HBO orders David Milch and Michael Mann's 'Luck' to series

Dustin Hoffman and Nick Nolte star in the horse-racing drama

HBO orders David Milch and Michael Mann's 'Luck' to series

Dustin Hoffman

Credit: Matt Sayles/AP
With Dustin Hoffman and Nick Nolte in front of the camera and David Milch and Michael Mann behind the camera, how could HBO possibly resist sending the pilot "Luck" to series?
 
The answer? They couldn't. 
 
HBO has picked up the new drama series "Luck" to begin shooting this fall at Santa Anita Park and other locations in and around Los Angeles.
 
Scripted by "Deadwood" mastermind Milch and directed by "Miami Vice" and "Collateral" master-stylist Mann, "Luck" is described as "a provocative look at horse racing – the owners, gamblers, jockeys and diverse gaming industry players. "
 
In addition to Hoffman and Nolte, the pilot stars Dennis Farina, John Ortiz, Kevin Dunn, Richard Kind, Jason Gedrick, Ritchie Coster, Ian Hart, Tom Payne, Kerry Condon and Gary Stevens. Jill Hennessy guests in the pilot.
 
"Michael Mann delivered a pilot from David Milch’s brilliant script that took our breath away," states HBO Programming President Michael Lombardo  "We are truly excited that these two artists, and our extraordinary cast headed by Dustin Hoffman, will be bringing 'Luck' to life."
 
Mann and Milch will both executive produce along with Carolyn Stauss. Henry Bronchtein will serve as co-executive producer, while Hoffman will be a producer on the series.
 
In addition to "Deadwood," Milch's relationship with HBO includes the one-season run of "John From Cincinnati." 
 
Most observers had already moved "Luck" into the pick-up column when Hoffman and Nolte made the decision to make their first regular TV series commitments. "Luck" joins September's "Boardwalk Empire" and next year's "Game of Thrones" on a slate of highly anticipated new dramas from HBO.

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  • Tattoo_talkback_profile

    Hatfield "Most observers had already moved "Lock" into the pick-up column..." A slip, or word play based on it being a lock to go to series? Also, this cast sure doesn't feature many women. Not that I'm any less excited for more of Milch's genius.

    July 14, 2010 at 12:58PM EST Reply to Comment
    • Gizmo_bigger_talkback_profile

      dan Hatfield - Typo! Fixed! And you're definitely right that the men seem to carry this early cast list. Milch did a pretty good job of making seemingly secondary female characters become more and more central on "Deadwood," so I'd figure that even if the pilot seems testosterone-y, there will be a bit more equity down the road. Hopefully!

      -Daniel

      July 14, 2010 at 1:03PM EST
    • Default-avatar

      kabak hate spelling nazis

      July 14, 2010 at 1:40PM EST
    • Tattoo_talkback_profile

      Hatfield Haha, then hate away, kabak. Though in this case, I just found it amusing because it seemed like maybe he was thinking about the show being a lock. I'm aware that Dan knows how to spell and articulate his thoughts very well.

      Dan - Good point. Alma and Jane and Joanie took a while to become their own people on "Deadwood," with only Trixie really standing on her own to some degree in the pilot. I love Jill Hennessy (still my favorite junior ADA on "Law & Order"), so it's a bit disappointing that she's only a guest star. Hopefully Milch will find pretext to bring her back, and of course Robin Wiegert and Garret Dillahunt and W. Earl Brown and Stephen Tobolowsky...

      July 14, 2010 at 2:27PM EST
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