AMC has given a straight-to-series order for oil drama “The Son,” it was announced Friday at the Television Critics Association press tour in Pasadena, Calif.
Charting the rise and fall of a Texas oil empire, the Sonar Entertainment series is described as a multi-generational drama about the country’s growth into a superpower. It is an adaptation of Philipp Meyer’s book that is penned by Meyer, Lee Shipman and Brian McGreevy. Kevin Murphy is showrunner and exec producer with Meyer, Shipman, McGreevy and Sonar’s Jenna Glazier. AMC has ordered 10 episodes.
“Philipp Meyer’s epic novel ‘The Son’ is storytelling at its finest, chronicling the engrossing lives of a Texan family over six generations and serving as an incredible foundation on which to build an equally gripping television series,” said Joel Stillerman, president of original programming and development for AMC and SundanceTV.
The series is one of three that AMC has been considering for a straight-to-series order as part of its elaborate new development process that includes setting up writers rooms and creating script ideas in lieu of going straight to filming pilots. The others are the book adaptation “Goliath” from writer David Kajganich and director Sean Durkin and the Paul Giamatti-produced “Lodge 49” from writer Jim Gavin.
AMC had given a straight-to-series order to Alfred Gough and Miles Millar’s martial arts drama “Into the Badlands,” which premiered in November. AMC’s upcoming comic adaptation, “Preacher” from Seth Rogen, Evan Goldberg and Sam Catlin, went through the more traditional model of receiving a pilot order and then a series pickup.
Popular on Variety
Earlier this year, ABC premiered the Don Johnson-Chace Crawford family drama “Blood & Oil,” which also dealt with the oil mining industry. It aired for just 10 episodes.
