From the network that brought you John Adams — and the writers who brought you urban strife — comes this: HBO is developing a miniseries about the assassination of Abraham Lincoln and the hunt for his killer, to be written by David Simon of The Wire and Tom Fontana of Oz.
The miniseries is based on the best-selling book Manhunt, about the Lincoln shooting and the 12-day hunt for his assassin, John Wilkes Booth. Simon and Fontana are writing the script together.
Fontana is reportedly something of a Lincoln assassination buff, with "hundreds of books" about the shooting. Simon, too, is fascinated with the shooting. According to Broadcasting & Cable, they intend to explore it through the eyes of lesser-known players. The book was originally optioned for an action movie starring Harrison Ford, but the option expired and HBO snapped up the rights. Don't expect this miniseries to have the same tone a big-screen adaptation would have: "I don't do action," Simon told B&C.
Have any of you history/Lincoln buffs read this book? Do you think it's a story made for an HBO miniseries?
Ultimo
Stuart Weitzman
melissa
I read and enjoyed the book, and I can't wait to see how this would translate to a miniseries. However, I'm going to have to wait for the DVDs, since I don't get HBO.
1it sounds like just the right thing for HBO - the network's known for doing pieces like this - remember the iron jaw angels or whatever it was called? i really enjoyed that one - and i think that a mini series about lincoln could be interesting to watch too. my fiance LOVES things like that so i'm sure that it's going to be DVR'd on our TV when it comes on - since he can't ever just watch it once.
2I've never read the book, but the miniseries looks interesting. I don't have HBO either, so I'll have to wait to watch it on DVD.
3I just want them to finish those Deadwood movies they promised when they killed the series before it was over
4I agree about Deadwood! But I'll watch this, on DVD as well since I don't get HBO.
5I got the book yesterday because they announced the Manhunt miniseries.
I've read about a quarter so far (Booth just killed Lincoln) and it will make a terrific show.
Simon & Fontana's observation that they'll tell it through the eyes of the lesser characters will work very well. The book is chock full of very dramatic and engaging portraits of the bystanders (in varying degrees of innocence) dragged into the event.
6Post New Comment
Please share your opinion with our community, but make sure it is on topic and follows our Community Rules. We moderate comments and prohibit personal attacks, threats, spam, lewd images, or the promotion of your personal website.