‘The Untamed’: Prentice Penny Joins HBO Project As EP And Co-Writer
Click here to read the full article.
Prentice Penny of Insecure has signed on to executive produce and develop HBO’s The Untamed, an epic fantasy tale based on the culturally diverse Asunda line of comic books created by Sebastian A. Jones and published by Stranger Comics. Penny and Jones will co-write the pilot.
The world of Asunda was inspired by J.R.R. Tolkien’s Middle-earth epics and Greek mythology but with its blend of sword-and-sorcery imagery it also feel like a near-neighbor to Westeros, the realm that’s home to HBO’s Game of Thrones and its now-ramping prequel series.
More from Deadline
Chloë Sevigny To Star In Luca Guadagnino's HBO/Sky Drama 'We Are Who We Are'
Notes On The Emmys: What It Takes To Get A Nomination And Why It Helps To Be On HBO Or Netflix
Asunda was introduced by Jones through his tiny independent imprint, Stranger Comics (with help along the way from Kickstarter campaigns), as a “shared universe” saga that was chronicled across individual series like Niobe, Dusu, Erathune and Essessa, each named for a character or locale in the war-battered world of magic and medieval intrigue.
The pilot and early episodes will lean into the Asunda saga through the story told in The Untamed graphic novel illustrated by Peter Bergting and Darrell May that lends its name to the HBO series.
The tale follows a character known as The Stranger as he returns to a town called Oasis to kill seven people in seven days. His mission is challenged, however, by Niobe Ayutami, a young girl who will figure prominently in the Asunda mythos.
Coming aboard in the project’s early stages, Penny will executive produce the drama through his A Penny for Your Thoughts Entertainment shingle under his recently inked overall deal with HBO. Jones and his partner Mimi DiTrani will executive produce the project with David Levine.
Penny is also the showrunner and executive producer of HBO’s Insecure, the Peabody-winning comedy that begins production on Season 4 later this year. Penny has also directed episodes of Insecure, including the Season 3 premiere.
Penny will make his feature film directorial debut with Uncorked, a Netflix original now in post-production. Starring Mamoudou Athie, Niecy Nash, and Courtney B. Vance, the father-son story was written by Penny and loosely based on his family history.
Penny’s television credits include the Golden Globe-winning Brooklyn Nine-Nine, Happy Endings, and Girlfriends. He also created and executive produced The Hustle for the Fuse Network.
Penny is repped by WME, Chris Pollack at Miles Media and attorneys John Meigs and Adam Kaller.
Sign up for Deadline's Newsletter. For the latest news, follow us on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram.
