Larry Wilmore’s previously announced Comedy Central show is officially hitting screens this January, but it’s no longer called “The Minority Report.”
“The Nightly Show with Larry Wilmore” — previously announced as “The Minority Report With Larry Wilmore” — will premiere Monday, Jan. 19, at 11:30 p.m., directly following “The Daily Show with Jon Stewart” (where Wilmore gained fame as the Senior Black Correspondent). According to The New York Times, those involved with the project, which will provide a take on current events from the perspective of the “underdog,” changed the name after Fox decided to develop a pilot based on the 2002 film “Minority Report.” This means that to avoid brand confusion, the comedy show would need to be referred to as “The Minority Report With Larry Wilmore,” with no abbreviations, at all times.
On Wednesday, “Daily Show” veteran Rory Albanese, who’s slated to executive produce the show, wrote about the name change on Twitter.
“The Minority Report with Larry Wilmore” is now officially –>
“The Nightly Show with Larry Wilmore.”
Same great show, fewer legal issues.
— Rory Albanese (@RoryAlbanese) November 20, 2014
Wilmore told The New York Times that the new name may actually convey the show’s mission statement more accurately.
“It was never intended to be a show only about minorities,” he said. “It’s a show about underdogs, and that happens in a lot of different forms, whether it’s race, gender or whatever.”