A24 announce new drama series on Liverpool FC
A24 have announced a new television drama series chronicling the late Bill Shankly’s historic reign as manager of Liverpool FC.
Shankly, who began as Liverpool manager in 1959, enjoyed 15 years of success in the role. During his tenure, he transformed the club from the second tier of English football to one of the most dominant forces in the European game. His honours as Liverpool manager included winning the First Division on three occasions and a UEFA Cup.
The Scottish coach set the foundations for Liverpool to flourish as a footballing institution after his departure. After Shankly’s exit, Bob Paisley and Joe Fagan helped the club continue its dominance in European football throughout the late 1970s and ’80s.
Jack Thorne is set to write the drama series, although a release date and information regarding the cast are still yet to be announced. “I’m excited to be telling this incredible story and it’s an honour to be working alongside A24 and Liverpool Football Club,” Thorne said in a statement.
Although the upcoming series, which doesn’t yet have a title, is based around a true story from the world of football, Thorne wants it to be representative of the history of Liverpool as a city, not just as a football club. “Our goal is to focus not just on the club, but on the city itself—because, and this is one thing Bill Shankly made sure, the club belongs to the city and the city belongs to the club,” he added.”
Thorne, whose credits include the BBC and HBO series His Dark Materials, concluded: “We have a chance with this show to celebrate both a magnificent football club and a magnificent city, whilst being honest about the struggles of the 1960s and 1970s in one of our industrial heartlands. We hope to honour the fans, to the city, and the legacy of Liverpool FC in bringing its story to life.”
Shankly passed away in 1981, but both Liverpool FC and his granddaughter, Karen Gill, have expressed their support for the project. Gill believes it will be “a wonderful way to share the story of my grandad’s time at LFC”.
She added: Anybody who knows anything about the club knows what it meant to Bill Shankly. This is going to be a must watch for all Liverpool fans and it’s a privilege to have the chance now to showcase his story to the wider world. I’m looking forward to seeing how this project unfolds and being a part of it.”
The upcoming drama series is set to be produced in association with Box to Box, the production company behind the Netflix series, Formula 1: Drive to Survive, which has enhanced the popularity of Formula 1 across the globe.
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