Brian Udovich, Joliet Catholic Academy (JCA) 1994 alum and Emmy winning producer, is involved with HBO’s new show, “American Blue”, to be set and filmed in Joliet, Ill.
Udovich returned to JCA in 2019 to inspire students with his film career. He studied at the American Film Institute, and is most commonly known for his production of “The Wackness” and “Dimension 404”.
“American Blue” will take inspiration from HBO’s latest medical drama, “The Pitt”, following the same real time structure of a 15 hour police shift. “This Is Us” star Milo Ventimiglia is set to lead the new crime drama.
According to IMDb, the show will follow Ventimiglia as he returns to his hometown of Joliet to help the struggling police department while seeking personal redemption.
Executive producer Jeremy Carver and Udovich have communicated with local law enforcement extensively throughout development, according to HBO Max executive, Sarah Aubrey, in an interview with Deadline.
The show is expected to reinforce a positive image of the Joliet Police Department.
The show is still in pre-production, but filming of the pilot is expected in April 2026 throughout Joliet and the Chicagoland area. There is no official release date for “American Blue” yet.
