Nellie Andreeva

Charlize TheronNBC has given a pilot order to Hatfields & McCoys, a modern-day Hatfields and McCoys drama project created by John Glenn (Eagle Eye) and produced by Charlize Theron and ABC Studios. The project, which had a significant penalty attached to it, is set in present day Pittsburgh. A startling death re-ignites the feud between these two legendary families, unleashing decades of resentment. The blue collar McCoys will put the Hatfields’ wealth and power at risk as they go to war for control of the city. Dawn Parouse Olmstead, who came up with the idea for the project, and Beau Flynn are producing with Theron’s Denver And Delilah Prods through their deal at ABC Studios. This is not the only contemporary Hatfields & McCoys project in the works. History, which aired the blockbuster three-part miniseries about the famous feud starring Kevin Costner and Bill Paxton, is developing a reality series featuring the descendants of the Hatfields and the McCoys.

The Hatfields & McCoys drama pitch was one of the first major sales this development season. NBC bought it in early June, a week after History’s mini broke basic cable ratings, averaging 13.8 million viewers over three nights. With its modern-day urban setting, the NBC project is not a Western, but its lineage will likely give it some of that flavor. Theron and Glenn are with WME.

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