“ The Great Gatsby ” TV series in the works (Exclusive)



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Elizabeth and Tudor graduate Michael Hirst is directing the big-budget miniseries for A + E Studios and ITV, with the Fitzgerald estate also involved.

Gatsby the magnificent happens on television.

A + E Studios and ITV Studios America are teaming up with writer Michael Hirst for a big budget TV series based on the iconic F. Scott Fitzgerald novel. A network is not yet involved as the co-producers plan to purchase the series from premium cable and streaming outlets.

Viewed as a closed miniseries, Hirst (Elizabeth, the Tudors, the Vikings) will write the screenplay and executive production alongside Michael London of Groundswell Productions (On the side, milk). The Fitzgerald estate is also involved as Blake Hazard, Scott and Zelda Fitzgerald’s great-granddaughter and estate trustee, will act as consulting producer.

Sources claim that Studios A + E have owned the rights to the iconic novel for decades, dating back to the 2000 TV movie starring Paul Rudd as Nick Carraway, Toby Stephens as Jay Gatsby and Mira Sorvino in the role of Daisy. This telepic was a co-production with the BBC and aired in the United States on A&E. The Hirst-led adaptation has been in the works for at least three years, dating back to when the Vikings The creator had a global deal with Barry Jossen’s A + E studios. The updated version was quietly in development last year at Apple before the tech giant changed course.

“I seem to have lived with Gatsby most of my life I read it first as a schoolboy, then taught it at Oxford in the 1970s, then reread it periodically since, “Hirst said.” As critic Lionel Trilling wrote: ‘Gatsby the magnificent is still as fresh as when it first appeared, it has even gained weight and relevance. Today, as America seeks to reinvent itself once again, it is the perfect time to take a fresh look at this timeless history, to explore its famous and iconic characters through the modern prism of the genre, of race and sexual orientation. Fitzgerald’s deeply romantic outlook doesn’t stop him from examining and exposing the darker underside of the American experience, which is why the story is about both tragedy and hope, and why it continues. to resonate today. “

Hirst’s Gatsby will explore New York’s black community in the 1920s as well as the musical subculture. Columbia University Professor William B. Ransford of English and Comparative Literature and African American Studies, Farah Jasmine Griffin, will also serve as a consultant for the series. She will be working directly with Hazard and Hirst on the drama. Described as a reinvention, the series will delve deeper into the hidden lives of its characters through the modern lens of a fractured American dream while capturing all the majesty of Fitzgerald’s timeless vision.

“I have long dreamed of a more diverse and inclusive version of Gatsby that better reflects the America we live in, an America that could allow us all to see us in Scott’s insanely romantic text, “Hazard said.” Michael brings a deep reverence for Scott’s work to the project, but also a fearlessness in bringing such an iconic story to life in an accessible and fresh way. I am delighted to be part of the project. “

Hirst, for his part, has a long-standing relationship with A + E. He created Vikings, which served as the first scripted series in history. He is also preparing limited series The year of the plague for history. Hirst’s Vikings after, Valhalla, went from A + E / A & E to Netflix as an MGM Television Original Series.

A + E Studios, under Chairman Jossen, evolved its focus from being a provider of exclusive content to sister networks like History to being a seller on other platforms with series such as the drama David E. Kelley. from ABC. Big sky. A + E will be the main studio on Gatsby.

“There are few stories in the pantheon of American literature that transcend time like Gatsby the magnificent“Said Jossen.” Together with our partners at ITV Studios America and Groundswell Productions, A + E Studios has the privilege of bringing this powerful and complex work to life under the watchful eye of the incomparable Michael Hirst and the blessing of the member. of the Fitzgerald Blake Danger family. As evidenced by his series bible, Michael is staying true to Fitzgerald’s novel while building on that legacy with a modern vision that will more reflect the America of yesterday and today, including an enhanced exploration of the female characters. We are currently looking for a Manager and are excited to introduce him to the market. “

Gatsby has been adapted for the big screen on several occasions, with takes in 1926 (lead by Warner Baxter), 1949 (with Alan Ladd), 1974 (with Robert Redford and Mia Farrow) and in 2013 (with Leonardo DiCaprio).

Hirst is replaced by WME, United Agents and Nelson Davis.



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