TV execs truly won’t stop until every show is about a charismatic and possibly murderous con artist. Deadline is reporting that several networks are salivating at the thought of their very own prestige scam series. The Night Of’s Steve Zaillian is attached to write and direct a series based on Patricia Highsmith’s Tom Ripley character. Highsmith’s sociopathic protagonist featured in five of her books, but is best known today for the 1999 film The Talented Mr. Ripley. It was a star-making vehicle for Matt Damon, and was the first film where Jude Law co-starred with gay subtext. We wouldn’t have his “multifaceted” version of Dumbledore without that previous training, and one can only assume this new series will prove as fruitful a training ground.
