Rapper 50 Cent is undoubtedly best known for his work in the music biz, but he's also turned into a powerhouse on the small screen as a star and executive producer of the darkly compelling Starz series Power. Now, he is slated to bring another series to television, and it certainly doesn't sound very lighthearted. 50 Cent's new show will be called The Oath and follow the stories of gangs.
The Oath will explore "a subculture of gangs" and the way that members swear to protect and defend the interests of the gang. 50 Cent is on board as executive producer, and his G-Unit Films and Television company will produce the show, which had been ordered straight to series. The first season will be comprised of ten episodes and air on Sony's streaming hub, Crackle.
Interestingly, The Oath has been written by somebody who will have inside knowledge and real-life experience on the subjects being tackled by the show. Former L.A. County Sheriff's Deputy Joe Halpin is the writer, creator, and showrunner of The Oath. Sony and Crackle clearly have faith in the project to have given it a straight-to-series order. Given 50 Cent's attachment and Joe Halpin's expertise, I can see why The Oath would feel like a sure thing.
As it turns out, 50 Cent has a second drama in the works at Crackle, although it is in much earlier and more uncertain stages of development than The Oath. He's working on a potential series, currently called RPN. The project would revolve around a used-car salesman who makes extra money by moonlighting as a getaway driver for a crime syndicate centered in Boston. Action will go down on the working-class streets of some of the most corrupt neighborhoods in the city.
It's much too early to say if RPN has a future at Crackle, but we can be pretty sure of seeing The Oath streaming at some point. THR doesn't report any casting activity just yet, so we can't say if 50 Cent himself will appear in front of the camera on the series at this point. We can be absolutely sure that Crackle is more than ready for a major hit after losing Jerry Seinfeld's hit Comedians in Cars project to Netflix. Who knows? Maybe 50 Cent and his two new projects will have exactly what Crackle needs to regain an edge on the streaming circuit. We'll have to wait and see.
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