Octavia Spencer in Development Deal for ID, discovery+

Investigation Discovery (ID) and discovery+ have signed Academy Award-winning actor and producer Octavia Spencer and her production company, Orit Entertainment, and October Films to develop and produce multiple projects.

Under the agreement, Spencer is set to executive produce. Production on the deal’s first two projects is underway, with additional titles in development. The first title announced under the agreement is HIGHWAY 20 (w.t.), which begins with the case of a missing 13-year-old girl and spirals into a decades-long true-crime odyssey.

“As an avid fan of true crime, to now be partners with ID and October Films is a dream,” said Spencer. “Everyone at Orit Entertainment is committed to shedding light on the most fascinating cases and crime stories with a unique perspective. We are thrilled to launch our collaboration with HIGHWAY 20 (w.t.), an incredible series of cases that took place over decades, only recently connected into a larger story—and this is just the beginning.”

“Octavia is a creative force who brings a level of unparalleled curiosity and honesty to every story she tells,” said Jason Sarlanis, president of crime and investigative content, linear and streaming. “Upon learning that she and her amazing team at Orit share a deep passion for crime and investigative content and had joined forces with our trusted partners at October, we knew this was a relationship we wanted to invest heavily in. This unique collaboration brings together one of the best production entities in the business, a superstar talent who also happens to be a super-fan with Octavia and Orit, and the biggest brand dedicated to the true crime genre. HIGHWAY 20 is an incredible event series and exemplifies the powerful stories we look forward to telling through this amazing partnership.”

Matt Robins, creative director at October Films, added, “We’re delighted to bring a blossoming creative partnership to such a fantastic platform. Octavia and Orit’s passion for telling true-crime stories in a fresh and illuminating way was abundantly clear from our very first conversation. The Warner Bros. Discovery group has encouraged and enabled us to think big as we build a blockbuster slate of premium documentary series. To begin that journey with the remarkable HIGHWAY 20 is a rare and meaningful opportunity.”