Netflix orders Michael B. Jordan-produced superhero drama Raising Dion

October 5th 2017, 12:27pm

Last Updated on July 30, 2021

While Netflix has done a solid job bringing Marvel characters to the small screen, the streaming giant has just ordered an original superhero series that will focus on a side of the genre we don't often get to see. The show, RAISING DION, has just been ordered by Netflix and will be produced by Michael B. Jordan, who will also appear on the show. DION will focus on an African-American single mother trying to raise her young son, who is beginning to discover he has magical and powerful abilities.

The show will be executive produced by Jordan’s Outlier Society banner alongside MACRO’s Charles D. King, Kim Roth and Poppy Hanks. Dennis Liu – who created the comic book and YouTube short this show is based on – spoke about the process of seeing his creation coming to life on Netflix, and how he hopes the show will push the boundaries and offer a point of view that isn’t often shown in film or TV:

I started this project many years ago because I wanted to see more diverse representation in film and television and I'm excited to partner with Netflix and MACRO, who I know shares that commitment. More than ever, we need more stories told from different points of view and my hope with Raising Dion is to create a cinematic experience for all families that will lift your spirits and make you laugh and cry.

Here is the full synopsis below:

The series follows the story of a woman named Nicole Reese, who raises her son Dion after the death of her husband Mark (Jordan). The normal dramas of raising a son as a single mom are amplified when Dion starts to manifest several magical, superhero-like abilities. Nicole must now keep her son’s gifts secret with the help of Mark’s best friend Pat, and protect Dion from antagonists out to exploit him while figuring out the origin of his abilities. The ten-episode series will premiere on Netflix in more than 190 countries around the world.

What we mostly see of superheroes is them looking all muscle-y and heroic, soaring through the sky and triumphantly saving the day. But rarely do we see superhero stories come at an angle like this and through such a dramatic and emotional lens. This story will take us through the origin of a young person's powers with a grounded, yet hopefully exciting, style. The single mother angle diversifies the story even more, and the grounded drama could be a great juxtaposition of the expensive-looking, action-driven superhero stories we normally see in theaters on TV.

Jordan can be seen in BLACK PANTHER February 2018.