Oscar-winning producer-writer-director Oliver Stone and Bruce Wagner, who previously collaborated on miniseries "Wild Palms," have signed a TV development deal with Epix.
The first project under the deal, announced Friday, is the hourlong scripted dramatic series “Still Holding,” based on Wagner’s novel of the same name.
Set in Los Angeles, "Holding" explores the colliding worlds of three people. Stone and Wagner are executive producers.
Epix, a joint venture between Viacom, Paramount Pictures, MGM and Lionsgate, is a premium entertainment channel, video-on-demand and online service that launched last fall.
Stone joins a list of name talent working with Epix that includes T Bone Burnett, Sam Shepherd and Lucas Black, who are working on one-hour drama "Tough Trade." Also, Emmy winner Larry Charles and Media Rights Capital are behind half-hour single-camera comedy "iCon," a satire centered on a technology tycoon with a massive ego.
Stone said in a statement, "I’m interested in the possibilities in television. When a company like Epix comes along, it’s a chance to break new ground. They want to make their mark. They want to entertain and provoke; they don’t want their drama or comedy watered down. The team at Epix showed early on they could provide the supportive environment and creative freedom necessary to recognize the vision Bruce and I have for ‘Still Holding.’ EPIX has the two vital organs that are essential to all human endeavors: guts and heart."
Mark Greenberg, president and CEO of Epix, said in a statement: “Epix offers a unique canvas for talent to fully realize their creative vision across multiple screens on television and online. We’re thrilled that filmmakers and writers have flocked to our network with bold, daring concepts — they truly get what we’re trying to do.”
