Apple has given a series pickup to the Octavia Spencer starrer “Are You Sleeping,” from Reese Witherspoon’s Hello Sunshine and Chernin Entertainment/Endeavor Content.
The drama will examine the nation’s long-held obsession with true-crime stories and the recent boom in podcasts dedicated to probing unsolved and disputed cases. Nichelle Tramble Spellman (“The Good Wife”) created the show and will serve as showrunner. Apple has ordered 10 episodes.
“Are You Sleeping” is based on the novel of the same name by Kathleen Barber, which questions the consequences when crime-solving plays out on a public stage.
Spencer is a three-time Oscar nominee who won the supporting actress trophy for 2011’s “The Help.”
Spencer, Spellman, Hello Sunshine’s Witherspoon and Lauren Neustadter, Chernin Entertainment’s Peter Chernin, Jenno Topping and Kristen Campo are exec producers of “Are You Sleeping.” There’s no word yet from Apple on a premiere date.
“Are You Sleeping” marks the latest series order for Hello Sunshine, which has been on a hot streak in landing projects at Hulu (“Little Fires Everywhere,” produced with Kerry Washington) and Apple (the untitled morning TV show drama to star Witherspoon and Jennifer Aniston). The company also has feature films in the pipeline at TriStar Pictures and Fox 2000.
Witherspoon and Hello Sunshine and Hansen Jacobson. Spencer and Spellman are with WME.
