‘Emily In Paris’ Picked Up By Netflix; Darren Star’s Comedy Series Starring Lily Collins Moves To Streamer From Paramount Network

It’s official —  the new romantic comedy series Emily In Paris — created, written and executive produced by Darren Star — has landed at Netflix. The half-hour series, originally developed and greenlighted by Paramount Network, will be released exclusively on the streaming service this fall. It is produced by MTV Studios.

The move had been in the works for several months and was in its final stages when ViacomCBS’ Entertainment & Youth Group last week announced an overall deal with Star. The Entertainment & Youth Group includes Paramount Network, MTV Studios as well as TV Land, which airs Star’s popular comedy series Younger. 

Emily In Paris, starring and produced by Lily Collins, was ordered in fall 2018 as an anchor of a planned female-themed dramedy night on Paramount Network that the comedy was to share with Younger and First Wives Club. The idea was shelved a few months later when a decision was made for Younger to stay put at its long-time home, TV Land, and First Wives Club relocated to sister Viacom cable network BET.

With mega hit Yellowstone as cornerstone of Paramount Network’s slate, the network has focused on more male-skewing fare, and ViacomCBS’s Entertainment & Youth Group also has been reassessing its original scripted series strategy for all networks, cancelling all but one of Pop’s scripted originals.

Emily In Paris had wrapped production on its 10-episode first season before the start of the coronavirus pandemic, thus emerging as a hot commodity for streamers, who will begin to feel the effect of the COVID-related production shutdown by the fall when the pipeline will start drying up. A completed season from a top creator, headlined by a big star, was likely appealing to Netflix. For ViacomCBS as a producer, a deal with Netflix for Emily In Paris was a great financial proposition that also provides the show with better long-term prospects.

“MTV Studios and I couldn’t hope for a more perfect home for Emily In Paris than Netflix,” Star said. “With their international reach, we are excited to share Emily with audiences around the world.”

In Emily In Paris, Emily (Collins), an ambitious twenty-something marketing executive from Chicago, unexpectedly lands her dream job in Paris when her company acquires a French luxury marketing company — and she is tasked with revamping their social media strategy. Emily’s new life in Paris is filled with intoxicating adventures and surprising challenges as she juggles winning over her work colleagues, making friends, and navigating new romances.

Ashley Park co-stars in the show, whose series regular cast also includes Philippine Leroy Beaulieu, Lucas Bravo, Samuel Arnold, Camille Razat and Bruno Gouery. Kate Walsh, William Abadie and Arnaud Viard recur. Star executive produces with Tony Hernandez and Lilly Burns of Jax Media, as well as Andrew Fleming. Collins produces. Patricia Field is the costume designed. The series was filmed entirely on location in Paris and throughout France.