GEORGE CLOONEY and Grant Heslov’s Smokehouse Pictures is teaming with the creators of “Making a Murderer” for a new scripted TV project.

    “America’s Most Admired Lawbreaker,” based on the Huffington Post series of articles by journalist Steven Brill, is the first project for Smokehouse under the company’s new first-look deal with Sonar Entertainment.

    “Making a Murderer” creators Laura Ricciardi and Moira Demos will adapt the series with Nicki Paluga and direct. “Lawbreaker” is the true story of a venerable pharmaceutical company that created a powerful drug and marketed it aggressively to children and the elderly while allegedly manipulating and hiding data about its side effects. The drug company was investigated and agreed to pay more than US$2 billion in penalties and settlements but made a reported US$30 billion in sales of the drug worldwide.

    “Lawbreaker” will be Ricciardi and Demos’ first project since Netflix’s “Making a Murderer.” The two spent a decade chronicling the now well-known case of Steven Avery, who served 18 years in prison before he was exonerated, only to be arrested two years later and convicted for the death of a photographer. The series, released in December, became must-see viewing over the holiday break.

    Under Clooney and Heslov’s deal, the duo will create scripted and unscripted drama and comedy series for cable and streaming outlets. Smokehouse already has “Ms,” a mini about Ms Magazine founder Gloria Steinem, set up at HBO, as well as “The Studio,” a scripted entry about a movie studio in the 1990s, at Showtime. Since launching in 2006, Smokehouse’s film credits include “Good Night and Good Luck,” “Leatherheads,” “The Men Who Stare at Goats,” “Argo,” “Money Monster” and more.

    Smokehouse becomes the latest company to ink an overall deal with the independent production company, following Ridley Scott’s Scott Free U.K. and StoryBy Entertainment.

    (SD-Agencies)