John Malkovich Alessandro Moggi
Set up at Sony Pictures TV, 'Humboldt' hails from the producers of 'True Detective.'
John Malkovich is joining the Pot TV trend.
The Oscar-nominated actor has been tapped to star in Humboldt, a drama series inspired by Emily Brady's best-selling book Humboldt: Life on America's Marijuana Frontier, The Hollywood Reporter has confirmed.
Written on spec by Michael A. Lerner (Love and Mercy), the project is set up at Sony Pictures Television and Anonymous Content (True Detective, Mr. Robot) and will be taken out to premium cable networks and streaming services.
The book revolves around the Northern California community that for nearly 40 years has existed primarily on the cultivation and sale of marijuana. The author spent a year living among the town's secretive residents and offers an intimate look at how the looming legalization of the drug is impacting the community.
Malkovich will star as the patriarch of the Humboldt crime family. Lerner will executive produce alongside Elliot Webb, Alissa Philips, Alex Goldstone and Adam Shulman. Malkovich also is set as an exec producer alongside Jennifer Rawlings, with Carl Franklin set to direct.
The role marks Malkovich's most recent TV foray following NBC's short-lived pirate drama Crossbones.
Humboldt marks the latest pot-themed series to pop up of late. Netflix recently ordered Chuck Lorre's workplace pot dispensary comedy Disjointed, with Kathy Bates set to star; Amazon recently tapped Margaret Cho to star in Highland; HBO picked up six episodes of High Maintenance; and NBC is teaming with Adam and Naomi Scott to develop Buds.
TV Development
