Shonda Rhimes signed a history-making deal with Netflix to produce series, movies, and documentaries for the service spanning all types of genres. Here’s a look at everything Shonda Rhimes and her production company Shondaland will soon be released onto Netflix.
Known for the likes of Grey’s Anatomy and How To Get Away With Murder, the prolific creator has mostly been planted at ABC for the past decade or so but moved over to Netflix back in 2018 (the same year Netflix struck a deal with Ryan Murphy too) for a reported $150 million.
Rhimes is among the dozens of creators Netflix works with under an overall deal and first-look deal.
Some of Shonda Rhimes’s projects were announced back in July 2018 and with the first project not then being released until November 2020.
Here are all the Shondaland projects that have arrived on Netflix exclusively as part of the output deal so far:
- Dance Dreams: Hot Chocolate Nutcracker – November 27th, 2020
- Bridgerton – December 25th, 2020
Note: listed in predicted release date order. Will be adjusted to list by release date as and when appropriate.
Inventing Anna
Type: Limited Series
Coming to Netflix: 2021 TBD
Set to debut at some point in 2021 is Inventing Anna starring Julia Garner who was a breakout talent from Netflix’s Ozark series starring Jason Bateman.
The drama series adapts the true story of a grifter who used the power of Instagram to infiltrate New York’s hottest social scenes all while stealing their money too.
Jessica Pressler is writing for the series and David Frankel and Tom Verica are currently attached to direct episodes so far.
Among the other cast confirmed is Anna Chlumsky, Laverne Cox, and Alexis Floyd.
Bridgerton (Seasons 2-4)
Netflix Release Date: TBD – likely 2022 for season 2
Picture: Somerset Live
The first scripted series to come to Netflix from Shonda Rhimes was a smash hit and currently carries the accolade of the most-watched Netflix series with 82 million people checking out season 1 (of announced Netflix statistics anyway).
Among the impressive cast for the series included Julie Andrews who will be playing Lady Whistledown, Adjoa Andoh, Jonathan Bailey, Sabrina Bartlett, Nicola Coughlan, Ruth Gemmell, and Claudia Jessie.
It was no surprise a second season would be on the way. What wasn’t expected, however (and relatively unheard of for Netflix) is the fact that it got renewed through to season 4.
Untitled Queen Charlotte Project
With Bridgerton seemingly being the smash hit that it was, a spin-off was always going to be on the cards and that was what was announced in May 2021 with Queen Charlotte set to get her own expanded series.
The series is set to tell the rise of the Queen who featured heavily in season 1 rewinding the clock back to her youth.
Shonda Rhimes will serve as executive producer and writer on this spinoff with Betsy Beers and Tom Verica also producing.
Sunshine Scouts
The first comedy title set to release from Shondaland is set to be a TV series called Sunshine Scouts helmed by Jill. E. Alexander.
Here’s the official description from Netflix:
An apocalyptic disaster spares a rag-tag group of teenage girls at sleepaway camp who must then summon their moxie and survival skills to weather the fallout and ensure all that remains of humanity abides by the Sunshine Scout Law.
Jill E. Alexander who is known for her acting on HBO’s Silicon Valley is on board to write and is also the creator of the series.
The Warmth of Other Suns
This TV drama series will be adapting a book from Isabel Wilkerson where it follows the stories of migrations of African Americans fleeing the South for better lives.
Anna Deavere Smith will be handling the adaptation.
Pico & Sepulveda
TV drama that will cover the war that took place during the 1840s in the then Mexican state of California.
Janet Leahy is on board to write who is most known for her work on AMC’s Mad Men.
The show shares its name with the 1947 song by Freddy Martin.
The Residence
With the removal of Scandal from Netflix, The Residence will likely plug that gap when it eventually releases.
The political series is based on the book by Kate Anderson Brower. The series will tell the story of the people that help keep the White House running behind the scenes. The book spanned multiple administrations from the Kennedys up to the Obamas.
Notes on Love
This docu-series will take a look at various “creatives” and their respective marriages.
Among the people involved in the project include:
Norman Lear and Aaron Shure, Steve Martin, Diane Warren, Jenny Han, Lindy West and Ahamefule J. Oluo, and Shonda Rhimes.
We last heard the series was in development back in October 2019 but haven’t heard anything since.
Reset: My Fight for Inclusion and Lasting Change
Reset is from the former Reddit CEO that gives her account of her time in Silicon Valley. The project was first announced back in July 2018 and is currently labeled as a TV miniseries. Beyond that, however, we don’t know whether it’s going to be a docu-series or a biographical mini-series.
So excited to be part of this next chapter for @shondaland and @shondarhimes! I could not imagine a better team or home for “Reset” with @BeersBetsy and @alisoneakle https://t.co/nMGrTEFqTO https://t.co/wU8G4hk9tg
— Ellen K. Pao (@ekp) July 20, 2018
Other Projects
There are a few other projects reportedly in development including Shonda Rhimes, but we’re not 100% sure if they a) exist or b) are still active or c) have been transported over from ABC where they were previously in development. So here’s a rundown on those:
- Recursion – a movie based on the book by Blake Crouch from 6th & Idaho Productions.
- Adult Behaviour – Allan Heinberg drama series – was slated for ABC
- I’m Judging You – A comedy TV movie – was slated for ABC
- Lawless – Drama TV movie – slated for ABC
That’s all we have for now. We’ll be updating this over time as we learn more about the output Shonda Rhimes and Shondaland has in store for Netflix!