Epix gets Shorty for TV

The Get Shorty movie starred John Travolta and Rene Russo

US pay TV network Epix has ordered its third original drama, a small-screen version of 1995 comedy-thriller film Get Shorty.

The 10×60′ series is based on Elmore Leonard’s 1990 novel of the same name and will air in the summer of 2017.

Epix is a Viacom, Lionsgate and MGM joint venture and the show is being produced by their studios, Paramount TV, Lionsgate TV and MGM Television respectively.

Davey Holmes, who exec produced the US version of Shameless, is writing the series which focuses on the life of a mobster who attempts to leave his murderous past behind him by moving to Hollywood.

The channel is preparing comedy series Graves and drama Berlin Station for later this year, with the three shows set to air on Epix and its on-demand and mobile services.

The channel had previously focused on movies but moved into original scripted projects last year.

Graves, produced by Lionsgate, follows a former US president, played by Nick Nolte, who attempts to correct errors made during his tenure.

Berlin Station is from Viacom-owned Paramount and features a CIA agent’s attempts to discover the source of a leak at the agency’s German office.