HBO Max Pilot ‘American Blue’ Begins Filming in Joliet and Chicago This April

Will Chicago find its next television drama franchise in 2026? As always, it all begins with the pilot. A particularly promising candidate for a future Chicago and Illinois industry cornerstone is American Blue. HBO Max has ordered the pilot for this cop drama from former Supernatural showrunner Jeremy Carver, and sources tell SCREEN the pilot is expected to film in Joliet and in the Chicagoland area this April.

Sources also tell SCREEN that hopes are quite high for the pilot being picked up to series by HBO Max, and that if all goes well, the first season of American Blue could begin filming as early as this Fall. But of course, all of this positive sentiment is nothing more than speculation at this point, and the first matter of business is the pilot in April.

What We Know So Far About American Blue

American Blue is written by Carver, who is also serving as an executive producer alongside Brian Udovich. The story follows native son Brian “Milk” Milkovich, who returns to his hometown of Joliet, Illinois, to rescue a beleaguered police force while seeking redemption of his own.

According to a recent Deadline interview with HBO Max executive Sarah Aubrey, Carver and Udovich talked with local cops in Joliet extensively throughout development. American Blue is expected to live in the same lane as classic police shows like Hill Street Blues and NYPD Blue.

“It’s very much in that vein where you really get to know these police officers and understand that they are members of this community that they’re serving. But also it is very much in the streets, on their feet, doing the job in 2025,” Aubrey said to Deadline.

“We always love that kind of very specific storytelling,” Aubrey continued. “It’s one of the secrets to the success of The Pitt so it’s exciting to us that Jeremy and Brian have done that deep dive.”

Click here for Sarah Aubrey’s full interview with Deadline as she discusses American Blue and a second pilot being ordered by HBO Max in 2026.

Many more updates ahead for American Blue as the pilot forges ahead into production this April, and we expect to have them for you here in the weeks ahead.

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