Friday, June 14 - Starz has handed an eight-episode series order to drama series, Power, executive produced by Curtis "50 Cent" Jackson and Mark Canton and created by Courtney Kemp Agboh, who will serve as executive producer and showrunner. Production will begin in late 2013 for a mid-2014 debut.
Power tells the story of James "Ghost" St. Patrick, a wealthy New York City nightclub owner who caters to the city's elite. He wants to build an empire, turn the club into a Fortune 500 business, but there's just one problem: Ghost is living a double life. When he is not in the club, he is the kingpin of the most lucrative drug network in New York for a very high-level clientele. His marriage, family and business all become unknowingly threatened as he is tempted to leave his criminal life behind and become the rags-to-riches businessman he wants to be most of all.
"Curtis has a unique and specific vision for the series, lending it an authenticity and voice rarely seen," Starz CEO Chris Albrecht said. "Courtney has created a rich world and characters not often explored in contemporary drama. There is a rawness and soul to the character of Ghost as he struggles to live between these two worlds that we believe will leave an indelible mark on the audience and stay with them after the credits roll."
"Starz has given our team an opportunity to explore a world of beauty, luxury, danger and death, all against the struggle of one man to define his nature and his soul," says Courtney Kemp Agboh. "While the power and peril of Ghost's world are specific, we hope to address the truly universal questions we all face when we look in the mirror: who am I? Where am I going? Who do I want to become?"
"This is a passion project for me and I couldn't be more thrilled to have found a home with Starz," said Curtis "50 Cent" Jackson.
"Courtney has crafted an incredible modern story from an idea we developed with Fifty and Randall Emmett. She's without hesitation one of the best writers and storytellers that I've had the privilege to work with," says executive producer Mark Canton. "I've had a long relationship with Chris Albrecht and Randall and I look forward to raising the bar together with him, his colleagues at Starz and our partners at CBS Studios. I know we are at the right time and right place with this powerful project."
Executive producer Randall Emmett said, "We are excited to make this series happen. The creativity of this team is unparalleled."
