American Crime Story TV show on FX ordered

FX has ordered a new anthology series called American Crime Story. The first season of 10 episodes will revolve around the OJ Simpson case.

Here’s the press release:

FX ORDERS COMPANION TO HIT ANTHOLOGY MINISERIES AMERICAN HORROR STORY “AMERICAN CRIME STORY”

Network Orders 10 Episodes of the First installment of the New ACS Franchise “AMERICAN CRIME STORY: THE PEOPLE V. O.J. SIMPSON”

Written by Scott Alexander & Larry Karaszewski and Directed by Ryan Murphy Based on the Book The Run of His Life: The People v. O.J. Simpson by Jeffrey Toobin

Murphy to Team with Nina Jacobson, Brad Simpson, Brad Falchuk, and Dante Di Loreto on the American Crime Story Franchise Which Will Be Produced by FX Productions and Fox 21

LOS ANGELES, October 7, 2014 – Prolific award-winning producer Ryan Murphy, whose American Horror Story franchise invented the anthology mini-series format, has come up with his next entry: American Crime Story, a companion anthology focused each season on a different true crime story which made headlines and captivated the imagination of the public. The new franchise has been ordered by FX, it was announced today by John Landgraf, CEO, FX Networks and FX Productions.

The first installment, American Crime Story: The People v. O.J. Simpson, is based on the book The Run of His Life: The People v. O.J. Simpson by Jeffrey Toobin. Murphy joins Nina Jacobson and Brad Simpson (The Hunger Games, Diary of a Wimpy Kid) and Brad Falchuk (Glee, American Horror Story, co-created with Murphy) as Executive Producers of American Crime Story: The People v. O.J. Simpson, alongside writers Alexander and Karaszewski. Dante Di Loreto also serves as an Executive Producer, with Murphy set to direct. The first two hours of the mini-series will be written by Golden Globe-winning screenwriters Scott Alexander and Larry Karaszewski (The People vs. Larry Flynt, Ed Wood, Man on the Moon), who are Executive Producers of ‘ACS: O.J.’. Production begins early next year in Los Angeles. It is produced by FXP and Fox 21, the companies that co-produce the long-running hit series Sons of Anarchy for the network.

“Time and time again, Ryan Murphy has transformed the medium of television by redefining genres and formats as he did with Nip/Tuck, Glee and the American Horror Story franchise, and we expect the same of American Crime Story,” said Landgraf. “Scott and Larry have adapted Jeffrey Toobin’s book into a masterful 10-hour piece. I have no doubt that Ryan and his partners, Nina Jacobson, Brad Simpson, Brad Falchuk, and Dante Di Loreto are going to make something very memorable here – and that it will be a spectacular first entry in what is destined to become a series of great true crime-based mini-series.”

“This is an exciting project for me,” commented Murphy, “as I’ve been looking for the right property which could serve as an extension of the American Horror Story brand I love so much. The O.J. case was as tragic as it was fascinating – it seemed like everyone had a stake in the outcome. It was really the beginning of the modern tabloid age.”

“When Ryan has passion for a project, our entire company is energized by his enthusiasm and spectacular talent,” said Fox Television Group Chairmen and CEOs Dana Walden and Gary Newman. “Nothing is more exciting than starting a juicy, new franchise with him, and the team behind-the-scenes is top-notch – a ‘dream team’ that rivals any ever assembled.”

American Crime Story: The People v. O.J. Simpson is a look at the O.J. Simpson trial told from the perspective of the lawyers that explores the chaotic behind-the-scenes dealings and maneuvering on both sides of the court, and how a combination of prosecution confidence, defense wiliness, and the LAPD’s history with the city’s African-American community gave a jury what it needed: reasonable doubt.

Ryan Murphy is the Emmy and Golden Globe award-winning writer/producer and director of the hit series Glee (FOX) and Nip/Tuck (FX) and the mini-series American Horror Story, American Horror Story: Asylum and American Horror Story: Coven. Murphy’s newest installment of the AHS franchise, American Horror Story: Freak Show, premieres tomorrow – Wednesday, October 8 – at 10 PM on FX. In only three years on the air, the AHS franchise has scored a remarkable 51 Emmy Award nominations, and has earned its star Jessica Lange two Emmys, a Screen Actors Guild award and a Golden Globe. Murphy recently won the Emmy Award for Outstanding Made for Television Movie The Normal Heart (HBO), based on Larry Kramer’s award-winning play of the same title about early days of HIV-AIDS crisis in New York City’s gay community in the early 1980s.

Since its inception, Nina Jacobson and Brad Simpson’s Color Force production company has proven to be a hotbed for bringing beloved literary adaptations to the big screen. Nina Jacobson, along with her partner Brad Simpson, have been able to secure valuable partnerships with several favorite pop culture writers, including Suzanne Collins (The Hunger Games trilogy), David Nicholls (One Day) and Jeff Kinney (The Wimpy Kid series). The company is currently developing several best-selling novels including Maria Semple’s Where’d You Go, Bernadette? with Annapurna Pictures, Kevin Kwan’s Crazy Rich Asians and Donna Tartt’s The Goldfinch. In 2014, Color Force signed a first-look feature deal with Fox 2000. Color Force also has a first-look cable television deal with FX Productions. American Crime Story: The People V OJ Simpson will be the first production under this pact. Color Force’s films The Hunger Games and The Hunger Games: Catching Fire have grossed a combined $1.5 billion worldwide. The Hunger Games: Mockingjay – Part 1, the third film in the series, will be released by Lionsgate on November 21, 2014 followed by the final film in the series, The Hunger Games: Mockingjay – Part 2 on November 20, 2015.

Scott Alexander and Larry Karaszewski are Golden Globe Award-winning screenwriters. They redefined the biopic genre with Ed Wood, The People vs. Larry Flynt, Man on the Moon, and the upcoming Christmas Day release Big Eyes.

Murphy is represented by CAA and attorney Craig Emmanuel of Loeb & Loeb LLP.

Jacobson and Simpson are represented by CAA.

Alexander and Karaszewski are represented CAA and attorney Christine Cuddy of Kleinberg, Lange, Cuddy & Carlo LLP.

Falchuk is represented by WME and Gendler & Kelly, APC.

The rights for Jeffrey Toobin’s book, The Run of His Life: The People v. O.J. Simpson, were represented by ICM Partners.

ABOUT FX

FX is the flagship general entertainment basic cable channel of FX Networks, a business unit of Fox Networks Group. FX Networks is comprised of FX, FXM and FXX, its newest channel, which debuted on September 2, 2013. Launched in June of 1994, FX is carried in more than 95 million homes. The diverse schedule features a growing roster of critically-acclaimed and award-winning hit dramas series, including Sons of Anarchy, Justified, The Americans, The Bridge, Tyrant and The Strain; the mini-series American Horror Story; the critically-acclaimed limited series Fargo; acclaimed comedy series including the award-winning Louie, Archer, and Married, and upcoming comedy series The Comedians and Sex&Drugs&Rock&Roll. The network’s library of acquired box-office hit movies is unmatched by any ad-supported television network. FX’s roster of acquired hit series includes Two and a Half Men, Anger Management and Mike & Molly.

ABOUT FOX 21

Fox 21 is a cable production studio housed within Twentieth Century Fox Television devoted to making creatively ambitious scripted series for the cable television market, as well as unscripted shows for both cable and broadcast networks. Fox 21 currently produces the Emmy and Golden Globe winning Homeland starring Claire Danes and Mandy Patinkin, the critically acclaimed smash hit Sons of Anarchy (with FX Productions), Brannon Braga and Adam Simon’s freshman hit Salem, Howard Gordon’s dramatic thriller Tyrant, the animated comedy Brickleberry from Daniel Tosh, Witches of East End starring Julia Ormond and Jenna Dewan Tatum, Rush from Jonathan Levine and Legends from Howard Gordon and Jonathan Levin. The studio is also developing the drama series The Bastard Executioner (with FX productions) from Kurt Sutter and Imagine TV’s Brian Grazer.

ABOUT FX PRODUCTIONS

FX Productions (FXP) produces FX’s newest acclaimed hit drama series The Strain; the comedy series It’s Always Sunny in Philadelphia, The League, Louie, Archer, Married and You’re the Worst; and the upcoming comedies Man Seeking Woman (Jan. 2015) and The Untitled Tracy Morgan Project (TBD). FXP co-produces the drama series Sons of Anarchy, Justified, The Americans, The Bridge and Tyrant; the mini-series Fargo, which scored 18 Emmy(R) Award nominations and won the Emmy award for Outstanding mini-series; and the upcoming comedy Sex&Drugs&Rock&Roll. In 2014, FXP shows combined to deliver 28 Emmy Award nominations including Outstanding Comedy Series, Outstanding Mini-series, and Outstanding Animated Program.