Michael Hirst, made up of ‘Elizabeth’ and ‘The Tudors’, is leading the big budget miniseries for A + E Studios and ITV, with Fitzgerald’s ownership also involved.
The big Gatsby is coming to television.
A + E Studios and ITV Studios America are teaming up with writer Michael Hirst for a big-budget TV series based on F. Scott Fitzgerald’s iconic novel. A network is not yet involved, as co-producers plan to buy the series on premium cable and streaming channels.
Conceived as a closed miniseries, Hirst (Elizabeth, The Tudors, Vikings) will write the script and produce executive alongside Michael London of Groundswell Productions (Laterally, milk) Fitzgerald’s estate is also involved because Blake Hazard, a great-granddaughter of Scott and Zelda Fitzgerald and a curator of the estate, will serve as a consulting producer.
Sources say A + E Studios has owned the rights to the iconic novel for decades, dating back to the 2000 TV movie that starred Paul Rudd as Nick Carraway, Toby Stephens as Jay Gatsby and Mira Sorvino as Daisy. This telépico was a co-production with the BBC and aired in the United States by A&E. The adaptation led by Hirst has been under construction for at least three years, since when the Vikings the creator had a general agreement with Barry Jossen’s A + E Studios. The updated version was quietly in development at Apple last year, before the tech giant changed course.
“It seems that I lived with Gatsby most of my life, reading it first as a school boy, then teaching it at Oxford in the 1970s and periodically rereading it since then, “said Hirst.” As the critic Lionel Trilling once wrote: ‘The big Gatsby it is still as fresh as when it first appeared, and 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 story, to explore its famous and iconic characters through the modern lens of gender, race and sexual orientation. Fitzgerald’s deeply romantic outlook does not prevent him from examining and exposing the dark side of the American experience, which is why history speaks of both tragedy and hope, and why it continues to resonate today. “
De Hirst Gatsby will explore New York’s black community in the 1920s, as well as the musical subculture. Farah Jasmine Griffin, professor of English and comparative literature and African American studies at Columbia University, will also serve as a consultant on the series. She will work directly with Hazard and Hirst on the drama. Described as a reimagination, the series will dig deeper into the hidden lives of its characters through the modern lens of a fractured American dream, while also capturing all the majesty of Fitzgerald’s timeless vision.
“I have long dreamed of a more diverse and inclusive version of Gatsby that best reflects the America we live in, one that can allow us to all to see us in Scott’s wildly romantic text, “said Hazard.” Michael brings a deep reverence for Scott’s work for the project, but also a fearlessness to bring such an iconic story to life in an accessible and fresh way. I am very happy to be part of the project. “
Hirst, meanwhile, 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 the story. De Hirst Vikings sequel, Valhalla, changed from A + E / A & E to Netflix as an original series by MGM Television.
A + E Studios, under President Jossen, has evolved its focus from being an exclusive content provider to sister networks like History to being a seller for other series platforms, including ABC drama David E. Kelley Big sky. A + E will be the leading studio in Gatsby.
“There are few stories in the pantheon of American literature that transcend time as The big Gatsby, “Said Jossen.” Together with our partners from ITV Studios America and Groundswell Productions, A + E Studios is privileged to bring this powerful and complex work to life under the watchful eye of the incomparable Michael Hirst and the blessing of the Fitzgerald family member Blake Perigo. As evidenced by his serial bible, Michael remains faithful to Fitzgerald’s novel as he builds that legacy with a modern vision that will be more reflective of America then and now, including an enhanced exploration of female characters. We are currently looking for a director and we are excited to bring that to the market. “
Gatsby it has been adapted for the big screen several times, with shots taken in 1926 (highlighted by Warner Baxter), 1949 (with Alan Ladd), 1974 (starring Robert Redford and Mia Farrow) and in 2013 (with Leonardo DiCaprio).
Hirst is represented by WME, United Agents and Nelson Davis.