The critically acclaimed FX series Snowfall concluded its six-season run in 2023. Now, a spinoff featuring two familiar faces—Gail Bean’s Wanda and Isaiah John’s Leon —is moving forward, with FX officially ordering a pilot.

A New Chapter For Wanda and Leon

Snowfall, co-created by the late John Singleton, Eric Amadio, and Dave Andron, explored the origins of the crack cocaine epidemic in South Central Los Angeles in the 80s and 90s. The series, led by Damson Idris as Franklin Saint, gained a dedicated following over its six seasons. After the finale aired in April 2023, speculation about a potential spinoff began, and in March 2023, Deadline reported that a project centered on Gail Bean’s character, Wanda, was in early development.

Fast forward to March 2025, and FX has greenlit a pilot for the untitled Snowfall spinoff, bringing back Gail Bean as Wanda Bell-Simmons and Isaiah John as Leon Simmons.

Who’s Returning To The ‘Snowfall’ Spinoff?

The spinoff will center on Wanda and Leon, who were integral to the narrative in the original series. Wanda, initially introduced as Leon’s girlfriend, struggled with addiction before emerging as a survivor by the series’ end. Leon, Franklin Saint’s best friend and second-in-command, transitioned from a life of crime to one of purpose, eventually moving to Ghana with Wanda in the final season.

Both actors have confirmed their return for the spinoff, while no other cast members from the original series have been announced.

‘Snowfall’ Spinoff Plot Details: A Shift to the Gangster Rap Era

The spinoff picks up in 1990s Los Angeles, shortly after the events of Snowfall’s finale. According to the official logline, the story follows Wanda, a recovering addict, as she strives to take West Coast rap mainstream amid a brewing gang war. This premise shifts the focus from the drug trade that defined the series to the rise of the “gangster rap” business.

The original series highlighted the impact of crack cocaine on the community, often tying in real-world influences like the Bloods and Crips gangs. The spinoff builds on this foundation while exploring how the region transitioned into a new phase marked by music and ongoing conflict. Wanda’s pursuit of a music career, briefly mentioned in the Snowfall finale, serves as a narrative bridge, while Leon’s presence suggests his continued role as her partner and support system.

Production Updates: Pilot Ordered, Filming Set for Summer 2025

Production is slated to begin in the summer of 2025. The project remains with FX Productions. Executive producers include Snowfall alums Dave Andron, Thomas Schlamme, Julie DeJoie, Michael London, and Trevor Engelson.

While the pilot order is a promising milestone, the spinoff’s future hinges on its performance. If successful, FX could greenlight a full series, potentially bringing Wanda and Leon’s story to screens in 2026 or beyond. No official release date or title has been confirmed yet.

Zendaya has solidified her status as a trailblazer by becoming the highest-paid Black actress in TV, earning $1 million per episode for the upcoming third season of HBO’s Euphoria. The 28-year-old Emmy winner renegotiated her contract with the network, surpassing previous records and setting a new benchmark for Black actresses in the industry.

Zendaya, who started on the Disney channel, landed her role as Rue Bennett on Euphoria in 2019. Her raw, captivating performance in the gritty drama that explores addiction, identity, and youth culture has earned her two Emmy Awards, making her the youngest woman to win Outstanding Lead Actress in a Drama Series in 2020 and again in 2022.

This $1 million-per-episode salary places Zendaya ahead of previous high-earning Black TV actresses like Kerry Washington, who reportedly earned $1.1 million per episode for Hulu’s Little Fires Everywhere (though this included her role as executive producer), and Angela Bassett, who made history in 2021 with $450,000 per episode for Fox’s 9-1-1. Zendaya’s deal reportedly reflects her pay for acting alone, with additional earnings likely from her producing role on Euphoria. The California native’s net worth, estimated at $20 million to $30 million, continues to climb, fueled by her TV success, film roles in blockbusters like Spider-Man: No Way Home and Dune, and many lucrative fashion endorsements.

When compared to the highest-paid female actresses overall, Zendaya’s achievement stands out, though it also reveals the broader pay landscape in Hollywood. In 2024, Forbes crowned Nicole Kidman the world’s highest-paid actress, raking in $31 million net ($41 million gross) annually, largely from TV miniseries like The Perfect Couple and Lioness, where she earned $1 million per episode across multiple projects. Sofia Vergara, topping Forbes’ 2020 list with $43 million, earned $500,000 per episode for Modern Family and at least $10 million per season as a judge on America’s Got Talent. Ellen Pompeo peaked at $575,000 per episode for Grey’s Anatomy, totaling over $20 million annually with producing credits.

Netflix’s newest lifestyle series, With Love, Meghan, is set to air season two this fall, per Meghan, Duchess of Sussex’s Instagram. The short post follows the release of the show’s first eight episodes this past Tuesday.

“If you’re loving Season 1, just wait until you see the fun we cooked up on Season 2!” the caption reads. “Thanks for joining the party, and an endless thanks to the amazing team and crew who helped bring it all to life!” 

The lifestyle series revolves around the actress turned dutchess’ cooking and entertaining all who visit, producing engaging tutorials and conversations. This season featured various guests, including actress and producer Mindy Kaling, former Suits co-star Abigail Spencer, makeup artist Daniel Martin, and skin care entrepreneur Vicky Tsai.

With Love, Meghan, where Sussex is listed as an executive producer, is filmed in Montecito, California, where she and her family live full-time. For privacy reasons, however, the set used for filming is a nearby rental, not Sussex’s actual home.

Although the show majorly centers around the Los Angeles native’s hosting and cooking skills, her husband, Prince Harry, makes an appearance during an intimate brunch co-hosted by chef and restaurateur Alice Waters in the series’ final episode. Markle’s royal spouse, “H” as she calls him, is often mentioned throughout the season, along with their children, Princess Lilibet and Prince Archie, whose faces are never revealed in the episodes.

With Love, Meghan is revered as Sussex’s first major independent project since she and Prince Harry resigned as senior members of Britain’s royal family in 2020 and moved back to her home state of California. Before meeting and marrying into the royal family in 2018, Markle had a lifestyle blog titled Tig, which inspired the Netflix show.

In addition to the series, the 43-year-old announced that she is rebranding her fledging lifestyle company to As Ever after originally naming it American Riviera. The company’s site went live with eight products available for purchase this spring, the same day as With Love, Meghan debuted on the streamer.