EXCLUSIVE: 9/12, a six-episode restricted sequence starring and govt produced by Emmy and Tony winner Jeremy Sturdy (Succession, Springsteen: Ship Me from Nowhere), has been given an official inexperienced gentle by Paramount+. The venture, about ailing 9/11 first responders’ David vs. Goliath authorized combat for compensation, is likely one of the first two sequence ordered by the streamer’s new regime led by Chair of DTC Cindy Holland and Head of Originals Jane Wiseman who referred to as it “the form of formidable, resonant narratives Paramount+ will champion.”
9/12 joins authorized thriller Discretion, starring Nicole Kidman and Elle Fanning, which simply landed a straight-to-series pickup. Of the 2, 9/12, written, directed and govt produced by Tobias Lindholm (The Investigation) and written and govt produced by Frank Pugliese (Home of Playing cards), is in much more superior levels. Filming on the sequence, produced by Paramount TV Studios and Sister, had really focused an August begin however was caught up within the extended regulatory approval of the $8 billion Skydance-Paramount International merger. It should now start in summer time of 2026 for a 2027 launch on Paramount+.
9/12 marks the streamer’s first authentic manufacturing from the revived Paramount Tv Studios overseen by chair Dana Goldberg and President Matt Thunell. It dramatizes a landmark case that reshaped the combat for accountability: a relentless authorized warfare that stretched practically a decade to safe virtually $1 billion in compensation for first responders who fell gravely unwell within the wake of 9/11.
Sturdy stars as famend class motion lawyer Jason Smith — a composite fictional character impressed by real-life individuals — who risked the whole lot to tackle entrenched establishments, exposing the politics, greed, corruption and betrayal that compounded tragedy set in opposition to the emergency staff’ outstanding unity and bravado as The World Commerce Middle was collapsing.
9/12 “asks what occurs when those that risked the whole lot are deserted by the very establishments meant to guard them,” Lindholm mentioned. “The sequence is a testomony to human energy and perseverance within the face of unthinkable adversity — the very pressure that compelled me to inform this story.”
In a prolonged, considerate assertion, which you’ll be able to learn in full beneath, Sturdy mirrored on how first responders rose to the event on 9/11 and the weeks after and have been failed by the system within the years that adopted.
“9/12 is a narrative about justice, in regards to the restitution of human dignity and in regards to the real-life heroes of this nation who we should always remember,” Sturdy mentioned, calling Lindholm “one of many world’s best author/administrators and has the depth, restraint, integrity, readability and energy to honor this story.”
Tobias Lindholm and Frank Pugliese
Michael Buckner for Deadline/Getty
9/12 was initially arrange at Sister in 2021 as The Finest Of Us earlier than transferring to Skydance Tv following Holland’s departure as International CEO of Sister to develop into a senior adviser to Skydance CEO David Ellison on the streaming points of the Paramount International deal.
After getting fast-tracked, 9/12 sailed by means of improvement and by the spring, it was prepping for manufacturing, turning into Skydance’s first and solely manufacturing budgeted in opposition to the Skydance-Paramount deal. With the FCC assessment taking far longer than anticipated, new spending on 9/12 was paused in early Could, and the venture was placed on maintain altogether a few weeks later.
As Deadline reported on the time, Skydance remained dedicated to the sequence. Following the August completion of Skydance’s Paramount acquisition, 9/12 obtained again on monitor at Paramount TV Studios, the brand new streaming-focused studio, which absorbed Skydance Tv and Showtime/MTV Leisure Studios. Referred to as a particular venture for everybody concerned and a precedence for the studio by Goldberg, 9/12 took awhile to get a proper inexperienced because the schedule needed to be adjusted to suit Sturdy’s current commitments, together with his starring position in Peter Morgan’s new Netflix sequence The Boys From Brazil.
Thunell, who was additionally concerned in 9/12 in his former position as Skydance TV President, was beforehand at Netflix the place the exhibits he labored on there included Home of Playing cards with Pugliese as a author, producer and co-showrunner.
“Tobias has created a heroic underdog story that we all know Jeremy will brilliantly carry to life,” Thunell mentioned. “I’m thrilled to be reunited with Frank and we’re equally proud to associate with Sister on this timeless story as our first restricted sequence for our Paramount+.”
At Paramount+, 9/12 is being overseen by Wiseman who beforehand shepherded the sequence’ improvement as Head of US Tv for Sister.
“This venture reminds us why storytelling issues,” she mentioned. “Working with visionaries like Tobias, Frank, and Jeremy has set the tone for the form of formidable, resonant narratives Paramount+ will champion.”
Sturdy is coming off an Oscar nomination for The Apprentice. Right here is his 9/12 assertion, which appears to be referencing the sequence’ authentic title, The Better of Us:
The good American historian David Halberstam as soon as wrote about September eleventh, 2001, ‘On a day when the worst of mankind confirmed itself, one of the best of mankind answered.’
9/12 is about one of the best of us — our first responders whose official response time on 9/11 was 5 seconds. It’s a couple of second of unity and togetherness on this divided nation, when, amidst the wreckage, we rebuilt and rose once more from the rubble. However it’s also in regards to the methods our establishments failed to reply to these heroes—whom we pledged we’d always remember — of their second of best want.
9/12 is a narrative about justice, in regards to the restitution of human dignity and in regards to the real-life heroes of this nation who we should always remember. Tobias Lindholm is likely one of the world’s best author/administrators and has the depth, restraint, integrity, readability and energy to honor this story.
