JA'SIAH YOUNG AND ALISHA WAINWRIGHT CAST AS LEADS IN NETFLIX'S 'RAISING DION'

Director Seith Mann has been tapped to helm the first episode of the sci-fi family drama.

Newcomer Ja'Siah Young will star as 'Dion Reese,' a curious, playful, and intelligent 7-year-old boy who is learning he has some very special abilities - he can move things with his mind. While exciting and cool, it's also something he knows scares his mom, Nicole.

Alisha Wainwright (Shadowhunters: The Mortal Instruments) will star as 'Nicole Reese,' a former professional dancer who gave it up to raise her son Dion when her husband Mark died. Although Nicole is completely overwhelmed by raising her son alone while dealing with the loss of her husband, she is still effortlessly cool and maintains a positive outlook on life for Dion. As Dion's abilities become more and more apparent, Nicole's protective nature heightens as she starts to fear for his safety.

Seith Mann (The Wire, Homeland), who most recently served as co-creator, director, and executive producer of The Breaks, has been tapped to direct the first episode of the series. He will also serve as an executive producer.

Young and Wainwright join previously announced cast members Jason Ritter, Jazmyn Simon, and Michael B. Jordan.

Raising Dion, a Netflix production, follows the story of a woman named Nicole Reese, who raises her son Dion after the death of her husband Mark (Michael B. Jordan). The normal dramas of raising a son as a single mom are amplified when Dion starts to manifest several magical, superhero-like abilities. Nicole must now keep her son's gifts secret with the help of Mark's best friend Pat (Jason Ritter), and protect Dion from antagonists out to exploit him while figuring out the origin of his abilities.

Raising Dion is the brainchild of commercial and music video director Dennis Liu, who directed the short film, which became a viral sensation. Carol Barbee will serve as showrunner/executive producer and wrote the script for episode one. Joining her, Liu, and Mann as executive producers are Michael B. Jordan, through his Outlier Society Productions, who will also appear in the series; MACRO's Charles D. King, Kim Roth and Poppy Hanks; Kenny Goodman; and Michael Green. The hour-long, ten-episode series will premiere on Netflix in 2019 in more than 190 countries around the world.