Dick Wolf to chronicle the creation of Las Vegas with American Babylon

Last Updated on August 2, 2021

It's safe to say that Dick Wolf has more than a few irons in the fire, and according to Deadline, the prolific producer is slated to add one more series to his slate. Together with long-time collaborator Tom Thayer, Pulitzer Prize winner Robert Schenkkan, and The Pacific creator Bruce C. McKenna, Wolf is developing American Babylon, a period drama which will chronicle the creation of Las Vegas.

The series will tell the story of rise of Sin City through the struggles of three families: "Young mobster Sammy Wise and his iron-willed wife, Esther, leading Organized Crime’s takeover of Sin City; Jefferson Delandro, a fiercely ambitious Black businessman, his resourceful wife Edda May, and their rebellious daughter, Bella, fighting the structural racism that made Vegas the 'Mississippi of the West;' and Michael Arcona, a combat veteran and aspiring reporter, committed to finding the truth, no matter what it costs." American Babylon will mix fictional characters with historical ones, such as Lena Horne, JFK, Howard Hughes, and, of course, the Rat Pack themselves. The series has been inspired by "The Money and the Power: The Making of Las Vegas and Its Hold on America," a non-fiction novel exploring the dark side of Las Vegas written by Sally Denton & Roger Morris. In a statement, Dick Wolf said:

I have always been fascinated by Las Vegas, a city that has the most colorful history of any in our country. Using the definitive source materials written by Sally Denton and Roger Morris, adapted by two award-winning writer/producers, Rob Schenkkan and Bruce McKenna, we are creating a diverse three-family history that spans generations, so viewers will see the growth of Vegas through their stories. The last time I teamed with Tom Thayer on a scripted project, we produced Bury My Heart at Wounded Knee, which earned a record 17 Emmy nominations and won for Outstanding Television Movie. It’s a high bar, but I think we can clear it with American Babylon.

Robert Schenkkan, who created the series and will pen the pilot episode, added, "The 'pursuit of happiness' has always been a cornerstone of the American Dream. For a long time, I’ve wanted to explore how that impulse unfolded in this epic story of the rise of Las Vegas." The city certainly is a magical place, with entertainment for just about everyone, and it's bloody history is certainly wonderful fodder for an endless sea of stories. As far as where American Babylon will end up, the series doesn't have a home just yet, but there are a number of premium networks and streaming services interested in getting into the Dick Wolf business.