An adaptation of John Steinbeck's classic novel The Grapes of Wrath will be the first season of a new anthology series being developed by AMC. Variety reported that Great American Stories will focus on a "different celebrated work, historical moment, or individual narrative celebrating and highlighting the American spirit."
"For more than a year we have been searching for the perfect story to launch our next big television franchise, and we found it in The Grapes of Wrath, which is as timely and relevant today as it was when first published in 1939," said Dan McDermott, president of entertainment and AMC Studios for AMC Networks. "Our country is built upon so many unforgettable historic and dramatic moments, tales of bravery and courage, classic novels, short stories, and chronicles well known and never-before-told. As a network that began its life as American Movie Classics, this is the franchise we're destined to bring to the screen."
Rolin Jones (Friday Night Lights, Weeds, Interview with the Vampire) will adapt Grapes of Wrath for Season 1 and then oversee the franchise for AMC. Mark Johnson is executive producing.
"We're thinking about Great American Stories like one of those resolute car factories in Michigan--bring in visionary creators, give them an assembly line of singular talent to build the thing, hand them the keys and get the hell out of the way," Jones said. "This is Dan McDermott's big, bold, torpedo bat swing at AMC. He's hired me to roll a beauty off the factory floor every year. I hope to never have another job for the rest of my career."