It’s been several years since Michaela Coel released the HBO series, “I May Destroy You.” And in the time since, we’ve seen rumblings of possible follow-up series coming from Coel. However, nothing materialized until now, with the upcoming “First Day on Earth.”
According to HBO and BBC, Michaela Coel is returning to TV with a new series titled “First Day on Earth.” The series tells the story of a down-on-her-luck novelist who finds herself taking a job in Ghana, where she might be able to reconnect with her estranged father. In addition to starring in the series, Coel is a producer and writer, as well. Interestingly, Jesse Armstrong, the creator of “Succession,” is also on board as an executive producer.
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“I am delighted to be working with VAL, HBO and the BBC again, and to partner with A24; thanks to all of their combined taste, care and expertise, I feel our show is in great hands,” Coel said. “‘First Day on Earth’ is another very personal story for me which I hope will engage viewers from all over the world, and I can’t wait for audiences to go on Henri’s journey with her.”
Amy Gravitt, Executive Vice President, HBO & Max Comedy Programming, added, “Michaela’s words have the ability to transport the reader like no other. I am thrilled to have the opportunity to continue the conversation that began with ‘I May Destroy You,’ alongside our close collaborators at VAL, A24 and the BBC. With Henri as our guide, ‘First Day on Earth’ is as lyrical as it is visceral in its excavation of the idea of home.”
There’s no word on when we might see “First Day on Earth” arrive on HBO, but the series is expected to begin production in 2025.
Here’s the synopsis:
British novelist Henri (Michaela Coel) is stuck. Work has dried up, her relationship is going nowhere. So when she’s offered a job on a film in Ghana, West Africa – her parents’ homeland, where her estranged father lives – she can’t resist the chance to reconnect with him and the country of her heritage. But when she arrives neither the job nor her father turn out the way she expected, and soon Henri has to deal with danger and hypocrisy, form new friendships, lose her illusions, and create a new sense of identity – one that might leave her stronger, but could also break her.