Showtime has a new series in development based on a book; The Angry Buddhist, which sounds like a Steven Seagal movie to me, but is actually a forthcoming novel by Seth Greenland, the writer on Big Love. The project would be a drama series that doesn’t involve any martial arts as far as I can tell, but instead focuses on three brothers living in the high desert of California.
Deadline reports that the book, which has already been released in France, will hit US bookshelves next week. It’s Greenland’s third novel; the previous two, The Bones and Shining City have both been optioned for features and the second novel is being developed currently by Warner Bros. The Angry Buddhist follows the story of the Duke brothers, each very different from the others. One is a criminal, another a politician (ok maybe they aren’t so different), and the third is a cop who is studying Buddhism. Maybe there is a Steven Seagal role here after all. As the politician brother, who is a Congressman trying to win a third term, goes up against a beautiful woman with plenty of money behind her for his seat, a murder throws everything in their lives into chaos. I’m not clear on whether it’s the murder or something else that makes the Buddhist angry.
The story takes place in the high desert between Palm Springs and Palm Desert, somewhat different from the typical Southern California setting for a novel or a television series. Greenland will be writing the adaptation, which should keep the tone true to the book.
