‘The Departed’ TV Series Based On Oscar-Winning Movie In Works At Amazon
The Departed, the Oscar-winning 2006 Martin Scorsese movie, is getting a TV series reboot. In a competitive situation, the project has landed at Amazon for development. The Departed crime drama series is being produced by Amazon Studios as well as Vertigo Entertainment, Initial Entertainment Group and Plan B Entertainment — all of whom also produced the 2006 movie — in association with Warner Bros TV whose sibling feature studio was behind the film starring Leonardo DiCaprio, Matt Damon, Jack Nicholson and Mark Wahlberg.
Written by Detroit 1-8-7 creator Jason Richman, The Departed puts a new, updated spin on the two-way-undercover concept in the Scorsese movie, which was set in Boston and dealt with the Irish mob, and the Hong Kong original Infernal Affairs.
Inspired by the films, The Departed TV series is set at present-day Chicago, amidst the shifting tides of warring ethnic drug gangs. In it, a young cop goes undercover to infiltrate a ruthless Latino gang, which simultaneously plants its own man in the police department. The show follows these two embattled moles as they attempt to fulfill their mission and stay alive.
Richman executive produces with the film’s producer Graham King; the movie’s executive producer, Vertigo founder Roy Lee; Vertigo’s head of TV Michael Connolly; Plan B’s Dede Gardner, Jeremy Kleiner and Sarah Esberg; as well as Tripp Vinson, Doug Davison and Gianni Nunnari. (The film was produced by King, Plan B’s Brad Pitt as well as Brad Grey).
The Departed series, which marks WBTV’s first major sale to Amazon, stems from Vertigo’s two-year overall deal with the TV studio, which the company inked at the end of 2015. The series adaptation of the acclaimed movie was the first project the company put in development under the pact.
Richman is repped by CAA. Vertigo is repped by attorney Rick Genow.
The Departed, written by William Monahan and directed by Scorsese, was a critical and commercial success, winning four Oscars, including best picture, best director and best adapted screenplay, and grossing $290 million on a $90 million budget.
This is the second big movie title that Amazon is developing as a TV series for its Amazon Video service. The streaming platform recently picked up to series Tom Clancy’s Jack Ryan starring John Krasinski.
Related stories
'Bosch' Casts Jeffrey Pierce; Diana Hopper Takes On 'Goliath'
UTA Signs UK Multi-Hyphenate Phoebe Waller-Bridge
'Jean Claude Van Johnson' Trailer: First Look At Amazon's Thriller Comedy Pilot
Get more from Deadline.com: Follow us on Twitter, Facebook, Newsletter
