Get ready for a whole lot of August Wilson on the small screen. Oscar and Tony winner Denzel Washington, during a Q&A at University of Southern California, revealed that he will executive produce all ten of the Pulitzer winner’s plays for HBO, Deadline reports.
Last month, Viola Davis confirmed that she will star in the screen adaptation of Wilson’s Fences, reprising her Tony-winning role from the 2010 production. Washington, who appeared opposite Davis in the revival and also won a Tony, is set to star in and direct the HBO venture.
“I’m really excited that [the estate] would put that in my hands and trust me,” Washington said during the event. “That’s good enough for me. It doesn’t get any better than that.”
The premium network would roll out one film a year, Washington said. In addition to Fences, Wilson’s ten-play collection consists of Radio Golf, King Hedley II, Jitney, Two Trains Running, Seven Guitars, The Piano Lesson, Ma Rainey’s Black Bottom, Joe Turner’s Come and Gone and Gem of the Ocean.
Washington won Oscars for his performances in Training Day and Glory, and was last nominated in 2013 for Flight. In addition to Fences, he has appeared on Broadway in Checkmates, Julius Caesar and A Raisin in the Sun.