Two of the most famous Steves in the world are teaming up for an epic undertaking.
Steven Spielberg and Stephen King are partnering with Showtime for the drama series “Under the Dome,” based on King”s sprawling 2009 novel.
The series will be produced by DreamWorks Television, according to Deadline.com. DreamWorks TV”s “United States of Tara” aired on Showtime for 3 seasons, while “The Borgias” is heading into its second season.
In “Under the Dome” a mysterious force field suddenly envelopes a small Maine resort town, cutting its residents off from the rest of the world. Naturally, the locals inevitably reveal the darker sides of their personalities.
No writer has been attached to the project, but King, Justin Falvey and Darryl Frank have been named as executive producers.
A few years ago, Spielberg and King had attempted to adapt King’s 1984 novel “The Talisman” (co-written with Peter Straub) as a feature and, later, a miniseries for TNT. The project never came to light, although rumors persist.
King’s epic “Dark Tower” series was to be given an ambitious multi-media adaptation by Ron Howard, but the plugged was recently pulled on that project. Meanwhile, Warner Bros. is planning a feature adaptation of the author’s novel “It.” The studio is also ramping up an adaptation of his “The Stand,” which will reunite “Harry Potter” director David Yates with screenwriter Steve Kloves. Finally, director Jonathan Demme is set to write and direct “11/22/63,” based on King’s upcoming alternate history of the Kennedy assassination.
Spielberg has two directorial efforts headed to theaters this fall: “The Adventures of Tintin” (produced by Peter Jackson) and “The Warhorse.”