Renee Zellweger Developing Retro Series for Lifetime

Movie star Renee Zellweger is turning her attention to the small screen for a new project with Lifetime called Cinnamon Girl.

Set in one of the most turbulent, creative and golden times in the history of American popular culture, the Los Angeles music and movie scenes of the late 1960s/early 1970s, Cinnamon Girl is the story of four girls — Cassie, Lola, Penny and Lou — coming of age during a revolution. Created by Zellweger and Anthony Tambakis (Warrior), the project will explore the characters’ lives at the crossroads of the era’s political, artistic, social and sexual rebellions.

The impetus for Cinnamon Girl was Zellweger’s journey from small-town Texas to Hollywood stardom, combined with Tambakis’ lifelong fascination with both the Laurel Canyon music scene and the New Hollywood, auteur-driven era that began in the late ‘60s. Zellweger, Tambakis and Gavin O’Connor (Warrior, Pride and Glory) are attached to executive produce. Zellweger and Tambakis will co-write the story, with Tambakis writing the script, O’Connor directing and Danny Bramson (Almost Famous, Jerry McGuire) serving as producer and music supervisor.

While the early ’60s have seen a pop culture resurgence thanks to projects like Mad Men and Pan Am, Cinnamon Girl will take place a few years later, after the Camelot era, when social and political norms were being challenged. No airdate has been announced, but we expect the series to launch in Spring or Summer 2012.