MGM+ is developing an Emperor of Ocean Park series.
The streaming service announced in a press release Tuesday that it gave a 10-episode series order to the suspense thriller series.
Emperor of Ocean Park is based on the Stephen L. Carter novel of the same name. The TV adaptation hails from Sherman Payne, John Wells Productions and Warner Bros. Television.
The new series "centers on Talcott Garland, an Ivy League law professor whose quiet life is shattered when his father, Judge Oliver Garland, dies of an apparent heart attack."
"The nature of the judge's death is questioned by Tal's sister, Mariah, a former journalist and inveterate conspiracy theorist, who believes that the judge, a failed Black nominee to the Supreme Court, met with foul play," an official synopsis reads.
In a statement, MGM+ head Michael Wright described Emperor of Ocean Park is "much more than a murder mystery."
"While it is an engrossing whodunit in its own right, it also explores important themes of middle-and-upper-class Black identity, making it an outstanding addition to MGM+'s slate of engaging and thought-provoking original series," Wright said.
"Stephen L. Carter's best-selling novel set a new standard for stories about power, race, politics, and wealth," Payne added. "It's exceedingly rare to see Black people depicted in these settings and I believe viewers of all backgrounds will be entertained by our portrayal of the extraordinary Garland clan and the intrigue that engulfs them. I'm overjoyed to partner with John Wells Productions, Warner Bros., and MGM+ to bring this remarkable mystery to the screen."
Payne serves as showrunner and executive producer. He also wrote the first episode, which will be directed by Damian Marcano.
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Emperor of Ocean Park will premiere in 2024.