Jeremy Strong’s ‘9/12’ Series Fast-Tracked by Paramount TV After Merger Delay!

A new drama focusing on the aftermath of 9/11, featuring Jeremy Strong, might soon be the inaugural project greenlit under the leadership of Cindy Holland at Paramount+.

The show, working under the tentative name 9/12, was initially a project at Skydance Television and has been delayed due to the lengthy process of regulatory approval for the $8 billion merger between Skydance and Paramount Global.

Created and executive produced by Tobias Lindholm and Frank Pugliese, this series was the first and only production from Skydance budgeted through the Skydance-Paramount agreement. The FCC’s extended review period, which lasted longer than expected due to President Donald Trump’s legal challenge against CBS News, led to a halt in funding for 9/12 in early May. Originally aiming for production to commence in August, the project was completely paused shortly thereafter.

At that time, Deadline indicated that Skydance was still committed to developing the series, with plans now looking towards a 2026 commencement. This commitment continues under the new management at Paramount.

During a recent press event featuring the new leaders at Paramount, Dana Goldberg, who now serves as Co-Chair at Paramount Pictures and Chair of Paramount Television, emphasized that 9/12 is a priority. Now overseeing Paramount TV Studios, which encompasses the assets of Skydance Television and Showtime/MTV Entertainment Studios, Goldberg noted that the studio under the guidance of Skydance TV President Matt Thunell will focus on streaming series.

Goldberg mentioned that 9/12 holds a special place for everyone involved and they are currently working out the logistics to accommodate Strong’s schedule, who is also committed to his role in Peter Morgan’s new Netflix series The Boys From Brazil.

Although no final decisions have been made yet, Goldberg remains hopeful about the project’s future.

Paramount TV Studios, while aiming to cater to both internal and external streaming platforms, has designated 9/12 for Paramount+, now under the direction of Cindy Holland, a former Netflix executive.

Originally developed at Sister in 2021 under the title The Best Of Us and later transitioned to Skydance towards the end of last year, 9/12 explores the lives of 9/11 first responders through well-researched narratives and honors those affected. The shift to Skydance followed Holland’s move from Global CEO at Sister to a senior advisory role to Skydance CEO David Ellison, focusing on streaming content for the Paramount Global deal.