A drama project about the O.J. Simpson trial and an update of a classic miniseries Shogun are the latest items Fox has added to their 2013-14 development season.
“These are both epic stories — one fiction, one fact — that have captivated millions of people worldwide. They’re riveting and emotional, with unique historic backdrops that lend themselves to the high-quality, dramatic event series we’re looking to make,” Shana C. Waterman, senior vice-president, event series and multi-platform programming for Fox, said in a statement.
Based on Jeffrey Toobin’s best-selling book of the same name, The Run of His Life: The People v. O.J. Simpson will revisit the 1994-1995 murder trial that held a country — and much of the world — transfixed. The network outlines the project “will take viewers behind the scenes of the ‘Trial of the Century,’ driven by the nonstop plot of a courtroom thriller.”
Simpson was charged with murdering his ex-wife, Nicole, and her friend Ronald Goldman. He was found not guilty.
Shogun, meanwhile, is based on James Clavell’s novel, and follows the adventures of British sailor John Blackthorne, who trains to be a samurai warrior in 17th century Japan. Clavell’s story was previously told in the 1980 miniseries of the same name, with Richard Chamberlain in the lead role. It captured three Golden Globes and was a ratings hit for NBC.
The projects join Wayward Pines, a supernatural thriller, and Blood Brothers, the true story of West Point’s Class of 1861, in Fox’s development stable.
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