'Sherlock' Star Martin Freeman to Develop 'Biblical ''Game of Thrones''' TV Series 'Paradise Lost'
Martin Freeman, who is best known for his roles as Bilbo Baggins in "The Hobbit" and as Benedict Cumberbatch's sidekick on "Sherlock," is on board the TV development of "Paradise Lost." The show will be based on John Milton's classic poem, which has been described as the biblical version of "Game of Thrones."
Freeman will collaborate with Dancing Ledge Productions in bringing "Paradise Lost" to the small screen. Talks are underway for writers from both the U.S. and the U.K. to join the project and develop the stories. No network has been attached to the show so far and it's still not determined if Freeman will also be acting in the series as well, Screen Daily reported.
"Paradise Lost is epic, exciting and surprisingly modern," Freeman said. "Maybe the first time the devil gets all the best tunes!"
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Milton's poem was published in 1667 and has been studied by academics for centuries. Its story depicted the fall of Adam and Eve as tempted by a fallen angel in the Garden of Eden.
Several years ago, director and screenwriter Alex Proyas developed "Paradise Lost" as a film feature, which would have reportedly starred Bradley Cooper as Lucifer. But Legendary pulled the plug on the development. Budget constraints was cited as the problem as the studio wanted a maximum of $120 million for the production cost, Deadline reported. The news outlet also stated the studio was likely to reconsider bringing the development of the film back if there was new technology to help cut down cost.
Laurence Bowen of Dancing Ledge Productions believes the timing for "Paradise Lost" is ripe today, especially on television. "There's never been a better time for big, original, bold drama series and Martin and I both feel incredibly inspired by the material."
Meanwhile, apart from "Paradise Lost," Freeman is also working on films like "Ghost Stories" and "Cargo." He will be seen next in "Black Panther" where he reprises his role as Everett K. Ross.
Dancing Ledge, on the other hand, is developing another series, "Super Sensitives," with Faith Soloway. The production outfit will also have a project with "Sherlock" co-creator Mark Gatiss.
