THE ENTERPRISE: In 1982, Atlanta's head crime boss uses his top barbecue joints to front his drug empire and evade a federal prosecutor in a city rife with corrupt politics, racial tension, and a distinctly idiosyncratic culture. A Southern-fried SOPRANOS meets A MAN IN FULL inspired by true events.

SYNOPSIS:

It’s 1982, and CARL CORELLA runs the most popular barbecue restaurants in Atlanta, JILLY’S. It’s a family affair – the co-owner is his EX-WIFE, RACHEL, and they employ numerous relatives. Seizing on the growing demand, they open a third location. But serving great ribs is not Carl’s only successful venture. He also runs a lucrative drug ring, involving even more family members and a crew of cronies, including his CHILDHOOD FRIEND, JOEY. It’s typically a smooth operation, but their most recent shipment got busted, and Carl wants to know what went wrong. He meets with his contact and makes it clear that the same mistake will not happen again. Meanwhile, SPECIAL PROSECUTOR JIM DECKER relocates from New Jersey as part of the Organized Crime Task Force investigating Carl’s empire. While Jim has plenty of experience busting mobsters, his fellow agents relay that they do things differently in Georgia, including using a brash, unrefined INFORMANT, HIRSCH. The more that Jim is exposed to Southern culture, the more he realizes that the city’s genteel image hides some dark history, which could make this case more difficult than he thought.

CONCEPT:

From “yous guys” to “y’all”…

By shifting the stage for organized crime to Atlanta, THE ENTERPRISE flips the script on "traditional" mobster tales. This new geography literally and figuratively opens a world of original stories in the genre, inspired by actual criminals like Carl Corella and his gang. In the multitude of mob shows set in New York, New Jersey, or Las Vegas, the city's gritty image matches that of its tough characters. Conversely, the South brands itself as genteel and welcoming, a place where you find Rhett Butler, not Tony Soprano. But ultimately, that image is revealed to be a façade, and, as THE ENTERPRISE proves, politeness should never be confused for weakness. While THE ENTERPRISE investigation has a beginning and end, the series extends far beyond the legal case. The show captures the context of Carl's criminal empire as it relates to the societal changes of the 1980s. Attitudes regarding drugs and sexuality, race relations, technological advances, gender equality, spirituality, and politics create a dynamic backdrop. But for all of this "progress," Atlanta struggles to relinquish its dark history. Confederate flags fly higher than Pride rainbows; the Klan's voice remains at top volume; black face mocks black leaders. As a New Jersey transplant, prosecutor Jim Decker provides the fish-out-of-water lens through which to see this sometimes antiquated "culture." Not only does the South introduce a distinct heritage, it also allows for a unique front for Carl's drug smuggling operation: barbecue ribs. Where other mobsters funnel illicit money through inconspicuous companies, Carl owns the most high-profile restaurants in town. He thrives on Jilly's success and continues to expand the chain. Carl may be building a legitimate business, but, like Atlanta, he cannot let go of his lurid past. Eating ribs may require a bib, but dealing drugs is a far bigger mess.

AWARDS:

• International Screenwriters' Association's Top Reads - Summer 2026

• COVERFLY'S TOP 2% of ALL PROJECTS 2025

• TOP 2% of ALL COVERFLY DRAMA PROJECTS 2025

• TOP 3% of ALL COVERFLY ONE-HOUR TV PROJECTS 2025

• TOP 4% of ALL COVERFLY ONE-HOUR DRAMA PROJECTS 2025

• FINALIST - WeScreenplay TV Pilot Lab 2024

• QUARTERFINALIST - ScreenCraft TV Pilot Script Competition 2024

• QUARTERFINALIST - Stage 32’s TV-Drama-Contest 2023

• PARTICIPANT - Big Apple AGENTS AND MANAGERS Networking Lab 2023

• QUARTERFINALIST - Emerging Screenwriters Drama Competition 2023

• TOP 50 TELEPLAY Cinequest Screenwriting Competition

• QUARTERFINALIST Fresh Voices Screenplay Competition

• QUARTERFINALIST WeTV: The WeScreenplay Television Competition

• WINNER - Filmmatic Drama Screenplay Awards

• WINNER - Orlando Film Festival Screenplay Competition

• SEMI-FINALIST Austin Revolution Film Festival TV Script Competition

• FINALIST – Script Summit Screenplay Competition

• TOP 17 FINALIST - Imagine This Women's International Film Festival Screenplay Competition