Burning Wheel Productions has announced that it is currently finalising talks with literary giants Irvine Welsh (Trainspotting) and Bret Easton Ellis (American Pyscho) to co-create a new series entitled American Tabloid, which will explore the national tabloid press culture in the United States.
“To do this production justice we always knew we would require writers who don’t hold back and go way further than most would dare,” said Shelley Hammond of Burning Wheel. “We are just beyond delighted that we are ready to agree a deal to make this happen with the incredible talent of Bret and Irvine. This would be the first time the two have collaborated professionally – and with the support to allow creative freedom we are confident spectacular things will happen.”
According to the official press release, American Tabloid “will journey through the decades following events from a weekly publication and enter into a world where political correctness, morals and ethics are left firmly at the door.
The series will follow “a rambunctious cavalcade of pranksters, con men, and rapscallions – in other words, journalists – being brought together from across the globe to change not only the landscape but the power of the press forever from scandalous rumour to political puppetry.”
Burning Wheel is the company behind the upcoming feature film Creation Stories, which will explore the real life story of infamous Creation Records label head Alan McGee and is scripted by Welsh, with Danny Boyle executive producing.