In a competitive situation, Amazon Prime Video has landed the thriller series “The Second Lady” for development, Variety has learned from sources.
The show is based on the bestselling novel of the same name by Irving Wallace. Jessica Sharzer is adapting the book for the screen and will also executive produce. Kevin Williamson and Ben Fast of Outerbanks Entertainment will also executive produce along with Peter J. Donaldson. David Wallechinsky will co-executive produce. Universal Television is the studio.
Sharzer is under a mini first-look deal at UTV, while Williamson and Outerbanks have an overall deal at the studio. Donaldson represents the literary estate of Irving Wallace and Wallechinsky is Wallace’s son and executor of the estate.
The logline for the show states, “When America’s beloved First Lady is abducted and replaced by a Russian double, both women must fight to survive—one navigating captivity in Siberia, the other infiltrating the White House to sabotage NATO during the G7 Summit.”
This marks the first project to sell to a platform via a UTV mini first-look deal since the studio launched the deal model in 2025. They are marked by being shorter terms and more cost efficient, focused solely on development of a set number of projects before the writer and studio commit to a larger pact.
Sharzer is known for her work on features like ““Nerve,” “A Simple Favor,” and the sequel “Another Simple Favor.” In television, she has written for shows including “Nine Perfect Strangers,” “Amazing Stories,” and “American Horror Story.”
Williamson is known for creating the hit “Scream” horror franchise. He wrote the first, second, and fourth films, while he recently directed the seventh. “Scream 7” ultimately grossed over $200 million worldwide. He is also the creator of the seminal teen drama series “Dawson’s Creek” and co-creator of the hit YA series “The Vampire Diaries.” The former show ran for six seasons and the latter for eight, with “The Vampire Diaries” also spawning two spinoffs. Williamson’s other feature credits include “I Know What You Did Last Summer” and “The Faculity,” while his other TV credits include the Netflix series “The Waterfront.”
Sharzer is repped by UTA, Northstar and Lichter Grossman. Williamson is repped by CAA and Felker Toczek. Donaldson and Wallechinsky are repped by The Law Offices of Adam W. Rosen.
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