Caleb Carr, who authored “The Alienist,” is joining TNT’s television adaptation of his best-selling novel as a consulting producer, Variety has learned exclusively.
Gina Gionfriddo (“House of Cards, “Law & Order”), E. Max Frye (“Band of Brothers”) and John Sayles (“Bass Reeves”) also join the Paramount Television and Anonymous Content project as writers. The trio, joining pilot and series writer Hossein Amini, will serve as consulting producers on the episodes they pen.
“After twenty years of tough struggle and countless failed attempts, I’m delighted that Paramount Television, Anonymous Content and TNT have decided to join forces and bring ‘The Alienist’ to life in what, based on the material I’ve read, has the potential to be a faithful and exciting TV series,” Carr commented.
Previously announced, “True Detective’s” Cary Fukunaga will direct the drama. He and Amini will exec produce with Eric Roth. Anonymous Content’s Steve Golin and Rosalie Swedlin also serve as exec producers and Amy Kaufman will co-exec produce.
Carr added, “The array of talent already gathered for the project, for whom I’m pleased to be acting as consultant producer, is deeply impressive: Cary Fukunaga, Eric Roth, Hossein Amini, Gina Gionfriddo, E. Max Frye and the legendary John Sayles seem determined to do what many people said couldn’t be done: adapt the story in the ‘Alienist’ for live action in a way that both preserves the intellectual and historical integrity of the tale, while adding a gripping cinematic dimension to it. It’s my hope and expectation that, working together, we can all make this effort meet the standard expected by the very patient fans of the book, whose loyalty I consider a trust that I personally will do everything I can to protect.”
Set in Gilded Age New York, “Alienist” follows Dr. Laszlo Kreizler who, with the help of newspaper reporter John Moore and police commissioner Theodore Roosevelt, uses the emerging discipline of psychology to track down one of New York City’s first serial killers.
“The Alienist” is a co-production of TNT Original Prods. and Paramount TV.
Carr is repped by APA for Film and television, and by WME for publishing.
