Apple Lands ‘Bananas’ Series Starring Oscar Isaac & Ana De Armas From David O. Russell & Fifth Season

EXCLUSIVE: In a competitive situation, Apple TV+ has landed a high-profile drama series project for development, sources tell Deadline. Tentatively titled Bananas, it has Oscar Isaac and Ana de Armas set to star and executive produce, and David O. Russell attached to direct and executive produce, I hear. Carolina Paiz (Orange is the New Black, Narcos) is the creator; Fifth Season is the studio.

The premise for the potential series, written and executive produced by Paiz, is kept under wraps through sources indicate that the working title refers to so-called banana republics, a term used to describe politically and economically unstable countries in areas such as Central America.

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Isaac will executive produce Bananas via MadGene Media alongside Gena Konstantinakos.

In TV, Isaac most recently headlined Marvel’s limited series for Disney+ Moon Knight. He earned an Emmy nomination for his performance in HBO’s Scenes From a Marriage. Isaac, who recently finished production on Julian Schnabel’s Hand of Dante, starring opposite Jason Momoa, will next be seen on the big screen in Guillermo del Toro’s Frankenstein, in which he plays the titular Doctor Frankenstein, set for release in 2025.

Bananas would mark de Armas’ English-language series debut. On the film side, she will next be seen starring in Lionsgate’s John Wick spinoff Ballerina, set to hit theaters on June 6, 2025. Her other recent feature credits include Eden, which premiered at the Toronto Film Festival.

Russell, a five-time Oscar nominee, is set to direct the Amazon MGM Studios film Madden starring Nicolas Cage.

Paiz, whose credits also include series Gang Related and movie The Zero Hour, recently co-wrote the upcoming horror film The Whistler.

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