HBO has put in development Jackson State, a drama that focuses on the nationwide opioid epidemic, from Bob Cooper and Richard Saperstein’s Storyscape Entertainment and Elliott Lester (Nightingale).

Written by Scott Lasser (True Detective), Jackson State will explore how the current wave of opiod abuse has ravaged many small towns across America that were once the backbone of the country. Lasser, who also executive produces, will draw on material from his personal experiences growing up in the Detroit area. Cooper and Charlie Hartsock (Crazy, Stupid Love) executive produce alongside Lester, who also is set to direct. Eric Watson (Requiem For A Dream, Pi) will produce. Storyscape’s Sandy Shenkman will oversee development of the project for the company.

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Storyscape, which is under a first-look feature deal with Broad Green, has several TV projects in development including No Ordinary Time, an adaptation of Doris Kearns Goodwin’s Pulitzer Prize-winning novel, as a 10-hour event series for PBS; an event series about Watergate, set up at ABC; and Diamond In The Sky, based on the F. Scott Fitzgerald novella also at ABC.

Lasser co-wrote two episodes of HBO’s True Detective Season 2 and is the author of four books: Say Nice Things About Detroit, The Year That Followed, All I Could Get and Battle Creek.

Lester helmed the praised Nightingale movie for HBO, which received Emmy nominations for Outstanding TV Movie and Lead Actor for David Oyelowo. Lester most recently directed feature Aftermath, starring Arnold Schwarzenegger for Lionsgate, as well as several episodes of TNT’s upcoming series Will.

Hartsock was an executive producer on features The Incredible Burt Wonderstone, Crazy, Stupid, Love and the documentary series Inside Comedy for Showtime.

America’s opiod epidemic also is the subject of another series in development at A+E Studios, a family drama that hails from AIDS-themed Dallas Buyers Club writers Rachel Winter and Craig Borten.

Lasser is repped by CAA, Rain Management Group and Darren Trattner of Jackoway Tyerman. Lester is repped by WME and Plattform. Watson is with CAA.