It’s a huge week for Fargo creator Noah Hawley. This morning brought the announcements that Fargo Season 2 was nominated for a handful of Golden Globes. And now FX has officially announced their multi-year overall deal with Hawley will result in no less than four new projects in development, with him serving as executive producer for each, as well as a writer on two of them.
Don’t worry, those of you afraid that this newly filled plate might take Hawley away from his current gig. He’ll still be the man behind Season 3 of Fargo, and presumably seasons beyond that. But FX has faith in Hawley’s creativity, and they’re dedicating all their resources toward getting his projects off the ground. Let’s take a look at them one by one.
Legion: First announced a couple of months ago, Legion is based on the Marvel Comics series of the same name, although that connection isn’t being promoted too heavily beyond the involvement of executive producers like Bryan Singer and Jeph Loeb. With Hawley as the writer, the show would center on a guy who’s dealt with mental issues his entire life, but after meeting a fellow patient at a psychiatric hospital, he starts to believe that his visions and voices may be real.
Cat’s Cradle: A project whose existence is almost too exciting to be real, Cat’s Cradle will be Hawley’s take on the celebrated 1963 Kurt Vonnegut novel of the same name. It centers on a writer who, while researching for a book about the atomic bomb, discovers that the bomb’s inventor also created a substance that can freeze all the water on the planet. Sounds like a good bookend series for Manhattan.
Hellhound on His Trail: Based on the critically acclaimed book of the same name by Hampton Sides, the period drama Hellhound on His Trail will follow the life and crimes of James Earl Ray, including the Martin Luther King, Jr. assassination and the gigantic manhunt that followed, which troubled investigators for weeks and took place on multiple continents. This project will be written by Alexander Woo, who has penned and produced episodes for series such as True Blood and Sleeper Cell.
The Hot Rock: And finally we have The Hot Rock, a small screen adaptation of the Donald E. Westlake novel of the same name, which was also turned into Peter Yates’ 1972 crime caper starring Robert Redford and George Segal. The story centers on a group of thieves who try to steal a giant diamond, only to find it’s not as easy to hold onto as they thought. Writing this one will be Matt Wolpert and Ben Nedivi, who both wrote for Entourage and this latest season of Fargo.
Fargo is gearing up for its Season 2 finale, which will air on FX on Monday, December 14. Here’s hoping 2016 brings us much more of Noah Hawley’s imagination.
