A ‘Fargo’ TV Series is Coming to FX in 2014
The Coen brothers classic “Fargo” almost became a television series in 1997 — an unsuccessful pilot was shot, with which the Coens were not involved, starring Edie Falco as Marge Gunderson, and directed by Kathy Bates. Last year it was reported that a “Fargo” TV adaptation was back in the works, this time at FX, with Joel and Ethan Coen on board as executive producers.
FX announced today at the network’s upfront prsentation that a “Fargo” limited series will indeed be coming to the network in the spring of 2014 by way of FX Productions and MGM Television. The 10-episode series will begin production this fall, with Noah Hawley (“The Unusuals”) writing and and executive producing alongside the Coens and Warren Littlefield (also of “The Unusuals”).
“Fargo” is inspired by the film but will follow a new case with new characters in the same vein of Minnesotan geniality even in the face of murder.
“For years, people have tried to adapt this Academy Award®-winning gem into a TV series with no success,” said FX’s John Landgraf in the announcement. “I have always loved Fargo and I was skeptical about this as a series, but Noah Hawley’s script made me a believer. This script is so good and so true to the tone of the original movie.”
“Fargo” will be the first of FX’s planned slate of miniseries and limited series, which are basically just longer miniseries with the potential for an additional season or two should they be successful. The rest of the network’s planned limited series slate, which includes projects from Sam Mendes and Paul Giamatti, is below:
Mayflower
This series is an unflinching portrait of the Puritan settlers at Plymouth Colony and their uneasy alliance
with the local Native Americans. The series will be executive produced by Gil Netter (Life of Pi, The
Blind Side) and marks his first foray into television. Serving alongside Netter as Executive Producers are
Dan Carey and Paul Giamatti (Sideways, John Adams). Doug Miro and Carlo Bernard (The Sorcerer’s
Apprentice) are writing the series and executive producing. Produced by FX Productions in association
with Touchy Feely Films.Grand Hotel
In this series, an international luxury hotel in Paris turns into a hellish trap when it becomes the center of
a terrorist attack. Written and executive produced by Richard McBrien (Merlin, Wallander), Grand Hotel
will also be executive produced by Pippa Harris (Revolutionary Road, Jarhead), Sam Mendes (Skyfall,
American Beauty), and Alain & Vassili Clert (Spiral).Mad Dogs
Based on the British series and written by Cris Cole (Mad Dogs, The Bill), this series follows the
reunion of four forty-something guys who head to Belize to visit their old school friend, when things take
an unexpected and dark turn. Shawn Ryan (The Shield, Terriers, The Chicago Code) will serve as
Executive Producer alongside Cole. Produced by Sony Pictures Television, in association with Left Bank.Sutton
Based on the novel “Sutton” by J.R. Moeringher, this extraordinary journey begins on Christmas Eve
1969, when Willie “The Actor” Sutton – Irishman, lover, folk hero, and the most prolific bank robber
in American history – stepped out of Attica Prison and boarded a plane for New York City, where he
proceeded to take a reporter and photographer on a five-borough guided tour of his remarkable life
and crimes. Written and executive produced by Rob Siegel (The Wrestler, Big Fan), Sutton will be
executive produced by Jim Burke (The Descendants, Cedar Rapids), Michael De Luca (Moneyball, The
Social Network), Alexander Payne (The Descendants, Sideways),) and Jim Taylor (The Descendants,
Sideways). Produced by FX Productions.
You may also like
