Variety reports:
NBC has greenlit production on “Kings,” an modern retelling of the King David story penned by Michael Green (“Heroes”) and directed by Francis Lawrence (“I Am Legend“). . . .
“It’s a really great hook and an incredible mythic story,” Silverman told Daily Variety, adding that the script was “brilliantly written.” People familiar with the script said “Kings” could work well as a companion to “Heroes.” . . .
“Kings” will be set in a modern city that’s a sort of meta-New York City (think Gotham City, but not as dark). City will the the center of a kingdom financed by a wealthy entrepreneur who’s benefited from the constant state of war in the kingdom.
First season plot will have a young solider catapulting to fame via a heroic act that pits him as a David vs. a much stronger Goliath. He’ll ultimately end up running the kingdom.
“For me, it’s a chance to do a contemporary retelling of a story that’s very part of our cultural DNA, and that’s hopefully netiher red state nor blue state,” Green said.
He said that the pilot also has elements of “new blood taking over for old power,” with his hero having elements of a young Bill Clinton or JFK.
“Somewhere in the back of my head, this has a little bit to do with the upcoming election,” Green added. . . .
NBC, incidentally, is owned by the same corporation that owns Universal Studios. And Universal is the studio that recently hired Babylon 5 creator J. Michael Straczynski to write a big-screen epic about the biblical David. Opportunities for synergy, anyone?
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