Michael Mann, known for his work on the big screen but having got his start in TV as a writer for Starsky & Hutch and Miami Vice, and producer Michael De Luca, are returning to TV after acquiring the rights to Black Hawk Down writer Mark Bowden‘s new novel Hue 1968.
The book will be published next month, with Mann and De Luca intending to turn it into an 8-10 hour mini-series. The book focuses on the Tet Offensive, a turning point in the Vietnam war which focused on a surprise attack on the titular capital of Vietnam. The book is made up of personal accounts and detailed descriptions of the whole plan and its aftermath.
Mann is the latest big name director to develop projects for TV as the quality remains high, and with the streaming services now becoming major players, demand is even higher. The subject is a far cry from Mann’s recent work, which have often been thrillers focusing on man’s changing place in the ever-evolving contemporary world, but this is an exciting step for the auteur.
Mann won’t be stepping away from the lure of the silver screen completely however, as he’s still putting the pieces together for his Enzo Ferrari biopic with Hugh Jackman and Noomi Rapace. Still, once Hue 1968 truly gets moving – no writer has been hired yet – expect a high profile bidding war between all the major networks and streaming services to lure the high profile expertise of Mann to their service.
#Peace.Love.Mann
