HBO have ordered 11 episodes of Boardwalk Empire, the Martin Scorsese-directed drama that promises “a look at the history of Atlantic City’s boardwalk from its origins as a quiet seaside resort to the casino empire it is today.” The series is based on the book “Boardwalk Empire: The Birth, High Times, and Corruption of Atlantic City” by Nelson Johnson and will feature Steve Buscemi, Kelly Macdonald and Dabney Coleman.
It’s probably no coincidence that the teleplay for the pilot was written by Terence Winter, former writer-producer for The Sopranos. If he can bring the same tense mob shenanigans from that show, and couple it with Scorsese’s eye for the historic, this should definitely be one to look out for.
Scorsese is apparently lined up to direct a first season episode, so we can probably expect a decent level of critical attention to this show too. Production is due to begin this year in time for a 2010 launch.