Michael Cimino stars in series based on 2018 film

Michael Cimino will play the lead in the Disney+ original series Love, Simon. Production begins this month in Los Angeles. The series is based on the 2018 movie of the same name. Cimino, whose work includes film Annabelle Comes Home and series Training Day, plays Victor.

Victor is a new student at Creekwood High School. He’s facing challenges at home, adjusting to a new city, and struggling with his sexual orientation. He reaches out to Simon to help him navigate the ups and downs of high school.

Disney+ launches Nov. 12.

Related: Disney to Bundle DTC Services for $12.99 a Month

“Love, Simon is a powerful story embraced by critics and audiences alike for its universal messages of authenticity, love and acceptance,” said Agnes Chu, senior VP, content, Disney+. “We are honored to partner with the talented team at 20th Century Fox Television to bring this new chapter of a beloved story to Disney+, continuing the personal and uplifting narrative that captivated fans of the original film.”

Ana Ortiz plays Isabel, Victor’s mother. Nick Robinson, who starred in the film, will produce and narrate the series.

The movie’s original writers Isaac Aptaker and Elizabeth Berger executive produce the show alongside Brian Tanen, Jason Ensler, Isaac Klausner, Marty Bowen, Adam Fishbach, Wyck Godfrey and Pouya Shahbazian. Amy York Rubin directs the pilot.

“We could not be more excited to be making Love, Simon for Disney+,” said Aptaker and Berger. “Writing Love, Simon was one of the most profound and enjoyable experiences of our careers to date and we are beyond thrilled that we get to revisit this world and tell the story of Victor, a brand new Creekwood student, and his family and friends. We have a phenomenal group of writers with tremendously personal connections to the material crafting our episodes, and have assembled a dream team cast and crew to bring these stories to life, and cannot wait to share what we're working on with the world.”