It was only released in May this year, but HBO is already working on a small-screen adaptation of Stephen King’s The Outsider. Jason Bateman will executive produce the show and direct the first and possibly second episode. Bateman has already proved himself to be a great director, especially with Netflix’s gripping and intense series Ozark which has been confirmed for a third season.
Ben Mendelsohn has been cast in the series, but we’re unsure of what role. He could play the role of Terry Maitland, a man accused of the murder of an 11-year old boy, but he could also be Detective Ralph Anderson, the man assigned to the murder case.
Synopsis:
An unspeakable crime. A confounding investigation. At a time when the King brand has never been stronger, he has delivered one of his most unsettling and compulsively readable stories.
An eleven-year-old boy’s violated corpse is found in a town park. Eyewitnesses and fingerprints point unmistakably to one of Flint City’s most popular citizens. He is Terry Maitland, Little League coach, English teacher, husband, and father of two girls. Detective Ralph Anderson, whose son Maitland once coached, orders a quick and very public arrest. Maitland has an alibi, but Anderson and the district attorney soon add DNA evidence to go with the fingerprints and witnesses. Their case seems ironclad.
As the investigation expands and horrifying answers begin to emerge, King’s propulsive story kicks into high gear, generating strong tension and almost unbearable suspense. Terry Maitland seems like a nice guy, but is he wearing another face?
The Outsider is currently in pre-production, so keep an eye out for more news as it comes.
Words: Jessy Williams (@JessyCritical)
