The Big Bang TheoryandTwo and a Half MencreatorChuck Lorreis heading to Amazon with a new TV series adaption ofTom Wolfe’s iconic 1987 novelThe Bonfire of the Vanities. The show is being eyed as an eight-episode drama series which hails from Warner Bros. Television, whereChuck Lorrehas an overall deal. The show has been in development for several months, and was initially shopped to cable outlets and otherstreaming servicesbefore it landed at Amazon Studios.
The Hollywood Reporterreveals thatMargaret Nagle(Boardwalk Empire,Red Band Society) has come aboard to write the pilot script. The writer will also executive produce alongsideChuck Lorre, with author/political correspondentDavid Cornserving as a consultant. The series will be set in 1980s New York City, like theoriginal novel, described as a drama series that explores “ambition, racism, social class, politics and greed.”
The story will be told through the perspectives of three main characters, WASP bond trader Sherman McCoy, Jewish assistant district attorney Larry Kramer and British journalist Peter Fallow. The original story was first published in 27 different installments in Rolling Stone magazine, before going on to become a best-selling hit. The novel was adapted into a movie in 1990, withTom Hanksplaying Sherman McCoy,Bruce Willisplaying Peter Fallow andF. Murray Abrahamplaying the Jewish district attorney, whose name was changed to Abe Weiss in the movie.
The movie, which also starredMelanie Griffith,Kim Cattrall,Morgan FreemanandKevin Dunn, was a critical and commercial failure, only taking in $16 million at the box office. It hasn’t been confirmed when casting may begin, or when Amazon plans to start production on thisevent series. This project will also mark a few different firsts forChuck Lorre.
This series will not only mark the first foray into event series or miniseries programming, which has become more and more popular over the years, it will also be his first drama series, although he previously wrote one episode of CBS’CSIin 2008.Chuck Lorrehas worked on classic sitcoms such asRoseanne,Grace Under FireandCybillbefore he started creating his own shows withDharma & Greg,Two & a Half Men,The Big Bang TheoryandMom.Bonfire of the Vanitiesjoins a slew of other reboots in development at other networks, such as The CW’sDynastyandThe Lost Boys, MTV’sWar of the Worlds, ABC’sMagnum P.I., CMT’sVarsity Blues, Amazon’sThe Departed, TNT’sLet the Right One InandL.A. Law, which doesn’t have a network home quite yet.
