"All American" Spin-off Eyed at The CW
by Michael Ausiello
December 18, 2020


Spin-off-crazed The CW is eyeing "All American" as its next franchise opportunity. TVLine has learned exclusively that the network is in the early stages of developing an offshoot of the football-themed drama.

The potential new series — slated to be introduced during a regular episode of "All American‘s" upcoming third season (aka a backdoor spin-off) — would be set at a a historically Black university and follow Geffri Maya‘s college-bound Simone Hicks.

Reps for The CW and Warner Bros. declined to comment for this story.

https://tvline.com/2020/12/18/all-american-spinoff-geffri-maya-simone-the-cw/

"All American" Spin-off Officially Set as Backdoor Pilot at The CW with Geffri Maya
by Peter White
Feb. 1, 2021


The CW is officially moving forward with its planted pilot spin-off of "All American" with Geffri Maya reprising her role as Simone Hicks.

The pilot will air as an episode in the current third season of the show.

https://deadline.com/2021/02/all-american-spinoff-backdoor-pilot-the-cw-geffri-maya-1234684817/

"All American" Spin-off Picked Up to Series at The CW
by Peter White
May 24, 2021


The CW has picked up "All American: Homecoming" to series.

The young-adult sports drama is set against the backdrop of the HBCU experience. It follows a young tennis hopeful from Beverly Hills and an elite baseball player from Chicago as they contend with the high stakes of college sports, while also navigating the highs, lows and sexiness of unsupervised early adulthood at a prestigious Historically Black College.

Geffri Maya will reprise her role as Simone Hicks. Peyton Alex Smith, Kelly Jenrette, Cory Hardrict, Sylvester Powell, Netta Walker and Camille Hyde also star.

https://deadline.com/2021/05/all-american-spinoff-ava-duvernays-naomi-picked-up-to-series-the-cw-1234763013/

All American: Homecoming boss: We're focusing on "the Serenas, and the Venuses of the world and the Naomi Osakas" (https://variety.com/2021/tv/features/all-american-homecoming-naomi-osaka-tribute-hbcu-1235009549/)

All American will preview its Homecoming spinoff on Monday as a backdoor pilot, focusing on Geffri Maya's Simone as a young tennis hopeful from Beverly Hills and Peyton Alex Smith's Damon as an elite baseball player from Chicago at the fictional Bringston University. "I was inspired to do a spinoff because there’s so much story to tell in this world — of Black youth and student athletics and the pursuit of a dream," says showrunner Nkechi Okoro Carroll. "That’s the heart of what Spencer Paysinger’s story is in All American, and he’s our catalyst to go into that world, so spinning it off felt very organic because we’ve been blessed with such a fantastic ensemble cast, who all have dreams and aspirations and all have different experiences as Black youth in this country. In terms of who to spin it off with and the world we’re putting it in, I wanted to keep the heart and essence of All American, which is that — underneath everything else — it is a sports drama. The pursuit of an athletic dream comes with its own unique set of pressures and complications, and highs and lows, and so wanted to keep the essence of the mothership show by keeping it rooted in that sports world, which is why we are diving into tennis and baseball at the collegiate level. Simone seemed like the best character to take us into that world...Specifically, we’re looking at Black women in tennis. Looking at the rise of the Serenas, and the Venuses of the world and the Naomi Osakas. I wanted to delve into that experience. There are a unique set of challenges that come with being a Black woman in a sport like that. I’m so in awe of those women that I wanted to pay tribute by honoring their journey and shedding a little bit of light through Simone’s journey, of what it really takes to excel at that level as a Black woman in that sport. Also, baseball has such an interesting legacy with the Black community, and it’s a legacy that feels like it’s been eroded a little bit, with the diminishing numbers of Black players in the league. It’s a sport that it feels like our youth are being priced out of, but it’s a great American sport — it’s the sport of Jackie Robinson, Hank Aaron, of so many great players, and so I wanted to pay homage to that."

The CW's All American: Homecoming is a likable companion piece to All American (https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/tv/tv-reviews/all-american-homecoming-tv-review-1235096739)

"Real-life inspiration notwithstanding, The CW’s All American seemed to fit pretty squarely into the template of high school dramas set in ultra-posh neighborhoods," says Angie Han. "But as a character notes a couple of episodes into its brand-new spinoff, All American: Homecoming, college is a different ballgame, honey. Homecoming is attempting something different than its predecessor was — less soapy, more down-to-earth — and if it’s not quite as addictive to start, it’s still a likable companion piece that tackles the unique challenges of life after high school with warmth and understanding. Not that you need to have seen the original in the first place, since Homecoming‘s determination to do its own thing extends to its plot."

ALSO:


All American: Homecoming is admirably big-hearted in crafting two protagonists whose struggles viewers will follow attentively (https://variety.com/2022/tv/reviews/all-american-homecoming-review-cw-1235186013/)
Showrunner Nkechi Okoro Carroll on Simone's All American: Homecoming's love triangle (https://variety.com/2022/tv/features/all-american-homecoming-spoilers-love-triangle-1235187226/): “You’re 18, you’re in college, and 18-year-olds are messy. College kids are messy. It’s just that — life is messy," says Okoro Carroll. "The chemistry is definitely there. They’re both exceptional actors is such a dream to work with and have so much natural chemistry."
Okoro Carroll says Shakespeare, Buffy the Vampire Slayer and Greg Berlanti influenced All American: Homecoming (https://ew.com/tv/meet-your-maker-all-american-homecoming-nkechi-okoro-carroll/)
When Peyton Alex Smith began working on the All American: Homecoming pilot, it had been 17 years since he last held a baseball (https://ew.com/tv/peyton-alex-smith-baseball-all-american-homecoming)
Geffri Maya recalls the conversations she had with Nkechi Okaro Carroll about the spinoff (https://www.huffpost.com/entry/all-american-homecoming-star-geffri-maya_n_62104e03e4b08ed7cf70093c): "Me and NK talked, and she was like, ‘I knew I wanted to do a spinoff, and I just feel like this is the most appropriate route to go in terms of Black female leads and Black athleticism.’ I want to continue to push that narrative of not just what you’re good at, but just who you are, the contribution that you give just being a Black person,” says Maya. “We give so much more than we’re credited for. It’s not just about what we tangibly can do or what we have historically done, but us as a people. It’s way more than ‘I got a show about me.’ It’s more than that, because it’s not about me. It’s for the generations to come."

Future All American Spinoffs Addressed By Showrunner After CW Overhaul (https://screenrant.com/all-american-spinoff-chances-showrunner-response/)

All American showrunner Nkechi Okoro Carroll addresses the possibility of future spinoffs for the show after The CW's content overhaul.