‘Bad Boys’ Spinoff Not Picked up by NBC

NBC has passed on L.A.’s Finest, a spinoff of the Will Smith movie franchise Bad Boys. The project, featuring Gabrielle Union as her character from Bad Boys II and co-starred Jessica Alba, will be shopped elsewhere.

Deadline first reported on NBC‘s surprising decision. The producers are “already fielding interest in the property from other networks,” the site reported.

L.A.’s Finest was produced by Sony Pictures TV, Jerry Bruckheimer Television, Primary Wave and 2.0 Entertainment.

It is not clear why NBC passed on the crime drama, since it was getting “solid buzz” as Deadline Hollywood reports and was a rare show headlined by two female leads.

Sources told The Hollywood Reporter talks between NBC and Sony TV fell apart over the annual packaging of multiple series between the two sides. NBC also airs Timeless and The Blacklist, neither of which have been renewed yet. NBC is also considering Guess Who Died, a project from legendary TV producer Norman Lear set up at Sony TV.

L.A.’s Finest was considered one of the big obvious projects to get a series order. It was not only linked to a hit movie franchise, but starred two well-known actors — Union and Alba. This would have been Union’s first TV show since Being Mary Jane. For Alba, it would be her first regular TV series role since Dark Angel ended in 2002.

Union starred as Syd Burnett, the same role she played in Bad Boys II. After years of working for the DEA, she moves to Los Angeles, where she now works as a detective. Alba starred as Nancy McKenna, a working mom who is envious of Syd’s freedom off the job. Although the two have different lifestyles and approaches to policing, they learn to work together to solve cases.

Ryan McPartlin (Chuck) co-starred as Nancy’s husband, Dr. Patrick McKenna, a successful ER trauma doctor in Beverly Hills. Ernie Hudson (Ghostbusters), Zach Gilford (The Purge: Anarchy) and Duane Martin (Scream 2) co-star. Zach McGowan (The 100) was cast as the villain in the pilot.

Alba and Union were both executive producers. The Blacklist veterans Brandon Margolis and Brandon Sonnier wrote the pilot.

The Hollywood Reporter speculates it is unlikely any network or streaming service would step in to save the show, since it was expensive because of its two big stars. Plus, more networks are prioritizing shows produced by sister studios to keep licensing fees down.