Kim Kardashian continues to be a reality TV queen, given the continued success of her family’s flagship show, The Kardashians. However, as of late, she’s also been carving out a lane for herself within the realm of scripted TV by way of a few drama series she’s headlined in recent years. Despite that, I still wasn’t expecting her to join forces with a Bridgerton alum for a new project set to be available for Netflix subscription holders. I suppose that, given the development, it’s also quite fitting that Kardashian recently sported some corsets.
In 2024, it was reported that the SKIMS founder teamed up with Netflix to produce a new drama series called Calabasas. I. Marlene King – of Pretty Little Liars fame – was initially set to serve as showrunner but has since exited the project. Now, according to Deadline, Bridgerton creator Chris Van Dusen has been tapped to showrun and write the show, and this marks a significant pickup for the production.
Van Dusen has worked on a few hit shows over the course of his career, including long-running ABC medical drama Grey’s Anatomy and its spinoff, Private Practice. He also served as both a writer and producer on another Shonda Rhimes-produced series, Scandal. Van Dusen really hit TV gold, though, with Bridgerton, of which fans are currently anticipating the fourth season.
Of course, this will be a change of pace for Chris Van Dusen, who’s been penning Regency era-based drama as of late. That’s just one reason why the timing of this news is so ironic, as Kardashian wore a whopping three corsets amid her 45th birthday bash last week. For those who aren’t in the know, corsets are commonplace on Bridgerton, as many of the ladies sport them. Kardashian’s decision to wear them surely wasn’t meant to nod at her new collaboration, but I can’t help but chuckle over the coincidence.
As for Calabasas, it’s executive-produced by both Kim Kardashian and Emma Roberts, who worked together on American Horror Story: Delicate. Per the trade, the series is based on Via Bleidner’s If You Lived Here You’d Be Famous By Now. At the center of the show is a 16-year-old Midwestern Catholic school girl, who receives a major culture shock after her family moves to California. Based on the logline, what results is high school-related drama, and this show sounds similar to beloved young adult shows from the early aughts. I’m curious as to how Kardashian and co. will proceed.
News of the showrunner change arrives as Kardashian promotes All’s Fair, her new legal drama series which just premiered amid the 2025 TV schedule (and is available to stream with a Hulu subscription). Kardashian is also jumping into the movie business by starring in an upcoming comedy flick called The 5th Wheel. She also has another gig in the form of a yet-to-be-titled thriller film set up at Amazon MGM.
Kim Kardashian certainly has a lot on her plate right now though, given her California upbringing, Calabasas feels like a particularly personal project for her. With the hiring of Chris Van Dusen, there’s a seasoned writer on board now. I just wouldn’t expect to see any corsets on the show.
Those who do want to see the stunning corsets and massive wigs can, however, head over to Netflix now to stream Bridgerton.