Empire: new footage of Lee Daniels' hip-hop TV drama released

The Butler and Precious director is moving to the small screen with his music industry saga, starring Terrence Howard as label mogul Lucious Lyon

Back in May, director Lee Daniels talked to the Hollywood Reporter about his ambitions for his impending US music industry saga Empire:

Actually, it’s more like Nashville. And The Sopranos, because there is not much violence. And Dynasty. I wanted to make a black Dynasty. You sit there and go, “No, this bitch didn’t! Oh my fucking God!”

Based on the latest teaser clip, which appeared over the weekend, he’s going to hit his target, with Taraji P Henson settling into a Joan Collins-esque role as Cookie Lyon, the ex-wife of mogul Lucious Lyon (Terrence Howard).

As if the trailer wasn’t melodramatic enough, Courtney Love announced that she is joining the cast, as a rock star on Empire’s artist roster. This follows her stint as a schoolteacher on Sons of Anarchy.

Word! so excited to be starring in the sexy new @FOXTV show, @EmpireFOX! Premiering this January. #Empire xc pic.twitter.com/zWXVlUtWrv

— Courtney Love Cobain (@Courtney) October 23, 2014

Empire will debut in the US on Fox in January.

Guardian TV

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