The Great Gatsby Is Being Turned Into A TV Series That’s More ‘Diverse’ And ‘Inclusive’

The Great Gatsby is one of the most renowned fictional novels of all time and has been studied in high school classrooms the world over.

The F. Scott Fitzgerald book about decadence, love and life in the roaring '20s was turned into a huge blockbuster movie in 2013 that starred Leonardo DiCaprio.

But now the plot is being stretched into a TV miniseries, according to The Hollywood Reporter and reimagined for a new audience.

The entertainment news site said Michael Hirst, who has been behind the likes of Elizabeth, Vikings and The Tudors has teamed up with A+E Studios and ITV Studios America for the show.

In order to preserve the legacy that Fitzgerald left behind, Blake Hazard, a great-granddaughter of Scott and Zelda Fitzgerald and a trustee of the estate, has been brought on to serve as a consulting producer.

But Hirst wants to reimagine the legendary book with current attitudes.

In a statement to THR, the writer said: "I seem to have lived with Gatsby most of my life, reading it first as a schoolboy, later teaching it at Oxford in the 1970s then re-reading it periodically ever since.

"Today, as America seeks to reinvent itself once again, is the perfect moment to look with new eyes at this timeless story, to explore its famous and iconic characters through the modern lens of gender, race and sexual orientation.

"Fitzgerald's profoundly romantic vision does not prevent him examining and exposing the darker underbelly of the American experience, which is why the story speaks to both tragedy and hope, and why it continues to resonate today."

Blake Hazard says she has long dreamt of a 'more diverse, inclusive' version of her great-grandfather's classic tale so that it can better reflect the current shape of America.

She has high hopes on Hirst bringing a 'deep reverence' for The Great Gatsby and is looking forward to seeing the fresh take on 'such an iconic story'.

A+E Studios President, Barry Jossen, has similarly high expectations about the miniseries.

In a sattement to THR, he said: "There are few stories in the pantheon of American literature that transcend time like The Great Gatsby.

"Along with our partners at ITV Studios America and Groundswell Productions, A+E Studios is privileged to bring this powerful, complex work to life under the watchful eye of the incomparable Michael Hirst and the blessing of Fitzgerald family member Blake Hazard."

Featured Image Credit: Warner Bros. Pictures

Topics: Entertainment, TV and Film

Stewart Perrie

Stewart Perrie is a Trending Journalist at LADbible. His first job was as a newsreader and journalist at the award winning Sydney radio station, Macquarie Radio. He was solely responsible for the content broadcast on multiple stations across Australia when the MH17, Germanwings and AirAsia disasters unfolded. Stewart has covered the conflict in Syria for LADbible, interviewing a doctor on the front line, and has contributed to the hugely successful UOKM8 campaign.

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