Scarlett Johansson will executive produce Assassins, a new Peacock competition series built around secret targets, deception and strategic elimination. The unscripted project comes from B17 Entertainment, a Sony Pictures Television company, with Brien Meagher and Rhett Bachner also serving as executive producers.
Key Takeaways
- Scarlett Johansson will executive produce Peacock’s new competition series Assassins
- Contestants will receive secret targets while attempting to avoid elimination themselves
- Brien Meagher and Rhett Bachner of B17 Entertainment are also executive producers
- The project marks Johansson’s first reality television producing credit
- Peacock has greenlit the series but has not announced a premiere date or contestant lineup
Peacock Greenlights the Assassins Competition Series
Peacock has ordered Assassins, an unscripted competition inspired by a social game in which participants attempt to eliminate assigned targets while protecting their own positions. The series will combine strategic decisions, concealed assignments and shifting alliances.
Each contestant will receive a target upon entering the competition, with the objective of eliminating that person before the season ends. However, every player is also someone else’s target, creating a format in which participants must balance pursuing opponents with avoiding elimination.
The series expands Peacock’s unscripted lineup, which includes established competition programs such as The Traitors and Love Island USA.
Peacock is also developing scripted projects, including the Fast & Furious television series, which has Vin Diesel attached as an executive producer. Assassins represents a different addition to the platform, introducing an original competition format rather than extending an existing film franchise.
The greenlight confirms the project’s development for Peacock, although its release schedule and full production details have not been disclosed.
Scarlett Johansson Joins the Executive Production Team
Johansson will serve as an executive producer on Assassins, marking her first producing credit in reality television. Her involvement expands her work behind the camera beyond scripted film and television projects.
She has previously held executive production roles on projects including Fly Me to the Moon and Eleanor the Great. Her production company, These Pictures, is also associated with television adaptations of Just Cause and The Nanny Diaries.
Johansson remains active in feature films, with an acting role attached to Ari Aster’s upcoming Scapegoat film for A24. Her announced involvement in Assassins, however, is specifically as an executive producer.
Executive producers may oversee creative development, production planning and other aspects of a television project. Their responsibilities vary, and the announcement has not specified Johansson’s individual duties.
Her production credit also does not establish that she will host or compete in the series. The confirmed role places her alongside Meagher and Bachner on the show’s executive production team.
Social Gameplay Defines the Competition Format
Assassins draws inspiration from a real-world game in which participants are assigned targets and must avoid being eliminated by other players.
The television adaptation introduces a competition based on secrecy, strategy and shifting alliances. Contestants must determine how to pursue their assignments while limiting the information other participants have about their intentions.
Unlike competitions primarily based on physical challenges or individual performances, the announced premise places social interactions and tactical decisions at the center of the game.
The format creates uncertainty because players are simultaneously pursuing targets and being pursued. Forming alliances may help contestants gather information, although those relationships could change as the competition progresses.
Peacock has outlined the premise but has not disclosed the specific elimination procedures, number of contestants or prize structure. These details will determine how the game operates across the season.
B17 Entertainment Producers Join the Project
Brien Meagher and Rhett Bachner will executive produce Assassins alongside Johansson. Both are founders of B17 Entertainment, which operates as part of Sony Pictures Television.
Established in 2013, B17 develops and produces programming across competition, comedy, food and other unscripted television genres.
The company’s previous productions include The Final Straw for ABC, Blue Ribbon Baking Championship for Netflix and History of Swear Words, featuring Nicolas Cage.
Meagher and Bachner’s experience with unscripted programming provides an established production background for the new competition. Their credits span different formats, from game-based entertainment to documentary-style television.
B17 is the production company behind Assassins, while Peacock will serve as the streaming platform. The announcement identifies Johansson, Meagher and Bachner as executive producers without detailing their respective responsibilities.
Premiere Date and Casting Details Remain Unconfirmed
Peacock has not announced a premiere date, host or contestant lineup for Assassins.
The number of episodes, filming location and competition schedule also remain undisclosed. Although the premise establishes that each player must eliminate an assigned target, the precise rules governing those eliminations have not been revealed.
Additional announcements are expected to clarify the show’s casting, release schedule and competition structure. For now, Peacock’s series order confirms its development, the central gameplay premise and the executive production team.
Frequently asked questions
What is Peacock’s Assassins series about?
Assassins is an unscripted competition in which contestants receive secret targets to eliminate while avoiding elimination themselves. The game involves strategy, deception and shifting alliances.
Is Scarlett Johansson producing Assassins?
Yes. Johansson is an executive producer of Assassins, marking her first reality television producing credit. She has not been announced as the show’s host or a contestant.
Who are the executive producers of Assassins?
Scarlett Johansson, Brien Meagher and Rhett Bachner are the announced executive producers. Meagher and Bachner founded B17 Entertainment, a Sony Pictures Television company.
Which streaming platform will carry Assassins?
Peacock has greenlit Assassins as part of its unscripted television lineup.
Has Peacock announced a premiere date for Assassins?
No premiere date has been announced. Peacock has also not confirmed the show’s host, contestant lineup or episode count.
