FREEFORM GREENLIGHTS HIGHLY ANTICIPATED 'PARTY OF FIVE' PILOT FROM ORIGINAL SERIES CREATORS

Amy Lippman and Christopher Keyser Reunite to Produce with Rodrigo Garcia, Michal Zebede and Sony Pictures Television

Today, Freeform, Disney's young adult cable network, announced the pilot order for "Party of Five" from Sony Pictures Television, which will be a modern reimagining of the groundbreaking original series. Christopher Keyser and Amy Lippman wrote the pilot with Michal Zebede ("Castle") and Rodrigo Garcia ("Nine Lives") is set to direct. Keyser, Lippman and Garcia will executive produce and Zebede serves as co-executive producer.

The new iteration of "Party of Five" is a modern twist on the original series, following the five Buendías children as they struggle to survive together as a family after their parents are deported to Mexico.

"Twenty-five years ago, we imagined a story about five kids navigating the world after the untimely death of their parents," said executive producers Amy Lippman and Christopher Keyser. "Today, stories of families being separated, children having to raise themselves in the wake of their parents' deportations, don't require any imagination; they are everywhere. This new iteration of 'Party of Five' isn't a retread of the original; it's a whole new look at kids trying to parent each other in the wake of circumstances beyond their control, yet learning a similar lesson: that families persist no matter how great the obstacles."

"From the moment we heard that Amy and Chris were updating their iconic series with this timely and powerful twist, we knew we had to have this pilot. We're honored to be the home for the next, brilliant iteration of their vision," said Karey Burke, Freeform's executive vice president of Programming and Development.

Freeform's growing slate of original scripted dramas includes new hits "Marvel's Cloak & Dagger," and "Siren," critically acclaimed "The Bold Type," and the upcoming series "Good Trouble" from the executive producers of "The Fosters."

About Freeform

Part of Disney|ABC Television, Freeform connects to audiences and goes beyond entertainment with bold, original programming and immersive social engagement. As Disney's young adult television and streaming network, it delivers a unique mix of quality original and acquired series, plus fan-favorite movies and the holiday events "31 Nights of Halloween," "Kick Off to Christmas" and "25 Days of Christmas." The Freeform app is a service that allows viewers with participating TV subscription services access to 24/7 live viewing of the network, as well as continued on-demand access via a wide array of devices.

About Sony Television Studios

Sony Pictures Television (SPT) is one of the television industry's leading content providers, producing and distributing programming worldwide in every genre and for every platform. In addition to managing one of the industry's largest libraries of award-winning feature films, television shows and formats, SPT is home to a thriving global production business operating 22 wholly-owned or joint venture production companies in 12 countries around the world. Sony Pictures Television is a Sony Pictures Entertainment Company.