Marvel Star Michael Douglas Cast as Benjamin Franklin in New Apple+ TV Series
Michael Douglas has developed a storied career over the years, with roles in everything from Fatal Attraction to The Kominsky Method to the Marvel Cinematic Universe. According to a new report from The Hollywood Reporter, Douglas' next role will be as founding father Benjamin Franklin. Douglas is poised to both star in and executive-produce an Apple TV+ limited series about Franklin, which will chronicle his diplomatic mission to France during the American Revolution. The series will be based on Stacy Schiff's book A Great Improvisation: Franklin, France, and the Birth of America.
The untitled series will tell the story of one of the greatest gambles of Franklin's storied life: At age 70, and with no diplomatic training, he convinced France's absolute monarchy to underwrite America's experiment in democracy. By virtue of his fame, charisma, and ingenuity, Franklin outmaneuvered British spies, French informers and hostile colleagues, all while engineering the Franco-American alliance of 1778 and the final peace with England of 1783. Without his work in France, the United States likely wouldn't have won the Revolutionary War.
The series will be co-produced by ITV Studios America and Apple Studios, with John Adams writer Kirk Ellis writing the script and Boardwalk Empire and The Sopranos alum Tim Van Patten lined up to direct. Both will executive produce the series alongside Douglas, with Schiff poised to be co-executive producer. It will be Douglas' second time adapting the story of Franklin, after he voiced the historical icon in 2003's Freedom: A History of US PBS series.
This news comes as fans await Douglas' next MCU appearance in Ant-Man and the Wasp: Quantumania, which is poised to be released in 2023. Douglas has also been vocal about the idea of potentially getting a spinoff surrounding the origins of his character, Hank Pym.
"I just hope Marvel is listening," Douglas told ComicBook.com in 2018. "ComicBook.com, guys, you hear what he's saying, Marvel? Here we go! It's going to be the entire future of my life."
"Now that I see that you can have the ability to make yourself 40 years younger rather than simply having a flashback in the movie," Douglas continued. "If you can make yourself small and you can make yourself big, I should certainly hope that you can make yourself younger. I wanna give Paul [Rudd] a run for his money! I think it's time for us to go at it mano-a-mano."
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