ABC has picked up multiple episodes of a new family-oriented game show called “Don’t,” executive produced by “Deadpool” star Ryan Reynolds.
In the show, created by Banijay Studios North America, families of four will compete against each other in “Simon Says”-like mental and physical challenges in which they are instructed to “don’t” something — like slipping, laughing, speaking, screaming or forgetting.
Family members who “do” the forbidden action are eliminated — until one contestant emerges victorious and that family wins a cash prize.
The network has not slated the project.
Reynolds will executive produce “Don’t” along with Banijay Studios North America president and CEO David Goldberg, Caroline Baumgard and Maximum Effort’s George Dewey. Banijay, which handles international rights to the format, previously produced the ABC game show “Child Support” with Ricky Gervais and Fred Savage.
Reynolds is the star and producer of the billion-dollar hit “Deadpool” franchise, which recently landed in the Disney fold following the Fox acquisition. He recently wrapped shooting on Michael Bay’s “6 Underground” for Netflix and will soon be heard as the voice of Detective Pikachu in Legendary/Warner Bros “Pokémon: Detective Pikachu.” He is currently working on a slate of films as a producer through his company, Maximum Effort.
“All my life, the word ‘don’t’ has tortured me,” Reynolds said in a statement. “From ‘don’t curse’ to ‘don’t play ball in the house’ to ‘don’t eat the crab salad you left in the sun for three days.’ I cannot wait for my personal trauma to become the next great ABC family show.”
ABC Entertainment president Karey Burke added, “Who better than Ryan Reynolds to bring us the next big tent, family-friendly competition show? When he and Banijay Studios came to us with this hilarious and wildly original idea, we were all in.”