Deadwood movie script 'terrific,' but 'hurdles' remain, says HBO boss

The Deadwood movie is still in the works.

Speaking at the Television Critics Association summer press tour in Pasadena, California on Wednesday, HBO programming head Casey Bloys said David Milch’s script for the planned Western revival is “terrific.”

“I read the script, and the one thing that I was concerned about is that I wanted a script that would stand on its own — that if you were a Deadwood fan, it would make you happy, and if you had never watched Deadwood, you could still enjoy it,” Bloys said. “And I’m happy to say that David totally delivered on that. I think it’s a terrific script.”

According to the HBO boss, the next steps for Deadwood involve scheduling and staffing. “If we can do it for a budget that makes sense for us and find a director — we’re talking to a few folks — and we can get the cast together, which is no easy task because everyone’s all over the place, we’re inclined to do it,” he added. “But we have to get over those hurdles.”

Bloys is the latest person who has read Milch’s script to praise the project. Earlier this year, actor W. Earl Brown, who starred on the series during its three-season run, called the script “stunning.”

The original series starred Ian McShane, Timothy Olyphant, John Hawkes, and Molly Parker, among others. McShane is currently starring on the Starz series American Gods, but earlier this year, sources told EW the actor’s contract included a clause that allowed him to do the Deadwood movie so as long the production dates did not conflict with American Gods.