Thanks to the great minds at ABC, fans can look forward to a double dose of the Johnson family. According to Deadline, it’s been confirmed that Black-ish creator Kenya Barris is working with ABC Studios to deliver a new spinoff series slated to focus on Yara Shahidi’s life as Zoey Johnson in college. The news comes after former Black-ish executive producer Larry Wilmore, who left the show after its first 13 episodes, returns to ABC Studios with a “multi-year overall deal.”
The idea of a spinoff stems from TV and film producers constantly finding ways to help child stars transition into adult roles, says Deadline. Here, fans will get to the chance to watch Zoey live out her college years while interning at Teen Vogue (a position her father, Dre, has already secured for her during the current Black-ish season).
Thrilled to work with such a strong team, Yara Shahidi welcomes the opportunity to further her acting career. After news broke about a possible spinoff, the soon-to-be 17 year-old actress turned to Twitter to share her excitement about Wilmore’s return and Barris’ vision for comedic TV.
While Wilmore previously focused on Black-ish alongside Kenya Barris, his return to ABC Studios does not place him at the heart of the Wednesday night sitcom. Instead, “Wilmore will develop his own series and supervise other creators.”
“I’m excited beyond words to be back at ABC and look forward to this creative partnership,” says Wilmore. “Disney took a chance on me as a young writer years ago, and so I’m thrilled to return to the Mouse House. I hope my room still looks the same.”
