[img]http://featuresblogs.chicagotribune.com/.a/6a00d834518cc969e20133f248bca4970b-150wi[/img] HBO's upcoming slate of programs looked good before, but now it's truly a safe bet to say the network is back with a vengeance.
HBO announced Wednesday that it has picked up the series "Luck," which was written by David Milch ("Deadwood," "NYPD Blue") and stars Dustin Hoffman. Michael Mann directed the pilot for "Luck," which also stars Chicagoan Dennis Farina, Nick Nolte, Richard Kind, Jason Gedrick and Jill Hennessy.
"'Luck' is a provocative look at horse racing – the owners, gamblers,
jockeys and diverse gaming industry players," according to HBO's press release. The drama "begins shooting this
fall at Santa Anita Park and other Los Angeles locations" but no premiere date has been set.
A Sept.19 start date has been set for the much-anticipated "Boardwalk Empire," a Prohibition drama starring Steve Buscemi. That HBO series was created by
"Sopranos" writer Terence Winter and the pilot was directed by Martin Scorsese.
And of course the epic
"Game of Thrones," which goes into production soon in Northern Ireland, is set for a 2011 debut. That drama just hired
Aiden Gillen, a veteran of
"The Wire," to play the cunning Littlefinger (other casting information and news about that show can be found
here and
Winter is Coming has even more updates).
All that is in addition to the 2010 returns of "Bored to Death," "Eastbound & Down" and "In Treatment" (which has snagged Irrfan Khan, Amy Ryan and Debra Winger for Season 3. Dianne Wiest will not return, according to
Variety). Next year,
"Curb Your Enthusiasm," "Big Love," "Treme" and "How to Make It In America" will also be back.
I'm not in love with all those shows, but I am devoted to a lot of them (including the addictive "True Blood"), and many of the HBO programs I haven't seen yet have stellar pedigrees. All things considered, the network's slate is looking good.
The press release from HBO is below.
LOS ANGELES, July 14, 2010 – HBO has picked up the new drama series LUCK, it was announced today by Michael Lombardo, president, HBO Programming. LUCK is a provocative look at horse racing – the owners, gamblers, jockeys and diverse gaming industry players. LUCK begins shooting this fall at Santa Anita Park and other Los Angeles locations.
“Michael Mann delivered a pilot from David Milch’s brilliant script that took our breath away,” notes Lombardo. “We are truly excited that these two artists, and our extraordinary cast headed by Dustin Hoffman, will be bringing LUCK to life.”
The cast for the pilot stars Dustin Hoffman, Dennis Farina, John Ortiz, Kevin Dunn, Richard Kind, Jason Gedrick, Ritchie Coster, Ian Hart, Tom Payne, Kerry Condon, Gary Stevens and Nick Nolte. Jill Hennessy guest stars.
Pilot credits: executive producers, David Milch, Michael Mann and Carolyn Strauss; co-executive producer, Henry Bronchtein; producer, Dustin Hoffman; written by David Milch; directed by Michael Mann.
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