DEADLINE
Jerry Falwell Jr. Scripted Series In The Works From Vanity Fair’s Gabriel Sherman, Lionsgate TV & Groundswell Productions
EXCLUSIVE: A limited scripted series exploring the rise and fall of Liberty University President Jerry Falwell Jr is in the works.
Lionsgate Television has optioned Gabriel Sherman’s Vanity Fair article on Falwell Jr with the journalist and The Loudest Voice in the Room author adapting and exec producing his story with Michael London and Shannon Gaulding of Snowfall producer Groundswell Productions.
The article, which was published last month, tells the story of the Trump-anointing dark prince of the Christian right who was brought down by a sex scandal. He resigned in from Liberty in August 2020 after it emerged that a former Miami pool boy claimed he had been having a seven year affair with Falwell Jr.’s wife Becki and Falwell often liked to watch them have sex.
In the piece, Sherman spoke extensively to Falwell and Becki about the tumultuous events that led to his ouster, their fallout, and why he’s finally ready to admit he never had much use for his father’s church anyway.
The story will now be adapted as a limited series.
“Gabe Sherman is setting out to tell the story of a great American family business, where the business is religion. It’s an untold story with a larger than life cast of characters amassing vast power and fortunes. Yes, there’s a sex scandal, one that consumed the life of Jerry Jr and his wife Becki, but what’s most surprising is the insight and empathy that Gabe brings to their very human struggle to be true to themselves,” said London, whose other TV credits also include SMILF and Magicians.
Sherman was represented by Hotchkiss, Daily & Associates, Management 360 and Frankfurt, Kurnit, Klein & Selz. Groundswell was represented by WME and Michael Schenkman