Fox has found the male lead for its upcoming event series, Shots Fired. Race star Stephan James will star opposite Sanaa Lathan in the dramatic series co-written by Gina Prince-Bythewood (Beyond the Lights) and Reggie Rock Bythewood (Notorious). Gina Prince-Bythewood, Reggie Rock Bythewood, Brian Grazer, and Francie Calfo (Empire) are executive producing, and Gina Prince-Bythewood is pulling triple duty as director. According to Fox, the event series will air later this year.
“Gina and Reggie have crafted a profoundly moving portrayal of a timely and sensitive issue that pervades our culture at this very moment,” said David Madden, President, Entertainment, Fox Broadcasting Company, describing the series.
Stephan James recently starred in Race, the dramatic biopic about Olympic runner Jesse Owens. James’ credits also include Selma, Across the Line, When the Game Stands Tall, The Gabby Douglas Story, and Degrassi: The Next Generation. Sanaa Lathan’s been featured in The Best Man Holiday, Boss, Contagion, Powder Blue, Nip/Tuck, and AVP: Alien vs Predator.
The Shots Fired Plot: Shots Fired stars Sanaa Lathan (The Perfect Guy) as an expert investigator who digs into the cases, alongside a special prosecutor (Stephan James) sent to the town by the Department of Justice. The pair must navigate the media attention, public debate and the social unrest that comes with such volatile cases, as they seek justice before the divided town erupts.
