Netflix is saddling up for a new television version of “Lonesome Dove,” ordering the project to series with Zoe Kazan and Jeb Stuart set as co-showrunners.
The streamer announced Tuesday that Kazan and Stuart, who are also co-showrunners on Netflix’s upcoming limited series “East of Eden,” will lead the new take on Larry McMurtry’s western novel. The project comes through Teton Ridge Entertainment, which holds the rights to “Lonesome Dove” and hired Kazan and Stuart for the adaptation.
McMurtry’s “Lonesome Dove,” first released in 1985, won the Pulitzer Prize and has already left a major mark on television. The novel was previously adapted as a CBS miniseries in 1989 starring Robert Duvall, which won Emmy and Golden Globe honors. That miniseries drew 26 million viewers and led to multiple follow-up projects: “Return to Lonesome Dove,” “Streets of Laredo,” “Dead Man’s Walk” and “Comanche Moon,” as well as the 1994 syndicated “Lonesome Dove: The Series.”
Netflix’s new ride with Gus and Call
The official logline for the Netflix series centers on Gus McCrae and Woodrow Call as they “renew their spirit of adventure as they face an uncertain future, embarking on one final, perilous cattle drive from the Rio Grande to the untamed wilderness of Montana in pursuit of a dream that they have perhaps already outlived.”
The description continues: “These two former Texas Rangers lead an unforgettable cast of characters across the American west in this sweeping odyssey defined by unrequited longing, unbreakable friendship, brutal frontier justice, and an unwavering pursuit of a meaningful life.”
Teton Ridge acquired the rights to “Lonesome Dove” last year. At the time, the company said development would begin with the first book in the series, “Lonesome Dove,” followed by the rest of the tetralogy: “Streets of Laredo,” “Dead Man’s Walk” and “Comanche Moon.” The novels focus on members of the Texas Ranger Division, spanning from the period when Texas was a republic through the start of the 20th century, when it was part of the U.S.
The creative team
Kazan and Stuart will serve as co-showrunners, writers and executive producers on the Netflix series. Additional executive producers include Thomas Tull, Jillian Share and Jen Gorton of Teton Ridge Entertainment; Jon Jashni; Diana Ossana; and Curtis McMurtry of the McMurtry Estate.
Jinny Howe, Netflix’s head of scripted series for the U.S. and Canada, framed the order as a continuation of the streamer’s creative relationship with Kazan and Stuart.
“‘Lonesome Dove’ is one of the great American stories, and there was no question we wanted to follow Zoe and Jeb wherever they went next,” Howe said. “After ‘East of Eden,’ we know exactly what they’re capable of — the depth of character, the sweep of place, the emotional precision. This material deserves that level of care. In their hands, it’s going to be something extraordinary. We’re excited to partner with Teton Ridge to bring this legendary story to life.”
In their own joint statement, Kazan and Stuart said, “we come to this material with love and respect, and can’t wait to hit the trail with Gus and Call and the rest of these beloved characters.”
Jillian Share, president of Teton Ridge Entertainment, called the property “the kind of story that only comes along once in a generation.”
Share added: “Its characters, scope and deeply human portrait of the American West have made it an enduring classic, and we see an extraordinary opportunity to bring Larry McMurtry’s world to a new generation of audiences.”
With the series order, Netflix is now taking on one of the best-known modern western properties in television history, while positioning Kazan and Stuart at the center of another literary adaptation following “East of Eden.”