MTV Comes On Board With Canvas Media Studios, Astronauts Wanted’s Teen Thriller ‘Socio’

Bernie Su and David Tochterman’s Canvas Media Studios and Judy McGrath’s Astronauts Wanted plan to tell the story of a social media-obsessed teen who investigates a serial killer. Now, MTV has joined that mission. As first shared by The Hollywood Reporter, the music television network has signed on the co-develop the crime thriller Socio.

We first heard about Socio back in February, when its pilot had already been shot and Astronauts Wanted and Canvas were on the hunt for a distributor. The two production companies have since settled on MTV. Its unclear where the Viacom-owned network, which maintains an expansive digital presence to go along with its popular TV channel, will distribute Socio, nor has the project’s release date been revealed. No matter the ultimate details, Socio will serve as a reunion for McGrath and her former colleagues. Before launching Astronauts Wanted in 2014, she worked at MTV Networks, where she served as CEO.

Socio will star India Eisley as a teenager who, with the help of a detective, uses the power of the Internet to chase a killer. Along the way, she’ll do battle with her own demons. As with other Canvas productions, as well as many other shows created by Su over the past few years, Socio is expected to feature a number of transmedia elements, through which the show’s fictional characters will have their own accounts on social media.

Other projects from Astronauts Wanted include A Trip To Unicorn Island, a Lilly Singh tour documentary which recently earned a win at the 2016 Streamy Awards. Canvas’ work includes Vanity, a show branded by Maybelline and distributed by StyleHaul.