James Baldwin’s influential works are set to come to both television and film screens, thanks to a new deal between Fremantle North America and The Baldwin Family. The agreement, made with Trevor Baldwin, James Baldwin’s nephew and founder of the Baldwin United Fund, will see Fremantle developing fresh adaptations of Baldwin’s books.
The deal, which comes as the world approaches what would have been Baldwin’s 100th birthday in August, includes both scripted and documentary projects. Original Productions, the Fremantle-owned company known for Ice Road Truckers, will oversee the documentary adaptations.
James Baldwin’s literary contributions include classics such as “If Beale Street Could Talk,” adapted into a 2018 film by Barry Jenkins, and “Go Tell It On The Mountain,” which became a TV movie in 1985 featuring Giancarlo Esposito and Ving Rhames. His unfinished manuscript, “Remember This House,” was adapted into the 2016 documentary “I Am Not Your Negro,” narrated by Samuel L. Jackson. Other notable works by Baldwin include “Giovanni’s Room,” “Another Country,” “Tell Me How Long The Train’s Been Gone,” and “Just Above My Head.”
In addition to the adaptations, Baldwin’s novels “Go Tell It on the Mountain,” “Giovanni’s Room,” and “If Beale Street Could Talk” have recently been released in a box set by Vintage Books. Everyman’s Library is also releasing a hardcover collection of Baldwin’s nonfiction works, including “The Fire Next Time,” “Nobody Knows My Name,” “No Name in the Street,” and “The Devil Finds Work.”
Fremantle’s President of Scripted Programming, Dante Di Loreto, expressed the company’s enthusiasm: “We are deeply honored to bring James Baldwin’s timeless works to a new generation. We are committed to preserving Baldwin’s legacy while making his powerful narratives accessible and compelling for contemporary audiences. This collaboration underscores our dedication to producing content that entertains and inspires.”
This partnership marks another literary adaptation for Fremantle, which previously brought Thomas Mallon’s “Fellow Travelers” to Showtime as a miniseries starring Matt Bomer and Jonathan Bailey.
Originally read on Deadline.