EXCLUSIVE: NBC has put in development Kingdom Business, a gospel music industry drama produced by DeVon Franklin’s Franklin Entertainment, Holly Carter’s Relevé Entertainment, Kirk Franklin and Fo Yo Soul Entertainment, Michael Van Dyck’s Inspired Entertainment and Universal TV, a division of NBCUniversal Content Studios.
Written by John Sakmar and Kerry Lenhart (Reign, The Glades), Kingdom Business is a behind-the-scenes look into the world of the gospel music industry and all of the conflict and secrets that come with money, fame and success.
Sakmar and Lenhart executive produce with DeVon Franklin, Carter, Kirk Franklin and Van Dyck. Universal TV is the studio.
Sakmar and Lenhart created mid-’90s TV series Mr. & Mrs. Smith, which aired for one season on CBS. The writing-producing duo served as consulting producers on Reign and Make It Or Break It, and co-executive producers on The Glades and Signed, Sealed & Delivered, among other credits.
Franklin is the producer behind faith-based films such as the Jennifer Garner and Queen Latifah-starrer Miracles from Heaven. His most recent film, Breakthrough starring Chrissy Metz, was released in April via 20th Century Fox. He currently has Flamin’ Hot, the Eva Longoria-directed biopic about the man who created the spicy Flamin’ Hot Cheetos snack, set at Fox Searchlight.
Prior to launching his own production shingle, Franklin Entertainment, Franklin served as Senior Vice President of Production at Sony’s Columbia TriStar and worked on pics such as Heaven is For Real, The Karate Kid, and The Pursuit of Happyness.
Thirteen-time Grammy winner Kirk Franklin is the first solo gospel artist to sell over a million units and to date has sold over 10 million. Franklin is Chairman & CEO of Fo Yo Soul Entertainment based in Dallas, TX. He recently released a new album, Long Live Love.
Carter’s Relevé, the production company behind Oxygen’s Preacher Of… franchise, recently closed a multiyear deal with All3Media America. Along with Preachers Of, Carter has produced several series that focus on the music, community, faith and family genres, including Love & Listings and The Next Big Thing. Carter has also managed a variety of artists including Usher, Kirk Franklin, and Michelle Williams.
Veteran TV/literary agent Van Dyck left Paradigm after 13 years to launch management and production venture Inspired Entertainment in 2017. The company develops, packages and brokers inspirational content and brands with broad mainstream appeal for multiple platforms, as well as represents accredited writers/ content creators, actors, and directors.
Sakmar, Lenhart and Kirk Franklin are repped by Inspired Entertainment. DeVon Franklin is repped by WME and attorney John Meigs at Hansen Jacobson.
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