‘Talented Mr. Ripley’ TV Series In The Works From Steve Zaillian
Writer and directorSteve Zaillianis returning to TV for aTalented Mr. RipleyTV series. The series will be inspired by the sociopathic social climber from Patricia Highsmith’s novels, and while the Ripley show hasn’t found a home yet, several networks are clamoring to get their hands on it. This will be the latest screen adaptation of Highsmith’s character, who has been featured in several films – most notably Anthony Minghella’s 1999 adaptation,The Talented Mr. Ripley.
Deadlinereports that a new Tom Ripley TV series from Steve Zaillian is considered a “hot package” right now, so expect some big network to snap it up soon. Zaillian is using Patricia Highsmith’s five Ripley novels – The Talented Mrs. Ripley, Ripley Under Ground, Ripley’s Game, The Boy Who Followed Ripley and Ripley Underwater – as the basis for the show.
Highsmith’s books have already inspired several adaptations.The Talented Mr. Ripleywas first adapted as the 1960 French filmPurple Noon.Ripley’s Gameserved as the inspiration for the 1977 movieThe American Friend, starring Dennis Hopper. In 1999,The Talented Mr. Ripleygot the adaptation treatment again, with Matt Damon in the lead role.Ripley Under Groundwas adapted in 2005, starring Barry Pepper. AndRipley’s Gamecame to the screen yet again in 2002, starring John Malkovich. Here’s the synopsis for the first in the series:
Tom Ripley, a young striver, is newly arrived in the heady world of Manhattan. A product of a broken home, branded a “sissy” by his dismissive Aunt Dottie, Ripley meets a wealthy industrialist who hires him to bring his playboy son, Dickie Greenleaf, back from gallivanting in Italy. Soon Ripley’s fascination with Dickie’s debonair lifestyle turns obsessive as he finds himself enraged by Dickie’s ambivalent affections for Marge, a charming American dilettante.
There’s certainly enough material in Highsmith’s books to form a TV series. And TV shows about sociopaths can often work out well – look atThe Sopranos,Breaking BadorHannibal. Zaillian is also a strong writer, with credits on the firstMission: Impossiblemovie,Gangs of New York, David Fincher’sGirl With the Dragon Tattoo,Moneyballand more. He also wrote and directed the HBO seriesThe Night Of. The quality of the show will likely rely heavily on where it ends up. If this is some sort of network series, I could see it easily falling apart. But if someone like Netflix, Amazon or HBO gets ahold of it, the results should be worth watching.
