Starz announced today the anthology series pick up of “Gaslit,” starring Julia Roberts and Sean Penn. Matt Ross will direct and executive produce the high-profile series adapted from Slate’s award-winning podcast “Slow Burn’s” first season about Watergate with showrunner Robbie Pickering. “We could not be more excited to bring this story to the global Starz audience and continue the network’s commitment to spotlighting premium stories that appeal to women while super serving our core audience," Christina Davis, President of Original Programming for Starz.
“Gaslit” is set to start production this spring and will be produced by UCP, a division of Universal Studio Group, for Starz. It was created by Robbie Pickering and written by Robbie Pickering, Amelia Gray, Alberto Roldán, Anayat Fakhraie, Uzoamaka Maduka and Sofya Levitsky-Weitz. Executive Vice President of Original Programming Karen Bailey is the Starz executive overseeing the show.
The series will air on STARZ in the U.S. and Canada and on its international streaming platform Starzplay across Europe, Latin America and Japan. It is the newest title from Starz who recently launched its #TakeTheLead initiative, the company’s comprehensive effort to deepen its existing commitment to narratives by, about and for women and underrepresented audiences.
“Gaslit” is a modern take on Watergate that focuses on the untold stories and forgotten characters of the scandal. “In ‘Gaslit,’ we not only have the opportunity to tell an incredible untold story in bringing Martha Mitchell’s historic role in Watergate to the forefront, but we are also incredibly lucky to have a dream cast including Julia and Sean and the best creative team and partners we could have asked for,” said Davis.
The story will center on Martha Mitchell, played by Roberts. She is a celebrity Arkansan socialite and wife to Nixon’s loyal Attorney General, John Mitchell, played by Penn. Along with Pickering and Ross, Sam Esmail and Chad Hamilton serve as executive producers under their production banner Esmail Corp. Roberts will executive produce under her banner Red Om Films along with co-executive producers Lisa Gillan and Marisa Yeres Gill. Anonymous Content and Slate’s Gabriel Roth and Josh Levin will also executive produce. Leon Nayfakh, who created the podcast, will consult on the project.