HBO picks up another 11 episodes of the Martin Scorsese directed pilot Boardwalk Empire which brings the total order to 12 hours of the show including the pilot.
Boardwalk Empire, which is written by Terence Winter, is a show that is set at the beginning of Prohibition and follows Nucky Thompson who is part politician and part gangster of Atlantic City. Terenece Winter and Martin Scorsese are executive producers along with Mark Wahlberg, Stephen Levinson and Tim Van Patten. Scorsese will be involved in some creative way and may even direct another episode if he can find the time.
The cast includes Steven Buscemi in the title role along with Michael Pitt, Michael Shannon, Kelly MacDonald, Stephen Graham, Vincent Piazza, Aleksa Palladino, Paul Sparks, Shea Whigham, Anthony Laciura, Michael Kenneth Williams, Dabney Coleman, Michael Stuhlbarg and Paz de la Huerta all making pilot appearances.
I really like the shows that HBO has picked up as their original series lineup and this looks to be another feather in the cap of the network which is producing some of the most engaging shows on the air now. Kind of like a Sopranos prequel if you will! Prohibition was a very interesting time in American History and the writers will not have a hard time looking for good material, I just hope they flesh the characters out so that we can form an attachment.
Source: THR.com
