The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel Creators Will Return to Amazon With New Ballet Drama

Amazon Studios is keeping Amy Sherman-Palladino and Dan Palladino busy for the foreseeable future. The husband and wife duo’s most recent collaboration, The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel, will conclude next month, but their next Amazon Prime Video project is already lined up. As part of an overall deal with Amazon, the two will dive into Étoile, which has received a two-season, 16-episode order, per Deadline.

“Well, guess that plan for early retirement will have to wait,” Sherman-Palladino and Palladino said in a joint statement. “Instead, we’ve decided to embark on an international journey with an unbelievable group of players and the most talented ballet dancers in the world. We will sleep when we’re dead.”

The series will feature two of The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel‘s cast members, Luke Kirby and Gideon Glick, who portray Lenny Bruce and Alfie, respectively, on the hit series. Étoile‘s cast will also include Camille Cottin (House of Gucci), Simon Callow (Four Weddings and a Funeral), Lou de Laâge (The Innocents), and David Alvarez (West Side Story).

Étoile will follow the dancers and staff of two world-renowned ballet companies located in New York City and Paris, who swap their most talented performers in an effort to save their institutions. Sherman-Palladino and Palladino serve as co-creators, writers, directors, and executive producers for the upcoming series. Dhana Rivera Gilbert and Scott Ellis will also executive produce.

“Amy and Dan are brilliant creators of remarkable and enduring characters and one-of-a-kind storytelling,” Jennifer Salke, head of Amazon and MGM Studios, said. “We’re incredibly excited for Étoile, as we have no doubt Amy, Dan, and their team will continue to produce incredible and impactful event television.”

Related: Exclusive: Alex Borstein Had No Idea What Was Coming on the Final Season of The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel

The World of Dance According to the Palladinos

This is not Sherman-Palladino and Palladino’s first series set in the world of ballet. Sherman-Palladino co-created the 2012 series Bunheads with Lamar Damon. She and Palladino collaborated on the series as writers and directors on multiple episodes. The short-lived series starred Sutton Foster as Michelle Simms, a Vegas showgirl who impulsively marries an admirer. She moves to his town in search of a peaceful life, but things take a drastic turn when he suddenly dies. Now living in a new town, she must learn to co-habitate with her late husband’s mother, Fanny (Kelly Bishop), who owns a local ballet school. Michelle begins working at Fanny’s school, teaching dance to a group of young girls.

The series earned critical praise and a perfect score on Rotten Tomatoes but was not renewed for a second season. Dance was also a part of Gilmore Girls, another of the couple’s projects. While the series did not revolve around dancers, it did feature Liz Torres as Miss Patty, the town’s beloved dance teacher.

While audiences wait for Étoile, they can still catch Kirby in the fifth and final season of The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel. His performance as stand-up comedian Lenny Bruce earned the actor an Emmy Award. Through its six-year run, the series has earned 20 Emmy wins. Sherman-Palladino created the series, and she and Palladino have also served as executive producers, directors, and writers. The final episode airs Friday, May 26.