The story has it all – a highly charged political and legal drama about the life and times of Benjamin Netanyahu – and now Hollywood is bringing it to life on the small screen.
Screenwriter Kirk Ellis, who in the past adapted the screenplay for the HBO miniseries John Adams about the second president of the United States, which won four Golden Globes and 13 Emmy Awards – more than any other miniseries in history – is now working on a series that will tell the life story of Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu.
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The series is being produced by Tel Aviv-based Abot Hameiri, a Fremantle company, and will be called, succinctly: Bibi.
"Kirk's esteemed body of work, particularly in exploring the lives of high-profile figures, makes him a perfect addition to this series," said Guy Hameiri, co-founder of Abot Hameiri.
The show will be based on Israeli journalist Ben Caspit's biography, The Netanyahu Years, about Israel's longest-serving prime minister. It will follow his life from his childhood in Jerusalem to the loss of his older brother, Jonathan Netanyahu, at Entebbe; his years living in the United States up to his first term as prime minister, and will delve deeply into his political career while offering a revelatory glimpse at his personal life, including his relationship with his parents, his previous romantic relationships and a close look at his current family life.
"Ben Caspit's insightful reporting demonstrates how private life always shapes public affairs, and there's no shortage of conflict – or opinions – when it comes to Benjamin Netanyahu," said Ellis in a statement.
Hameiri said that Bibi will be "an epic political story with a very big philosophical and psychological undertone. At the same time, it will be a scandalous family melodrama that explores how the personal can become political, and vice versa."
No word has been given at this time about who might portray Netanyahu in the miniseries.
