Another day, another film that may become a TV show. This time, it’s Martin Scorsese’s The Departed that may make the leap to series, courtesy of Amazon.
Variety broke the story that Amazon and Warner Bros. TV are co-developing The Departed for television, with Jason Richman (Lucky 7) signed to adapt the script and executive produce the potential series. Scorsese directed The Departed in 2006, and it was loosely based on the Hong Kong film, Internal Affairs. Scorsese’s film featured Jack Nicholson as mob boss Frank Costello, with Matt Damon as Colin Sullivan and Leonardo DiCaprio as Billy Costigan. Within the story, Sullivan was a cop whose true loyalties were to Costello, while Costigan was an undercover cop who infiltrated Costello’s criminal organization.
The Departed series will retain the same basic premise, if not the characters of the movie. It will be set in modern day Chicago as a young undercover cop makes his way deep inside a deadly Latino gang, while the gang successfully gets one of its own members into the police. Fox had a similar show called Gang Related, which came and went in 2014.
Related: Mark Wahlberg on ‘The Departed’
Given the obvious differences between The Departed‘s film and TV incarnations, the question has to be asked: is this a good idea? The story has worked twice as a film, but the potential Amazon series will have to stretch out and expand upon the events. It can be done, but a good movie is no guarantee that the show will meet its high standard.
To be honest, it seems like the only reason this show exists is to capitalize on the “brand recognition” of The Departed film, which is all too common in Hollywood. Sometimes, the movie-to-show transition works. Fargo and Hannibal were terrific, but there are many more would-be TV shows that didn’t have what it takes to last in television. Only time will tell which category The Departed will fall into.
What do you think about the potential Departed series? Let us know in the comment section below!
