30 April 2024 – Today, Roku, America’s #1 TV streaming platform*, announced the greenlight of the new scripted comedy series “Tightrope!” starring Emmy and SAG Award-winning actor Ty Burrell and executive produced by Bryan Cranston. Through reimagined dialogue and a new lead actor in Ty Burrell, “Tightrope!” reshapes the drama of the vintage 1950s series into a slapstick comedy, where Burrell plays a lone wolf detective following cases city to city while he searches for his long-lost love who got away.

“Since ‘Tightrope!’ is a comedy about a detective (and finding a Wallenda seemed off brand), we’re thrilled to have Ty Burrell and Bryan Cranston join us at Roku for this imaginative, funny series,” said Charlie Collier, President, Roku Media. “What a joy to welcome Ty and Bryan to the Roku Originals lineup, along with the Moonshot and Desert Whale teams and our partners at Village Roadshow Television. We’re pleased to add ‘Tightrope!’ to our growing Originals slate to delight our audiences.”

“I’m so thrilled to be working with Bryan, and Roku Originals, on this bonkers (in the best way) idea of a show,” said Ty Burrell.

“I was inspired by the on-the-nose old drama series of the ‘50s to mess with the whole thing and create a new version of a lunatic comedy, never seen before in a TV series. ‘Tightrope!’ is a result of a fever dream, and conceived over a bowl of chili at Chasen’s, savvy?” said Bryan Cranston.

“Tightrope!” will be produced by Moonshot Entertainment, Desert Whale Productions, and Village Roadshow Televison. Bryan Cranston and James Degus will serve as executive producers for Moonshot Entertainment. Ty Burrell will executive produce for Desert Whale Productions. Adam Small and Fax Bahr will also executive produce and direct the series. The series will be overseen by Morgan Pichinson on behalf of Roku Originals.

Moonshot Entertainment was founded in 2013 by Bryan Cranston. The company has produced an eclectic mix of drama and comedy including “Your Honor” (Showtime), “Sneaky Pete” (Amazon), “Dangerous Book for Boys” (Amazon), “Philip K. Dick’s Electric Dreams” (Amazon), “SuperMansion” (Crackle), and “All The Way” (HBO).

Ty Burrell’s Desert Whale Productions launched in May 2020, focusing on developing and producing half-hour comedies from emerging and underrepresented voices. Desert Whale is currently in pre-production on its ABC multi-cam pilot “Forgive & Forget,” starring Ty Burrell. Desert Whale has projects in the pipeline including “The Good Life,” a scripted podcast for Audible with Broadway Video, amongst much other early development.

Roku’s growing slate of Roku Originals offers bold, fresh entertainment from the biggest names in Hollywood. In addition to “Tightrope!,” viewers get free access to “The Spiderwick Chronicles,” “The Great American Baking Show,” “Honest Renovations," “Morimoto’s Sushi Master,” the “Die Hart” franchise, “WWE: Next Gen,” “WEIRD: The Al Yankovic Story,” and more.

*By hours streamed (Hypothesis Group: Q4 2023)