He’s played Pablo Escobar and Che Guevara, and Benicio Del Toro is adding another famous figure to his resumé. And it’s in a project with a director he was once in line to team up with, but it seems they’ve finally found something they can collaborate on.
Del Toro is eyeing the title role in "Cortes," a new series Martin Scorsese has brewing at HBO. Chris Gerolmo ("Mississippi Burning") penned the show that tells "the sweeping story of Spanish conquistador Hernán Cortés, who brought down the Aztec empire; Malinche, the Mayan girl who helped him do it; and Montezuma, the Aztec leader he befriended and finally put in chains." Historical dramas seem to be the new black for cable outlets, with Netflix debuting "Marco Polo" next month. As for Scorsese and Del Toro, they were once going to make to the director’s long-developing "Silence," which would also have starred Daniel Day-Lewis and Gael Garcia Bernal. That never came to pass, but this is a pretty decent replacement. Scorsese will executive produce, and while there’s no word yet if he’ll get behind the camera, we presume he will for at least the pilot. [Deadline]
"Luther" star Idris Elba and creator Neil Cross are brining the hit show stateside for a remake that won’t star Elba. He is on board to executive produce the show that will have another actor step into the lead role, to which we say good luck to everyone, including Fox as they try to make this happen. [Variety]
FX has snapped up the U.S. rights to the forthcoming series "Taboo" starring Tom Hardy, written by his "Locke" collaborator Steven Knight. Set in 1813, the story follows James Keziah Delaney (Hardy), a rogue adventurer who returns from Africa with 14 ill-gotten diamonds to seek vengeance after the death of his father. Refusing to sell the family business to the East India Company, he sets out to build his own trade and shipping empire, and finds himself playing a dangerous game with two warring nations, Britain and America. Production begins on the eight-episode series next year, and it will air in 2016. [THR]
Hulu has given a series order to the Amy Poehler-produced comedy "Difficult People" featuring her "Parks & Recreation" co-star Billy Eichhner and Julie Klausner. The show follows "best friends living in New York City whose typical, irreverent behavior lands them in some very awkward situations." We presume there will be a lot of yelling. [The Wrap]