Fifth Season is developing an unscripted TV adaption of Bill O’Reilly’s upcoming novel, “Confronting Evil: Assessing the Worst of the Worst,” TheWrap can exclusively reveal.
The production studio, which recently produced Hulu’s “McCartney 3, 2, 1” and HBO’s “Being Mary Tyler Moore,” is in the process of adapting the book, which was written by O’Reilly and Josh Hammer, into a new unscripted series.
The book, which is slated to publish on Sept. 9, is billed as an examination of 12 evil individuals and groups from across recorded history, including Genghis Khan, Roman emperor Caligula, Henry VIII, 19th century slave traders, Hitler and Stalin, among others.
By exploring how and why the warlords, tyrants, businessmen and criminals facilitated death and misery, “Confronting Evil” explains the struggle between good and evil, and the consequences of human inaction and indifference in the face of evil, per the official logline.
The adaptation series series extends the relationship between O’Reilly and Mary Lisio, Fifth Season’s EVP of nonscripted development and production, who previously executive produced three adaptations of O’Reilly’s books.
“Bill is one of the most accomplished historical nonfiction authors in the world, and ‘Confronting Evil’ is a gripping entry in his extensive body of work,” Lisio said in a statement. “Having worked with him several times before, I know how well his material translates to the screen. I look forward to bringing this newest project to wide audiences, who I know will find it as engaging as it is informative.”
O’Reilly is best known for penning his nonfiction “Killing” series, which has resulting in multiple screen adaptations, including “Killing Jesus,” which scored an Emmy nomination for Outstanding Television Movie in 2015, as well as “Killing Kennedy,” which was nominated in the same category in 2014.
Beyond anchoring “The O’Reilly Factor” and serving as a national correspondent for CBS News and ABC News, O’Reilly helms radio show “The O’Reilly Update,” on which Hammer serves as a writer and a producer. He’s also a regular contributor to NewsNation.
“Confronting Evil” will join Fifth Season’s unscripted slate, which includes an untitled Earth, Wind & Fire documentary directed by Ahmir “Questlove” Thompson, as well as “McCartney 3, 2, 1,” “Being Mary Tyler Moore,” “Superpower,” “Folktales,” “Kiss the Future,” “Omnivore” and “Going Varsity in Mariachi.”
