FOX is teaming Tom Fontana to develop a limited-run drama about Billy the Kid.
The potential event series would tell the origin story of one of the Old West's most notorious outlaws. The project is set at a time when America was in its most vibrant and colorful adolescence -- from the 1860s slums of New York to the violent and lawless American West of the 1870s. Yet, despite its historical backdrop, Billy the Kid is a story with surprising relevancy, focusing on America's twin obsession with two seemingly timeless subjects: celebrity and guns.
Born William Henry McCarty, Billy the Kid was said to have killed 21 men -- his first at age 16 -- before his own demise at 21. A true original gangster, Billy the Kid was the first American celebrated in his own time as an outlaw hero. But the legend ultimately grew larger than the man himself and proved to be his undoing, as he spent the final years of his short life in a relentless battle to clear his own name. The series examines the various mythologies that have sprouted up about Billy's life, making use of all the conflicting facts to paint a more three-dimensional portrait of this American folk hero.
Fontana will pen the project, which hails from by Halfire-CORE Entertainment and the Levinson/Fontana Company. Barry Levinson is on board to exec produce.
Source: THR
The potential event series would tell the origin story of one of the Old West's most notorious outlaws. The project is set at a time when America was in its most vibrant and colorful adolescence -- from the 1860s slums of New York to the violent and lawless American West of the 1870s. Yet, despite its historical backdrop, Billy the Kid is a story with surprising relevancy, focusing on America's twin obsession with two seemingly timeless subjects: celebrity and guns.
Born William Henry McCarty, Billy the Kid was said to have killed 21 men -- his first at age 16 -- before his own demise at 21. A true original gangster, Billy the Kid was the first American celebrated in his own time as an outlaw hero. But the legend ultimately grew larger than the man himself and proved to be his undoing, as he spent the final years of his short life in a relentless battle to clear his own name. The series examines the various mythologies that have sprouted up about Billy's life, making use of all the conflicting facts to paint a more three-dimensional portrait of this American folk hero.
Fontana will pen the project, which hails from by Halfire-CORE Entertainment and the Levinson/Fontana Company. Barry Levinson is on board to exec produce.
Source: THR
Fox is really liking this limit series idea. Wonder how many other networks will follow suit (probably depending on how successful this is, tbh).
ReplyDeleteAnd this sounds pretty interesting. I'm in if it gets picked up to series!
may next year pairing with gang related, 24 or the other matt dillon drama?
ReplyDeleteThis is cool, summer 2014 for FOX will be super busy.
ReplyDeleteGood for you FOX! This sounds interesting, would give it a shot if it get's picked up.
ReplyDeleteyep, from my memory, there's this, Gang Related, Wayward Pines, and 24 Season 9
ReplyDeleteM. Night S. has a limited series called Wayward Pines that will be airing after 24.
ReplyDeleteCould be good.
ReplyDeleteWhere did you read Reign was a limited series?
ReplyDeleteThat's great from FOX. WIth Billy the Kid, Wayward Pines, a handful of miniseries in development and of course 24 season 9 (I don't think it was confirmed Gang Related would air in the summer), they want to be the first broadcast network to take viewers away from cable.
ReplyDeleteAnd with the end of big summer shows such as Breaking Bad, Burn Notice, Futurama, Dexter (for this year), as well as Weeds and Damages last summer and True Blood in a couple of years probably (I don't see it go past season 8), there might be room for broadcast networks to steal those viewers.
But the networks should be clear upfront to their viewers that there are limited series with a start, middle and end in 10-13 weeks, with new episodes each week. I don't know, if I were a network executive, I'd do a 15-minute special within the premiere of a big summer show (like So You Think You Can Dance on FOX) where I just talk to the viewers to explain to them that they can trust FOX and watch these "high-concept" new shows : they won't be taken off the air and they have a definite conclusion. Transparency is efficient, imo, and that'd be a great way to show it to most people.
heading towards all year round programming at last?
ReplyDelete