NBC has put in development an anthology series from Chicago Fire co-executive producer Andrea Newman, Eva Longoria’s UnbelieEVAble Entertainment and Universal TV. The project is de scribed as a supernatural thriller in a realistic tone. Inspired by the rich world of Hispanic folklore and myth, each season will explore a different legend and be set in the present-day Southwest.

The first season is based on the ancient Hispanic tale of La Llorona, the “weeping woman,” and follows a troubled Detective investigating a young mother accused of trying to drown her child in a small town hiding a supernatural secret. In the legend, a woman drowns her children for a man and is destined to search for them for eternity, sometimes abducting wandering children who resemble her own. The tale is familiar to NBC viewers as it was retold in an episode from the second season of the network’s popular supernatural drama Grimm (photo above). La Llorona also was the first villain on the CW’s long-running drama Supernatural.

Primetime-Panic Your Complete Guide to Pilots and Straight-to-Series orders See All

Newman will write the script and will executive produce with Longoria, who is of Mexican descent and holds a Master’s degree in Chicano studies, as well as UnbeliEVAble’s Ben Spector. The project stems from Universal TV’s overall deal with Newman and first-look pact with UnbeliEVAble.

Newman, repped by ICM Partners and Jeff Frankel, has worked on such series as The Secret Circle, Human Target, Private Practice, Cold Case, 24 and Felicity. This is the fifth sale for UnbeliEVAble this development season. Longoria and UnbelEVAble are with CAA and Brillstein.