Liverpool FC, the most successful football team in the UK, is getting the scripted treatment.
A drama series based around its legendary manager Bill Shankly is in the works. The club, however, won’t walk alone into the project after teaming up with A24 for the project.
The series, which is being developed in association with Drive to Survive producer Box To Box, will chart Shankly’s rise, helping the club achieve promotion from the old Second Division before winning three First Division Championships, two FA Cups, four Charity Shields and the UEFA Cup.
Jack Thorne, the man behind HBO’s His Dark Materials and the Harry Potter and the Cursed Child stage play, is attached the write the series.
Watch on Deadline
Set against the vibrant backdrop of Liverpool’s 1960s with the boom of music and culture, the drama will explore a pivotal period in the club’s history, charting its journey from a team struggling to a global powerhouse with now over 400 million followers across the world, and recognised as one of the most renowned sporting institutions.
Liverpool FC is the most successful club in the UK, having won 69 major trophies compared to Manchester United’s 68, Arsenal’s 49 and Manchester City’s 36. Shankly was a major part of this, ushering in successful managers such as Bob Paisley, Joe Fagan and Kenny Daglish as well as Rafa Benitez and Jurgen Klopp, more recently.
Shankly, or Shanks as he was commonly known as, became Liverpool manager in December 1959. He was also responsible for You’ll Never Walk Alone being its anthem. He stepped down in 1974 after winning the 1974 FA Cup and died seven years later at the age of 68.
Shankly’s granddaughter Karen Gill, who is the author of The Real Bill Shankly, is also involved in the project, which will be filmed in Liverpool and at Anfield, the club’s longtime home.
Gill said, “I think it’s a wonderful way to share the story of my grandad’s time at LFC. Anybody who knows anything about the club knows what it meant to Bill Shankly. This is going to be a must watch for all Liverpool fans and it’s a privilege to have the chance now to showcase his story to the wider world. I’m looking forward to seeing how this project unfolds and being a part of it.”
Thorne added, “I’m excited to be telling this incredible story and it’s an honour to be working alongside A24 and Liverpool Football Club. Our goal is to focus not just on the club, but on the city itself—because, and this is one thing Bill Shankly made sure, the club belongs to the city and the city belongs to the club. We have a chance with this show to celebrate both a magnificent football club and a magnificent city, whilst being honest about the struggles of the 1960s and 1970s in one of our industrial heartlands. We hope to honour the fans, to the city, and the legacy of Liverpool FC in bringing its story to life.”
The post Liverpool FC Drama Series In The Works From A24, Will Focus On Legendary Manager Bill Shankly appeared first on Deadline.
