Nellie Andreeva

EXCLUSIVE: Showtime has put in development The Angry Buddhist, a drama series project based on Seth Greenland’s upcoming novel of the same name, which explores family dynamics, deception, crime and politics. Novelist/playwright/screenwriter Greenland (HBO’s Big Love) will write the adaptation, from Anonymous Content. The drama with dark comedy elements is set in the high California desert between the trailer parks and amphetamine labs of Desert Hot Springs and the classic mid-century architecture of Palm Springs. It centers on three Duke brothers: a cop studying Buddhism, an unrepentant criminal and a wily U.S. Congressman running for his third term. As the Congressman is in for the fight of his political life against the charismatic Mary Swain, a sexy, well-financed, newcomer, none of the Dukes are prepared for the consequences when a murder occurs and threatens to derail all of their lives. The Angry Buddhist novel, published by Europa, comes out in the U.S. next Tuesday and has already been released in France. David Kanter will executive produce the Showtime project with Greenland, who is repped by RWSG and literary agent Henry Dunow. Greenland’s debut novel, the 2005 The Bones, was optioned by Sony. The movie rights to his second novel, the 2008 Shining City, were bought by Warner Bros. where the project is in active development.

TV Editor Nellie Andreeva - tip her here.