Romeo and Juliet set against the backdrop of DC politics — that in a nutshell is one of the main plotlines in Young Americans, a drama pilot ordered by Hulu, with The Handmaid’s Tale and The Testaments creator Bruce Miller executive producing.
In Young Americans, written and executive produced by Chris Hutton and Eddie O’Keefe (When the Streetlights Go On), as the children of the nation’s elite battle it out at Capitol Crest Academy in Washington D.C., their teenage dramas begin to mirror the larger political games of their parents. Amidst the secrets, scandals, and deadly ambitions, a forbidden romance between two students from opposing political families threatens to escalate tensions to a breaking point.
Miller and Priscilla Porianda executive produce via White Oak Pictures under Miller’s overall deal with 20th Television and Hulu. 20th TV is the studio.
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With Young Americans, Hulu continues to lean into the YA space after recently passing on three such pilots, dramas Foster Dade and Buffy: New Sunnydale and comedy Don’t Get High — all set in high school.
Hulu did pick up to series its 2024 YA comedy-mystery pilot Phony, starring Connie Britton and Sam Nivola, and also has Mindy Kaling’s 20-somethings comedy series Not Suitable For Work, which just ended its Season 1 run and awaits word on renewal.
Young Americans is one of several active pilots at Hulu, which has reverted to a more traditional pilot model in lieu of straight-to-series orders that were dominant at the height of the streaming wars. It joins drama pilots Chicks, starring Ellen Pompeo, and Durango, reality TV-themed comedy pilot Lex as well as a drama adaptation of the graphic novel Southern Bastards, from Jason Aaron and Jason Latour, and Ryan Coogler’s X-Files reboot, both with Onyx.
Hutton and O’Keefe co-wrote and executive produced When the Streetlights Go On, starring Mark Duplass and Sophie Thatcher, which was released by Quibi after previously being developed as a Hulu pilot from their Black List feature script. Together, they have developed projects with HBO, Apple, Amazon and Paramount+ and others. They are repped by CAA and Untiled Entertainment.
Miller was creator, executive producer and showrunner on Hulu’s The Handmaid’s Tale, which won the Emmy for Outstanding Drama Series, and currently serves in the same role on sequel The Testaments, which was recently renewed for a second season after posting week-to-week gains, topping 45 million hours streamed globally to date. Miller is repped by CAA and Jackoway Austen.