Michael Douglas Cast As Benjamin Franklin In AppleTV+ Limited Series
Michael Douglas has been cast as Benjamin Franklin in an upcoming AppleTV+ limited series. The prolific talent is a Hollywood icon for memorable performances in films like Basic Instinct, Fatal Attraction, and Wall Street, to name a few. More recently, Douglas has earned a new fanbase for his hit Netflix series The Kominsky Method and, on a wider scale, for appearing as Hank Pym in Marvel's Ant-Man franchise. It seems the star will go back in time for his next project.
Apple TV+ announced that Douglas has signed on to play Benjamin Franklin in a new limited event series. DGA Award-winning director Tim Van Patten is set to helm the project, written and produced by Emmy-winner Kirk Ellis (John Adams). The drama will be based on the book A Great Improvisation: Franklin, France, and the Birth of America by Pulitzer Prize winner Stacy Schiff, who will serve as an executive producer alongside Douglas. ITV Studios America joins Apple, making this a co-production.
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The project will see Douglas play Benjamin Franklin at age 70 during the greatest gamble of his career. With no diplomatic training whatsoever, the Founding Father convinced France to underwrite America's experiment in democracy. One of Franklin's most significant contributions to history was the result, allowing America to win the revolution.
If the reception of Ellis' 2008 miniseries John Adams is any indicator, the untitled Benjamin Franklin project could be gold for Douglas. Franklin is not the only historical figure the beloved performer will be tackling, as he's also set to play Ronald Reagan opposite Christoph Waltz in Reagan & Gorbachev.
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Source: Apple TV+
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