Project Greenlight, which brought us The Battle of Shaker Heights starring Shia LaBeouf in its first season in 2002, is coming back and Issa Rae is boarding as a mentor to aspiring filmmakers!
Before we go forward, let’s just address the Matt Damon in the room. We cannot forget about the last season of Project Greenlight in 2015 when The Great Wall actor tried to whitemansplain diversity to producer Effie Brown. It caused quite a stir and raised a lot of eyebrows. If anything, it put a spotlight on what happens in Hollywood when projects are being developed.
Coming in to give the show a whole-ass makeover is Issa Rae. The eight-episode series of the filmmaking competition will include only female filmmakers. Rae’s Hoorae production banner will produce alongside Miramax Television. As with all previous seasons, we will get to see the production process and the completed movie will debut on HBO Max.
“At HBO Max, we are committed to providing a platform for diverse, up-and-coming talent. Issa is uniquely skilled in this space, and we are thrilled to be partnering with her and Miramax as a promising group of filmmakers is inspired and challenged with their biggest opportunity yet,” said Jennifer O’Connell, executive vp nonfiction and live-action family at HBO Max in a statement to media.
“By relaunching the iconic Project Greenlight with the brilliant Issa Rae and HBO Max, we continue our efforts to mine the Miramax library and create exciting, groundbreaking new content as well as forge opportunities for a new generation of innovative voices to be heard,” said Marc Helwig, head of worldwide television for Miramax.
