The climbing success of Empire on Fox has already begun to spawn other hip-hop dramas, as Netflix has ordered The Get Down, a 13-episode television series from director Baz Luhrmann, the auteur behind The Great Gatsby and Moulin Rouge! according to The Hollywood Reporter.
It should be clarified that Luhrmann isn't just riding on Empire's coattails: The Get Down was announced to the public during late 2013 but was undoubtedly picked up as a result of the aforementioned drama's success on Fox. As reported by The Wrap's Tony Maglio earlier on Thursday, every one of the show's five episodes has seen a boost in ratings from the previous airing, climbing to 11.5 million viewers this week.
It should also be noted that The Get Down won't focus nearly 100 percent on hip-hop either. Rather, the plot focuses on New York City during its near-bankruptcy of the '70s and the various music scenes that sprung out of it, from hip-hop in The Bronx to the CBGB punk scene.
Viewers should expect to hear mostly about the hip-hop element of course, as Netflix hopes to attract fans of Empire online. Starz has also had success with Power, a series produced by 50 Cent.
Netflix plans on the series premiering during 2016.
Luhrmann, although only directing three episodes according to Variety, has apparently been planning the series for more than a decade.
"In this golden era of TV, the Netflix culture puts no constraint on creative possibilities. So it is a natural home for The Get Down, a project I have been contemplating and working on now for over 10 years," he said. "Throughout, I've been obsessed with the idea of how a city in its lowest moment, forgotten and half-destroyed, could give birth to such creativity and originality in music, art and culture."
With a style as colorful as Luhrmann's, we should get some great graffiti shots at the very least. You can check out the trailer below.
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