Sony Pictures Television has ordered an all-new limited docuseries about the creation and people of the infamous tabloid newspaper National Enquirer. The series, entitled National Enquirer: The Untold Story!, will be directed and written by Seth Gordon (Parks and Recreation), Deadline confirmed today.
National Enquirer: The Untold Story! is based off the 2019 documentary Scandalous: The Untold Story of the National Enquirer. The documentary focused on the history of the tabloid and its effect on American culture and media. Specializing in celebrity gossip and the latest scandals, the National Enquirer has become one of the most popular newspapers in the country, despite often straying far from the truth. The film was directed by Mark Landsman (Who Do You Think You Are?) in association with CNN Films.
As described by Deadline, the series will use the documentary “as a jumping off point.” While covering similar ground by examining the history and impact of the newspaper, the series will take a different approach. It will dramatize the lives and roles of the leaders of the National Enquirer. Particular attention will be paid to its founder Gene Pope, his ties to the mafia, and how he assembled the eclectic group of reporters and journalists for the newspaper.
Landsman will return to executive produce the series alongside Gordon and Julia Gunn (United We Fall). Sacandalous: The Untold Story of the National Enquirer is currently available to stream on HBO Max.