FX is expanding its miniseries offerings with Telemark, a 10-episode miniseries from the Oscar-winning director-writer-producer team behind Slumdog Millionaire and 127 Hours.
The 10-part mini is written by Simon Beaufoy and is based on the true story of the British-trained Norwegian resistance fighters who sabotaged Hitler's nuclear development program during World War II. Danny Boyle and Christian Colson will executive produce for Cloud Eight/Decibel Films for FX.
Telemark serves a reunion for Boyle, Beaufoy and Colson, who last teamed for 127 Hours. It marks the trio's first project for American television.
"As we all know, some of the very best narrative fiction ever told is currently being created as episodic television,” Beaufoy said. “This incredible story is ideally suited to the slower burn and added complexity that the longer format allows and I can't wait to get my teeth into this.”
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Added Boyle: “This is one of the world's greatest stories and we want to tell it on an epic scale.”
Boyle won the Oscar and Golden Globe for directing Slumdog. He earned Oscar and Golden Globe noms for penning the screenplay to James Franco starrer 127 Hours and as well as an Academy Award nom for best picture.
Beaufoy won the Academy Award and Golden Globe for best screenplay for Slumdog Millionaire. He received Oscar and Golden Globe noms for best screenplay for 127 Hours, and he earned an Oscar nomination for best screenplay for The Full Monty. Colson is the Academy Award and Golden Globe-winning producer of Slumdog Millionaire. He earned an Oscar nom for best picture for 127 Hours.
Telemark marks the latest scripted miniseries at FX. It joins limited entry Fargo and anthology American Horror Story on the air. In addition to those two, FX also has a rapidly growing slate of limited series in development. The cabler is also prepping a take on Last of the Mohicans, Conquistadors, a mini based on the book Last Days of the Incas, as well as Mayflower, from Paul Giamatti; Grand Hotel, from Sam Mendes; Mad Dogs, based on the British series and adapted by Shawn Ryan; Sutton, based on J.R. Moehringer's novel and adapted by Alexander Payne; and Stephen Gaghan's six-part Vietnam War entry They Marched Into Sunlight.
FX Networks CEO John Landgraf told reporters in early June that the network is looking to launch two limited event series in the fiscal year following Fargo. The ramped-up limited series push also comes after FX launched younger-skewing cable network FXX in September and rebranded FXM for the 25-54 demo, the latter possibly airing one of the event series.
World War II limited series have proven big business for cable networks. HBO is prepping a third WWII follow-up to Emmy darlings Band of Brothers and The Pacific.
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