LeBron James Game Show ‘The Wall’ Scores 20 More Episodes From NBC

NBC has ordered 20 more episodes of new freshman game show “The Wall,” which is executive produced by LeBron James and Maverick Carter, and hosted by Chris Hardwick.

The announcement was made Wednesday morning during NBC’s Television Critics Association press event.

“When we started ‘The Wall’ we wanted to create something that would get families excited and change peoples’ lives,” NBA star James said. “Maverick and I couldn’t be more proud of the show’s early success and we want to keep building on that. I want to thank NBC for their partnership, Andrew Glassman for his vision, and all the fans for their support.”

Following “Better Late Than Never,” “The Wall” marks the second show to launch under the newly formed Universal Television Alternative Studio, which was announced in June. The show has proven to be solid in TV ratings, especially after settling in to its regular 8 p.m. time slot.

It’s also spreading overseas. French broadcaster TF1 recently became the first foreign territory to commission “The Wall,” and will produce 40 episodes this spring. The show is a collaboration between SpringHill Entertainment and Glassman Media with James, Hardwick, Carter and Andrew Glassman serving as executive producers. “The Wall” was developed by Glassman Media in conjunction with Core Media and produced in association with Universal Television Alternative Studio.

“The Wall” basically plays out like a giant game of Plinko. Here are the rules: Get a question correct and a green ball will fall down the four-story wall and add the value of the slot to the players’ winning total. Miss a question and an ominous red ball will fall and deduct the value from the team. Teammates have to work together to build a huge cash prize.

The game show puts $12 million up every night, and up to $3 million on a single drop.

“We’re thrilled that viewers have become as captivated by ‘The Wall’ as we are,” added Meredith Ahr, president, Universal Television Alternative Studio, NBC Entertainment. “We have been in pursuit of a brand new high-stakes game show for a while and are so happy to have developed it with LeBron James.”

“A big event, family-friendly game show that can open a night is a wonderful asset joining NBC’s powerhouse reality brands such as ‘The Voice,’ ‘America’s Got Talent,’ ‘American Ninja Warrior’ and ‘Little Big Shots,’” said Paul Telegdy, president, Alternative and Reality Group, NBC Entertainment. “Chris Hardwick is masterful as he conducts this high-stakes rollercoaster, and the dramatic ride of the contestants ends with a thrilling decision that pays off differently every time and increases viewership significantly across the hour.”