FX Orders `Taboo' Series

By R. Thomas Umstead
published

FX will team with producer Ridley Scott on a new drama series Taboo, the network said Tuesday.

The series, executively produced by Scott, Steven Knight and Tom Hardy, will be developed by U.K.-based BBC One and is slated to debut on BBC One in 2015 and FX in 2016, said network officials.

Hardy will star in the series, which follows an adventurer who returns to Africa in 1813 with illegal diamonds to seek vengeance after the death of his father, said the network.

“We are privileged to have landed Taboo and to work with this exceptional team led by Ridley, Tom and Steven,” said Eric Schrier, Presidents of Original Programming, FX Networks and FX Productions in a statement.  “Tom’s passion for this project, from conceiving the original idea with his father to portraying James Delaney, promises to infuse this epic story with great personal passion and credibility.”

R. Thomas Umstead
R. Thomas Umstead

R. Thomas Umstead serves as senior content producer, programming for Multichannel News, Broadcasting + Cable and Next TV. During his more than 30-year career as a print and online journalist, Umstead has written articles on a variety of subjects ranging from TV technology, marketing and sports production to content distribution and development. He has provided expert commentary on television issues and trends for such TV, print, radio and streaming outlets as Fox News, CNBC, the Today show, USA Today, The New York Times and National Public Radio. Umstead has also filmed, produced and edited more than 100 original video interviews, profiles and news reports featuring key cable television executives as well as entertainers and celebrity personalities.