With "American Idol" poised to wave goodbye next year, Fox executives are doubling down on "Empire" hit maker Lee Daniels.
The network announced Thursday morning that it has ordered a Daniels drama pilot called "Star," which looks at an aspiring girl group. But it won't be simply "Empire, Part Two," executives say.
"Like 'Empire,' it's set against the backdrop of the music business but from a very different perspective," Fox TV Group Chairman and Chief Executive Dana Walden told reporters at the TV press tour in Beverly Hills. "It will be set in Atlanta; it's about three girls who come together to form a band and it's about their rise to the top in a very challenging business.