Finally, fans are getting more Martin. Sort of.
BET+ has greenlit Varnell Hill, a workplace-comedy series based on Tommy Davidson‘s character on Martin; Davidson will reprise the role. It’s a straight-to-series order — we can consider Davidson’s two-episode arc on Martin in 1993 an extended pilot.
Martin Lawrence, the Martin of Martin, is co-creator and will executive produce Varnell Hill. Bentley Evans is the other co-creator, and will showrun as well as executive produce. No word yet on if Lawrence will appear as radio/TV personality Martin Payne. The two characters are… not exactly friends.
Varnell Hill will be set behind the scenes of long-running late-night talk show, The Varnell Hill Show. How long-running? Hill was doing this back in 1993, when he and Payne got into an on-set, televised physical altercation. Until today, that was the end of Varnell Hill’s existence in the Martin-sphere.
The new series “explores Varnell’s journey to remain relevant in an ever-evolving industry and the corporate dynamics of network executives, business stakeholders, and creative teams involved in the making of the show,” according to the BET+ logline. “With its blend of satire, humor, cutaways, and fourth-wall breaks, the show promises to engage audiences in a fresh and innovative way.”
Production has not yet begun and we do not yet have a premiere date.
Jesse Collins, Dionne Harmon, Andy Horne, Stacy Lyles, Robert Lawrence and Rae Proctor will also serve as executive producers on Varnell Hill. Rose Catherine Pinkney and Jason Harvey will executive produce for BET+.
“Did you miss me? Well, now you don’t have to! I’m excited and honored to be a part of such a creative project with the brilliant mind of Martin Lawrence, over 30 years in the making,” Davidson said in a statement. “Fans have requested it and now it’s coming to BET+!”
The original Martin on Fox also starred Tisha Campbell, Tichina Arnold, Thomas Mikal Ford and Carl Anthony Payne. Thomas (Tommy) Mikal Ford passed away in 2016; the surviving stars reunited in a 90-minute BET+ special in 2002. Lawrence, Campbell, Arnold and Payne more-recently reunited to present at the 2024 Emmy Awards.
Last summer, Lawrence and Will Smith had a hit with Bad Boys: Ride or Die.