It’s not just Michelle Trachtenberg diving into murderous marriages anymore. Tubi, the free, ad-supported streamer known for capturing hearts with offbeat programming, genuine personality, and an interface-breaking Super Bowl ad, is teaming up with The Black List for a new original-scripting initiative. The company announced today that as part of its “To Be Commissioned†program, it would snap up five scripts submitted through The Black List’s online portal “that speak to young, diverse audiences†and fall into a few specific genres — sci-fi, faith, comedy, romance, and “wild card†(any genre).
If you’re not already a Tubi convert, the deep scroll on its Original Movies page may surprise you. Recent titles include The Comeback, an endearing comedy starring Taye Diggs, and a swathe of thrillers with names like Twisted House Sitter 2 and God Forgives, I Don’t. Compared to its competitors, Tubi is a fun hang. As Vulture’s Joe Adalian put it earlier this year, it works because it offers “hundreds of titles in its most popular genres instead of the handful of shows or movies other services offer.†This Black List partnership will ideally add a few more. Writers have until March 15, 2024, to shoot their shot.