Now that shared universes are more common on TV and in movies, more are popping up everywhere. Hulu is looking to get in the game with a shared universe of its own, devoted to the work and characters created by author John Grisham.
Deadline reports Hulu is creating two new drama series based on the Grisham books The Rainmaker and Rogue Lawyer in a single project, tentatively called "The Grisham Universe." These will serve as the beginning of a larger franchise.
RELATED: Hulu Strikes a Deal With Funimation to Stream Even More Anime
Rainmaker and Rogue Lawyer will be two shows following one intertwined storyline, and other books will be developed into shows later on to further that world. Characters will appear on both shows, making each episode feel like a crossover, and the Grisham Universe's main villain will be at the epicenter of events occurring on every program.
The shows, however, will be independent of one another and could be watched "vertically" -- following one show and one aspect of the story -- or "horizontally" -- watching both shows concurrently and seeing the story unfold on both ends.
The project comes from ABC Signature, the wing of ABC Studios concerned with cable and streaming services, which is currently in charge of Marvel’s Runaways. Rainmaker and Rogue Lawyer are being developed by Michael Seitzman (Quantico), Jason Richman and Grisham himself. Seitzman, Richman and Grisham will executive produce alongside Christina Davis and the production company she runs with Seitzman, Maniac Productions.
RELATED: Runaways Season 2 Trailer May Have Revealed a Major Doctor Strange Link
John Grisham is a prolific and celebrated author with a string of legal thrillers to his credit. His books The Firm, A Time to Kill, The Chamber, The Runaway Jury and The Pelican Brief (among others) were adapted into major motion pictures.