HBO has given showrunner David Milch the green light to make a new film that continues the story from its 2004 western TV series Deadwood. After months of rumors, HBO programming chief Michael Lombardo told TVLine that he signed off on the project after a conversation with Milch.
“David has our commitment that we are going to do it,” Lombardo said. “He pitched what he thought generally the storyline would be — and knowing David, that could change. But it’s going to happen.”
The cult classic, which only lasted three seasons, was a gritty portrait of the people and politics in a lawless South Dakota town during the late nineteenth century. Though it didn’t last long, the critically acclaimed series won prestige for HBO and elevated the careers of its many stars, including Timothy Olyphant and incoming Game of Thrones player Ian McShane. When asked how the network planned to corral the many stars needed to bring the series back to life, Lombardo said he would “leave that in David’s hands.”
“Some casts and creators form a bond that becomes relevant for the rest of their lives,” he said. “This was a defining moment for a lot of them.”
Milch himself has moved on to new things, and Lombardo said that the Deadwood movie would not move forward until the showrunner completes his current project. Could he still be working on that 2011 adaptation of Heavy Rain? (Probably not.)
In other words, don’t get too excited yet. Even though it’s more than a pipe dream, there are about a million things that could go wrong. Still, Lombardo, at least, seems to have faith that we’ll come back around to Deadwood sooner or later.
“I’ve known him for a while and it feels like it’s something he’s not done talking about,” Lombardo said.
