Vince Vaughn and Ted Lasso co-creator Bill Lawrence are joining forces for a drama series titled Bad Monkey. Based on Carl Hiaasen’s 2013 novel, the project has been given a 10-episode order by Apple TV+. In addition to his starring role, Vaughn will also executive produce. Lawrence will write the series as well as executive produce.
Here’s the official description for Hiassen’s novel:
Andrew Yancy -late of the Miami Police and soon-to-be-late of the Monroe County sheriff’s office – has a human arm in his freezer. There’s a logical explanation for that, but not for how and why it parted from its shadowy owner. Yancy thinks the boating-accident/shark-luncheon explanation is full of holes, and if he can prove murder, the sheriff might rescue him from his grisly Health Inspector gig.
But first -this being Hiaasen country- Yancy must negotiate an obstacle course of wildly unpredictable events with a crew of even more wildly unpredictable characters, including his just-ex lover, a hot-blooded fugitive from Kansas; the twitchy widow of the frozen arm; two avariciously optimistic real-estate speculators; the Bahamian voodoo witch known as the Dragon Queen, whose suitors are blinded unto death by her peculiar charms; Yancy’s new true love, a kinky coroner; and the eponymous bad monkey-who just may be one of Carl Hiaasen’s greatest characters.
The project is being set up at Warner Bros. Television, where Lawrence’s Doozer Productions have planted their flag. Matt Tarses and Jeff Ingold of Doozer will also executive produce. Meanwhile, Liza Katzer will co-executive produce.
Vaughn recently completed his role as Simon Kilmurry for the upcoming comedy Queenpins. Directed by Aron Gaudet and Gita Pullapilly, Queenpins stars Kristen Bell, Stephen Root, Paul Walter Hauser, Joel McHale, and Kirby Howell-Baptiste. The film focuses on two housewives who create a $40 million coupon scam.