ABC Orders Rabbit Pilot, U.S. Remake of BBC Hit Ludwig

ABC has ordered a drama pilot titled Rabbit, an American remake of the BBC One hit Ludwig from writers Megan Ganz and Humphrey Ker, Variety and The Hollywood Reporter reported Oct. 8. The order is ABC’s first pilot of the year, Variety noted.

Ganz and Ker will write and executive-produce. Jon Steinberg and Dan Shotz also executive-produce alongside Kenton Allen of Big Talk, Ludwig creator Mark Brotherhood and Ludwig star David Mitchell. 20th Television, where Ganz is under an overall deal, is the studio, both outlets reported. Steinberg and Shotz likewise hold overall deals at 20th, consolidating the project inside Disney’s television studio group.

The logline centers on Mark, a reclusive puzzle writer known as “Rabbit.” After his homicide-detective twin brother goes missing, Mark is pulled into the Cambridge, Massachusetts, police department, poses as his brother to investigate the disappearance, and discovers that his puzzle-solving skills make him an unlikely crime-solving sensation, Variety and THR both published. The BBC original is set in Cambridge, England — a geographic flip that keeps the twin-swap mystery while planting the U.S. version in a New England police world.

Ludwig debuted on BBC One in 2024, drew 9.5 million viewers in its first month and was the broadcaster’s biggest new scripted series that year, THR reported. Season two premiered in August 2026 to strong ratings; a third season and Christmas special are in the works, Variety added. The series won best comedy series at the 2025 International Emmys and streams on BritBox in the United States, according to THR — proof points ABC and 20th can cite when pitching a network audience already familiar with the format through streaming.

Ganz’s credits include Mythic Quest, It’s Always Sunny in Philadelphia, Modern Family, Community and The Last Man on Earth. Ker wrote for Mythic Quest and Saturday Night Live UK and has acted in Mythic Quest, Sunny, Curb Your Enthusiasm, American Auto and Welcome to Wrexham. Steinberg and Shotz are known for Percy Jackson and the Olympians, The Old Man and Black Sails, both reports said. Mitchell’s executive-producer credit keeps the original lead attached even if he does not star in the U.S. remake.

For studio and network desks, Rabbit is a clear U.S. broadcast bet on a proven UK format with the original star and creator attached as executive producers — an unusual bridge between remake and continuity of creative ownership. Casting for Mark / Rabbit has not been announced with the pilot order.

Whether Rabbit becomes a series will depend on the pilot’s execution and ABC’s broader 2026–27 development slate, but the dual-source confirmation of the order already places the remake on the network’s active board.

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Verification: ABC pilot order, Rabbit title and Ludwig provenance, Ganz/Ker writers, EP roster including Mitchell and Brotherhood, 20th Television studio, Cambridge MA logline, Ludwig ratings/Emmys/BritBox notes and writer biographies come from Variety (Joe Otterson, Oct. 8, 2026) and The Hollywood Reporter (Rick Porter, Oct. 8, 2026).