Martin Spinoff In Development & Fan-Favorite Character To Star, Martin Lawrence’s Involvement Reportedly Revealed

A spinoff for Martin is in development with a fan-favorite character set to star, as Martin Lawrence's involvement is reportedly revealed. The 1990s sitcom starred Lawrence as Martin Payne, a disc jockey living in Detroit, Michigan, following his career as he works in radio, all while juggling his comedic personal life. The show was nominated for and won multiple NAACP awards during its run for 5 seasons. However, Martin was cancelled due to drama behind the scenes, something that was seemingly repaired in the decades that followed.

Now, Deadline reports that a new spinoff of Martin, titled Varnell Hill, is in development at BET+, with Tommy Davidson set to reprise his role from the original sitcom. The show will be a workplace comedy focused on the fictional late-night talk show, The Varnell Hill Show, over the course of eight episodes. Lawrence, who co-created, executive produced, and starred in Martin, is co-creator and executive producer of the new series, with the report claiming he'll be returning as his character for multiple episodes.

What Martin's Varnell Hill Spinoff Means For The Sitcom Franchise

It's Not The Only Series Currently In Development

Varnell Hill is the second spinoff of the '90s sitcom reportedly in development, the other being Young Martin, which was confirmed in July 2024. The show is set to follow a younger version of the main character in modern-day Detroit, something that seems to clash with the plans for the newly announced series. Given the original show's prevalence as one of the best '90s sitcoms, offered rewards and recognition throughout its run, it makes sense for one of the shows in its future lineup to follow the same timeline as the original.

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As for the Varnell character himself, Davidson only portrayed him in the season 2 double feature "Hollywood Swinging," where he conflicts with Martin, who is jealous of his talk show success. The spinoff is clearly going to be taking place decades later, with Lawrence's possible appearance in the series laying the groundwork for a deeper exploration of the characters' conflict. Given the show has the original series star attached as co-creator, it's unlikely to go the way of proposed Martin spinoff Goin' for Mine, an unproduced series that would have followed the protagonists' rival, Pam James (Tichina Arnold).

Our Take On Martin's Upcoming Varnell Hill Spinoff

An Interesting Way To Expand On A Memorable Guest Character

Since the show is a follow-up to one of Fox's highly successful sitcoms, the series has big shoes to fill as it offers a chance to expand on Varnell's character more than the original show did. Varnell Hill seems like it will be an important legacy sequel to Martin, one that offers a different vibe while still adhering to the charm of its predecessor. If the show ends up being a success, perhaps it could usher in a new era for the budding sitcom franchise, especially with another series already in the works.