Reese Witherspoon, Jennifer Aniston Apple Drama Lands Bates Motel Showrunner

Apple has found a new showrunner for their Jennifer Aniston and Reese Witherspoon-starring drama series. According to The Hollywood Reporter, the streamer has nabbed Bates Motel alum Kerry Ehrin in an overall deal, signing her to replace original creator Jay Carson.

Carson, who had previously worked on House of Cards, was initially set to create and run the series, which is based on an original idea from former HBO head of drama Michael Ellenberg. However, Carson left the project, reportedly due to creative differences. Ehrin, who has also worked on Friday Night Lights, Parenthood, and, more recently, the NBC drama Rise, was previously under a deal with UniversalTV.

The show is said to explore "morning shows and the larger New York media scene they inhabit." It is said to be utilizing background from CNN senior media correspondent Brian Stelter's 2013 book Top of the Morning: Inside the Cutthroat World of Morning TV, which detailed the feud between NBC's Today and ABC's Good Morning America. Stelter is also set to serve as a consultant on the series. Ellenberg's Media Res banner is set to produce the show, which will be executive produced by Ehrin, Witherspoon, and Aniston.

Witherspoon made a very successful jump to TV with the buzzy HBO series Big Little Lies, which is set to get an unexpected second season. She is also set to take on the novel Little Fires Everywhere, alongside Kerry Washington, for Hulu. For Aniston, the project marks a long-awaited return to the medium, which brought her a Golden Globe and an Emmy win, among many nominations, for her part as Rachel on Friends. (She also holds an Emmy nomination for her guest turn on 30 Rock.) 

The untitled morning show series has already made headlines as one of Apple's first big acquisitions. The show is expected to carry a hefty price tag, with the two leads reportedly earning $1.25 million per episode each, as well as part of the show's back-end. Ehrin is said to have been signed to her multi-year deal with Apple after a competitive situation involving multiple other studios.

Apple already gave the show a two-season, 20-episode order. There is no word yet on a premiere date.