Netflix said, American Primeval, a limited drama set to star Taylor Kitsch and from exec producers Peter Berg (Friday Night Lights) and Eric Newman (Narcos) has received a six-episode, straight-to-series order for the streaming service. Kitsch (Friday Night Lights, The Terminal List, Waco, and upcoming Netflix limited series Painkiller, set to debut in 2023), will play Isaac, a traumatized man struggling to overcome his demons and find a reason to live in this brutal and punishing world.
American Primeval is a raw, adventurous exploration of the birth of the American West. The violent collisions of cultures, religions and communities as men and women fight and die for control of this new world – for a land they truly believe is their destiny. The ensemble tells a story of the sacrifice all must pay when they choose to enter a lawless and untamed wilderness.
Taylor Kitsch / American Primeval Cast Announcement Photo. Cr. Eric Ray Davidson
Berg will direct all episodes and executive produce as the first project under his first look deal with Netflix; Newman will executive produce under his overall deal with Netflix, and Mark L. Smith will write all episodes and serve as executive producer.
Berg has pulled in Mark L. Smith (The Midnight Sky, The Revenant, Overlord) as a writer and an executive producer on the project. Berg said he can’t not wait to to begin working with the streaming service and explore Isaac’s journey.
“We are very appreciative that Netflix is trusting us to take a big swing with American Primeval. I’m looking forward to taking viewers into the most dynamic, intense, and heart pounding survival tale humanly possible,” said Berg. “We are going into the belly of the beast. Cheers to Ted, Bela, Peter and the entire Netflix team for the support!”
Peter Friedlander, Vice President of Scripted Series, US and Canada, Netflix said that this show is the first of it’s kind for the service, adding “American Primeval is a portrait of the American West unlike any other – raw, thrilling, action-driven and brought to life by a tapestry of emotionally compelling characters led by the talented Taylor Kitsch,” said Friedlander. “We’re excited to explore new depths of this genre as we grow our creative partnership with the extraordinary Pete Berg at the helm backed by the deft storytelling vision from Eric Newman and Mark L. Smith.”
More details set to come in the coming weeks.
About Film 44
Founded and led by acclaimed multi-hyphenate writer-director-producer-actor Pete Berg, Film 44 is a scripted entertainment production company dedicated to developing and producing a diverse slate of powerful scripted entertainment across film and television, bringing engaging, gritty, and thought-provoking material to global audiences, while also mentoring and giving voice to the underrepresented. Berg’s work across film and television showcase his signature style of multi-dimensional characters, captivating settings and layered plotlines. The company is currently in post-production on the Netflix drama series, PAINKILLER, directed and executive produced by Berg and starring Uzo Aduba, Matthew Broderick, Taylor Kitsch and West Duchovny set to release in 2023.
Under the same ethos, Berg co-founded unscripted entertainment production company, Film 45, and commercial production company, Film 47, allowing him to work seamlessly and successfully across all content platforms. Upcoming for Film 45, Berg is gearing up for the January 6 premiere of his Showtime docuseries, BOYS IN BLUE, which follows four police officers and coaches of a Minneapolis high school football team in the aftermath of the murder of George Floyd, followed by the 2023 release of his feature documentary about global music sensation Rihanna for Amazon Studios.
About Eric Newman
Showrunner, writer, and executive producer Eric Newman is a film and television veteran whose film productions include Academy Award-nominated CHILDREN OF MEN, Zack Snyder’s reimagining of DAWN OF THE DEAD, THE LAST EXORCISM, and BRIGHT. After twenty-plus years in the movie industry, Newman transitioned into television in 2013 as an executive producer on Netflix’s HEMLOCK GROVE. In 2015, his curiosity about the international drug trade led him to conceive, develop, and executive produce his passion project, NARCOS. The show debuted to massive success and in addition to EP, Newman also became writer and showrunner of the series. He also served as executive producer and showrunner of seasons 1 and 2 of the spinoff series NARCOS: MEXICO. In 2017 he made a home at Netflix with overall deals in both film and television. There, in addition to NARCOS, he served as executive producer of the hit action movie PROJECT POWER, the thriller series TRUE STORY starring Kevin Hart, and the sci-fi film SPIDERHEAD, based on the George Saunders short story, adapted, and directed by Joseph Kosinski. Most recently, Newman executive produced the Ryan Murphy and Ian Brennan Netflix series, THE WATCHER. Upcoming, Newman will produce the Zack Snyder sci-fi film REBEL MOON. Additionally, on the TV side, Newman will produce the Netflix limited series PAINKILLER, about the opioid crisis, with Peter Berg directing, and GRISELDA, inspired by the true story of Griselda Blanco.
Monica has a BA in Journalism and English from the University of Massachusetts and an MS in Journalism and Communications from Quinnipiac University. Monica has worked as a journalist for over 20 years covering all things entertainment. She has covered everything from San Diego Comic-Con, The SAG Awards, Academy Awards, and more. Monica has been published in Variety, Swagger Magazine, Emmy Magazine, CNN, AP, Hidden Remote, and more. For the past 10 years, she has added PR and marketing to her list of talents as the president of Prime Entertainment Publicity, LLC. Monica is ready for anything and is proudly obsessed with pop culture.
