In 2010. Martin Scorsese directed the thriller, Shutter Island from the novel of the same name by Dennis Lehane. Four years later, Scorsese and Lehane are planning another trip back to Ashecliffe.
Deadline is reporting that HBO and Paramount Television are developing a Shutter Island prequel TV series from a script by Lehane with Scorsese potentially set to direct the pilot episode. The name of the project is “Ashecliffe,” after the mental hospital from Shutter Island. The potential series will explore “the past of hospital, and the secrets and misdeeds perpetrated by its founders who erected the hospital in the early 20th Century and developed the methods of treatment use for the mentally ill.”
Shutter Island star Leonard DiCaprio and the film’s screenwriter, Laeta Kalogridis are executive producing “Ashecliffe” alongside Scorsese, Lehane, Chris Donnelly, Brad Fischer, Rick Yorn, Emma Tillinger Koskoff, Mike Medavoy, Arnie Messer and Jennifer Killoran Davisson. Tom Bernardo is co-writing the script with Lehane.
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Scorsese previously directed the pilot episode of “Boardwalk Empire” and he is also producing a currently untitled ‘70s era Rock ‘n Roll drama for HBO alongside Mick Jagger and Terence Winter. The production of “Ashecliffe” will be timed around Scorsese’s schedule. His next feature film is Silence; which will begin filming in Taiwan next year.
“Ashecliffe” is only the latest film-to-TV adaptation from Paramount’s television division. “School of Rock” was recently sold to Nickelodeon as a TV series and there are also dramas in development based on The Truman Show, Narc and Ghost which do not currently have networks attached to them.
