Ridley Scott's Scott Free Television single is developing Jean Claude Van Johnson, a half-hour comedy starring Jean-Claude Van Damme, which Scott said would show the martial arts and film star in a new light that would surprise fans.

The project will be written and executive produced by Dave Callaham, Van Damme plays Jean-Claude Van Damme, a global martial arts and film star operating under the alias of “Johnson,” the most dangerous undercover private contractor in the world.

“What I find extraordinary is the breadth of buyers, there isn’t anything you can’t do,” said Scott Free’s president of television David Zucker. “I think it’s one of the most exciting times in television.” Over the years, on the longform side Scott Free has worked with National Geographic (Killing Lincoln, Killing Kennedy, Killing Jesus and the upcoming Killing Reagan), HBO (Into the Storm), Discovery (Klondike), History (Gettysburg), TNT (The Company), A&E (Coma), Starz (The Pillars Of The Earth) and xBox (Hallo: Nightfall) among others. (When under studio/network deals, Scott Free has had an out for movies and miniseries, allowing it to sell to different buyers).

For Ridley Scott, “it’s all about the written word,” as he credits strong material for the company’s TV success. “Any subject is a good subject if you know how to address it,” he said.

Scott Free has signed a new first-look deal for broadcast projects at CBS TV Studios where the company has two series, both for CBS, the award-winning The Good Wife and the upcoming BrainDead. 

Scott Free has sold three drama projects to CBS for next season, a drama based on the life and career of Sunny Hostin, written by Elle Johnson; Sensory, a medical drama based on Dr. Joel Salinas, written by David Zabel, who also is behind Scott Free’s upcoming PBS series Mercy Street; and cop comedy Rubber Guns from TJ Fixman and Scott Gemmill.

Source: Deadline