Zero Dark Thirty writer planning drama series around 2016 election

Last Updated on July 31, 2021

The 2016 presidential election is over and done, but emotions have flooded over into 2017 and continue to rush like a river even as I write this sentence. No matter your stance it was quite the experience watching it all play out, and even though it was all that dominated the news cycle for a year and some change there’s no doubt it could make a great TV drama. Screenwriter Mark Boal was thinking just the same thing, and now he’s making it a reality.

News is that Boal and producer Megan Ellison are currently preparing an eight-10 episode drama series around the 2016 campaign, which will dig into all the nitty-gritty around the election. There is no distributer right now, but Boal will make his directing debut with the series which he will also write. Boal’s Page 1 company will be involved as well, as president Hugo Lindgren, a former editor of the New York Times magazine, will gather a team of journalists to contribute on the series.

Boal is best known for his work with director Kathryn Bigelow, including his Oscar-winning work on THE HURT LOCKER, ZERO DARK THIRTY (which was nominated) and her upcoming Detroit riots flick. Ellison has also served as producer on the latter two films.

Opinions on the 2016 election are like assholes: they’re oddly formed, and often full of shit. But I do have to agree that watching the events replayed as a searing political drama would make great TV. The media circus nature and behind-the-curtain style worked wonders for THE PEOPLE VS. O.J. SIMPSON, so a series in that vein could be unmissable television (minus the crime angle, of course). Now to cast Hillary Clinton and Donald Trump. Hmm…may I suggest a stick from the front yard and anything orange out of the fruit basket?