Netflix has given a straight-to-series order to an adaptation of Larry McMurtry’s acclaimed Western novel “Lonesome Dove” from Zoe Kazan and Jeb Stuart.
The streamer won the project in a competition situation from Teton Ridge Entertainment, which acquired the rights to “Lonesome Dove” and tapped Kazan and Stuart to develop the series.
Kazan and Stuart will re-team as co-showrunners for “Lonesome Dove” after serving as co-showrunners for Netflix’s “East of Eden” adaptation, which will debut Oct. 1 on the streamer.
Based on the first novel in the “Lonesome Dove” series, the TV adaptation will follow Gus McCrae and Woodrow Call as they renew their spirit of adventure as they face an uncertain future, embarking on one final, perilous cattle drive from the Rio Grande to the untamed wilderness of Montana in pursuit of a dream that they have perhaps already outlived.
“These two former Texas Rangers lead an unforgettable cast of characters across the American west in this sweeping odyssey defined by unrequited longing, unbreakable friendship, brutal frontier justice, and an unwavering pursuit of a meaningful life,” the official logline reads.
Kazan and Stuart will serve as co-showrunners, writers and executive producers, with additional EPs include Thomas Tull, Jillian Share and Jen Gorton of Teton Ridge Entertainment as well as Jon Jashni, Diana Ossana, Curtis McMurtry of the McMurtry Estate.
After the book’s 1985 publishing, “Lonesome Dove” was adapted into four-episode CBS series starring Robert Duvall, Tommy Lee Jones, Danny Glover, Diane Lane and Anjelica Huston.
“After our singular experience on ‘East of Eden,’ we are thrilled to be teaming with Netflix again, along with Teton Ridge Entertainment, to bring Larry McMurtry’s western classic to life,” Kazan and Stuart said in a statement. “We come to this material with love and respect, and can’t wait to hit the trail with Gus and Call and the rest of these beloved characters. Yee-haw.”
“‘Lonesome Dove’ is one of the great American stories, and there was no question we wanted to follow Zoe and Jeb wherever they went next,” said Jinny Howe, Netflix head of scripted series for the U.S. and Canada. “After ‘East of Eden,’ we know exactly what they’re capable of — the depth of character, the sweep of place, the emotional precision. This material deserves that level of care. In their hands, it’s going to be something extraordinary. We’re excited to partner with Teton Ridge to bring this legendary story to life.”
“‘Lonesome Dove’ is the kind of story that only comes along once in a generation. Its characters, scope and deeply human portrait of the American West have made it an enduring classic, and we see an extraordinary opportunity to bring Larry McMurtry’s world to a new generation of audiences,” Teton Ridge Entertainment president Jillian Share. “We’re thrilled to partner with Netflix and for Zoe and Jeb to reimagine this landmark story while preserving the heart and spirit that have made ‘Lonesome Dove’ so beloved.”
