Sky On Fire Plot, Development Details And More

Political dramas are certainly nothing new on the TV landscape; from "The West Wing" to "House of Cards," there's always been an audience for differing takes on political intrigue. "Sky on Fire” represents yet another addition to that list. The series will center around an assassination attempt against the nation's first Latina president. What follows is a race to discover the people behind it and stop them before they can succeed.

"Sky on Fire" comes from Jake Coburn and Julie Plec, who worked together on the short-lived NBC series "The Endgame." Coburn also worked on the drama "Quantico." Coburn is writing the "Sky on Fire" pilot with Emilio Ortega Aldrich — the latter comes to the project after writing for CW stand-outs "Supergirl" and "Arrow." This is Ortega Aldrich's first move into the realm of political dramas.

Plec is herself a familiar name to horror and sci-fi fans thanks to "The Vampire Diaries" and its subsequent spin-offs "The Originals" and "Legacies." The " Vampire Diaries" universe became a pop culture sensation with the debut of "Diaries" in 2009 and ended with the finale of "Legacies" in 2022.

Here's what we know about the upcoming series "Sky on Fire" so far.

There is currently no release date set for "Sky on Fire." Initial news of a series order came in late 2021, but since then, there's been little information available about the project's status. Neither Jake Coburn, Julie Plec, nor Emilio Ortega Aldrich have the project listed as part of their IMDb credits, a sign that it is far from a sure thing at this point.

The series order is connected to NBC, but notably, the development process is happening at a pivotal time for its streaming service, Peacock. Said service has expanded into original content as well as on-demand options for popular NBC series. It's possible the project could move to Peacock, with on-demand viewing after network airing added as an option. In addition to this, there are the 2023 Hollywood strikes to consider. Though both have now concluded, they undoubtedly had an impact at the series.

"Sky on Fire" focuses on the United States' first Latina president, Eva Ortiz. Described as a decorated war veteran, this groundbreaking leader faces an assassination attempt at the hands of an unknown assailant. Surviving is just the beginning for Ortiz; the experience pushes her onto a quest to expose those behind it all. The story promises drama, mystery, and suspense with each episode.

Political dramas have a history of earning devoted followings. "Designated Survivor" ranks as a recent addition to the category, and has many of the same traits as "Sky on Fire." The series, which starred Kiefer Sutherland, follows a Housing and Urban Development Secretary who becomes president after a deadly explosion. It amplified an appetite for the genre "Sky on Fire" is poised to capture.

While "Designated Survivor" may feature a male star, political dramas don't shy away from female leads. Eva Ortiz sounds very similar to the dynamic women who have led series such as "Homeland," "Madam Secretary," and "Scandal."

There have not yet been any "Sky on Fire" casting announcements. The series' synopsis only mentions a female president as the lead character; other roles remain a mystery.

If past series are any indication, Julie Plec and Jake Coburn can draw a talented cast. "The Endgame" features the pairing of Morena Baccarin and Ryan Michelle Bathe. Baccarin previously starred on the Showtime series "Homeland" as well as Fox's "Gotham." Michelle Bathe's credits extend to the CBS drama "All Rise" and NBC hit "This is Us."

Coburn's time as executive producer and writer on "Quantico" also gave him the chance to work with Priyanka Chopra Jonas. Her role in the series marked a major step for the actress. Its writing of a female lead as something more than a stereotype was a huge plus to Chopra Jonas: "Not just because of being the first time an Indian or South Asian actor was lead of a network show, but, more than that, because I was not put in the box, like the show wasn't My Big Fat Indian Wedding," the actress told Vanity Fair. Could we see here, or any of these names, again in "Sky on Fire"? It's a definite possibility.