There's a LAST OF THE MOHICANS TV Series Being Developed By TRUE DETECTIVE's Cary Joji Fukunaga
Cary Joji Fukunaga the creative talent behind Maniac, The Alienist and True Detective is developing a series adaptation of the historical novel by James Fenimore Cooper, The Last of The Mohicans.
Fukunaga is developing the project with the Watchmen series director Nicole Kassell and Paramount Television. Fukunaga is writing the series with Nicholas Osborne and Kassell will direct.
The series is said to be “a retelling of Cooper’s French and Indian War novel that re-centers the classic tale on the unlikely romance between Uncas, a young Mohican, and Cora, the mixed-race daughter of a British colonel.” Fukunaga talked about the project, saying:
“The clash of civilizations during the Seven Years War, which frames the story of Last of the Mohicans, has been a long-time passion of mine. It was a world war before the term even existed. The opportunity to recreate the story’s strong-willed and free-thinking characters, with talents including Nick Osborne and Nicole Kassell, is incredibly exciting to me. Together with Paramount TV and Anonymous Content, we have the chance to revive the forgotten ancestors that define American identity today.
Kassell shared his thoughts, saying:
“I am profoundly excited to be a part of this extraordinary team and to be bringing a new light and perspective to this period in our history. While the James Fenimore Cooper book and original film leave large shoes to fill, Nick and Cary’s script is a riveting read and fresh take. They embrace this incredible opportunity to show and explore characters so often marginalized. To echo a sentiment Nick expressed to me in our first conversation ‘certain stories are timeless vessels that allow different generations to look at it and explore them in different ways.’ To be a part of bringing these eyes and hearts to the screen is the opportunity of a lifetime for me.”
I love The Last of the Mohicans novel and it’s had a long history of being adapted for both TV and film. My favorite adaptation, though, is Michael Mann’s 1992 film with Daniel Day Lewis.
I’m actually pretty stoked about this new series adaptation, especially with the talent who is currently working on bringing it to life. This is the kind of creative team that will deliver a top quality show.