Nellie Andreeva

EXCLUSIVE: Oscar-nominated writer Kenneth Lonergan has come on board to pen Taxi-22, HBO’s adaptation of the hit French Canadian single-camera comedy executive produced by James Gandolfini and developed as a potential starring vehicle for the Sopranos star through his Attaboy Films production company. Lonergan replaces Dave Flebotte who was originally tapped to write the adaptation. Taxi-22, which centers on a politically incorrect cab driver in New York City struggling to keep his life together, marks the TV debut of Lonergan, a playwright and feature writer-director who earned Oscar nominations for writing his first movie, You Can Count on Me, and co-writing Gangs of New York. Gandolfini and Lonergan are executive producing with Nancy Sanders, Mark Armstrong, Clark Peterson, Dennis Erdman and the creators of the original show Patrick Huard and Francois Flamand. Huard, a top Canadian comedian, also stars on the Canadian series. Erdman and Peterson licensed the format rights from Huard and Flamand and brought the project to HBO and Gandolfini. Lonergan’s comedy writing experience include co-writing Analyze This and writing The Adventures of Rocky & Bullwinkle.

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