‘Battlestar Galactica’ director working on a space drama for Apple’s entertainment division

Apple has given a straight-to-series order to a space drama from Ronald D. Moore, the developer of the second, acclaimed Battlestar Galactica TV series, reports Deadline. The untitled project hails from Sony Pictures Television and Moore’s studio-based Tall Ship Productions.

Created and written by Moore, along with Fargo co-executive producers Matt Wolpert and Ben Nedivi, the untitled series  explores what would have happened if the global space race had never ended. Tall Ship Prods.’ Moore and Maril Davis executive produce with Wolpert and Nedivi, according to Deadline.

This is is the third original scripted series ordered by Apple via its recently formed entertainment division headed by former Sony TV presidents Jamie Erlicht and Zack Van Amburg. One is a morning show drama series project, executive produced by and starring Jennifer Aniston and Reese Witherspoon. The second is Amazing Stories, a reimagining of the anthology series from Steven Spielberg and Bryan Fuller.

Apple has set a budget of roughly $1 billion to procure and produce original content over the next year, according to the Wall Street Journal, and could acquire and produce as many as 10 television shows. The $1 billion budget will be in the hands of Hollywood veterans Erlicht and Amburg.