HBO Max Passes on Police Drama Pilot American Blue

HBO Max has decided not to move forward with the police drama pilot "American Blue," starring Milo Ventimiglia, according to multiple reports. The streaming service passed on the project after reviewing the pilot, and Warner Bros. Television is now shopping the series to other potential buyers. The decision marks a shift in the fate of one of two drama pilots recently commissioned by the platform under a new production model.

The series, written by Jeremy Carver and directed by David Ayer, centers on Brian "Milk" Milkovich, a native son who returns to his hometown of Joliet, Illinois, to rescue a beleaguered police force while seeking redemption of his own. Ventimiglia leads a large ensemble cast that includes Kelly Jenrette, Carlito Olivero, Onye EmeAkwari, Jess Gabor, Eddie Kaye Thomas, Paulina Olszynski, Algee Smith, Jeremy Bobb, Rich Sommer, Jesse Garcia, Wrenn Schmidt, Ellyn Jameson, and Maisie Merlock. Carver, Brian Udovich, Neil Reynolds, and Ayer serve as executive producers, with Ventimiglia as a co-executive producer.

Both "American Blue" and the family drama "How to Survive Without Me" were developed under the production framework established by HBO Max's Emmy-winning...