DICK WOLF, ZAYN MALIK AND LEN BLAVATNIK TEAM WITH UNIVERSAL TELEVISION ON DEVELOPMENT FOR NBC'S "BOYS"

Former One Direction Member and Current Recording Artist Serves as EP on New Project That Focuses on the Highs and Lows of a Wildly Successful Boy Band

UNIVERSAL CITY, Calif. - Sept. 6, 2016 - Dick and Noelle Wolf (Wolf Entertainment), Zayn Malik, Len Blavatnik's Unigram and First Access Entertainment have formed a creative partnership with Universal Television to develop "Boys," a groundbreaking project for NBC that uniquely links musical and digital strategies.

Sherri Cooper Landsman and Jennifer Levin will write. Noelle Wolf brought the project to NBC with Amanda Ghost (Unigram), Gregor Cameron (Unigram) and Sarah Stennett (First Access Entertainment) attached.

The drama follows the formation of a hugely successful boy band and captures all the excitement, competition and fun, but also provides an inside look into the pressure that follows. Stennett will serve as executive music producer and, in partnership with NBCUniversal, will manage all music rights created in the series.

"It's exciting to be diving into this project with such passionate and prolific producers," said Jennifer Salke, President, NBC Entertainment. "Zayn certainly brings an authentic point of view to this world where kids are catapulted into fame at a dizzying speed. On top of our excitement around the creative ideas being discussed, we have a lot of respect for the musical and digital ambitions behind the project."

"We were intrigued by the synergistic potential that Zayn brings to the project," Noelle Wolf said. "'Boys' will be a show that's totally integrated on broadcast and digital platforms. Casting and original music will be major components, giving the show promotional potential on multiple levels."

"Dick Wolf is a legend," Malik said, "and the opportunity to work with him and NBC to create a compelling drama series is awesome."

Wolf, a two-time Emmy winning producer, currently produces "Law & Order: SVU," "Chicago Fire," "Chicago P.D.," "Chicago Med" and the new "Chicago Justice" in conjunction with Universal Television. Wolf won a Grammy Award for the Doors documentary "When You're Strange" and his company also produced the Oscar-winning documentary "Twin Towers."

Malik is one of today's hottest recording artists. He recently made history as the first male U.K. solo artist to debut at #1 on album charts in the U.S. and U.K. with his album "Mind of Mine."

Unigram is a film, TV and multimedia production company that is able to draw on the inter-industry strengths of the founders, Amanda Ghost & Gregor Cameron and Len Blavatnik. It is actively engaged in the development and pre-production of film, TV and alternative media properties featuring music as a central character.

First Access Entertainment, a joint venture between Sarah Stennett and Access Industries, focuses on talent development and representation, brand development and representation, recording artists and songwriters, and rights exploitation across the music, entertainment, and fashion industries.

Dick and Noelle Wolf, Zayn Malik, Amanda Ghost, Peter Jankowski, Sherri Cooper Landsman and Jennifer Levin are executive producers. Gregor Cameron will co-executive produce.