Henry And Max Winkler Team For The First Time On Limited Series ‘King Rex’ In Works At HBO; Malcolm Spellman & Nichelle Tramble Spellman EPing

Justin Kroll
·2 min read
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EXCLUSIVE: On the heels of its Emmy-winning comedy Barry making its long-awaited Season 4 return, HBO is looking to stay in business with its star Henry Winkler as sources tell Deadline the premium cabler is developing King Rex, a limited series with Henry Winkler attached to star and his son, Max, directing the pilot.

It would mark the first time the father-son duo have worked together in the business, and both Winklers are also exec producing. Joining them are Malcolm Spellman and Nichelle Tramble Spellman, who have a first-look deal with HBO and will exec produce through their The 51 banner, along with Eli Dansky. Scott Brown and Megan Creydt of Texas Monthly — which also has first-look deal with HBO — also will exec produce, with Trey Selman writing the pilot and co-exec producing.

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Based on the November 1980 Texas Monthly article, “Rex Cauble and the Cowboy Mafia,” by Lawrence Wright, the project explores a buried treasure of a true-crime mystery — how a North Texas kingdom got itself smashed to pieces by a judge’s gavel, the IRS and the FBI. Henry Winkler will play the gangster Cauble, and insiders say the character is straight out of the gangster pic Casino and unlike any character the Emmy winner ever has played.

After decades of playing classic comedic characters on TV including the Fonz on Happy Days and Gene Cousineau on Barry, the limited series not only gives Henry Winkler a different type of character to sink his teeth into, it also allows him the opportunity to work with his son, which has been something he’s wanted since Max started his own directing career.

Max Winkler recently wrote and directed Jungleland, starring Charlie Hunnam, Jack O’Connell and Jessica Barden. The feature produced by Scott Free Productions had its world premiere at the 2019 Toronto International Film Festival and was released by Paramount in November 2020.

On the TV side, earlier this year, MAx Winkler directed the pilot and executive produced Cruel Summer, which became the most-watched series ever on Freeform. Next up is adapting and directing adventure photographer Ben Moon’s memoir Denali: A Man, a Dog, a Friendship of a Lifetime, which will reteam him with Hunnam.

The 51 recently produced the FX/Hulu documentary Hip Hop Uncovered and Peacock’s new series Bel-Air, which was given an initial two-season order. This marks Selman’s first major writing job.

Henry and Max Winkler are represented by CAA and Management 360. Max also is repped by Jackoway Austen Tyerman. The Spellmans are represented by CAA, Industry Entertainment and Del Shaw.

Texas Monthly is represented by CAA and Kleinberg Lange. Selman is represented by Lit Entertainment Group and Lichter Grossman.

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