Angela Bassett, best known for her powerful portrayal of Athena Grant on the hit ABC drama 9-1-1 and as Queen Ramonda in the Black Panther films, has an exciting new project in the works. But does this mean she’s bidding farewell to 9-1-1? Fans have been buzzing with concern, but rest assured—Angela Bassett is staying put. Athena Grant will continue to lead the charge in 9-1-1 Season 8.

However, Bassett’s future endeavors signal a thrilling development off-screen. She and her husband, Courtney B. Vance, are diving into a new venture: developing a cop drama titled Keats for NBC, produced by Universal TV. Set in the gritty streets of Philadelphia, Keats follows Alex, a fourth-generation police officer who left both her job and family behind. Years later, Alex returns home for her mother’s funeral, only to suspect that her mother—a decorated officer—may not have died by suicide, as initially thought. As she digs deeper, she uncovers secrets that pull her back into the tangled web of her family’s ties to the police force.

The project will be helmed by Bassett and Vance as executive producers, alongside their producing partner Lynette Ramirez and writer Pilar Golden (God Friended Me, Beyond Black Beauty). While the duo focuses on crafting this new police drama, both remain active on-screen. Vance is set to appear in Ryan Murphy’s upcoming series Grotesquerie, and Bassett continues her role in 9-1-1, standing shoulder to shoulder with co-stars like Peter Krause (Bobby Nash), Oliver Stark (Evan “Buck” Buckley), Alisha Hinds (Henrietta “Hen” Wilson), and others who make up the fictional Station 118 of the Los Angeles Fire Department.

Created by Ryan Murphy, Brad Falchuk, and Tim Minear, 9-1-1 has become a staple of first-responder dramas, with intense storylines and emotional depth since it first aired in January 2018. The series even sparked a spin-off, 9-1-1: Lone Star. After its initial run on FOX, the show was canceled in May 2023, but it quickly found a new home on ABC, where it became the network’s most-watched series. Renewed for an eighth season, 9-1-1 continues to captivate audiences with its thrilling and heartfelt stories.

So, while Bassett is not leaving 9-1-1, she is certainly expanding her creative horizons. And who knows? With her talents both in front of and behind the camera, the next big TV hit might just be on the way. Stay tuned!