Vince Gilligan, Octavia Spencer to Team on Jonestown Series

HBO is assembling an all-star team to tackle a limited series about the Jonestown massacre.

“Raven” will be written by Vince Gilligan and directed by Michelle Maclaren and is based on “Raven: The Untold Story of Jim Jones and His People,” written by Tim Reiterman. The author was a journalist who survived the events in Guyana in 1978 during which 918 people died.

Gilligan and MacLaren will also executive produce the series, along with Octavia Spencer. Spencer originally secured the rights to the book along with co-producer Reilly Smith.

Also Read: HBO Releases New Trailer for Controversial 'Westworld' (Video)

The adaptation will focus on the infamous cult leader Jim Jones, but also on his followers, who, by and large, were ordinary people of good will. It tells the mysterious story of how so many of them came to give up their lives for this man.

Gilligan and MacLaren are reuniting for the first time on the Sony Pictures Television project since “Breaking Bad.” Gilligan went on to create prequel “Better Call Saul” and MacLaren was recently announced as the director of the big screen adaptation of Kristin Hannah’s “The Nightingale.”

Also Read: 'Game of Thrones' Star Maisie Williams Has Read Season 7 Scripts: 'S-- Gets Real'

Spencer won an Oscar for Best Supporting Actress for “The Help” and will soon be seen in “Hidden Figures.” She most recently starred in the “Divergent” franchise. She is represented by WME.

138 Fall TV Shows: Every New and Returning Series (Photos)

Find out when the most hotly anticipated new shows and your old favorites return. We'll keep updating this gallery as more Fall 2016 premiere dates are announced.
Thursday, Sept. 8 at 9:00 p.m.
“Finding Prince Charming” (Logo)
Logo
Thursday, Sept. 8 at 10:00 p.m.
“Better Things” (FX)
FX
Friday, Sept. 9
“One Mississippi” (Amazon)
Amazon
Friday, Sept. 9 at 10:00 p.m.
“Quarry” (Cinemax)
Cinemax
Sunday, Sept. 11 at 8:00 p.m.
“The Circus” (Showtime)
Showtime
Sunday, Sept. 11 at 10:00 p.m.
“Indian Summers” (PBS)
PBS
Sunday, Sept. 11 at 10:00 p.m.
“Masters of Sex” (Showtime)
Showtime
Monday, Sept. 12 at 8:00 p.m.
"Dancing With the Stars" (ABC)
ABC
Wednesday, Sept. 14 at 10:00 p.m.
"Blindspot" (NBC)
NBC
Wednesday, Sept. 14 at 10:00 p.m.
“American Horror Story” (FX)
FX
Wednesday, Sept. 14 at 10:00 p.m.
“Documentary Now!” (IFC)
IFC
Wednesday, Sept. 14 at 10:00 p.m.
“South Park” (Comedy Central)
Comedy Central
Wednesday, Sept. 14 at 10:30 p.m.
“Legends of Chamberlain Heights” (Comedy Central)
Comedy Central
Thursday, Sept. 15 at 9:00 p.m.
“Project Runway” (Lifetime)
Lifetime
Friday, Sept. 16
“Fleabag” (Amazon)
Amazon
Friday, Sept. 16 at 8:00 p.m.
“Z Nation” (Syfy)
Syfy
Friday, Sept. 16 at 11:00 p.m.
“High Maintenance” (HBO)
HBO
Sunday, Sept. 18 at 8:30 p.m.
“The Case Of: JonBenet Ramsey” (CBS)
CBS
Monday, Sept. 19 at 8:00 p.m.
"The Big Bang Theory" (CBS)
CBS
Monday, Sept. 19 at 8:00 p.m.
"The Voice" (NBC)
NBC
Monday, Sept. 19 at 8:00 p.m.
Gotham" (Fox)
Fox
Monday, Sept. 19 8:30 p.m.
"Kevin Can Wait" (CBS)
CBS
Monday, Sept. 19 9:00 p.m.
"Lucifer" (Fox)
Fox
Monday, Sept. 19 10:00 p.m.
"The Good Place" (NBC)
NBC
Tuesday, Sept. 20 at 8:00 p.m.
"NCIS" (CBS)
CBS
Tuesday, Sept. 20 at 8:00 p.m.
"Brooklyn Nine-Nine" (Fox)
Fox
Tuesday, Sept. 20 at 8:30 p.m.
"New Girl" (Fox)
Fox
Tuesday, Sept. 20 at 9:00 p.m.
"Bull" (CBS)
CBS
Tuesday, Sept. 20 at 9:00 p.m.
"Scream Queens" (Fox)
Fox
Tuesday, Sept. 20 at 10:00 p.m.
"NCIS: New Orleans" (CBS)
CBS
Tuesday, Sept. 20 at 10:00 p.m.
"This Is Us" (NBC)
NBC
Tuesday, Sept. 20 at 10:00 p.m.
"Marvel's Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D." (ABC)
ABC
Wednesday, Sept. 21 at 8:00 p.m.
"Survivor" (CBS)
CBS
Wednesday, Sept. 21 at 8:00 p.m.
"Lethal Weapon" (Fox)
Fox
Wednesday, Sept. 21 at 8:00 p.m.
"The Goldbergs" (ABC)
ABC
Wednesday, Sept. 21 at 8:30 p.m.
"Speechless" (ABC)
ABC
Wednesday, Sept. 21 at 9:00 p.m.
"Law & Order: SVU" (NBC)
NBC
Wednesday, Sept. 21 at 9:00 p.m.
"Empire" (Fox)
Fox
Wednesday, Sept. 21 at 9:00 p.m.
"Modern Family" (ABC)
ABC
Wednesday, Sept. 21 at 9:30 p.m.
"black-ish" (ABC)
ABC
Wednesday, Sept. 21 at 10:00 p.m.
"Chicago P.D." (NBC)
NBC
Wednesday, Sept. 21 at 10:00 p.m.
"Designated Survivor" (ABC)
ABC
Thursday, Sept. 22
“Easy” (Netflix)
Netflix
Thursday, Sept. 22 at 8:00 p.m.
"Superstore" (NBC)
NBC
Thursday, Sept. 22 at 8:00 p.m.
"Rosewood" (Fox)
Fox
Thursday, Sept. 22 at 8:00 p.m.
"Grey's Anatomy" (ABC)
ABC
Thursday, Sept. 22 at 9:00 p.m.
"Chicago Med" (NBC)
NBC
Thursday, Sept. 22 at 9:00 p.m.
"Pitch" (Fox)
Fox
Thursday, Sept. 22 at 9:00 p.m.
"Notorious" (ABC)
ABC
Thursday, Sept. 22 at 10:00 p.m.
"The Blacklist" (NBC)
NBC
Thursday, Sept. 22 at 10:00 p.m.
"How to Get Away With Murder" (ABC)
ABC
Friday, Sept. 23
“Longmire” (Netflix)
Netflix
Friday, Sept. 23
“Transparent” (Amazon)
Amazon
Friday, Sept. 23 at 10:00 p.m.
“Van Helsing” (Syfy)
Syfy
Friday, Sept. 23 at 8:00 p.m.
"MacGyver" (CBS)
CBS
Friday, Sept. 23 at 8:00 p.m.
"Caught on Camera With Nick Cannon" (NBC)
NBC
Friday, Sept. 23 at 8:00 p.m.
"Hell's Kitchen" (Fox)
Fox
Friday, Sept. 23 at 8:00 p.m.
"Last Man Standing" (ABC)
ABC
Friday, Sept. 23 at 8:30 p.m.
"Dr. Ken" (ABC)
ABC
Friday, Sept. 23 at 9:00 p.m.
"Hawaii Five-0" (CBS)
CBS
Friday, Sept. 23 at 9:00 p.m.
"The Exorcist" (Fox)
Fox
Friday, Sept. 23 at 9:00 p.m.
"Shark Tank" (ABC)
ABC
Friday, Sept. 23 at 10:00 p.m.
"Blue Bloods" (CBS)
CBS
Sunday, Sept. 25 at 7:30 p.m.
"Bob's Burgers" (Fox)
Fox
Sunday, Sept. 25 at 8:00 p.m.
“Poldark” (PBS)
PBS
Sunday, Sept. 25 at 8:00 p.m.
"The Simpsons" (Fox)
Fox
Sunday, Sept. 25 at 8:00 p.m.
"Once Upon a Time" (ABC)
ABC
Sunday, Sept. 25 at 8:30 p.m.
"Son of Zorn" (Fox)
Fox
Sunday, Sept. 25 at 9:00 p.m.
"Family Guy" (Fox)
Fox
Sunday, Sept. 25 at 9:00 p.m.
"Secrets and Lies" (ABC)
ABC
Sunday, Sept 25 at 9:30 p.m.
"The Last Man on Earth" (Fox)
Fox
Sunday, Sept. 25 at 10:00 p.m.
"Quantico" (ABC)
ABC
Tuesday, Sept. 27 at 9:00 p.m.
“Channel Zero” (Syfy)
Syfy
Tuesday, Sept. 27 at 10:00 p.m.
“Aftermath” (Syfy)
Syfy
Tuesday, Sept. 27 at 10:00 p.m.
“Drunk History” (Comedy Central)
Comedy Central
Wednesday, Sept. 28 at 9:00 p.m.
"Criminal Minds" (CBS)
CBS
Wednesday, Sept. 28 at 10:00 p.m. ET/7:00 p.m. PT
“Big Brother: Over the Top” (CBS All Access)
CBS
Wednesday, Sept. 28 at 10:00 p.m.
"Code Black" (CBS)
CBS
Wednesday, Sept. 28 at 10:00 p.m.
“Younger” (TV Land)
TV Land
Wednesday, Sept. 28 at 10:30 p.m.
“Impastor” (TV Land)
TV Land
Friday, Sept. 30
“Crisis in Six Scenes” (Amazon)
Amazon
Friday, Sept. 30
“Marvel’s Luke Cage” (Netflix)
Netflix
Saturday, Oct. 1 at 10:00 p.m.
“Versailles” (Ovation)
Ovation
Sunday, Oct. 2 at 8:00 p.m.
“Ash vs. Evil Dead” (Starz)
Starz
Sunday, Oct. 2 at 8:35 p.m.
“Blunt Talk” (Starz)
Starz
Sunday, Oct. 2 at 9:00 p.m.
“Shameless” (Showtime)
Showtime
Sunday, Oct. 2 at 9:00 p.m.
“Westworld” (HBO)
HBO
Sunday, Oct. 2 at 8:00 p.m.
"NCIS: Los Angeles" (CBS)
CBS
Sunday, Oct. 2 at 9:00 p.m.
"Madam Secretary" (CBS)
CBS
Sunday, Oct. 2 at 10:00 p.m.
"Elementary" (CBS)
CBS
Monday, Oct. 3 at 9:00 p.m.
"Scorpion" (CBS)
CBS
Monday, Oct. 3 at 10:00 p.m.
"Timeless" (NBC)
NBC
Monday, Oct. 3 at 10:00 p.m.
"Conviction" (ABC)
ABC
Tuesday, Oct. 4
“The Mindy Project” (Hulu)
Hulu
Tuesday, Oct. 4 at 8:00 p.m.
"The Flash" (CW)
CW
Tuesday, Oct. 4 at 9:00 p.m.
"No Tomorrow" (CW)
CW
Wednesday, Oct. 5 at 8:00 p.m.
"Arrow" (CW)
CW
Wednesday, Oct. 5 at 9:00 p.m.
"Frequency" (CW)
CW
Thursday, Oct. 7
“The Ranch” (Netflix)
Netflix
Sunday, Oct. 9 at 10:00 p.m.
“Divorce” (HBO)
HBO
Sunday, Oct. 9 at 10:30 p.m.
“Insecure” (HBO)
HBO
Monday, Oct. 10 at 8:00 p.m.
"Supergirl" (CW)
CW
Monday, Oct. 10 at 9:00 p.m.
"2 Broke Girls" (CBS)
CBS
Tuesday, Oct. 11 at 8:00 p.m.
“Ben & Lauren: Happily Ever After?” (Freeform)
Freeform
Tuesday, Oct. 11 at 8:00 p.m.
"The Middle" (ABC)
ABC
Tuesday, Oct. 11 at 8:30 p.m.
"American Housewife" (ABC)
ABC
Tuesday, Oct. 11 at 9:00 p.m.
“The Letter” (Freeform)
Freeform
Tuesday, Oct. 11 at 9:00 p.m.
"Fresh off the Boat" (ABC)
ABC
Tuesday, Oct. 11 at 9:30 p.m.
"The Real O'Neals" (ABC)
ABC
Tuesday, Oct. 11 at 10:00 p.m.
"Chicago Fire" (NBC)
NBC
Thursday, Oct. 13 at 8:00 p.m.
"DC's Legends of Tomorrow" (CW)
CW
Thursday, Oct. 13 at 9:00 p.m.
"Supernatural" (CW)
CW
Thursday, Oct. 13 at 10:00 p.m.
“Falling Water” (USA)
USA
Friday, Oct. 14
“Goliath” (Amazon)
Amazon
Friday, Oct. 14
“Haters Back Off” (Netflix)
Netflix
Friday, Oct. 14 at 10:00 p.m.
“Wolf Creek” (Pop)
Pop
Sunday, Oct. 16 at 8:00 p.m.
“The Durrells in Corfu” (PBS)
PBS
Sunday, Oct. 16 at 9:00 p.m.
“Berlin Station” (Epix)
Epix
Sunday, Oct. 16 at 10:00 p.m.
“Graves” (Epix)
Epix
Sunday, Oct. 16 at 10:00 p.m.
“Eyewitness” (USA)
USA
Monday, Oct. 17 at 9:00 p.m.
"Jane the Virgin" (CW)
CW
Monday, Oct. 17 at 9:30 p.m.
"The Odd Couple" (CBS)
CBS
Wednesday, Oct. 19
“Chance” (Hulu)
Hulu
Friday, Oct. 21
“Black Mirror” (Netflix)
Netflix
Friday, Oct. 21 at 8:00 p.m.
"The Vampire Diaries" (CW)
CW
Friday, Oct. 21 at 9:00 p.m.
"Crazy Ex-Girlfriend" (CW)
CW
Saturday, Oct. 22 at 9:00 p.m.
“Dirk Gently’s Holistic Detective Agency” (BBC America)
BBC America
Sunday, Oct. 23 at 9:00 p.m.
“The Walking Dead” (AMC)
AMC
Sunday, Oct. 23 at 10:00 p.m.
“Talking Dead” (AMC)
AMC
Monday, Oct. 24 at 8:30 p.m.
"Man With a Plan" (CBS)
CBS
Thursday, Oct. 27 at 8:30 p.m.
"The Great Indoors" (CBS)
CBS
Thursday, Oct. 27 at 9:00 p.m.
"Mom" (CBS)
CBS
Thursday, Oct. 27 at 9:30 p.m.
"Life in Pieces" (CBS)
CBS
Thursday, Oct. 27 at 10:00 p.m.
"Pure Genius" (CBS)
CBS
Friday, Oct. 28
“Good Girls Revolt” (Amazon)
Amazon
Friday, Oct. 28 at 11:00 p.m.
“Comedy Bang! Bang!” (IFC)
IFC
Friday, Oct. 28 at 11:00 p.m.
“Tracey Ullman’s Show” (HBO)
BBC
Monday, Oct. 31 at 9:00 p.m.
“People of Earth” (TBS)
TBS

1 of 139

From returning favorites like “Empire” to highly anticipated debuts such as “This Is Us,” TheWrap’s guide to Fall 2016 premiere dates

Find out when the most hotly anticipated new shows and your old favorites return. We'll keep updating this gallery as more Fall 2016 premiere dates are announced.

View In Gallery

138 Fall TV Shows: Every New and Returning Series (Photos)

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