Washington [US], February 9 (ANI): American filmmaker Lee Daniels is all set to bring the 1973 blockbuster spy drama ‘The Spook Who Sat by the Door’ to the Disney-backed basic cable Network FX.
According to The Hollywood Reporter, the 61-year-old film director is expanding his Disney footprint to FX as the satellite TV network has given out a pilot request for the venture dependent on creator Sam Greenlee’s novel and a feature film of a similar name.
Announcing the news on Monday, Daniels said, “The Spook Who Sat by the Door was my dad’s favorite book. He’d be so proud that I’m doing this and even prouder that I’m doing this with Gerard and Dana, two bold and brilliant Black storytellers.”
The 1973 novel inspired drama that featured Lawrence Cook and Janet League, revolves around the fictional story of Dan Freeman, the first Black CIA officer hired by the agency in the late 1960s.
The story follows how he was enrolled as a feature of a governmental policy regarding minorities in society program. The book was first published in 1969 and has been converted into a few dialects. It won the Sunday Times Book of the Year prize the year it was delivered.
‘The Spook Who Sat by the Door’ is Daniels’ latest endeavour for Disney under his overall deal with the media giant. The prolific writer-director also is prepping a Black-focused reboot of The Wonder Years for ABC, has BET-turned-Hulu comedy Ms. Pat in the works for the streamer, and is prepping Our Kind of People for Fox. Next up, Daniels has The United States vs. Billie Holiday due February 26 on Hulu.
The ‘Monster’s Ball’ creator is geared up to produce ‘The Spook Who Sat by the Door’, with Leigh Dana Jackson (Raising Dion, Foundation) as the scriptwriter with Gerard McMurray executively producing and helming the pilot.
The Hollywood Reporter also disclosed that Daniels will executive produce the potential series via his overall deal with FX. The book was optioned through Daniels’ inclusion fund. Lee Daniels Entertainment president Marc Velez will also exec produce.
Meanwhile, the prominent author and director likewise also has a Black-centered reboot of ‘The Wonder Years’ for ABC, BET-turned-Hulu parody ‘Ms. Pat’, ‘Our Kind of People’ for Fox, and ‘The United States versus Billie Holiday’ in the pipeline. (ANI)