Meg Ryan To Star In ‘Picture Paris’ Comedy Series In Works At Epix

EXCLUSIVE: In a very competitive situation with three networks pursuing, Epix has landed Picture Paris, a half-hour comedy series project starring Meg Ryan. The comedy, from Brad Hall, Aaron Kaplan’s Kapital Entertainment and Entertainment One, has been put in fast-track development for a potential straight-to-series order. Epix declined comment.

Picture Paris is based on the 2011 short film written and directed by Hall, which starred his wife, actress Julia Louis-Dreyfus. It centers on a suburban mom whose dream trip to Paris with her husband after they become empty-nesters may not quite live up to expectations.

Hall will write and direct the TV series adaptation, which he will executive produce with Ryan, Kaplan and Dana Honor. eOne is the studio. If greenlighted, the show is expected to film in France.

This would mark a return to television series for Ryan who, except for occasional guest appearances — most notably on Web Therapy — has not been a series regular since the short-lived 1985 ABC Western Wildside.

Entertainment One

Hall previously created the NBC comedy series Watching Ellie toplined by Louis-Dreyfus. The Picture Paris short film did the awards circuit, aired on HBO and topped the iTunes download charts. You can watch a trailer below.

This marks a reunion with Hall for Kaplan who represented him as an agent at WMA years ago. In the premium space, Kapital Entertainment has HBO comedy series Divorce starring Sarah Jessica Parker, which has been picked up for a second season; the upcoming Netflix comedy series Santa Clarita Diet, toplined by Drew Barrymore; and a Chicago drama, which is eyeing a series order at Showtime.

Epix recently made its foray into scripted series with comedy Graves, starring Nick Nolte and Sela Ward, and drama Berlin Station, starring Richard Armitage and Richard Jenkins — both renewed for a second season. It also has the upcoming Get Shorty, toplined by Ray Romano and Chris O’Dowd.

The Picture Paris TV series project was put together by Gersh, which reps Ryan and Hall.