Howard will reunite with "Lee Daniels' The Butler" director Lee Daniels and writer Danny Strong, who will respectively direct and write "Empire."
"Empire" is described as "a unique family drama set in the world of a hip-hop empire. It centers on Lucious Lyon (Howard), a charismatic, savvy music superstar who is about to take his company, Empire Entertainment, public. Raised on the streets, he has never backed away from a fight and will resort to any measures, fair or foul, to defend his beloved Empire."
0th Century Fox TV and Imagine TV are producing with Strong, Daniels, Grazer and Francie Calfo as executive producers.
Howard has been seen on Broadway in the 2008 revival of Cat on a Hot Tin Roof.
