Alejandro González Iñárritu‘s MRC series is taking shape, with Ed Helms, Hilary Swank and Ed Harris in various stages of negotiations to topline the hourlong project. In his U.S. TV debut, the Oscar-nominated Iñárritu will direct the series, titled One Percent, which he co-created with Alexander Dinelaris, Nicolas Giacobone, and Armando Bo. The four recently collaborated on the script of Iñárritu’s latest feature, black comedy Birdman Or The Unexpected Virtue Of Ignorance, which opened this year’s Venice Film Festival in its world premiere and was just selected as the closing night title for New York Film Festival.

One Percent is set against the backdrop of the organic farming community. Helms and Swank would play a husband and wife who are struggling professionally and personally to keep their business afloat, while Harris would play the family patriarch. MRC is expected to take the project out to buyers in a few weeks, likely seeking straight-to-series order, which has been the company’s strategy. It has been able to secure two-season pickups for its David Fincher-Kevin Spacey drama House Of Cards at Netflix and the Seth MacFarlane comedy at Starz. One Percent, which had been in the works at MRC for about nine months, reunites the company with Iñárritu after previously working with the Mexican director on his Oscar-nominated Babel. The Office and Hangover star Helms is with CAA, Principato Young and Ira Schrek. Oscar winner Swank, repped by CAA, will next be seen opposite Tommy Lee Jones in The Homesman. Oscar nominee Harris also is with CAA.

Source: http://www.deadline.com