‘Hell or High Water’ TV Series Adaptation in Development at Fox

Martin Holmes January 11, 2022, 9:49 am

Jeff Bridges in Hell or High Water 2016 — CBS Films/courtesy Everett Collection

Fox is working on a series adaptation of the 2016 modern Western crime film Hell or High Water, with Jessica Mecklenburg (Stranger Things) serving as writer and executive producer.

As first reported by Variety, the one-hour drama has received a script and additional material order at the broadcaster. The story follows two brothers from a West Texas ranching community, which is under threat from a ruthless oil tycoon. The siblings come up against a zealous Texas Ranger as they fight to keep what’s theirs, one bank robbery at a time.

Mecklenburg, who most recently served as co-executive producer on the Hulu miniseries Dopesick, will exec produce the project alongside Sidney Kimmel, John Penotti, Charlie Corwin, and Marcy Ross of SK Global, Gigi Pritzker and Rachel Shane of Madison Wells, and Julie Yorn, Carla Hacken, and David Mackenzie.

Mackenzie directed the original film, which was released in 2016. It was written by Taylor Sheridan (Sons of Anarchy) and starred Ben Foster, Chris Pine, Jeff Bridges, and Gil Birmingham. The movie received critical acclaim and four Academy Awards, including nods for Best Picture, Best Supporting Actor (Bridges), Best Original Screenplay, and Best Film Editing.

Sheridan is a co-creator of the Paramount series Yellowstone, another show that follows the conflicts of life at a cattle ranch. The series, which stars Kevin Costner, Wes Bentley, Kelly Reilly, and Luke Grimes, has been a huge ratings hit. The Season 4 premiere was watched by 8.38 million viewers, making it cable’s most-watched episode since 2018. The success led to a Sheridan-helmed spin-off, 1883, which premiered on Paramount+ in December.