AMC and Sony Pictures Television today announced an agreement to develop journalist David Carr’s searing and poignant bestselling memoir The Night of the Gun as a six-part miniseries on AMC, with Bob Odenkirk (“Better Call Saul,” “Fargo,” “Breaking Bad”) attached to play Carr, who died last year, and Shawn Ryan (“The Shield,” “Mad Dogs,” “Terriers”) attached to write.
Odenkirk and Ryan are both executive producers, along with Marc Provissiero of Odenkirk-Provissiero and Joshua Astrachan of “Animal Kingdom,” which originated the project. Eileen Myers (“Masters of Sex,” “Mad Dogs,” “Hung”) is also attached as an executive producer and writer.
“David Carr’s work as a journalist was uncompromising, enlightening, and most of all, always driven by a fundamental quest for the truth. When he turned those skills and values around to focus on his own life as an addict, the result was a stunningly original, compelling and important piece of journalism the likes of which the world had never seen – a simultaneously heartbreaking, funny, and inspirational account that redefined the idea of telling a personal story,” said Joel Stillerman, president of original programming and development for AMC and SundanceTV. “Shawn Ryan, Bob Odenkirk, and the incredible team behind this have embraced all the things that David would have loved as a storyteller, and crafted a vision for ‘The Night of the Gun’ that we hope will be as timeless as David’s book.”
“David Carr’s life was the antithesis of formulaic and only a team as creative as this could bring it to life with authenticity, audacity and reverence,” said Helen Verno, executive vice president, movies and miniseries for Sony Pictures Television.
The Night of the Gun is an incredible tale of a journalist’s search for the truth about the most painful subject of his career — himself. David Carr’s autobiography is a searing, hysterical look at the demon of addiction and his journey from the crack pipe to esteemed columnist for The New York Times,” Ryan said. “I couldn’t be more honored to help bring his story to life, especially with the immensely talented Bob Odenkirk as an actor and creative partner.”
“I read David’s story, ‘The Night of the Gun,’ when it came out and was wildly entertained by his saga. It’s a story of survival filled with pain, crack, journalistic righteousness, abandoned cars, crooks, lies, and then there’s the two little girls who saved his life; it’s overstuffed with humanity,” Odenkirk said. “Shawn Ryan is the man to explore this real anti-hero story. I hope to do justice to David’s intellect and his scrappy nature. It’s gonna be crazy… if we do it right.”
Bob Odenkirk is an Emmy Award-winning writer, producer, actor and New York Times bestselling author. He co-created and starred in the cult hit “Mr. Show with Bob and David” with David Cross, which ran on HBO for four years and has been referred to as “the American Monty Python.” As an actor he has brought many film and television characters to life, including “Stevie Grant” in “The Larry Sanders Show,” ex-porn star “Gil Bang” in “Curb Your Enthusiasm,” “Ross Grant” in Alexander Payne’s acclaimed feature Nebraska, and “Bill Oswalt” on the FX series “Fargo.” In 2015, Odenkirk reprised the character he originated on the hit drama “Breaking Bad,” playing the title role in AMC’s “Better Call Saul,” which just completed its second season. His role has earned him a Critics’ Choice TV Award and nominations for an Emmy, Golden Globe and SAG Award. Odenkirk will next be seen in the noir comedy “Girlfriend’s Day” for Netflix, which he wrote and will star in.
