'Black-ish' Creator Kenya Barris Is Working on Divorce Comedy for Fox

Barris will write and produce the untitled film project.

Kenya Barris
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The cast and executive producers of ABC's critically acclaimed hit comedy 'black-ish' attended the ABC Studios 'For Your Consideration' event at the Television Academy's Saban Media Center in Los Angeles, CA on Wednesday, April 12, 2017.

Kenya Barris

Kenya Barris is landing new projects left and right.

Shortly after Freeform announced its decision to order Besties—its second series from the Black-ish and Grown-ish creator—Deadline reports Barris has signed on to write and produce a film for 20th Century Fox. The untitled project is described as a “gritty, pull-no-punches comedy” that focuses on a family dealing with divorce. According to the publication, the script will be based on Barris’ real-life experiences.

Interestingly enough, the issues of divorce became a major plot line toward the end of Black-ish’s season four. The season finale, which aired Tuesday, focused on Dre (Anthony Anderson) and his wife Bow’s (Tracee Ellis Ross) marital woe as they contemplated separation. Though many Black-ish fans aren’t thrilled with this particular storyline (no one wants to see their favorite fictional couple split-up), Anderson insists it's an important to address these unfortunate realities.

“It’s not something that can be sugarcoated or wrapped up in one half-hour,” he told Variety last month. “Working on something as sensitive as a divorce or problems in a marriage or a separation you run the gamut of emotions—love, hate, despair—and we’re going to take our viewing audience on that ride. And it’s very personal, and it’s something we’re not afraid to talk about or tackle on our show, and that’s why there’s a four-episode arc on it.”

Stay tuned as more information becomes available about the upcoming film. 

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