “City on Fire” from Josh Schwartz and Stephanie Savage.
The eight-episode series falls under the first-look deal Fake Empire, Schwartz and Savage’s production banner, set up at Apple in 2019. It is the first series order to come from the deal.
In “City on Fire,” an NYU student is shot in Central Park on the 4th of July, 2003. Samantha Cicciaro is alone; there are no witnesses and very little physical evidence. Her friends’ band is playing her favorite downtown club but she leaves to meet someone, promising to return. She never does. As the crime against Samantha is investigated, she’s revealed to be the crucial connection between a series of mysterious city-wide fires, the downtown music scene, and a wealthy uptown real estate family fraying under the strain of the many secrets they keep.
Schwartz and Savage are writing the series and will also serve as showrunners and executive producers. Fake Empire’s Lis Rowinski will serve as co-executive producer.
Fake Empire has a number of shows currently on the air, including “Dynasty” and “Nancy Drew” at The CW. Schwartz and Savage are also executive producers on “Gossip Girl” at HBO Max, a reboot of the beloved show they co-created back in 2007. Their other credits include “Looking for Alaska,” “The OC,” “Runaways,” and “Hart of Dixie.”
Schwartz and Savage are repped by WME and McKuin Frankel Whitehead. Schwartz is additionally repped by Mikkel Bondesen.
This is the second Apple project to be announced this week. The streamer revealed Tuesday that it was in development on a scripted drama set in the Negro Leagues of baseball that would focus on the life of legendary player Leroy “Satchel” Paige.