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The Jonestown TV series is reportedly in production at HBO, as per a report by Variety. Bill Hader and Daniel Zelman are writing the series, which will follow the collapse and rise of Jim Jones and the Peoples Temple, famous for the 1978 Guyana mass murder-suicide.
Hader and Zelman will also be co-showrunners and executive producers. Hader is negotiating to play Jones and could direct the series should it go forward.
The Jonestown TV series will explore the establishment of the Peoples Temple during the 1950s and the movement's move to Guyana during the 1970s, which ended in the deaths of more than 900 individuals under Jones' command. The show is currently in the early development stages, and no release date has been announced.
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This announcement comes on the heels of sustained public interest in the Jonestown tragedy, which has been reported in a variety of formats, including books, documentaries, and earlier television productions. The Variety report says that this production is separate from earlier attempts by Vince Gilligan or other directors. No additional casting or production information has been revealed.
What the Jonestown TV series will cover
As reported by Variety, the HBO drama will map the history of the Peoples Temple from its humble beginnings in the 1950s to its downfall in 1978. The Jonestown TV series will examine how Jim Jones established power through the Temple, initially marketing it as liberal in its early years before its move to a remote outpost in Guyana, which Jones touted as autarkic.
The series will show the community's transition to isolation and internal control, which resulted in the mass deaths of more than 900 followers. It will give an account of the group's evolution, inner workings, and the ultimate events in South America. The emphasis will be on the organizational dynamics and Jones' leadership within the group.
Creators and their roles
Bill Hader's involvement represents an extension of his partnership with HBO, having earlier co-created and acted in Barry, which wrapped up in 2023. His work on Barry received 16 Emmy nominations, with two awards for outstanding lead actor in a comedy series. Variety reports that Hader is not just writing but may also direct the Jonestown TV series and play the leading role.
Daniel Zelman, who is also writing and producing the series, is experienced in nuanced, serialized storytelling. He created the five-season Emmy-winning series Damages. He is also the creator of the Netflix series Bloodline, for which Ben Mendelsohn won an Emmy for supporting actor.
Zelman has also worked as an executive on numerous other TV shows, including the pilot for HBO's Game of Thrones prequel and Succession, as a consulting producer.
Prior depictions and parallel projects
The Jonestown events were depicted in several types of media. Powers Boothe portrayed Jim Jones in the 1980 CBS miniseries Guyana Tragedy: The Story of Jim Jones. In 2016, Variety reported that Vince Gilligan started developing a series based on Jonestown for HBO, but the series did not get produced.
Recently, a hypothetical Jonestown film emerged as a plotline for an episode of the Apple TV+ series The Studio. The tragedy continues to be a focus of current media attention and analysis, but the HBO venture with Hader and Zelman is new news, distinct from earlier productions.
The Jonestown TV series is in production at HBO, with Bill Hader and Daniel Zelman on board as creators and producers.
