EXCLUSIVE: Mike Epps, one of Netflix’s most popular stand-ups and star of its sitcom The Upshaws, is expanding his relationship with the streamerproduce
Reps for Netflix declined to comment. We’re told this is a father-son story, inspired by the life of Chris “Comedian CP” Powell, the rising stand-up from Detroit. Plot details are being kept under wraps.
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Epps exec produces alongside his producing partner Niles Kirchner, Bob Teitel at State Street, and Maurice Williams (Entergalactic), who will also serve as writer-showrunner. Doug Banker is also aboard to exec produce and Comedian CP
The history surrounding this project is interesting as it’s now going through its third round of development. Initially, it was set up as a live-action show for HBO Max, before moving to Netflix for development as an animated series. The current iteration is for live-action.
Currently on his We Them Ones tour, Epps is coming off the release of his latest Netflix special, Delusional, which premiered globally on January 27, delivering his strongest launch to date on the platform with nearly four million views in its first week. This was Epps’ fifth special for the platform, which earlier this yearinked a dealfor two more from him, as we reported exclusively.
When it comes to Netflix’s creative partnership with Epps, which goes back more than a decade, the numbers tell the story. Since 2023, when Netflix began releasing its What We Watched reports, his specials have racked up 20.4M views. A veteran comic who’s been working since the mid-’90s, he exec produced and starred in The Upshaws, a multi-cam about a working-class family set in his Indiana hometown, which was nominated for 10 NAACP Image Awards, with Epps winning for Outstanding Actor in a Comedy Series in 2024.
Epps has also been seen on shows like I’m a Virgo, Survivor’s Remorse and Winning Time, with film credits including The Underdoggs, You People and Dolemite Is My Name, to name just a few. Most recently, he’s been seen in Netflix’s Kevin Hart comedy 72 Hours, as well as Paramount+’s The Varnell Hill Show. He is repped by Kirchner, IAG and Yorn, Levine, Barnes.
Comedian CP is coming off the special Sunday After Six, which made its way to BET after premiering on Veeps. He both co-produced and appeared in the shows Diarra from Detroit and How to Die Alone, with additional acting credits including Fox’s Empire, Comedy Central’s Detroiters and HBO Max’s Love Life. Upcoming, he’ll be seen in the Barbershop TV series from Prime Video. He is repped by Innovative Artists, Artists First and Yorn, Levine, Barnes.
Williams is repped by WME, Mosaic and Lichter, Grossman, Nichols.
