TV series about Twin Cities writer, editor David Carr in the works

Bob Odenkirk is set to star as the late Twin Cities journalist.

June 6, 2016 at 8:43PM
(The Minnesota Star Tribune)
(The Minnesota Star Tribune)

David Carr/photo by Carlos Gonzalez/Star Tribune

David Carr isn't done making news.

The Twin Cities native, who died last year, is the subject of a potential new mini-series for AMC, based on his best-selling memoir, "The Night of the Gun."

The credentials behind the project are impressive. Shawn Ryan,who created "The Shield," is attached to write with "Better Call Saul" star Bob Odenkirk playing Carr. Both are listed as producers.

Carr, the former editor of the Twin Cities Reader, chronicled the battles with addiction that he overcame on his way to becoming a star in both the pages of the New York Times and in the documentary, "Page One." Times editor Dean Baquet has called him the greatest media reporter of his generation.

"'The Night of the Gun' is an incredible tale of a journalist's search for the truth about the most painful subject of his career -- himself," Ryan said in a statement.

Odenkirk said he was wildly entertained by the book.

"It's a story of survival filled with pain, crack, journalistic righteousness, abandoned cars, crooks, lies, and then there's the two little girls who saved his life," the Emmy-nominated actor said. "It's overstuffed with humanity."

Odenkirk, who started developing the adaptation while Carr was still alive, is planning to visit Minnesota later this month to explore the possibility of filming all or part of the mini-series in the Twin Cities, the setting for most of the book. He confirmed his plans with the Minnesota Film Board's executive director Lucinda Winter Monday and will be meeting with her team during that visit.

about the writer

about the writer

Neal Justin

Critic / Reporter

Neal Justin is the pop-culture critic, covering how Minnesotans spend their entertainment time. He also reviews stand-up comedy. Justin previously served as TV and music critic for the paper. He is the co-founder of JCamp, a non-profit program for high-school journalists, and works on many fronts to further diversity in newsrooms.

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