Damon Wayans Jr. (Let’s Be Cops, New Girl) has been set as the lead of the NBC and Universal Television drama pilot Puzzled, based on the Danielle Trussoni novel “The Puzzle Master,” from Joey Falco (Charmed).
In Puzzled, after barely escaping a tragic fire, once promising college athlete Mike Brink (Wayans Jr.) is transformed by a traumatic brain injury that gives him the unique ability to see the world in an unexpected way and helps him solve crimes with local police.
Mike makes his living by betting on sports and is uniquely equipped to do this because he developed Acquired Savant Syndrome as a result of a traumatic brain injury. This rare phenomenon gives him exceptional skills in puzzle-solving, higher math functions and pattern recognition.
Falco serves as the project’s writer and executive producer. Jordan Cerf of Linden Entertainment also exec produces. Danielle Trussoni will produce Puzzled, from Universal Television, a division of Universal Studio Group.
Wayans Jr. recently co-starred alongside Tom Ellis and Gina Rodriguez in the Netflix films Players and Kinda Pregnant, starring Amy Schumer. Wayans Jr. made his screen debut in his father, Damon Wayans’ film Blankman, and worked alongside one another in the sitcom My Wife and Kids, but got his big break when he was cast in the ABC sitcom Happy Endings. He continued his success on the small screen when he landed a role in Fox’s New Girl, alongside Zoe Deschanel and Jake Johnson. His big screen credits include Let’s Be Cops, Big Hero 6, The Other Guys and The Harder They Fall.
Wayans Jr.’s Two Shakes Entertainment production banner is currently in a producing deal at CBS Studios and most recently had Poppa’s House and Raid the Cage on CBS. He is repped by UTA, Ziffren Brittenham and Johnson Shapiro Slewett & Kole.
