David Knoller Inks Overall Deal With Starz, Joins Drama Project ‘Blackbirds’

Starz has signed a deal with another executive producer of its new drama series Power, which was just renewed for a second season. Under the overall pact, David Knoller also is joining Starz’s drama Blackbirds, from John Shiban, and will develop other projects for the pay cable network. The hire gives extra boost to Blackbirds, already on a fast track for an order after recently setting up a writers room. Adapted by Shiban from the novels by Chuck Wendig, Blackbirds centers on Miriam Black, a hitchhiker who struggles with a unique ability to see how and when you die when she touches you. Shiban and Knoller executive produce the project, which is being developed under his Knollwood Prods. banner, with Ian Williams serving as the company’s director of development. “David is one of those rare people who is able to make everything he’s involved in better,” said Carmi Zlotnik, managing director of Starz.

Knoller will return to New York in the fall to executive produce and direct episodes of Power, created by Courtney Kemp Agboh. Executive producing the second season along with Knoller and Kemp Agboh, are Curtis “50 Cent” Jackson, Mark Canton, whom Starz signed into a first-look deal last year, and Randall Emmett. The deal solidifies Knoller’s reunion with Starz’s top executive Chris Albrecht and Zlotnik, with whom he previously worked at HBO as producer and director on Big Love and Carnivale. He is repped by ICM Partners.