Richard Gadd Announces First Post-‘Baby Reindeer’ Project, ‘Lions’

While Baby Reindeer continues to be a headline-grabbing (and lawsuit-inducing) hit, the show’s creator, Richard Gadd, is already focusing on his next project as he’s aligned with HBO and BBC for a new series titled Lions.

Gadd will create, write, and executive produce the upcoming drama series, though it’s unclear if he’ll also star in it. Gadd previously portrayed a fictionalized version of himself (named Donny Dunn) in Netflix’s Baby Reindeer, which he also wrote and created.

It’s also unclear if Lions is similarly autobiographical, but the series will feature Gadd’s native Scotland in the spotlight. “When Niall’s estranged ‘brother’ Ruben shows up at his wedding, it leads to an explosion of violence that catapults us back through their lives,” the show’s synopsis states. 

“Spanning almost forty years from the 1980s to the present day, this ambitious series will cover the highs and lows of the brothers’ relationship, from them meeting as teenagers to their falling out as adults – with all the good, bad, terrible, funny, angry, and challenging moments along the way. It will capture the wild energy of a changing city – a changing world, even – and try to get to the bottom of the difficult question… What does it mean to be a man?

Notably, Gadd’s first post-Baby Reindeer project will be made under a partnership between the BBC and HBO and not Netflix, where Baby Reindeer is a streaming hit. However, as Variety notes, Gadd’s latest project first began developing at the BBC in February, two months before Baby Reindeer’s streaming premiere. Additionally, the BBC has a history of teaming with HBO on co-productions.

“Ordering an HBO box set of ‘The Sopranos,’ ‘The Wire,’ or ‘Oz’ and watching it from start to finish were some of the happiest moments of my childhood,” Gadd added in a statement. 

“Since then, it has always been a dream of mine to work with HBO and be part of their iconic roster of shows. I am so grateful to [HBO drama head] Francesca Orsi, [HBO drama senior VP] Kara Buckley and [HBO drama VP] Clint LaVigne for taking this chance on the show and on Ruben and Niall too who – despite growing up in a dead-end Scottish town – would be absolutely pinching themselves at this! I cannot wait to get started.”

The cast for Lions (with or without Gadd) has not yet been revealed, but production is expected to begin soon.

From Rolling Stone US.