David Simon Says CIA Saga ‘Legacy Of Ashes’ Might Be His Next Project

This spring, David Simon, the man behind "The Wire," "Homicide," and "Show Me A Hero" will get cracking on production of his ’70s set porn drama "The Deuce," starring James Franco in dual roles. But Simon has much more brewing, among them, a drama set around Capitol Hill with famed journalist Carl Bernstein involved. However, what might be next on the docket is something different, a show that will peel back the layers of one of the most powerful organizations in the United States: the CIA.

Chatting with Variety, Simon reveals he’s working on an adaptation of the Pulitizer Prize winning book "Legacy Of Ashes" by Tim Weiner, and that it’s actually the BBC taking the lead, with HBO essentially willing lend a hand for the stateside work involved in bringing the series to air. And the material is powerful stuff, with Weiner’s book taking a hard look at the institutional problems in the CIA, and how it may weaken our national security. 

"[Writers] Ed Burns and Dan Fesperman have taken that. It’s in turnaround at the BBC. They want to do the show. They acquired the scripts from HBO and they are doing the show," Simon said. "We are taking another pass at the scripts because they want us to add a certain amount of U.K. stuff. A certain amount of MI6 along with CIA. The reason HBO was gracious enough to give them the scripts is because the BBC said: ‘Look we will find some of the funding as it’s a very expensive show as you can imagine. We will find some of the funding and we will get back to give you the chance of a first look, to be the American partner.’ It’s gone from HBO leading it and the BBC is developing and they are getting back to HBO when the script’s next pass is done. Then HBO will get the chance to say yes in a situation where they are not bearing the whole cost."

Basically, it sounds like things are moving along, but there is still work to be done to get all the elements in place, but fingers crossed the momentum on "Legacy Of Ashes" doesn’t slow down. Until we hear more news about this show and "The Deuce," sit back for Simon’s full podcast talk on "WTF With Marc Maron."