With his first project for six years, J.J. Abrams is back with writer and executive producer LaToya Morgan for new Max series Duster, co-starring Rachel Hilson as the FBI’s first black female agent and Josh Holloway as a ‘gutsy getaway driver’ aiming to take down a crime syndicate led by Keith David. Speaking with The Hollywood Reporter, Abrams described the series.
THR: J.J., what personally excited you about this idea?
J.J. ABRAMS I had this image of a phone in the middle of the desert and a car driving up, and a guy getting on the phone to find out where he was meant to go next. It implied some kind of crazy intrigue, and I didn’t know what the answer was, but I knew it was compelling. LaToya and I started talking about who this guy might be, and I always knew there would be an FBI agent who showed up. But it wasn’t until we started talking about what her story is, that we started building this story towards something that felt twisty and turn-y and ultimately really satisfying. That became the goal: How do we tell a crazy story that actually ends up being driven towards one point and where we’re actually headed towards something that feels inevitable? Where we would have the vibe of it, the spirit of it, the sense of humor and the sense of absurdity?