A television series based on the filthy and magnificent life of Hunter S. Thompson is set to be produced. Prepare for one hell of a ride.
A biographical television series based on the legendary gonzo journalist and author Hunter S. Thompson is set to be made by MGM.
Called Fear and Loathing after his drug-addled, psychotic 1971 opus Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas: A Savage Journey into the Heart of the American Dream, there’s yet to be a due date set for the release. That doesn’t mean you can’t get excited.
The series will be helmed by writer Davey Holmes, who has previously worked on Shameless, Awake, Pushing Daisies, and most recently Get Shorty. It’s also an officially endorsed biographical work.
Thompson gave birth to the vivid phenomenon that is “gonzo journalism”, where the journalist features themselves as the protagonist of a story and relays the ‘truth’ through their own eyes.
Bringing the savagery and uniqueness of Thompson to the screen will be a tough ask, especially in the detail required for a TV series. He was definitely larger than life; an aggravator, a commentator, and an artist rolled into one poisoned, immortal chalice.
Call me cautiously optimistic.
If you remember the film starring Jonny Depp they certainly nailed the drug-addled visions and skipping paranoic thoughts pretty well. Nonetheless, it will be fascinating to see how a long-form series is made in homage to the late journalist. Just who will play the father of gonzo?
Check out a scene from the 1998 film below:
