According to Deadline, Lionsgate Television has successfully acquired the rights to the upcoming series adaptation of Emily the Criminal, based on the 2022 crime thriller movie starring Aubrey Plaza.
Even though Plaza won’t be reprising her role in the Emily the Criminal series, the Parks and Recreation vet will still be involved as an executive producer on the project via her Evil Hag Productions banner, alongside Drew Sykes, Tyler Davidson and the original film’s director John Patton Ford. The latter has also been tapped to direct the series. At the moment, the TV adaptation is still in the development phase.
What was Emily the Criminal about?
“Emily is saddled with student debt and locked out of the job market due to a minor criminal record,” reads the synopsis. “Desperate for income, she takes a shady gig as a ‘dummy shopper,’ buying goods with stolen credit cards supplied by a handsome and charismatic middleman named Youcef. Faced with a series of dead-end job interviews, Emily soon finds herself seduced by the quick cash and illicit thrills of black-market capitalism, and increasingly interested in her mentor Youcef. Together, they hatch a plan to bring their business to the next level in Los Angeles,” reads the film’s synopsis.
The film also starred Theo Rossi, Megalyn Echikunwoke, Brandon Sklenar and Gina Gershon. During its theatrical run, it earned positive reviews from critics with Plaza receiving a Best Lead Performance nomination at the 38th Independent Spirits Awards. Out of four Independent Spirits Awards nominations, Ford won Best First Screenplay.
