Yahoo Movies Jake Gyllenhaal, Denis Villeneuve Reunion ‘The Son’ Goes from Film to HBO Limited Series — First Details
Jake Gyllenhaal left cinephiles buzzing last month after revealing on “Team Deakins” podcast that he was working on a reunion project with his “Prisoners” and “Enemy” director Denis Villeneuve. Now comes official word from HBO that the reunion project is “The Son,” an upcoming limited series based on the bestselling novel by author Jo Nesbø. The novel was billed as “a tale of vengeance set amid Oslo’s brutal hierarchy of corruption.” Gyllenhaal will star as Sonny Lofthus, an escaped convict and opioid addict on the run from the law who can’t recall his past. Villeneuve will direct the series.
Per HBO’s official release: “Gyllenhaal and Villeneuve are also set to serve as executive producers of the series, with the former producing through his Nine Stories’ banner along with his partner Riva Marker. Kilter Films’ Jonathan Nolan and Lisa Joy will join as executive producers along with Kilter Films’ Athena Wickham. Lenore Zion is set as showrunner and will also executive produce.”
Deadline reports that Gyllenhaal and Villeneuve have spent years trying to find their next project together. Gyllenhaal first came across the book and sent it to Villeneuve, who agreed to develop the adaptation dating back to the actor’s days working on the Boston marathon bombing drama “Stronger.” While the pair originally aimed to adapt “The Son” into a feature, the script writing process convinced them a longer story format a la a limited TV series would be better suited for the material.
As the star of Villeneuve’s back to back 2013 films — science-fiction puzzler “Enemy” and kidnapping drama “Prisoners” — Gyllenhaal played a big role in the director’s breakthrough in the U.S. “Prisoners” opened in domestic theaters ahead of “Enemy,” but the latter actually went into production almost a year before the former. “The Son” will mark their first project together since these back-to-back releases.
HBO’s release includes the following info about “The Son”: “Bold Films’ David Litvak, Gary Michael Walters, Michel Litvak and Svetlana Metkina also serve as executive producers with Jo Nesbø and Niclas Salomonsson. Nine Stories Productions, Kilter Films and Bold Films will produce in association with Warner Bros. Television.”
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