Lionsgate Television is developing the series The Envoy based on the June 2024 Vanity Fair article “Take No Prisoners” from Emmy and Peabody Award-winning journalist Adam Ciralsky.
Alexi Hawley, the creator of Lionsgate TV series The Rookie and The Recruit, has been set as creator of The Envoy, with his Perfectman Pictures attached to produce the scripted series along with P3 Media. Ciralsky (The Recruit) and Gene Klein (The Recruit, Suits) will serve as EPs under P3.
“Take No Prisoners” follows the work of the US Special envoy for hostage affairs and his colleagues, working for the release of American hostages held worldwide. The Envoy will follow one fictionalized hostage scenario per season as inspired by the Vanity Fair article, and provide an in-depth look at the US government’s commitment to freeing hostages. Ciralsky details a year spent with Roger Carstens, the point man for freeing US detainees held by world figures like Vladimir Putin and Venezuela’s Nicolás Maduro. The journalist witnessed negotiations, interviewed several officials, and was present for both failed and successful hostage recovery missions.
“It’s an honor to create a show based on Adam’s riveting article, fictionalizing the high-stakes, exhaustive and emotional efforts to bring America’s hostages home,” said Hawley.
“Gene and I are thrilled to be reunited with Alexi and our talented partners at Lionsgate,” said Ciralsky. “Having collaborated on two amazing seasons of The Recruit, we know Alexi to be a singular voice and the perfect person to bring this show to life.”
“In just the past few days, we’ve seen this piece resonate with Vanity Fair readers globally,” said Scott Herbst, EVP and Head of Scripted Development, Lionsgate Television. “We’ve assembled a top-tier creative team to bring audiences a series inspired by the team that has impacted the lives of numerous hostages.”
Lionsgate Television’s The Rookie was recently renewed for its seventh season at ABC. Hawley also serves as creator of Lionsgate Television’s espionage show The Recruit, also heading into its second season on Netflix.
Ciralsky and Klein produce The Recruit under their P3 Media banner. The Recruit during the course of its run ranked in Netflix’s top 10 across 88 countries. The first season of The Recruit during its five weeks in Netflix’s Global Top 10 chart for English language series amassed 228.1M hours viewed around the globe by the streamer’s subscribers. The company’s upcoming feature doc Take No Prisoners focuses on Washington’s efforts to free Americans held hostage abroad.
The Envoy is the latest high-profile project put into development by Lionsgate Television. Also in the works from Lionsgate Television are a series based on this year’s shocking gambling scandal surrounding LA Dodgers superstar Shohei Ohtani and the first English-language series adaptation of Park Chan-wook’s Cannes Grand Jury Prize winning movie Oldboy.
Global content leader Lionsgate (NYSE: LGF.A, LGF.B) holds approximately 87% of the outstanding shares of recently-launched Lionsgate Studios (Nasdaq: LION).
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