EXCLUSIVE: Marc Cherry is heading to Netflix with his latest drama series.
Deadline understands that the Desperate Housewives creator is developing a new series set in Charleston, South Caroline for the streamer.
The untitled project comes from Sandbox Studios, the studio founded by Jason Owen, who manages artists including Billie Eilish, Kacey Musgraves and Kelsea Ballerini.
The series follows four couples—bound by family, marriage, and fate—who sit at the center of Charleston’s most powerful legacy families. With insider access to Charleston’s elite and high society, the show explores the tension between old money tradition, hidden scandals, and the pressures of contemporary life.
Cherry will serve as showrunner and exec producer via his Cherry Productions banner.
Netflix declined to comment.
Owen, who also exec produced Fox’s drama series Monarch and Apple competition series My Kind of Country, exec produces alongside former Skydance Television boss Marcy Ross, who is now at Sandbox, and Tara Roy.
Cherry is behind series including Paramount+’s Why Women Kill and Lifetime’s Devious Maids as well as ABC megahit Desperate Housewives. He was previously developing drama series Jenny Is A Weapon at Fox after striking a direct talent deal with the network in 2022.
Sandbox Studios is already working with Netflix on Jessica Chastain feature Heartland. It is also in pre-production on Deck the Y’alls with Chastain and Octavia Spencer.
Netflix has been ramping up the amount of soapy dramas that it streams and struck success with The Hunting Wives, which has been renewed for a second season, earlier this summer. Its last Carolina-set series The Waterfront, set in North Carolina from Kevin Williamson, did relatively well for Netflix but was canceled after one season.
Cherry is represented by Innovative Artists Entertainment, managed by Debbee Klein, and Jon Moonves and Abel Lezcano of Del, Shaw, Moonves, et al.