Bob Odenkirk (Better Call Saul) will be starring in a series adaptation of Richard Russo’s (Empire Falls) book, Straight Man, for AMC Network, according to Deadline. Odenkirk will play William Henry Devereaux, Jr., a chairman of an English department in a badly underfunded college in Pennsylvania called Railton College.
Straight Man is described as “a mid-life crisis tale set at Railton College and told in the first person by Devereaux, whose reluctance is partly rooted in his character – he is a born anarchist – and partly in the fact that his department is more savagely divided than the Balkans.”
Bob Odenkirk released a statement on joining the upcoming series.
“I loved Paul and Aaron’s take on Richard’s excellent, entertaining novel. Once again, a project with AMC with a focus on character depth and sensitivity,” Odenkirk said, per Deadline. “This milieu (academia) seems very pertinent to the conversations we’re all having. I am drawn to the tone of humanity and humor in the novel and I look forward to playing this role – something lighter than my recent projects but still closely observed and smart.”
Also releasing a statement on Straight Man was Dan McDermott, President of Entertainment and AMC Studios for AMC Networks.
“Bob Odenkirk is just as good as it gets. We feel so fortunate to be developing a new show that would keep him at AMC after Better Call Saul and Breaking Bad, two iconic series that have been beloved by millions of fans and helped define AMC and its reputation for unforgettable characters and high-quality storytelling for adults,” McDermott said, per Deadline. “We’re also thrilled to be working again with our partners at Sony Pictures Television and Mark Johnson’s Gran Via to explore this compelling material.”
Deadline reports that scripts for the show have been ordered and if the show is greenlit, AMC is eyeing a 2023 release. Straight Man will be executive produced by Odenkirk, Russo, Aaron Zelman (Silicon Valley), Paul Liberstein (Space Force), Peter Farrelly (Dumb and Dumber), Naomi Odenkirk (Melvin Goes To Dinner), and Marc Provissiero (Nobody). Farrelly will be directing.
Photo credit: Raymond Flotat