Goodfellas - tv show in works?

Richard Dower

http://www.digitalspy.co.uk/ustv/news/a278465/goodfellas-tv-show-in-the-works.html

A TV series based on the film Goodfellas is reportedly in the works.

Warner Bros TV is in the lead position to produce the show, reports Deadline.

Screenwriter Nicholas Pileggi, who wrote the original 1990 Martin Scorsese movie, is expected to pen the pilot.

Irwin Winkler, a producer of the film, is also rumoured to be involved in the TV spinoff. There is still no word on whether Scorsese will be associated with the project.

Scorsese's Goodfellas was nominated for the 'Best Picture' Oscar in 1991. Co-star Joe Pesci won the Oscar for 'Best Actor In A Supporting Role' for his performance as mobster Tommy DeVito.

The new Sopranos?...if it's not on HBO or Showtime/Starz...what's the point

pickarooney

I can't see Scorcese getting involved in this and Boardwalk Empire.

JONJO THE MISER

What about Epix which launched last year, apparently there have a good amount of pilots in development.

http://www.deadline.com/2010/05/more-top-creators-develop-shows-for-epix/

Richard Dower

Tv series now confirmed, prequel: http://www.digitalspy.co.uk/ustv/news/a284197/goodfellas-tv-prequel-confirmed.html

A TV series based on the classic gangster movie Goodfellas has been confirmed after months of rumours.

Nicholas Pileggi - author of Wiseguy, the original book on which Goodfellas is based - and director Martin Scorsese are said to be involved in planning the TV series, which will be a prequel to the movie.

The series is likely to be based on the early life of Henry Hill, the lead character played by Ray Liotta in the original film.

Pileggi told Culture magazine: "I want to do it, Marty wants to do it, Warner Bros wants to do it. Of course, you can't pick up from Goodfellas, since we murdered everybody, or rather, everybody was murdered! There's nobody left.

"But I think we're going to figure out a way to do the early years - sort of a prequel."

Duggy747

Without De Diro, Pesci and Liotta this ain't no Goodfellas.

However, if the right people are involved I won't say no to another mob show. It would be funny to see who would take on Pesci's character, watching him turn into a complete nutter and king of the "small man syndrome"

MickShamrock

We've already had Sopranos. I turning this in to a tv show is just lazy.

Cianan2

Although I agree with you Mick Shamrock, I still think this is great news.

The reason being there is only so many times you can watch the same TV show over and over, it will be great to have something new to look forward to.

Since Sopranos and the Wire, I've gone through "The Black Donnelly's", "Brotherhood", and now am watching (and thoroughly enjoying) "Boardwalk Empire" - Goodfella's is one of my favourite films, and Scorsese is my favourite director so having him on board makes this all the more appealing to me.

Yes, it is tough to come up with a concept for a TV show that is original - something that hasn't failed before, or been done to death already - but the only things that seem to last/work are Reality shows, Gangster shows and soaps.

I can't frown upon a Goodfella's tv show...

AnonoBoy

MickShamrock wrote: »

We've already had Sopranos. I turning this in to a tv show is just lazy.

Although they're both mob stories they're decades apart. Especially since this is going to concentrate on Henry Hill's early years. So it's looking at organised crime from the point of view of a young man joining the mob, totally different perspective to examining the life of an already established mobster.

It's like saying there's no point in ever making an English cop show because we've already had The Sweeney.