UCP ANNOUNCES FIRST DEVELOPMENT PROJECT WITH SETH MACFARLANE'S FUZZY DOOR: "THE WINDS OF WAR" (WORKING TITLE)
Based on Herman Wouk's Acclaimed American War Novels, MacFarlane and Seth Fisher will Adapt for Television
UCP, a division Universal Studio Group, is developing a limited series based on Herman Wouk's The Winds of War and War and Remembrance with Fuzzy Door's Seth MacFarlane and Erica Huggins, via their overall television deal with NBCUniversal.
THE WINDS OF WAR (working title) is the first development project announced by NBCUniversal since MacFarlane and Fuzzy Door inked their television deal in January 2020.
"We are thrilled to announce THE WINDS OF WAR (and War and Remembrance) as the first of many projects we are developing with Fuzzy Door. This is an epic story of valor, perseverance, survival and family that will be retold through a current lens," said Dawn Olmstead, President, UCP. "I'm very excited about our partnership with Seth as he looks to expand his oeuvre in the next phase of his career."
Said MacFarlane: "I can't think of a more exciting project with which to launch my creative partnership with UCP than Herman Wouk's The Winds of War. I've been a devoted fan of Wouk's WWII epic for decades, and its depiction of small-scale human endurance in the face of large-scale global upheaval has never been more relevant than it is today. In my very first meeting with Dawn Olmstead, we connected over this project - I learned that she herself comes from a Naval family - and to bring it to fruition under her stewardship and that of her UCP team will be a perfect fit for all. We can't wait to get started."
"We are thrilled to have our first project with UCP be something that exemplifies Fuzzy Door's intentions that we are looking to take risks, think outside the box and find stories that are urgent and entertaining," added Erica Huggins, President, Fuzzy Door.
UCP's THE WINDS OF WAR (working title) will be written and executive produced by MacFarlane and Seth Fisher. Erica Huggins will executive produce for Fuzzy Door.
Logline: THE WINDS OF WAR (working title) is the epic story of one American family's turbulent voyage across the continents and across the years that spanned the Second World War.
The series is based on the acclaimed American War novels The Winds of War and War and Remembrance by Pulitzer Prize winner Herman Wouk.
MacFarlane is a prolific producer and creator behind some of the most popular content on television and film, while also expanding his career in the worlds of music and philanthropy. At 24, MacFarlane became the youngest showrunner in television history when his animated series "Family Guy" aired on FOX. The show celebrated its 20th anniversary last year and has garnered MacFarlane five Emmy Awards, four of which make him the tied record-holder for the most voice-over Emmy wins of all time. MacFarlane also serves as co-creator, executive producer and voice actor on "American Dad!," which is airing its 300th episode this Fall. Under his Fuzzy Door shingle, MacFarlane created, currently executive produces and stars in Hulu's live-action space adventure series, "The Orville." The series' second season currently holds an unheard of 100% rating on Rotten Tomatoes. He also executive produced both 21st century installments of the Cosmos series, "Cosmos: Possible Worlds," which will make its broadcast debut this Fall on Fox, and the 13-Emmy nominated "Cosmos: A Space Time Odyssey." On the film side, MacFarlane voiced, co-wrote, produced and made his feature directorial debut in 2012 with the then-highest-grossing original R-rated comedy film of all time, TED. Fresh off the success of the film, he hosted the 85th Academy Awards, where he was also nominated for Best Original Song from TED, and released the highly anticipated sequel TED 2. In between both TED films, he wrote, produced, directed and starred in his western comedy A MILLION WAYS TO DIE IN THE WEST. Up next, he and Fuzzy Door are premiering BOOKS OF BLOOD, a feature film based on Clive Barker's influential and acclaimed horror anthology book of the same name, on October 7 for Hulu. As an actor, MacFarlane recently starred in Showtime's Golden Globe-nominated limited series "The Loudest Voice." On the music front, MacFarlane has released five critically lauded studio albums, garnering him several No. 1 debuts on the iTunes Jazz Charts and six Grammy nominations. Through his Seth MacFarlane Foundation, he continues to be an avid supporter of the climate crisis, conservation, free speech, science communication, cancer research, gun control and equal rights for all. MacFarlane is represented by Jackoway Austen Tyerman Wertheimer Mandelbaum Morris Bernstein Trattner & Klein and manager Joy Fehily.
Fisher was a Co-EP on the Golden Globe and Emmy-nominated "The Alienist." He won a 2015 WGA award for Best Miniseries for his work on "Saints and Strangers." He was also nominated for a 2016 WGA award for his work on "Harley & The Davidsons." Fisher is currently developing a TV adaptation of the paranoid thriller "Arlington Road" with Marc Pellington directing. Fisher also wrote on "Masters of Sex." He is repped by Aperture Entertainment's Adam Goldworm and Gang Tyre's Tara Kole.
Rachel Hargreaves-Heald is the executive in charge for Fuzzy Door.
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