Chris Van Dusen Boards Kim Kardashian’s Netflix Series ‘Calabasas’ as New Showrunner; I. Marlene King Exits

Van Dusen’s Major Appointment to Calabasas

Chris Van Dusen is returning to Netflix for another high-profile project, marking his first collaboration with the streaming giant since his departure from Bridgerton after Season 2. Van Dusen, who served as executive producer and showrunner for the period romance’s first two seasons, will now take the creative reins on Calabasas, assuming full responsibility as both writer and showrunner for the ambitious teen drama adaptation.

Through his production company CVD Productions, Van Dusen will executive produce alongside Kim Kardashian, Emma Roberts and her production company Belletrist Productions, producers Karah Preiss and Matt Matruski, and Alexandra Milchan (producer of Tár), who controls the rights to the source material through her Crescent Line production company.

This appointment represents a significant vote of confidence in Van Dusen’s creative abilities and his capacity to steer prestige television projects. Netflix landed the rights to Calabasas in April 2024 following an intense competitive bidding war, suggesting the platform’s deep investment in making this series a flagship offering alongside other prestige dramas.

Industry observers note that Van Dusen’s selection underscores Netflix’s commitment to securing experienced, Emmy-decorated creators for its most ambitious projects. His proven track record with Bridgerton—which became one of the platform’s most-watched series of all time—provides immediate credibility for Calabasas and confidence that his storytelling vision can elevate source material into cultural phenomena.

I. Marlene King’s Departure After Over a Year of Development

I. Marlene King, the acclaimed creator of the hit series Pretty Little Liars, initially spearheaded Calabasas as writer and showrunner following Netflix’s acquisition of the project in April 2024. King brought considerable prestige credentials to the endeavor, having successfully built a franchise around the teen mystery drama that ran for seven seasons and spawned the spinoff Pretty Little Liars: The Perfectionists.

However, after dedicating more than a year to the project, King made the voluntary decision to step away from the production. Sources close to the project indicate that her departure was amicable and came on her own terms, suggesting she simply chose to pursue other creative opportunities rather than experiencing any creative conflict or forced departure.

This type of showrunner transition—while not uncommon in television development—does indicate a shift in creative vision or production direction. The fact that Netflix sought out Van Dusen as King’s replacement suggests the platform may have wanted to recalibrate the show’s tone or approach, potentially moving in a different creative direction than King had envisioned.

King has maintained an active career in television, continuing to develop various projects and maintain her status as one of the industry’s most respected drama creators. Her decision to depart Calabasas allows her to focus on other ventures while giving Van Dusen the opportunity to bring fresh creative perspectives to the series.

About the Calabasas Project

Calabasas is based on Via Bleidner’s book If You Lived Here You’d Be Famous By Now, which chronicles personal essays about growing up in the exclusive California community. The project follows Via, a sheltered 16-year-old Catholic school girl from the Midwest, whose world transforms dramatically when her family relocates to Calabasas and she’s forced to navigate the complex social landscape of Calabasas High School.

Positioned in the vein of beloved teen dramas The O.C. and Beverly Hills 90210, the series promises to explore themes of identity, aspiration, and the complicated dynamics of a community where appearances often deceive and everyone seems desperate to reinvent themselves. The setting provides inherent drama through class consciousness, status anxiety, and the particular pressures facing privileged teenagers in one of Los Angeles’s most exclusive neighborhoods.

Kim Kardashian’s involvement as executive producer is particularly significant given that the Kardashian family has called Calabasas home for years, with the town becoming synonymous with the family’s brand and lifestyle. The reality star’s participation provides authentic insider perspective on the community’s culture while simultaneously elevating the project’s profile through her substantial media presence and global recognition.

Emma Roberts, who has demonstrated serious acting chops through roles in American Horror Story, We’re the Millers, and other prestige television and film projects, adds additional credibility as an executive producer and brings valuable experience in balancing commercial appeal with critical respectability.

Netflix’s competitive acquisition of the project—reportedly against multiple other major bidders—indicates the platform’s belief in the concept’s commercial and critical potential. The Thanksgiving release timeline (November 2025) positions the series as a major platform offering for the final quarter of 2025.

Van Dusen’s Creative Track Record and Bridgerton Success

Chris Van Dusen is best known as the creator and former showrunner of Netflix’s Bridgerton, the period romance series that became a cultural phenomenon and among the platform’s most-watched offerings of all time. The first season debuted in December 2020 to immediate acclaim, becoming Netflix’s biggest English-language series launch at the time with 82 million global households watching in its first 28 days and reaching number one in 83 countries.

Van Dusen served as executive producer and showrunner for Bridgerton‘s first two seasons, establishing himself as a creator capable of handling complex ensemble casts, adapting beloved source material successfully, and maintaining consistent quality across multiple seasons. His tenure demonstrated sophisticated understanding of character development, romantic tension, period-appropriate dialogue, and visual spectacle—skills directly applicable to teen drama storytelling.

After departing Bridgerton following Season 2, Van Dusen has maintained his profile through various development projects. He adapted Elle Kennedy’s bestselling novel Girl Abroad for television with A24 and Pacesetter Productions, demonstrating his continued ability to attract A-list production partners and secure rights to premium source material. This project positions him as a sought-after showrunner capable of handling literary adaptations with sophistication and commercial appeal.

Industry observers note that Van Dusen represents a particular type of prestige television creator—one who combines commercial sensibility with critical credibility, capable of delivering both audience-pleasing entertainment and awards-caliber storytelling. His selection for Calabasas suggests Netflix wants to elevate the teen drama beyond typical genre conventions.

What This Creative Leadership Change Means for the Series

Van Dusen’s appointment as showrunner likely indicates a potential tonal or creative recalibration for Calabasas. While both Van Dusen and King are accomplished creators with strong track records, they bring distinctly different sensibilities to material. King’s Pretty Little Liars emphasized mystery, serialized plotting, and dramatic reveals, whereas Van Dusen’s Bridgerton balanced romantic comedy, period authenticity, and ensemble character development.

The creative shift suggests that Netflix may envision Calabasas leaning more toward romantic comedy-drama with ensemble focus rather than mystery-driven narrative structure. Van Dusen’s strength in managing multiple character perspectives and romantic dynamics across large casts positions him to create a series that feels contemporary and character-driven while maintaining visual polish and prestige production values.

Van Dusen’s involvement also increases the likelihood of recruiting high-profile cast members, as actors tend to follow respected showrunners with proven track records. His Bridgerton success has established him as someone capable of launching or sustaining careers, making the project more attractive to emerging talent seeking their breakout role or established actors seeking prestige television platforms.

Additionally, Van Dusen’s track record suggests the series will likely adopt a sophisticated approach to exploring teenage experiences without resorting to exploitation or sensationalism. His demonstrated ability to write complex female characters and nuanced relationships suggests Calabasas will treat its characters and their dilemmas with seriousness and emotional authenticity.

The production timeline for Calabasas, while not officially announced, is expected to follow standard Netflix development practices—potentially positioning the series for a 2026 or 2027 debut. Van Dusen’s immediate availability from other projects suggests he can dedicate focused energy to developing the adaptation, writing the pilot and early scripts, and establishing the visual and tonal framework for the series.