Joel is the sixth best-selling artist of all time
An anthology TV series based on the music of Billy Joel is in the works at MGM. The legendary film and television company has teamed with Universal Music Publishing Group (UMPG) to develop an arc-thology called Scenes From An Italian Restaurant, named after Joel’s epic hit. This will be the first time Joel’s catalog has been licensed for a series.
Each scripted episode will be based on lyrics from Joel’s catalog including popular characters including the Stranger, the Piano Man, Mamma Leone and Sgt. O’Leary, The Hollywood Reporter shares. The tracks will be re-imagined and rearranged by Joel and his music team which will take his classic hits in new directions.
“Billy Joel is a beautiful storyteller, and it just so happens that his stories are accompanied alongside remarkable songs,” MGM TV president of development and production Steve Stark tells the publication. “This series is going to focus less on Billy’s life and more on the stories inside his catalog of classic songs.”
Law & Order: SVU‘s Kevin Fox is creating the series and will also executive produce alongside Joel and producing partner Steve Cohen. UMPG’s Jody Gerson and Marc Cinimo will associate produce it.
The show will be shopped to networks. No word on when production will begin.
Joel is currently in the midst of an unprecedented run of consecutive shows at New York City’s Madison Square Garden. His 71st show of the run is set for December 11th and is part of his residency at The World’s Most Famous Arena which began in January 2014 with him playing one show per month at The Garden. The December 2019 show will be Joel’s 117th all-time performance at The Garden.
