‘Jerusalem’ to become TV series

Historical-epic book to be adapted for small screen by Lionsgate.

By AMY SPIRO
Updated: MAY 3, 2017 23:51
Cover of 'Jerusalem' (photo credit: Courtesy)
Cover of 'Jerusalem'
(photo credit: Courtesy)
It’s Jerusalem like you’ve never seen it before.
The sweeping epic non-fiction book Jerusalem: The Biography, by Simon Sebag Montefiore, is set to become a TV miniseries, produced by Lionsgate TV UK.
Published in 2011, the book encompasses 3,000 years of history in the holy city – from the time of King David to the Six Day War. The production company will be selling the rights to the series in both the UK and US.
Montefiore, a British historian and author who also wrote Stalin: The Court of the Red Tsar and The Romanovs: 1613-1918, will serve as a consultant and executive producer on the series.
“Obviously, I am delighted because Lionsgate is one of the best content makers of film and TV in the world,” Montefiore told The Jerusalem Post on Wednesday. “We share a vision of how to make ‘Jerusalem,’ so this is very exciting news.”
Montefiore said he expects the series to be on par with “the quality and scale of The Crown, Game of Thrones and House of Cards.”
The series will be shown over multiple seasons, and will be a “character- driven, action-filled account of war, betrayal, faith, fanaticism, slaughter, persecution and coexistence in the universal city through the ages,” according to Lionsgate.
Steve November, the creative director of Lionsgate TV UK, said the project “will bring the story of this unique city and the people who have fought and died for it alive in an epic, dynastic television saga.”
The show will be Lionsgate TV UK’s first series; earlier this year, it launched a push to create a slate of premium television shows for a global audience.
The US branch of Lionsgate, which will collaborate with Lionsgate UK on the series, is credited with such hits as Mad Men, Weeds, Nurse Jackie, and Orange is the New Black.