EXCLUSIVE: A24 and The Iron Claw star Zac Efron have found their next project on which to partner with HBO and Zach Baylin for a new take on an ’80s cult classic. Sources tell Deadline that HBO and A24 are developing an Angel Heart drama series. with Efron attached to star and executive produce and Black Rabbit creator Baylin writing and executive producing.
Jonathan van Tulleken, best known for his work on Shōgun, is expected to direct several episodes as well as exec produce. Other exec producers include Baylin’s partner Kate Susman through their Youngblood Pictures, Marc Toberoff, Max Hjortsberg, Lorca Hjortsberg, Alice P. Neuhauser, Joe Hipps for Cut To, Stuart Manashil, Kevin Turen and Harrison Kreiss.
Based on William Hjortsberg’s 1978 novel Fallen Angel and the sequel Angel’s Inferno, the series will follow a down-and-out NYC paparazzi, who makes his living finding and photographing people who don’t want to be found, who is hired by a mysterious man to find a missing woman. But the deeper he digs to find her, the more it looks like a group of powerful elites, and maybe something supernatural, are covering up the disappearance.
This marks the second adaptation of the novel following Alan Parker’s 1987 cult classic Angel Heart starring Mickey Rourke, Lisa Bonet and Robert De Niro. The pic follows Rourke’s private investigator who is hired to solve the mysterious disappearance of a singer known as Johnny Favorite. His investigation takes him to New Orleans, where he becomes embroiled in a series of brutal murders.
When that film initially premiered, it was received with mixed reviews, an underwhelming box office performance and plenty of controversy as it was initially given an X rating for a graphic sex scene that eventually was cut down to get the R rating.
Lisa Bonet and Mickey Rourke in 1987’s ‘Angel Heart’
In the years since the film grew a cult following and a new appreciation for its style and tone, and felt like the perfect property to reinvent for the modern audience. The package was initially put together by Efron and A24, which then brought it to Baylin seeing him as a great fit after Black Rabbit. Van Tulleken would soon follow given his track record on directing cinematic TV series, and the package then hit the market.
It wasn’t long after hitting the streets before HBO jumped at the chance to partner with A24. The two studios previously worked on the Emmy-nominated adaptation of The Sympathizer starring Robert Downey Jr.
Baylin has been on roll both on the film and TV fronts starting with last fall’s Netflix crime series Black Rabbit, starring Jude Law and Jason Bateman. Baylin created series, served as showrunner and exec produced it with Susman. and it is now in the thick of this year’s limited series Emmy race. Baylin also recently penned the Lance Armstrong spec that sold to Apple this past spring with Ed Berger directing and Austin Butler attached to star as the famed cyclist.
Baylin is repped by Brillstein Entertainment, CAA and Johnson Shapiro Slewett & Kole.
As for Efron, this marks the third project for him and A24 going back to the wrestling drama The Iron Claw. The film earned Efron some of the best reviews of his career and at the time was one of the biggest domestic box office draws the studio had ever seen.
Next up for Efron and the studio is the dark comedy Famous from director Jody Hill that also stars Phoebe Dynevor. Efron also has the Amazon MGM Studios comedy Judgement Day where he stars opposite Will Ferrell. He is repped by WME and Gang, Tyre, Ramer, Brown & Passman and Johnson Shapiro Slewett & Kole.
Van Tulleken is best known for his work directing the early episodes of the Emmy-winning FX series Shōgun. Next up he directed episodes for the anticipated Apple TV series Cape Fear and Lucky. He is repped by WME, Untitled, and Independent Talent Group.
