Emma Stone is heading to the small screen. The movie star is going to be paired with her "Superbad" co-star Jonah Hill in a comedy series that will have Cary Fukunaga directing.
Deadline reports that the show will be called "Maniac" and it is based on a series that was done in Norway in 2014. The story features a guy who is housed in a mental institution but lives a life of fantasy. He's got his psychiatrist and his best friend with him in the facility.
Anne Kolbjornsen, another producer on the show, gives some hints about what "Maniac" is about. "[Espen] gets locked up at an institution, with a psychologist trying to win him back to reality," said Kolbjornsen via Vanity Fair. "Espen has escaped into his own head and lives out his dream life there, which he shares with Hakon, his best friend." Emma Stone's role hasn't been mapped out just yet, but she could be playing either the best friend or the psychiatrist, while Espen will be played by Hill.
Aside from acting in the series, Emma Stone and Jonah Hill will also serve as producers of the show along with the director. The production is still on the lookout for a writer, who will be committed to working for two seasons.
"Maniac" is intended to be straight-to-series commitment with two seasons marked for filming. There is still no television, cable or streaming network attached to the project.
TV reports that this show will be the first television work for both Emma Stone and Jonah Hill. The move to do small screen is common among big-named and successful move actors these days. On the other hand, Cary Fukunaga is no stranger to TV as he has done a full season of "True Detective" for HBO with Matthew McCaughey in the past.
For some idea about "Maniac," take a look at this clip from the original Norwegian series:
