Cary Fukunaga In Talks To Direct Stanley Kubrick’s Napoleon Project For HBO, Spielberg To Produce
Cary Fukunaga and HBO could be reteaming for a massive project. According to The Hollywood Reporter, the cable network is developing a miniseries based on Stanley Kubrick‘s research he did for his planned story on the French Emperor Napoleon Bonaparte and his struggle to bring Europe under his control. The “Beast of No Nation” helmer is in negotiations to direct the project with David Leland to write the script.
Kubrick’s family, Christine and Jan Harlan, let HBO have access to the director’s archives, which includes his work-in-progress original script and notes. Three years ago Steven Spielberg expressed interest in creating the drama, now he, Darryl Frank and Justin Falvey will serve as executive producers of the project via their Amblin Television banner. The miniseries will be a co-production between HBO and MGM.
“I am sure HBO will take full advantage of the material we have. We have provided [them] with stacks of material,” Harlan said. “I am delighted that Stanley’s huge efforts may finally lead to a film.”
Kubrick worked on the film in the ’60s, researching, writing a script and creating a database of more than 17,000 photographs of various Napoleon-era artifacts. But plans for the project were put to the side.
Fukunaga previously worked with HBO when he directed and executive produced Season 1 of “True Detective,” which won him an Emmy Award for Outstanding Directing for a Drama Series. He’s currently working on a new series for TNT titled “The Alienist.”
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