Production on HBO’s upcoming miniseries Lewis and Clark, starring Casey Affleck and Matthias Schoenaerts, had to be put on pause after multiple factors came to a head. Internal conflict and weather-related problems have caused a “rough shoot,” according to Deadline. With conflicts internal, and external, the break sounds like a Hollywood twist on the actual 1804-1806 expedition on which the six-hour series is based.
The production hiatus is only temporary, but the network currently has two major players to replace before it can move forward. “For creative reasons, director John Curran and director of photography Rob Hardy will be leaving the production,” said HBO in a statement. “We will be bringing on a new director, and we plan to resume filming as soon as possible.” In addition, extreme weather conditions forced complications to the production, according to Deadline’s sources.
Like the show, the famous real-life expedition had its fair share of challenges as Meriwether Lewis and William Clark embarked on perhaps the greatest discovery mission in American history, under orders from President Thomas Jefferson. Not only was there dissent between its leaders and the crew at times, skirmishes with local Native American tribes and hazardous weather were also constant realities of the journey. In comparison, the production roadblocks are, of course, quite minor. If the famed explorers could make it from the Mississippi River to the Pacific Ocean and back, surely HBO can complete a miniseries about it.
Lewis and Clark comes from an all-star group that includes Tom Hanks, Brad Pitt, and Edward Norton as executive producers. They’re joined by Gary Goetzman, Dede Gardner, Tim Kelly, and Adam Leipzig, who are also serving as executive producers. Michelle Ashford, Curran, and Edward Norton are the project’s writers, and the series is based on Stephen E. Ambrose’s book Undaunted Courage.
HBO hasn’t announced a timeline yet for when production will resume, but hopefully the delay will be minimal.
