Colson Whitehead’s book The Underground Railroad is being turned into a series by Amazon. The plot is based on two slaves that escape their plantation using the underground railroad while they are being chased by a ruthless slave catcher named Ridgeway. In the novel, the underground railroad is depicted as an actual railroad that ferries slaves north to their freedom. The main character Cora is convinced to escape by another slave named Ceasar, but their entire adventure is filled with tragedy and mayhem. The Underground Railroad won the 2017 Pulitzer Prize for Fiction, and is a must-read.
According to Variety, Barry Jenkins is set to direct all 11 episodes of The Underground Railroad. “Working with Amazon and a wonderful group of screenwriters to develop Colson’s novel into a limited series has been an extremely rewarding experience,” Jenkins stated. “Translating his singular voice into a cohesive and equally singular visual language is a task I very much look forward to." Jenkins is best known for directing the Oscar-winning drama Moonlight. Although a release date has yet to be announced, it is expected to premiere next year.
Jenkins’ Pastel Productions will executive produce The Underground Railroad alongside Brad Pitt’s Plan B Entertainment. The two production companies were also behind Moonlight.