Key Takeaways
- Issa Rae and Prentice Penny are working on an HBO pilot focused on the Las Vegas boxing world and male friendship.
- The plot follows a barber-turned-sports manager and an up-and-coming boxer as they navigate ambition and the complexities of success.
- News of the series arrives as “Insecure” prepares for its 10-year anniversary tour, highlighting Rae’s impact across television.
Issa Rae fans, rejoice! On Tuesday (Aug. 25), Deadline reported that HBO ordered a new comedy pilot written and executive-produced by the “Insecure” creator, which, for now, is going by the working title “Untitled Male Friendship Show.”
According to the publication, the series will follow “Menzel, a 30-year-old barber, aspiring sports manager, and professional best friend to JB, an up-and-coming boxer, as they navigate ambition, insecurity, loneliness, and the double-edged sword of success within the high-stakes world of professional boxing in Las Vegas.”
Prentice Penny, who also worked on “Insecure,” is set to serve as showrunner and executive producer on the upcoming series through A Penny For Your Thoughts, in addition to directing the roughly half-hour pilot. Other EPs attached to the project include Hoorae’s Jax Clark and 3 Arts Entertainment’s Jonathan Berry and Dave Becky.
It’s worth mentioning that Rae signed a multi-year first-look deal with Paramount in January after previously inking an eight-figure film and TV pact with WarnerMedia (home to HBO, HBO Max, and Warner Bros.) in 2021. While the friendship comedy likely predates that newer partnership, fans probably don’t have too much to worry about, considering just about everything the Peabody Trailblazer Award winner touches turns to gold.
A look back at Issa Rae’s latest projects and the “Insecure” 10-year anniversary
So far, that’s all we know about the “Untitled Male Friendship Show,” but hopefully we get another update soon — more specifically, the cast and official title. Either way, the news couldn’t have come at a better time, with “Insecure” kicking off its 10-year anniversary next month.
Starting on Sept. 10, Rae and Penny will treat fans to “iconic moments, behind-the-scenes stories, and conversations about the show's lasting cultural impact,” with Yvonne Orji, Jay Ellis, and Natasha Rothwell making appearances on select dates. They’ll make stops in cities like Detroit, Las Vegas, Chicago, and Atlanta before closing out the run at Inglewood’s YouTube Theater on Oct. 8.
“Insecure” really is one of HBO’s greatest gifts, so watching the series wrap after five seasons was a tough pill to swallow for plenty of fans. Thankfully, Rae has kept busy with projects like “Rap Sh!t” and the reality show “Sweet Life: Los Angeles.”
Her résumé also includes 2025’s box-office hit One of Them Days, which starred Keke Palmer and SZA as best friends scrambling to avoid eviction by any means necessary. It’s a pretty legendary track record, if we do say so ourselves, and with her next series already in the works, we can only hope the streak continues!