YouTube Series Step Up Sets Up in Atlanta

Lionsgate is developing a scripted series based on its dance movie franchise Step Up for YouTube’s paid video-on-demand service YouTube Red, as part of the latter’s attempt to compete with the original programming now offered by Netflix and Amazon. Ten episodes of approximately 45 minutes each are to be produced in Atlanta in the coming weeks. While it’s not believed that they’ll appear in the series, husband-and-wife Channing Tatum and Jenna Dewan Tatum (stars of the first film of the franchise) are on board as executive producers, along with Adam Shankman and Jennifer Gibgot, exec producers of the films. Shankman, if not the others, has been in Atlanta in recent weeks enjoying the city and checking out potential filming locations. In a statement released upon the announcement of the show, Lionsgate Television Group chairman Kevin Beggs boasted of the upcoming Step Up series’ “non-stop energy, spectacular dancing and A-list creative talent.” So far, no stars have made themselves known.