It’s been four years since that divisive cut-to-black ending of HBO’s iconic drama The Sopranos, and since then James Gandolfini has largely concentrated on his film career. But he’s returned to the channel from time to time to produce documentaries and appear in at least one TV movie (Cinema Verite). Plus, his production company Attaboy Films has had a deal there to develop other possible shows for him, and while none have so far come to fruition, he’s trying again, grabbing the rights to Nicholas Johnson’s memoir Big Dead Place.
No, it’s not about a quiet spot for mobsters to bury corpses. This actually chronicles Johnson’s time working for the US Antarctic Program at McMurdo Station. As you might imagine, it takes a special type of person to willingly head out to one of the last untamed frontiers in the world and the series will take a darkly comic look at the madness, fear and loathing that develops between those who work at the frozen outpost. If the concept makes it to the channel, Gandolfini plans to take one of the starring roles.
Sounds like an intriguing concept (think The Thing without the marauding, shape shifting alien) and Gandolfini’s recruited a solid writer to work on the initial script, too, in the shape of Breaking Bad producer Peter Gould. We’ll have to wait and see if this one makes it to screens.
Meanwhile, Gandolfini has plenty of films waiting in the wings: he’ll crop up in assassin drama Violet & Daisy, Oscar bait novel adaptation Extremely Loud and Incredibly Close, music pic Twylight Zones (which sees him reunite with his old Sopranos boss, David Chase) and Brad Pitt mob crime thriller Cogan’s Trade.