ABC Picks Up Producer Will Packer’s Uncle Buck Series Starring Mike Epps, Nia LongPosted by Wilson Morales
May 8, 2015
Source: Variety
According to Variety, ABC has given the greenlight for series order on producer Will Packer’s Uncle Buck, which is a reboot of the TV adaptation of John Hughes’ 1989 comedy “Uncle Buck.” The series will star actor-comedian Mike Epps and Nia Long in the lead role.
Based on the movie of the same name, title character Uncle Buck (Epps) is a fun-loving, but irresponsible guy who needs a job and a place to stay. By happy coincidence, his nieces and nephew’s nanny has just quit so his brother and sister-in-law need his help, and his unconventional personality just may make him the right fit for the family — plus, they may be the answer to his problems, too. Long will play Will’s strong-willed and smart wife.
John Candy starred in the original film as Buck, along with Amy Madigan, with Jean Louisa Kelly, Gaby Hoffmann, Macaulay Culkin, Jay Underwood, and Laurie Metcalf in supporting roles.
Written by Steven Cragg and Brian Bradley, the TV series also features James Lesure, Iman Benson, Sayeed Shahidi and Aalyrah Caldwell.
Will Packer, Steven Cragg and Brian Bradley are exec producers for this Universal Television/ABC sitcom.
“Uncle Buck” was previously adapted as a television series on CBS in 1990. There, Kevin Meaney played the title character for what amounted to a single season of 22 episodes.
Epps most recently appears on Starz’s Survivor’s Remorse. He recently wrapped feature Meet the Blacks and will next be seen in the film Term Life and HBO’s biopic Bessie, while Long was last seen in the WE’s drama series The Divide, which wasn’t renewed for a second season. On the big screen, she was seen in Tyler Perry’s The Single Moms Club and and will next appear in Paul Feig’s Spy opposite Melissa McCarthy.
