A new television show based on a classic book is no longer moving forward at Apple TV. Back in April, the streaming platform announced plans to develop a fresh adaptation of the famous Tom Wolfe novel, The Bonfire of the Vanities. The ambitious project brought together big names like television creator David E. Kelley and film director Matt Reeves. Now, the tech brand has decided to pass on the drama series, leaving the production team to search for a new home.
Warner Bros will shop the drama series to other networks
Even though Apple walked away from the development deal, the show is not completely dead. The studio behind the series, Warner Bros. Television, plans to take the project to other buyers soon. It will work with David E. Kelley Productions to pitch the script to new platforms.
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The original story follows a wealthy Wall Street bond trader named Sherman McCoy. His privileged life falls apart after he takes a wrong turn into the Bronx. His frightened mistress takes the steering wheel and runs over a Black man who approaches the car.
Adapting this 1987 novel has proven difficult in the past. A movie version came out in 1990 directed by Brian De Palma. It starred famous actors like Tom Hanks and Bruce Willis, but it ended up failing at the box office and with critics. Fans of the book hoped a longer format series on the Apple TV app would finally get the complex story right.
Since the studio is already shopping the idea around, viewers might still get to see this new take on the classic novel. The creative team has a strong history of making hit shows, making it highly possible that a rival network will step in to fund the production. Until a new deal is officially signed, the project remains paused.
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