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Peacock orders dark thriller-comedy 'Based on a True Story' from Jason Bateman & Craig Rosenberg
True crime meets the slow close toilet seat. Yes, we're serious.
America's obsession with true crime meets the bathroom innovation of the slow-close toilet seat in Peacock's latest TV acquisition: Based on a True Story. The streamer announced Monday that it has placed a straight-to-series order for the "dark comedic thriller," which hails from Emmy Award-winning scribe Craig Rosenberg (The Boys, Preacher) who will serve as writer, showrunner, and executive producer.
Based on a true story, Based on a True Story (see what we did there?) follows a realtor, plumber, and former tennis star, whose lives suddenly collide and expose America's fascination with real-life murders and the aforementioned toilet seat. You can't make this up!
Jason Bateman (Ozark, The Outsider) is also attached as an executive producer alongside Michael Costigan (Prometheus, A Teacher) under their Aggregate Films banner. Roxie Rodriguez is a co-executive producer for Aggregate. UCP, a division of Universal Studio Group, will produce.
“Inspired by real events, Based on a True Story explores America’s obsession with true-crime and serial killers,” Lisa Katz, president scripted content, NBCUniversal Television and Streaming, said in a statement. “Along with our colleagues at UCP, we’re thrilled Craig Rosenberg, Jason Bateman, Michael Costigan, and Roxie Rodriguez have partnered with Peacock for what is sure to be a wild ride filled with unexpected twists and turns and lots of humor."
"There are some true stories that are stranger than fiction as is the case for the events that inspire this show," added Beatrice Springborn, President, UCP. "It is a twisted, thrilling and incredibly funny series that combines the comic and suspense talents of the dream team of Craig Rosenberg, Jason Bateman, Michael Costigan, and Roxie Rodriguez to create the perfect show for Peacock."
The streamer currently boasts a pair of true crime dramas based on real events: Dr. Death (inspired by the malpractice charges brought against Christopher Duntsch) and Joe vs. Carole (a dramatized look at the Tiger King drama between big cat personalities, Joe Exotic and Carole Baskin).
Based on a True Story is Bateman's latest streaming victory after it was recently announced that he would direct and produce Project Artemis (a feature film set against the backdrop of the Space Race starring Chris Evans and Scarlett Johansson) for Apple TV+.
Peacock & SYFY WIRE are both owned by NBCUniversal.
