Nearly one year after the immensely popular podcastSerialfirst launched, producersPhil LordandChris Millerare teaming with Fox 21 Productions (Homeland), to create aTV seriesadaptation.The Hollywood Reporterreveals that series creatorSarah Koenig, who hosted the weekly podcast that was a spinoff ofThis American Life, sparked toPhil LordandChris Miller’s pitch for a TV adaptation, which will chronicle the process of making the successful podcast instead of the case it chronicled. The producers will start pitching to cable networks once a team of writers are in place.
The series will not focus on themurdercase that made the series so popular, involvingAdnan Syed, who was convicted of killing his former girlfriendHae Min Leein 2000. The podcast’s 12-episode first season explored the case asSarah Koenigand her team conducted their own investigation, which cast doubt onAdnan Syed’s conviction. However they didn’t come up with any conclusive proof that he did or did not commit the murder.
In February, weeks after the first season concluded, the Maryland Court of Special Appeals allowedAdnan Syedto appeal his conviction, on the grounds that his attorney,Cristina Gutierrez, provided substandard counsel for failing to seek a plea bargain during his trial. The first season also uncovered new evidence fromAdnan Syed’s friendAsia McClain, who provided an alibi for the accused murderer.Serialwon the first ever Peabody Award for podcasts in April. Here’s what Fox 21 TV Studios president Bert Salke had to say in a statement.
“From the very first week ofSerial’s release last fall, everyone at Fox 21 TVS was obsessed with the podcast. One year later, thanks to the incredible passion of Chris and Phil, who flew to New York and shared their vision withSarah, Julie Snyder, Alissa Shipp andIra Glassfor what the series could be, we’re moving forward on this exciting project. What you have here is a ‘once every ten years creative storytelling phenom’ with a ‘once in ten years take’ with a ‘once in twenty-five years creative team.’ We are confident we’ll attract a spectacular writer and look forward to pitching it to outlets very soon.”
Phil Lord and Chris Millerwill executive produce the series alongside theThis American Lifeteam that includesSarah Koenig, Julie Snyder, Alissa Shipp,Ira Glassand Seth Cohen. It was revealed last week thatSeason 2of theSerialpodcast will focus onBowe Berghdahl, a U.S. soldier who was captured by the Taliban after he was seen wandering off base. He spent five years in captivity before the U.S. government released five Talibann prisoners in exchange for the soldier. We reported last year thatZero Dark ThirtydirectorKathryn Bigelowand screenwriterMark Boalare developing a biopic on Berghdahl, withTodd Fieldsimultaneously developing a competing project.Mark Boalis actually teaming up withSerialto produce this new season, and serve as one of the on-air narrators alongside former New York Times editorHugo Lindgren.
