Michael Chabon's 2000 book The Amazing Adventures Of Kavalier & Clay has long been accepted as a classic, and filmmakers have been trying to bring it to screens in various forms since before the tome was published. It may finally be on the road to actual reality as Chabon and his wife Ayelet Waldman (a fellow bestselling author and TV producer) are attached to write and oversee a miniseries based on the story for CBS Television Studios and US cable channel Showtime.
Based partly on the creation story of Superman, the epic novel is set in New York and Prague, and introduces us to two misfit young men who make it big by creating comic-book superheroes. Joe Kavalier, a young artist who has also been trained in the art of Houdini-esque escape, has just smuggled himself out of Nazi-invaded Prague and landed in New York City. His Brooklyn cousin Sammy Clay is looking for a partner to create heroes, stories, and art for the latest novelty to hit America the comic book. Inspired by their own fears and dreams, Kavalier and Clay create the Escapists, The Monitor, and Luna Moth, inspired by the beautiful Rosa Saks, who will become linked by powerful ties to both men.
Producer Scott Rudin snapped up the rights when the book was about to hit shelves, with Sydney Pollack and Stephen Daldry among those who have tried to film it (Daldry also touted a potential HBO miniseries). The project has been quiet for nearly a decade, but Chabon and Ayelet will produce the show alongside current Star Trek TV duo Alex Kurtzman and Akiva Goldsman, who brought Chabon aboard Star Trek: Picard. Chabon and Ayelet have several projects bubbling away, and worked on Unbelievable for Netflix. But if they can finally get Kavalier to screens, that'll truly be something special.