Martin Scorsese, Mick Jagger Developing Rock Drama for HBO

[Mr Walker]

Martin Scorsese, Mick Jagger Developing Rock Drama for HBO
by Kim Potts, posted Jul 23rd 2010 10:28AM

As if we weren't already ridiculously excited about Martin Scorsese's upcoming HBO mobster period drama 'Boardwalk Empire,' now the Oscar-winning director is teaming with Rolling Stones legend Mick Jagger to develop an HBO drama that's being described as the history of rock 'n' roll.

Deadline.com reports that Scorsese, Jagger and Emmy-winning 'Sopranos' writer and 'Boardwalk Empire' creator Terence Winter are set to bring 'History of Music' (the project's working title) to HBO as a series, after the story originated as a big-screen movie idea at Disney and Paramount.

The storyline of the series would revolve around two friends who've spent more than 40 years in the music industry, from the early days of R&B through the current music scene, with rap and hip hop.

When the project was developed as a film, Scorsese was attached to direct, Jagger, who conceived the idea, was set to produce and Oscar-winning 'The Departed' writer William Monahan was going to write the script. Now that the story is being developed as an HBO series, Scorsese will still direct the pilot and Jagger will produce via his Jagged Films company, but Monahan is no longer involved, and Winter will pen the script instead.

Scorsese, who already worked with Jagger when he directed the 2008 Rolling Stones documentary 'Shine a Light,' also directed the pilot for 'Boardwalk Empire,' which is scheduled to debut on HBO on Sept. 19.

The much buzzed-about series stars Emmy-nominated 'Sopranos' alum Steve Buscemi as Nucky Thompson, a Prohibition era mob boss in Atlantic City, and is based on Nelson Johnson's book, 'Boardwalk Empire: The Birth, High Times and Corruption of Atlantic City.'

'Boardwalk Empire,' which is set for a 12-episode first season, also stars 'Gangs of New York' and 'Public Enemies' star Stephen Graham as Al Capone, as well as 'Last Days' star Michael Pitt, Dabney Coleman, Gretchen Mol and 'The Wire' alum Michael K. Williams.

The Wall Street Journal reports that TV executives in more than 160 countries bought the rights to air the drama -- based on a screening of the unfinished pilot in Los Angeles in May -- making 'Boardwalk Empire' likely to be HBO's biggest international hit ever.

[Hardrock69]

As long as Mick is not acting in the thing, it sounds like an interesting idea, though hardly original.

Ralph Bakshi did something like that in his film "American Pop" back in 1981.

[Starwood]

If Scorcese is involved, it will be stellar. He's the only director out there that guarantees a slam dunk.

[Hardrock69]

Can't deny that. "Shine A Light" was fucking kickass for a concert film. And the final camera shot was astonishing.

[Igosplut]

Ralph Bakshi did something like that in his film "American Pop" back in 1981.

Loved that movie..