'Impeachment: American Crime Story' may not air before the 2020 election
Despite announcing last year that it was planning to air it before the 2020 Presidential Election, FX no longer has a planned premiere date for its next American Crime Story that will tackle former President Bill Clinton’s impeachment.
Speaking with reporters Thursday in Pasadena, Calif., FX programming chief John Landgraf admitted that Ryan Murphy‘s busy filming schedule would make it impossible to deliver the 10-part limited series by September.
“He is objectively the busiest man in show business,” he told reporters. “He’s about to do a feature film with Meryl Streep. He’s not available to start production until March 21 and won’t physically be done shooting the episodes until October. So I guess its TBD. I don’t think we’ll make it by September.”
At last summer’s TCA press tour, FX revealed that Impeachment would bow Sept. 27, 2020. Naturally, Landgraf was pressed about whether the series could impact the Democratic nominee before the presidential election. “Let me say something about the current environment. When somebody writes, without even knowing what the script is … so this person knows what the show is, knows what the audience response is going to be, knows how it’s going to impact the election. This certainty that says, ‘We can’t have conversations, we can’t make art, we can’t have nuance. I won’t even wait to pronounce judgment on it’ — is toxic to the media environment. I believe very strongly in it. I’ve read [the ACS script]. I think it’s great. I don’t believe it’s going to determine who’s the next President of the United States. I think that’s a little hysterical from my standpoint. I’m insistent I’m going to support artists who are going to make great art and want to put it [on] at a time when people are going to watch it. I will stand up here as long as I’m here and I will stand for artists and stand for art.”
The limited series will be based on Jeffrey Toobin’s bestselling book A Vast Conspiracy: The Real Story of the Sex Scandal That Nearly Brought Down a President and will be adapted by Sarah Burgess. It will star Clive Owen as President Clinton, Booksmart star Beanie Feldstein as former White House intern Monica Lewinsky, Sarah Paulson as Lewinsky confidante Linda Tripp, and Annaleigh Ashford (Legally Blonde) as Clinton accuser Paula Jones.
Lewinsky will serve as a producer on the show, along with Murphy, Nina Jacobson, Brad Simpson, Brad Falchuk, Larry Karaszewski, Scott Alexander, Alexis Martin Woodall, and Paulson.
Related content:
