Deadwood has officially started production and the synopsis has been released. Plans for a movie have stalled and been canceled many times over the years, but everything is finally moving forward, which should be very exciting news for fans of the HBO series. The western TV show, which aired from 2004 to 2006 was created by David Milch. The original series was known for its salty language and intense violence, and fans were devastated when it was cancelled. Now, 12 years after being canceled, the Deadwood movie is finally filming.
In addition to announcing that filming on the Deadwood movie is currently underway, HBO revealed the official synopsis for the film. W. Earl Brown, who played Dan Dority on the show, read the script back in May of last year and called it “f*cking thrilling and f*cking heartbreaking,” which sounds about right. HBO was a little less descriptive in their synopsis, which you can read below.
“The indelible characters of the series are reunited after ten years to celebrate South Dakota’s statehood. Former rivalries are reignited, alliances are tested and old wounds are reopened, as all are left to navigate the inevitable changes that modernity and time have wrought.”
The Deadwood movie was written by David Milch and features returning cast members, Ian McShane (Al Swearengen), Timothy Olyphant (Seth Bullock), Molly Parker (Alma Ellsworth), Paula Malcomson (Trixie), John Hawkes (Sol Star), Anna Gunn (Martha Bullock), Dayton Callie (Charlie Utter), Brad Dourif (Doc Cochran), Robin Weigert (“Calamity” Jane Canary), William Sanderson (E.B. Farnum), Kim Dickens (Joanie Stubbs), and Gerald McRaney (George Hearst). The film will also feature new cast member Jade Pettyjohn (Caroline) and will sadly not include Powers Boothe (Cy Tolliver), since he passed away last year.
As far as specifics about the Deadwood movie storyline, HBO is keeping those tightly under wraps for the time being. With that being said, it’s safe to assume to expect the unexpected when the project nears release. The original idea was to wrap up the storyline of the show with two two-hour TV movies, but that never ended up happening. David Milch has hinted that had there been a fourth season, it would have included a massive fire and a plague outbreak. It’s unclear if Milch returned to these ideas for the new script.
Daniel Minahan is directing the Deadwood movie and no release date has been announced at this time. However, it is expected to premiere sometime in 2019. There’s still going to be a bit of a wait, but it’s nice to know that the production has finally started and that it’s all officially happening. Will a single movie be enough to satisfy hardcore fans who are used to seeing hour-long episodes? It’s way too early to tell, but at this point, we’ll take anything we can get. The Deadwood production start news was announced by HBO. Expect more news and set photos to follow. Fiona Dourif posted an image of her real-life father Brad Dourif back in character as Doc Cochran on Instagram, which you can see below.
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