There have been rumblings of a potential revival of Deadwood ever since HBO cancelled the series over a decade ago, but at long last, those rumblings have become reality now that HBO has officially green-lit the Deadwood movie. W. Earl Brown, who played Dan Dority in the series and will be reprising the role for the revival, took to Twitter to share his thoughts after reading the final draft for the Deadwood movie, and his enthusiasm is certainly infectious.
I just read the final draft.
Holy.
Shit.
In the course of those two hours, my emotions ricocheted in every fucking direction: exhilaration to melancholy; hoots of joy to screams of despair. The Maestro has topped himself.
— W. Earl Brown (@WEarlBrown) August 22, 2018
As my eye scanned the page, I read the Dan Dority dialogue aloud. Milch’s words are like a scrumptious meal; the complexity of its flavors is something to savor.
— W. Earl Brown (@WEarlBrown) August 22, 2018
The structure is essentially the same as the first version I read a year and a half ago, but the complexities of the relationships, the emotional peaks and depths, are all sharpened to a razor fine edge. It’s gut wrenching.
— W. Earl Brown (@WEarlBrown) August 22, 2018
While responding to fans, W. Earl Brown provided a few more details about the script, including confirming that "everyone from the main cast who still draws air" will be returning, with the exception of Titus Welliver (who played Silas Adams) as the actor will be in the midst of production on Bosch at the time. Brown also said that there will be no recasting of roles for characters whose actors are no longer with us, such as Powers Boothe (Cy Tolliver) and Ralph Richeson (Richardson). In regards to Tolliver, Brown says that "his absence is not ignored." When HBO first announced the Deadwood movie, they said that production would likely begin in October, and W. Earl Brown narrowed that down even further by claiming that principal photography will kick off on October 5th. Break open the peaches!
