HBO Execs Share Details About Issa Rae’s Upcoming TV Pilot

Issa Rae has had her eye on the TV industry for years, but from the sound of it, Misadventures of an Awkward Black Girl fans will have to wait a little longer to witness Rae’s move to the small screen. During a recent presentation at an event hosted by the Television Critics Association, HBO CEO Richard Plepler and president of programming Michael Lombardo shared a few details about Insecure, an upcoming pilot created by and starring Rae.

The good news is that Insecure, which was first announced this past February, is moving forward as planned. Prentice Penny, known for his work on Brooklyn Nine-Nine, has signed on as showrunner, and casting is currently underway. The bad news is that the pilot won’t be available for at least another year. The earliest it could arrive is sometime late in 2016, but the HBO execs didn’t rule out the possibility of pushing it back to 2017.

The hope is that Rae will have plenty of time to put together a strong pilot; Lombardo is “very hopeful” about Insecure, though he admits it will be “slightly different in tone” from Rae’s Awkward Black Girl web series.

Across two seasons on YouTube, Awkward Black Girl has received millions of views and attracted a dedicated following. The HBO pilot isn’t the first time Rae has been considered for television; in 2012, she teamed up with Shonda Rhimes for I Hate LA Dudes, a planned ABC project that ultimately fizzled out. With Insecure, Rae will get a second chance, and she’ll have plenty of time to put together a strong project.