Netflix And CBS Both Working On ‘Watergate’ Dramas
2018 will see two new dramas and a documentary based on the events which brought down US President Richard Nixon, as Netflix, CBS and the US History Channel pick up ‘Watergate’ projects. I can’t imagine what, in the current US political climate, has revitalised this interest in Watergate… *ahem*
For those of you that don’t know what the Watergate scandal was, it followed a break-in by five men of the Democratic National Committee offices at the Watergate office complex in Washington, D.C. in 1972. Whilst the break-in was the initial crime, what brought down Nixon was the administration’s subsequent attempt to cover up its involvement. The most famous cinematic retelling of the story, up until this point, was the Robert Redford/Dustin Hoffman movie ‘All the President’s Men’.
The latest project comes from CBS who have optioned the rights to Thomas Mallon’s novel Watergate. Screenwriter of the brilliant ‘Band of Brothers’, John Orloff, is set to pen the project, which is likely to air on the CBS owned Showtime and CBS All Access. That may mean it falls under Sky’s Showtime deal so should appear on Sky Atlantic.
According to Deadline, who broke the story, the limited series is said to have “a darkly comedic tone” which “will tackle the events of the political break-in and subsequent downfall of Richard Nixon’s presidency through the eyes of a collection of characters that weren’t as well known.” The novel is described as “historical fiction”, which usually means some of the facts a fudged a little to make for a better flowing story.
The original novel is described as a “remarkable retelling of the Watergate scandal, as seen through a kaleidoscope of its colourful perpetrators and investigators.” The story follows seven characters from the private cabins of Camp David to the klieg lights of the Senate Caucus Room, the District of Columbia jail and the Dupont Circle mansion of Theodore Roosevelt’s sharp-tongued 90-year-old daughter.
Over on Netflix, George Clooney is working with ‘Bridge Of Spies’ screenwriter, Matt Charman, to develop an eight-part drama series based on the political scandal. Grant Heslov (‘Argo’) and Clooney will exec produce. The series is described as “delving into the stories of certain key figures in the infamous scandal.”
The documentary comes from the US History Channel and comes from Oscar-winning documentary filmmaker Charles Ferguson. This will go into detail about the Watergate scandal, along with covering other contextual elements that were happening at the time, such as the Vietnam War and the civil unrest at home.
“The Watergate investigation transfixed America and the entire world for two years. 45 years later, this epic story continues to fascinate,” comments Paul Buccieri, president, A+E Studios and A+E Networks Portfolio Group. “From the corrupt politicians to the tenacious special prosecutors, judges, and journalists, the scandal is replete with heroes and villains alike. We are thrilled to partner with Charles to bring a fresh perspective on this complex story whose repercussions are still felt today.”
No news on exactly when any of these shows will air in the UK, but we’ll keep you updated.
